Last Week I Told a Homeowner to Hire My Competitor
Arnie Roeland
Nov 24th, 2025
A homeowner called last Tuesday. Found a contractor offering a full bathroom remodel for $12,000. Our quote was $24,000. I told them to take it. Not because I was being noble. Because I've done this...
A homeowner called last Tuesday. Found a contractor offering a full bathroom remodel for $12,000. Our quote was $24,000.
I told them to take it.
Not because I was being noble. Because I've done this for 43 years, and I know exactly what happens next.
The Math Most Contractors Hope You Never Do
Here's what that $12,000 "deal" actually costs:
The cheap contractor finishes in three weeks. Looks decent at first glance. Homeowner feels smart for saving money.
Then month six hits. Grout starts cracking. Shower pan leaks into the ceiling below. The "waterproofing" was just paint and prayer.
By month eighteen, they call us.
Now we're not doing a remodel. We're doing a tear-out and rebuild. That $12,000 bathroom now costs $28,000 to fix properly. Plus the original $12,000 they already spent.
Total cost: $40,000 for a bathroom that should have been $24,000.
The Three Things You Get to Pick Two Of
Every bathroom remodel comes down to three factors: speed, price, and quality.
You get to pick two.
Want it fast and cheap? The quality disappears. Want it fast and high-quality? You'll pay premium pricing. Want it cheap and high-quality? It doesn't exist.
The contractors offering half our price aren't magically more efficient. They're cutting corners you can't see until water starts dripping through your kitchen ceiling.
What I Actually Tell Homeowners
When someone brings me a competitor's quote that's dramatically lower, I don't tell them to hire us anyway.
I ask three questions:
Do they have a license? If anything goes wrong, you need legal recourse.
Do they carry insurance? When that shower pan leaks and damages your home, someone needs to cover it.
Can they provide references from jobs completed 2+ years ago? Anyone can make a bathroom look good for six months. I want to know what it looks like after two winters.
If they answer yes to all three and you feel confident, take the lower bid. Seriously.
But if any of those answers are no, you're not saving money. You're just delaying when you'll pay the real cost.
Why We Charge What We Charge
We've been doing this since 1983. We have employees to pay, insurance to carry, and a reputation we've spent four decades building.
We're not the most expensive option in New Jersey. But we're definitely not the cheapest.
The difference is simple: when we finish your bathroom, it stays finished. No callbacks at month seven. No emergency repairs at month fifteen. No teardown and rebuild at month twenty.
We do it right the first time because doing it twice costs everyone more.
That's not a sales pitch. That's just math.
Q: Why does a $12,000 bathroom quote cost more in the long run than a $24,000 quote?
A: It comes down to the hidden costs of cutting corners. A $12,000 complete remodel from a cheap contractor may look fine on the surface for the first six months. However, when cheap materials are used and waterproofing is treated as an afterthought, major issues like cracked grout and structural leaking through your ceilings almost always appear by month 18. At that point, you aren't paying for a standard remodel anymore—you are paying for a total tear-out, mold remediation, structural repair, and a complete rebuild. A $12,000 shortcut can easily turn into a $40,000 headache.
Q: What is the "Time-Price-Quality" triangle, and how does it apply to my project?
A: In the home improvement industry, every project is bound by three factors: speed, price, and quality. The rule of thumb is that you only get to pick two. If you want a bathroom that is fast and cheap, you will sacrifice quality. If you want it fast and high-quality, you will pay premium pricing. A remodel that is both cheap and high-quality simply does not exist. Contractors offering bids at half our price aren't operating with magical efficiency; they are using inferior methods that fail over time.
Q: What three questions should I ask a low-bidding contractor before hiring them?
A: Before signing a contract with a significantly lower bidder, always ask these three non-negotiable questions: Are you licensed? (You need legal recourse if the work violates local codes). Do you carry active liability and worker's compensation insurance? (If a pipe bursts and floods your kitchen, or a worker is injured, you must be protected). Can you provide references from jobs completed over two years ago? (Any contractor can make a bathroom look passable for six months; you need to know how their craftsmanship holds up after two winters).
Q: Why are Roeland Home Improvers’ quotes higher than some local competitors?
A: We have been remodeling homes in Northern New Jersey since 1983. Our pricing reflects four decades of doing the job correctly the first time, using licensed professionals, carrying comprehensive insurance, and utilizing premium waterproofing systems that stand the test of time. We don't inflate our numbers just to negotiate down, and we don't slash our prices by skipping structural steps. Our goal is to make sure your bathroom stays completely finished with zero emergency callbacks at month 15.
Q: Will you still help me if I hire someone else and the project fails?
A: Yes, absolutely. If a homeowner decides to take a lower bid and feels confident in their choice, we sincerely wish them the best. However, if that quick-fix project runs into unforeseen structural issues or premature failure a year or two down the road, we will gladly come out, assess the damage, and help you rebuild it properly. We stand behind our work and our Northern New Jersey community, even if it means helping a homeowner fix a competitor's mistake.
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