Yeah, the “installation” line item is a total black box most of the time. I asked for a breakdown and suddenly there’s a list of stuff like haul-away, flashing, even “project management fees.” It’s almost like they hope you won’t notice. My advice? Get them to spell out *every* charge before you sign. I got burned by one quote that seemed reasonable… until I saw the add-ons after. It’s not just about the window itself, sadly.
It’s almost like they hope you won’t notice. My advice? Get them to spell out *every* charge before you sign.
Yeah, I totally get that. When we did our windows last year, the “extras” nearly doubled the cost from what I expected. I actually pushed back on a couple of those random fees and, surprise, they just dropped them. It’s wild how much you have to watch out for stuff like “project management.” You’re right—getting a full breakdown is the only way to go. Don’t let them rush you into signing anything until it all makes sense.
It’s wild how much you have to watch out for stuff like “project management.”
That one gets me every time. I’ve seen “disposal fee” and “site prep” sneak in too, even when I was doing half the work myself. Did you notice if they tried to charge for things like trim or capping separately? Sometimes it’s legit, sometimes it feels padded. I always ask if there’s any wiggle room on those line items... can’t hurt, right?
Trim and capping charges come up all the time. I’ve had folks ask why it’s not just included, but honestly, sometimes it’s because every house is a little different—older siding, weird angles, that sort of thing. But yeah, I’ve also seen some estimates where “site prep” was basically moving a couple flowerpots... hard to justify. Ever get a line for “haul away” when you’re already renting a dumpster? That one always cracks me up.