Is a Contractor Taking Advantage of You?

Here’s the reality: not every contractor has your best interests at heart. Many of the "inspectors" walking through your front door are actually commissioned salespeople whose paychecks depend entirely on how much they manage to sell you.

Here are just a few people we've helped over the years:

1. The Easy Fix

• $20,000 Roofing Screws: A homeowner with an 11-year-old house noticed a piece of metal loose on the roof and called a roofing company. The estimator told the homeowner the roof was so bad they needed a full $20,000 replacement. As is common with roofing companies, the estimator never went into the attic to check for leaks. So, I took the homeowner up there, and…… there were no leaks. With about $2 in roofing screws and about 20 minutes in labor, that roof will last another 10-15 years. 

2. High Stakes Quotes

Major repair quotes can be scary, and fear sells. 

• The $70,000 Gopher Hole: A foundation repair company issued a $70,000 quote to "stabilize" a residential foundation on a hill because of a large crack. After a quick crawlspace inspection, the problem was clear: the foundation wasn't failing; the contractor took creative photos of a gopher hole going under the foundation to make it look like the foundation had a large hole in it. Photography skills: 10, integrity: 0.
• The $100,000 Shower: New homeowners were horrified when a contractor claimed water was leaking behind their failing shower tile and quoted $100,000 to remediate mold, repair a structural wall, and replace the shower. A six-figure price tag for a single shower was an immediate red flag. We performed non-destructive moisture testing on the surrounding walls and flooring—everything was dry. After removing a few loose tiles, we confirmed there was zero water damage behind the wall. Maybe the quote was accurate—they just forgot to mention the new tiles would be solid gold.

3. Hidden Fine Print
Make sure to agree on an hourly wage and markup for materials for any unexpected repairs before signing a contract.

• The $2,000 Plywood Clause: When getting bids for my own home’s roof, quotes ranged from $6,000 to $18,000—all using nearly identical materials with similar lifespans. Crazy right? Digging into the fine print of one bid revealed vague language stating that any unexpected repairs would be billed at an "unspecified rate." When pressed, one of the contractors revealed they charged $2,000 to replace a sheet of plywood. Let’s do the math on that for a second. The sheet of plywood itself costs under $50, and replacing it takes about 10 minutes. That means the contractor charges $195 per minute—which works out to an astronomical hourly rate of $11,700. I chose a different company.

We Can Help

Home inspectors are legally bound to stay neutral—no kickbacks, no sales commissions, and no upselling. We can evaluate contractor bids, inspect completed work, or help you distinguish critical safety fixes from optional upgrades. We only sell advice, and most small inspections cost around $200. 

Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Call or Text: 503-683-3022

​

---