Why the Cheapest Remodeling Bid Usually Costs You More

We hear it all the time - a homeowner gets three bids, picks the lowest one, and ends up calling us six months later to fix what went wrong. It happens more than you'd think. And honestly, it makes sense why people go that route. Remodeling is expensive, and saving a few thousand dollars upfront sounds like a win.

The problem is what's hiding inside that low bid. A contractor who underbids is usually cutting corners somewhere - whether that's the scope of work, the materials they're spec-ing out, or the time they're willing to spend on the job. Missing scope means change orders. Change orders mean surprise costs. Suddenly that "cheaper" contractor costs more than the higher bid ever would have.

Low-quality materials are another big one. In tile work especially, the difference between a budget tile and a properly sourced one isn't just cosmetic - it's durability, it's water resistance, it's how the whole installation holds up years down the road. We don't cut corners on materials because we've seen what happens when someone else does.

When you're comparing quotes, look at more than the number at the bottom. What's actually included in the scope? What materials are being used? How detailed is the contract? A thorough bid takes time to put together - and that effort tells you something about how a contractor approaches their work. We'd rather give you an honest, complete quote than win a job by leaving things out.