The Most “Classic” Reno Quotation (Trap) Explained
This is the most classic type of quotation (trap) that every homeowner should be afraid of.
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It has been in the market for a long time, and continue to be, and we really dislike it.
The tactic is simple - price everything high, dangle fake discounts, then create a time pressure to force you to sign quickly.
Let us show you a real quotation. Btw, this firm is CASE-accredited just saying in case you think CASE = 100% safe and pricing transparent and good and 万无一失.
This quote is for a brand new 3-bedder condo (new developments come with fittings like kitchen carpentry meaning lesser scope of work needed).
The first value is the professional & design fee of $3,000 - remember this value, we will come back to it later.
For electrical works,
Lighting point: $75 each
Single power point: $100
Data point: $180
Water heater: $240
At first glance, you can tell the items look steep, but we need to evaluate the entirety of it, rather than looking at isolated line items, which can be misleading.
After all, the ID does need to earn.
So we continue scrolling,
Ceiling works: $10,000
Painting: $4,100
Glass (Mirror only - 8 feet): $3,400 (???)
At this point, it is quite clear to us that these numbers are inflated, and veering towards the boutique / high-end designer pricing that most firms in the market frankly aren’t.
Then the carpentry - let’s look at one of the most basic item, a 6ft TV console.
It is quoted at $2,700 (i.e. $450/ft run). For perspective, the normal range is $160-$240/ft.
That’s almost double of the normal price.
Now here’s the crux.
They slap on a “promotion”: Free upgrade for ceiling and painting (-$400), which explains why painting was inflated to $4,100 in the first place.
Another “special discount” of $888 if you sign above $35k this weekend.
And surprise — the total cost magically sits just above the $35k!!
But remember, you must sign in March!! After March, “no more discount”!!
Btw remember the original “design fee” of $3k? On top of the inflated costings? You still got to pay that, but you get $2k discount :D
Btw, these things aren’t even the biggest trap from our experience. Here’s the real trap - once you’re locked in, any variation orders (VOs) will be charged at these inflated unit rates.
Meaning if you were to extend your TV console by 1 feet during the reno, you will need to pay $450 more (refer to above), instead of the usual $160-$240 pfr. There is no more “discount”.
This negates the argument from IDs that they price high, but also gave discount, so net net it’s the same.
That’s why we hate this kind of pricing. Not only is it playing tricks, it opens up a huge possibility of homeowner paying even more down the road.
And this is exactly why we review quotations from homeowners who get recommendations through us - not just to protect them, but to make sure that our firms don’t do these kinda stuff!!
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If you are looking to shortlist reliable IDs/contractors for your reno, feel free to enquire here, or check out our blog for other important tips!!