Forum Discussion

DelgadoKW's avatar
DelgadoKW
Contributor 2
1 day ago

Do you charge for estimates, and has it worked for your business?

Does anyone here charge for estimates?

I've been thinking about this for a while and curious if anyone has found success with it. I run a handyman business and solely focus on active listings for realtors.

I've found that most of the time, when buyer's agents call for me to look at inspection punch list items, they never call back after I send the quote.

I can only assume they're using my quote as leverage in the sale to get some sort of credit or concession from the seller.

Now I'm thinking of asking which side of the sale they're on and charging if it's the buyer side, or just charging all around. Obviously, our time isn't cheap so I want to honor that.

If you're charging for estimates, what kind of rate are you charging?

construction
general contracting
handyman
pricing strategies
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3 Replies

  • ryaantuttle's avatar
    ryaantuttle
    Jobber Ambassador
    5 hours ago

    YES. We charge an onsite estimate fee, and we’ve done it this way since 2018—long before COVID made everyone rethink how they run their business.

    We actually provide free estimates remotely and turn those around within 24 hours. If someone wants us to come out in person, that’s considered a paid onsite consultation.

    The reason is simple:
    Most people requesting estimates aren’t hiring — they’re price shopping, using numbers for leverage, or trying to “see what it might cost.” That time adds up fast, and it’s not sustainable to absorb it for free.

    Charging for onsite estimates has been one of the best decisions we’ve made:

    • It immediately filters out tire-kickers
    • It sets expectations that our time and expertise have value
    • It dramatically improves our close rate on onsite visits

    The customers who are serious have no issue paying, and the ones who push back usually confirm exactly why the fee exists in the first place.

    We’re not charging to give a number! We’re charging for experience, scope clarity, and professional evaluation. And if a customer doesn’t see value in that, they’re not the right fit for our business anyway.

    • DelgadoKW's avatar
      DelgadoKW
      Contributor 2
      2 minutes ago

      That's a great perspective! What do you charge for those onsite estimates?

  • PestFreeCanada's avatar
    PestFreeCanada
    Contributor 4
    5 hours ago

    I believe in charging for an inspection. It is your time and effort to be onsite and create a plan for the client. A free inspection could be taken advantage of for sure and in my case would make the service cost more as I need to work in that time in the end. Even a small fee for your inspection isn't outrageous, somewhere in the $125-200 range.