How Negotiating With A Home Repairman Can Save You Money

As a home owner, you’ll need to get something fixed, improved or renovated every now and then.

While the ‘do-it-yourself’ attitude is great, there are going to be situations when you either don’t have the time or the skill to get a job done.

It’s important to consider a few things before taking someone on board. You may end up exhausting a major chunk of your savings on a home repair project if you don’t make an informed decision.

Here are 5 ways that can help you save money by negotiating the price and terms with your home repairman.

Table of Contents

1. Remember the Ball Is in Your Court

When dealing with a repairmen and contractors, you should take complete control of all the terms and conditions. Vendors, contractors and subcontractors are all in need of business and clients.

The negotiating power rests with you and you have to make sure you get every single dollar of revenue. Don’t settle for any unreasonable deals or substandard services.

Also, if anyone asks for an upfront payment, consider that as a red flag. It’s best to avoid such contractors who ask you to pay before availing their service.

2. Do Your Research

There are a lot of vendors, handy-men, contractors available out there. The first thing you can do to begin your search is by asking close friends and family for any recommendations.

Sort out at least 4-5 different repairmen that are suitable for the kind of job you want. Contact them and to find out about their experience, legal verification, the kind of projects they’ve undertaken in the past and past references.

3. Get the Quotes

Explain in detail your project requirements and scope of work. Get quotes from them and then begin the process of negotiation for a better deal.

It’s wise to announce at the very beginning that you’re getting multiple bids. They will know that they’re competing with others for your job. Therefore, they will try to bring forward their best offer.

4. Know What You’re Paying for

Whoever you interview, you must take an itemized bid from them that lists down item by item everything that you will be paying for such as labor costs, materials, any other expenses etc.

A comprehensive cost breakdown gives you a clear picture of the entire project cost so that you’re in a better position of negotiating the price where ever you can.

5. Make Modifications to Maximize Value

Once you have the itemized bill in front of you, start looking at what changes you can make to lower down the cost. Make sure there are no overestimations with measurement such as the ceiling length and width etc.

Also compare the material cost with your own market research so you’re not over charged for anything. You can even ask for changes like a similar looking but more affordable tile for a re-flooring project.

Find out if you could purchase materials yourself or at least accompany the repairman when they’re buying the supplies.

Finding a good home repairman takes a bit of an effort along with excellent negotiation skills. But in the end it’s well worth the effort!