|
|
- Sample Chapters
- Coming Soon!
More Home
Improvement sites
|
Negotiating with a Contractor: (Part 1)Stuck in a contractual bind? Need to know what to say to your contractor?
How to Negotiate with a Contractor: (Part 1)
Copyright © C. S. McMinn 2006
DISCLAIMER: Nothing contained in this article is presented as legal advice. We strongly recommend you have all contracts and legal documents reviewed by a competent, state-registered attorney. The ideas and suggestions contained herein are presented as advice only and are not to be used in any legally binding format, document or contract.
Would you like to learn how to negotiate with any contractor to get their lowest possible price? This brief summary covers just a few of the strategies we explain in detail in our manuals. Each one empowers you with specific insider expertise to secure the most favorable terms possible.
Whenever you seek to buy something— no matter whether it’s a new car or sofa, knowledge is power. Imagine going into a new car showroom and browsing the latest new vehicles. A salesman strolls over to you. “So you like the looks of this new Honda eh?” You nod in a subdued, hope-I-look-bored way. “We’re running a special that ends today!” He says, eyes sparkling. “You’ve made it just in time!” You stand there, feeling trapped and helpless.
“You can have this exact model in any color we’ve got on the lot for just 2% over our dealer cost!” He takes in your blank stare. “Would you like to see our original invoice? I’ve got them right here.” He waves a lengthy sheaf of papers under your nose...
Chances are, your curiosity will surface. And you may be surprised to see how little the dealer appears to be making on this prospective sale. But deep down, you have this gnawing sense of anxiety. What if that dealer cost doesn’t really mean what it says? What if they’ve got hidden mark ups and kickbacks buried in there?
And although you might go ahead and buy that vehicle, you will— more than likely— never really feel the salesman was to be trusted. Nor will you feel you bought that vehicle for the lowest possible price.
But there is another way, as many of you know. Many web sites today can supply a prospective car buyer with the real cost the dealer paid for that car. Take that information with you and reveal it right at the very end of the price negotiations— and you will see immediately how the “balance of power” shifts to your side of the negotiating table. You will know what the salesman knows, and that knowledge will save you hard cash.
In the same way, reviewing and negotiating a bid from any contractor requires specialized knowledge— but that’s where the problems begin. No web sites today can deliver that contractor’s costs, simply because you are not buying a mas produced item.
So what do you do now?
Exactly the same holds true whenever you ask a contractor for a bid, and then sit down with him or her to review those numbers.hen it comes to the world of construction, most people know very little about the motives and perspectives of building and remodeling contractors. That ignorance proves to be very costly. they may often spend monthsNo matter how small your home improvement project may be, if you want to hire a contractor, these strategies will save you money. |
|
© 2006 McMinn & Associates
