Hidden Costs of Low Electrical Contractor Bids
Beware the hidden costs of low electrical contractor bids. It’s true, a low price tag will always catch your eye. As consumers, people love a good deal. No matter if you’re in the grocery store, shopping for a new truck, or reviewing contractor bids for your next big project. It’s like we’re conditioned to almost always go for what’s cheapest.
You’ve heard that old saying, you get what you pay for. The cheapest may not always be the best. It could cost you more in the long run. Choosing an electrical contractor for your project is no different.
At E. Stanek Electric, we understand the importance of competitive estimates when it comes to your project. We also understand each sector has different demands and different needs, whether it’s industrial, retail, commercial, health care, or education. No matter which sector you’re in, you may come across low bids that seem too good to be true.
No electrical contractor worth their salt wants you to overpay for their services. Just keep in mind the hidden costs behind these low bids are something to be aware of. Here are just four examples of how low contractor bids can have hidden costs that could cost you down the road.
Using Subpar Products or Fewer than Needed
When contractors of any type gather materials for their projects, cost is also on their mind. Your low electrical bid could be a result of using low-quality materials that fall short of what they should be. It could also be a case of a contractor using a substitute they view as equal to the required material or simply using a lower quantity of products than what the project calls for. The end result, your job isn’t as good as it could or should be. For a project as important as yours, getting by with “just enough because it’s good enough” just doesn’t cut it. You deserve a bid that covers the right materials and in the correct quantity for the job you need to be done.
Bring in the Backups
If you’re going in for surgery, you want a surgeon who’s performed the procedure before, time and time again. In your electrical project, you want your electricians to be the people who’ve successfully worked jobs comparable to yours again and again. If you get a bid that’s suspiciously low, you could be getting less qualified or skilled electricians for your job while the more experienced crew is working on a more lucrative job. For your project, you want the best to take care of business. At E. Stanek Electric, you can be confident our crews have the experience you should demand.
Unqualified for Specialized Jobs
For electrical builds, no two jobs are the same so it only makes sense no two sectors are the same. Industrial, retail, commercial, health care and educational sectors each have their intricacies, rules, regulations, and standards. That low bid you see may be the result of a contractor throwing their hat in the ring without the skills and experience required for sector-specific jobs. If they’re unaware of what it takes to successfully complete a project that meets each and every requirement, they may be underestimating costs that you’ll end up paying for and it could take longer than expected. Make sure the electrical contractors behind your bid know the ins and outs of your sector specific project.
Unsafe Work Environments
When cutting corners, many times safety is sacrificed. Safety costs are a part of project bids. If a contractor fails to account for the necessary aspects of job site safety, it could end up costing more than dollars and cents. The last thing anyone wants is a job site accident. When accidents happen it can cause delays, and drive up costs while impacting the health and wellbeing of everyone involved. Using an electrical contractor that takes safety into consideration as a small part of their bid is just as important as hiring an electrical contractor qualified to do the job.
These are just four hidden costs of low electrical contractor bids. While E. Stanek Electric understands those low dollar amounts can seem enticing, it’s important to look at the true cost. In each of our bids, we’ll always give you an honest, upfront price specific to the scope of your particular project.
If you have questions about your upcoming electrical project or you’re in need of service, feel free to connect with us or call us at 1-608-782-0433. Our trained and certified technicians have been helping businesses just like yours in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area for generations.
