When you shop for almost any big ticket item, you'll probably spend a little bit of time shopping around. You may travel to a few different stores, looking for the best deal you can find on whatever the product is. However, what if you cannot easily travel to stores to compare products? For example, when you're looking to install vinyl siding on your home, it's very difficult to try to compare the products by visiting stores. So, should I compare quotes before purchasing vinyl siding?
The short answer to that questions is: Yes. However, the purchase price comparison isn't as easy as visiting a few hardware stores and looking at a few pieces. You will have to do a little extra work to compare quotes for vinyl siding, but it will be well worth the extra work. To start the process, try visiting a Web site that has some educational articles concerning your options for vinyl siding. You also should find a page at Web sites like this that allows you to make a request for quotes for vinyl siding from local providers.
Comparing Similar Products
Once you have a few bids in hand, it's important to know exactly what you're comparing, so you're sure that the quotes you've received involve the same types of materials and the same type of work. For example, if one quote contains vinyl materials that are of a lesser quality than another quote, the first quote is naturally going to be lower. However, you might not want to use thinner vinyl in your project, so, in this case, you wouldn't want to select the lower bid. Take some time to ensure that all of the quotes meet your desires for the quality level of the vinyl material.
Some quotes might only be for the vinyl siding panels as well. Make sure that your quotes include all of the pieces you need for your vinyl siding project, such as fasteners and trim work. This means you might need to obtain the bids in writing, just to make sure that everything is included.
Finally, make sure that any bids you receive are clear on the way the installation of the vinyl siding will be handled. Some bids might only include the basic installation work, while others will include all of the prep work, too. Make sure that any quotes you receive have the installation and labor work split out from the cost of the materials. That way, if you'd like one contractor to do the labor work with a better quality of material that what he or she included in the quote, you can have that option.
Obtaining Firm Quotes
Before you accept any quote from a contractor or supplier, you will want to make sure that the person submitting the bid has confirmed the measurements of your home. If the measurements aren't quite right, you could end up with an incorrect amount of vinyl material, which could be a real disaster if you run out of panels before the project is finished. In addition, without accurate measurements, the installation portion of the bid will be incorrect, as labor costs will be inaccurate.
Finally, make sure when comparing quotes for vinyl siding that the bid includes an estimated completion date. Any experienced contractor should be able to make an accurate estimate on how long the job will take. This date could play a role in helping you decide which quote you're going to accept. A slightly cheaper quote that will require triple the time might not be a great value in the long run.
