{"id":1487,"date":"2026-04-30T13:08:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T13:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/?p=1487"},"modified":"2026-05-22T07:01:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T07:01:48","slug":"choosing-the-right-contractor-why-the-cheapest-and-most-expensive-quotes-can-both-be-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/?p=1487","title":{"rendered":"Choosing the Right Contractor: Why the cheapest and most expensive quotes can both be right"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When clients compare quotations, the first instinct is often to focus on price.<\/p>\n

Why is one contractor so much cheaper?
Why is another so expensive?
Is someone overcharging?
Is the cheaper option cutting corners?<\/p>\n

Sometimes those concerns are valid. But often, price differences have more to do with how a business is structured than with honesty, skill, or quality.<\/p>\n

To explain this, let\u2019s use the example of two glass and aluminium contractors quoting on the same sliding door installation.<\/p>\n

Two Contractors, Same Trade, Different Businesses<\/h2>\n

Assume both contractors:<\/p>\n

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  • Have similar technical skill<\/li>\n
  • Buy materials from the same suppliers<\/li>\n
  • Can produce a good final product<\/li>\n
  • Are capable of doing the work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Yet their prices may still be very different.<\/p>\n

    Contractor A: Lean, Experienced, Owner-Operated<\/h2>\n

    Contractor A may have learned the trade through family experience and years on the tools. They measure with a tape measure and notebook, run the business from home or a small workshop, and keep operations simple.<\/p>\n

    Typically:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Owner handles sales, measuring, quoting, and supervision<\/li>\n
    • One or two staff assist with manufacturing and installation<\/li>\n
    • Low admin costs<\/li>\n
    • Low rent or overhead<\/li>\n
    • Few vehicles and minimal staff structure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      This type of business is often built to provide a solid living for several families rather than to scale into a large company.<\/p>\n

      If there is enough margin in a project to make it worthwhile, they can price competitively and still do well.<\/p>\n

      Contractor B: Structured, Growth-Focused Business<\/h2>\n

      Contractor B may have entered the industry with a strong commercial mindset and built a company designed for growth.<\/p>\n

      Typically:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Marketing team generates leads<\/li>\n
      • Sales representatives do site visits<\/li>\n
      • Admin staff process quotes and schedules<\/li>\n
      • Factory staff manufacture products<\/li>\n
      • Installation teams work on site<\/li>\n
      • Multiple vehicles, larger premises, higher systems costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        This business carries significantly more overhead and more operational risk. It costs more money each month simply to function.<\/p>\n

        As a result, their pricing structure will naturally be higher.<\/p>\n

        Why the Quotes Can Be So Different<\/h2>\n

        Imagine Contractor A quotes R25,000 and Contractor B quotes R45,000 for the same sliding door project.<\/p>\n

        That does not automatically mean:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • Contractor A is cheap and better value<\/li>\n
        • Contractor B is overpriced<\/li>\n
        • One is honest and one is dishonest<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          It often means both are pricing correctly for the businesses they run.<\/p>\n

          One operates lean and efficiently on a small scale.
          One operates with systems, staff, premises, and growth costs.<\/p>\n

          Both models are legitimate.<\/p>\n

          Price Alone Does Not Predict Outcome<\/h2>\n

          This is where many clients get caught out.<\/p>\n

          I have seen premium-priced contractors fail badly through poor delivery, overpromising, or internal chaos.<\/p>\n

          I have also seen smaller operators become overwhelmed, under-resourced, or unable to manage growth.<\/p>\n

          Likewise, I have seen excellent service from both ends of the market.<\/p>\n

          Price alone does not guarantee success or failure.<\/p>\n

          What Clients Should Really Look For<\/h2>\n

          Instead of asking only \u201cWho is cheapest?\u201d ask:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Who communicates clearly?<\/li>\n
          • Who understands the job properly?<\/li>\n
          • Who has realistic lead times?<\/li>\n
          • Who appears organised?<\/li>\n
          • Who has the right capacity for this project?<\/li>\n
          • Who gives confidence they can finish well?<\/li>\n
          • Who responds professionally when problems arise?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Those answers are often more valuable than the number at the bottom of the quote.<\/p>\n

            The Right Contractor Depends on the Project<\/h2>\n

            Some projects suit a smaller hands-on operator.<\/p>\n

            Some projects require a larger structured company with admin systems, teams, and capacity.<\/p>\n

            The best choice depends on scope, urgency, complexity, budget, and your own expectations.<\/p>\n

            Final Thought<\/h2>\n

            The cheapest quote is not always cheap.
            The expensive quote is not always overpriced.<\/p>\n

            Very often, each contractor is simply priced correctly for the business they run.<\/p>\n

            The smartest clients look beyond cost and gather enough information to make the right decision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            When clients compare quotations, the first instinct is often to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1487"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1488,"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1487\/revisions\/1488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumayo.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}