Email template to negotiate a contractor's quote
You have quotes from more than one contractor, you have a favorite, and their number is higher than someone else's. You'd rather hire the one you trust than the cheapest one, but not at any price. Contractor quotes are not fixed the way a store price is. Margins, scheduling, and how much they want the job all move the number, and most contractors expect some back-and-forth. The way to do it without souring the relationship is to be specific: point to a competing bid, name the lines where the gap is, and ask what they can do. Writing it down keeps the conversation factual, and it means the revised price arrives in writing too.
Before you send
- Both quotes, itemized if you can get them. A gap in the total is hard to argue with; a gap in a specific line (labor days, a material price, an allowance) is easy.
- Your real number. Decide what price would make you sign today, and what you'd accept as a compromise, before you write.
- Something to offer in return. Flexible start dates, paying materials up front, choosing a cheaper finish, or taking demolition on yourself all lower a contractor's cost or risk, which gives them room to lower the price.
- The reason you prefer this contractor. Saying it plainly ("your plan for the drainage made more sense") tells them they're close and worth the effort.
- Whether the competing bid covers the same scope. Comparing a quote with permits to one without will get you nowhere.
Hi [contractor name], Thanks for the quote of $[their total] for [project] at [your address]. I'll be honest: you're my first choice for this job, mostly because [the reason, e.g. you were the only one who explained how you'd handle the drainage]. The one thing holding me back is price. Another licensed contractor quoted $[competing total] for the same scope, [including what it covers, e.g. including demolition, permits, and haul-away]. Most of the difference seems to be in [specific lines, e.g. labor, which they estimated at six days rather than nine, and the flooring allowance]. Is there room to get closer to $[your target number]? On my side, I can [what you can offer, e.g. be flexible on the start date, pay for materials up front, or go with the standard tile instead of the upgraded one] if that helps. If we can land somewhere around that number, I'm ready to sign this week and hold the [start date] you mentioned. Either way, I appreciate the time you've put into this. Thanks, [Your name] [Your phone number]
Everything in brackets is yours to fill in. Keep the rest as it is or change the tone to match how you write.
After you send
- A typical reply meets you partway, often with a condition: a different material, a later start, or a change in payment schedule. That's a real offer; weigh it against your compromise number.
- A contractor who explains why they can't move ("their labor number won't cover a real crew for that job") is giving you useful information about the other bid, not just refusing. Ask the cheaper contractor about the same line.
- If the answer is a flat no with no explanation, reply once saying thanks and that you'll let them know. Silence for a few days sometimes produces a second offer; if not, you have your answer.
- Whatever number you agree on, get it into the written contract with the same scope spelled out. A verbal discount has a way of disappearing by the final invoice.
Or don't send it yourself
Forward the job to myagent@standinfor.me and let StandIn run the whole thread.
StandIn is an email assistant that handles conversations with businesses for you. You write it one email saying what you need. It writes to the business, waits for the answer, follows up when they go quiet, pushes back on the number when it should, and brings the results back to your inbox for you to decide. You don't need to install an app or sign up. The first email you send is already the start of the task.
Hand this to StandIn opens an email to myagent@standinfor.me with the job already written out
Hi StandIn, I'd like you to negotiate with the contractor I want to hire so their price gets closer to a competing bid. The project: [what the work is]. My address: [street address]. The contractor I prefer: [name, company, email address, and their quoted total]. Why I prefer them: [a sentence]. The competing quote: [contractor name, total, and what it includes]. Where the gap seems to be: [specific lines if you know them]. The number I'd sign at: [amount] and the most I'd pay: [amount]. What I can offer: [flexible dates, upfront materials payment, simpler finishes, or nothing]. Please make the case in writing, handle the back-and-forth, and bring me their best offer with your read on whether it's worth taking. Thanks, [Your name]