When a customer calls in one of the big questions we get is why they can’t get a price over the phone. It seems so easy to customers for us to give them a quick price but there are so many factors to consider.
First, we need to establish what sort of project this will be. Is it an installation? Are we installing a site finished product or a prefinished product? Refinishing existing wood? Buff and Coat?
Now that the project has been established we may have a range of pricing but it is dependant on the customers measurements and specifics. It is not uncommon for our estimators to arrive on site and find that the “real wood” flooring the customer wants to have refinished is a prefinished product with a thin wood veneer and cannot actually be refinished. When we give pricing over the phone it leads to a lot of unfortunate surprises.
When we are working on an installation project we may be able to provide you with some costs that we can estimate without coming to your home but there are still a lot of factors that will affect the price. First the cost of raw wood for flooring is always changing and the mill passes these prices on to us so the price doesn’t lock in until an order is placed. Second, we need to see what type of flooring we are removing and the subfloor to make sure the installation and removal price is accurate.
When we are called in for a buff and coat we really prefer to see the floor ahead of time and set the expectations. We never want a customer to be disappointed so we want to walk the floor with you at the bid to ensure we point out the areas we may be able to address with a buff and coat and point out the spots that may not be removed with a simple buff and coat.
We understand our customers want a quick figure to help prepare their finances for the project, this is why we offer a free in home estimate. This estimate is a fact finding mission for both of us and gives the customer a real number to mull over. While the price is still subject to change as the cost of materials changes it does give you the accurate square footage and other costs.
We hope this gives you a good understanding of why we need to see your home before we can give you pricing. We aren’t trying to push our ways into your home for a hard sale or make you feel obligated to use our company. We just want to provide you the best information possible and have found this is the best option for both our team and our customers.
