You’ve been thinking it over for a while, but you think it’s time for you to make a few changes to your home. You want a kitchen that better reflects your personal style.

If you have a design in mind, you can start calling around to local contractors. In some cases, contractor estimates won’t cost you anything. In others, you’ll have to pay a fee.

How much you pay depends on the overall scale of the job and the company. We can tell you how much you can expect your consultation to cost. Check out this price calculator for a complete rundown.

What Are Contractor Estimates?

A general contractor estimate is a rundown of how much a project is going to cost. The contractor will come to your home and take a look at the overall scope of your project.

It’s important to note that the estimate fees aren’t a clear-cut amount. It can change as the job does. For example, let’s say that you have someone come out to paint the exterior of your home.

They’ll take a look at the size of your house and give you a ballpark number of how much it’s going to cost to take care of the job. If the contractors notice rot in your siding while painting, they’ll have to get rid of that before they can finish your siding. Repairs will cost you extra.

Does It Cost Anything for a Company to Give You a Free Estimate?

For the most part, you won’t have to pay anything for your free contractor estimate. At least, you won’t have to pay anything for general projects such as painting or pressure washing.

For more complicated jobs, the contractor may have to charge you. The fee usually isn’t too large and will get added to the final total of your project.

Companies offer free estimates as a tactic to stay ahead of their competitors. It works, but it doesn’t come without a huge price loss for the company.

Time

It can be pretty time-consuming for a company to prepare a quote for you. In the case of large projects, the company can spend hours drawing up your quote.

There’s a lot that they have to take into consideration. Let’s say that you want your kitchen redone. The contractor won’t only have to consider how to remodel your kitchen.

They have to think about the little things like what materials to use or how to fix up a kitchen island that wasn’t installed properly the first time. That’s why your estimate may increase depending on the scope of the job.

Gas

It’s not easy for a contractor to give you an estimate unless they come to your home to look around. For the most part, contractors will try to schedule your estimate when they’re already in your area, but that isn’t always possible.

That means driving long distances, which can take up a lot of gas. This is especially true if you’ve got a large job that requires multiple trips. You may end up having to reimburse the contractor for the driving through the means of your estimate.

The contractor will use certain tools to find out exactly how much gas and other expenses will play into the quote they give you.

Inspections

There are situations where you will have to pay a non-negotiable fee. Inspections are one of these instances. Let’s say that you know you’ve got a leak going on, but you can’t pinpoint where it is.

The cause of the problem and the solution aren’t obvious. The contractor will have to spend some time looking around your home to find out what’s going on.

That’s when they do an inspection. As you can most likely gather, inspections can take a while. The contractor will have to send someone out with plenty of technical know-how to get to the bottom of things.

Price of Inspections

Contractors charge for inspections because of the time and technical knowledge needed to perform them. You can expect to spend, at most, 100 bucks for it.

The contractor will take some time looking for a solution to your problem. When they find it, they’ll give you a price estimate to fix it.

If the price of the repair is a bit out of your budget, you can decline the contractor’s terms. It’s important to note that you’ll still have to pay the estimate fee no matter your choice.

Consultations

If you need a large job done, such as a full bathroom or kitchen remodel, you’ll have to get a consultation. The contractor will sit down with you to talk about your project in great detail.

To understand what you’re going for, they’ll have to draw up plans. They may have to consult subcontractors and other designers to make sure your vision is possible.

Price of Consultations

It’s sad to say that a large price tag will come with a consultation. Due to how much work goes into the entire process, you’ll pay 1000 dollars or more.

The good news is that you won’t have to pay the consultation fee before the contractor will start the project. They’ll add it to your final receipt. 

Get an Estimate for Your Project

Are you considering having your house remodeled? You won’t be able to get the project off the ground without the help of a skilled contractor.

In most cases, you can schedule contractor estimates without paying a penny out of your own pocket. The only time you’ll have to pay is if you want to do something large-scale. Contact a contractor today to schedule your consultation.

For more tips that will help you get your project done, visit the Real Estate section of our website.