Showerthought: The weird way people keep writing 'estimate' on their bids

I've seen three bids this month from other contractors where they wrote 'estimate' at the top but then put a hard deadline for acceptance and a line saying 'prices subject to change'. That's not an estimate, that's a quote with an escape hatch. One guy in Phoenix sent me a copy of his bid for a kitchen job, and it said 'Estimate: $25,000' but then had a tiny note saying materials could go up 15% after 7 days. How does that help the homeowner plan? It just sets everyone up for a fight later. Do you think some folks just use the word 'estimate' because it sounds less scary than 'quote'?

3 comments

3 Comments

kai_bennett1mo ago

Exactly, that's just a quote with a disclaimer. Got a bid last week with "estimate" in huge font, then three pages of terms locking in the price for the client but not the contractor. It feels intentionally misleading.

the_oliver1mo ago

That part about "locking in the price for the client but not the contractor" is the real trick. I read a whole article on how some companies use the word "estimate" as a legal shield. They get you to agree to a fixed cost on your end, but their fine print lets them add charges for almost anything later. It turns the whole idea of an estimate upside down. It's not a guess at a price anymore, it's a one-sided trap.

rodriguez.jordan15d ago

Yeah exactly, that "estimate" label lets them play both sides. They get the legal wiggle room to jack up prices later while making you feel like you're getting a fair number upfront. It's basically a bait and switch dressed up in paperwork. And the worst part is, homeowners don't always know the difference, so they sign thinking they're locked in, then get blindsided when the bill jumps. I've seen it happen way too many times, it just breeds distrust in the whole trade.