Can Contractor Charge More Than Estimated?
An Estimate Is How Much the Contractor Thinks the Job Will Cost. the Actual Price May Be More or Less, but It Shouldn't Be Too Much More, and It Will Only...
An estimate is how much the contractor thinks the job will cost. The actual price may be more or less, but it shouldn't be too much more, and it will only rarely be less! A quote is an offer to do a job for an exact price. If you accept the quote then the contractor can't charge you more than the agreed price.
How much can a contractor charge over an estimate?
Estimates, generally, must be professionally reasonable. A 10-20% overage might be considered reasonable, especially if the contractor discovered issues along the way that he couldn't have been aware of initially (for example, mold or flooding).
Can a contractor charge more than the bid?
A quote is an offer to do a job for an exact price. Once you accept a quote, the contractor can't charge you more than the agreed price unless you agree to extra work, or the scope of the job changes while it is underway. Legally, this is known as a variation to your contract.
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
