Yeah, that “all-in” price sheet always makes me a little nervous too. I’ve been burned before with hidden costs, so now I ask for every detail in writing, even if it feels nitpicky. When we did our living room windows last year (also Andersen), the contractor’s quote looked straightforward, but I noticed it didn’t mention anything about dealing with old water damage. Our house is from the 70s and I just had a gut feeling there’d be some rot hiding under the sills. Sure enough, once they pulled the old windows, they found a bunch of soft wood and had to rebuild part of the frame. That added a few hundred bucks and a couple extra days. Not a disaster, but it caught me off guard.
Now I always ask, “What happens if you find rot or weird framing?” Some contractors will just give you a ballpark for extra repair work, others want to do a change order for every little thing. Personally, I’d rather know worst-case scenario up front, even if it’s just an estimate. I get that nobody can predict exactly what’s behind the walls, but I’d rather not be surprised.
Funny thing is, I almost didn’t catch that they left out interior trim in the quote. It was just one line, buried under “finishing work not included.” That would’ve been a pain if I hadn’t noticed. It’s wild how something so small can make a big difference in the end result.
I don’t totally blame the contractors—sometimes they’re just moving fast and assume you know what’s included. But it’s definitely worth pushing for a line-by-line breakdown. Makes life way easier if anything gets missed or if you want to compare quotes apples-to-apples.
Curious if anyone’s ever had a contractor actually include “unexpected stuff” in their original price? I’ve only seen it as a separate line or a “TBD.” Maybe that’s just the nature of old houses...
That’s a sharp catch on the interior trim—honestly, you’d be surprised how often that kind of thing gets glossed over. I see a lot of “all-in” quotes that look tidy at first glance, but when you dig in, there’s always something vague like “minor repairs included” or “prep as needed.” The devil’s in the details, and you’re right to ask for every line item spelled out. I’ve had more than one homeowner thank me for walking through the fine print, even if it takes a few extra minutes.
As for including “unexpected stuff” in the original price, I’ll be real—it’s tough. If a contractor builds in a buffer for rot or weird framing, and you don’t end up needing it, folks feel like they’re getting overcharged. But if we leave it out entirely, then there’s that awkward conversation when something ugly pops up behind the wall. I usually put a note in the contract about what’s visible versus what’s hidden, and I’ll give a ballpark for worst-case repairs, but I’m hesitant to just tack on a big “just in case” fee. Most clients want to see exactly what they’re paying for, not a mystery cushion.
Old houses are notorious for surprises—especially anything built before the 80s. Water damage, weird framing, insulation that’s basically newspaper...you name it. I’ve opened up walls and found everything from squirrel nests to old beer cans. You can’t predict it all, but asking “what if” questions up front is smart. Sometimes I’ll even suggest homeowners budget an extra 10-15% for incidentals, just so there’s no sticker shock.
You’re not being nitpicky at all. The folks who ask the most questions usually end up happiest with the job. It’s way better than trying to sort out misunderstandings after the fact. And yeah, comparing apples-to-apples is nearly impossible without a detailed breakdown—otherwise you’re just guessing who’s actually covering what.
If you ever see a quote that claims to cover “all surprises,” I’d be skeptical. Either the price is padded, or there’s some fine print hiding how they’ll handle extras. It’s just the nature of working on old places—there’s always a curveball or two.