Home Improvement Articles

(Q) Do you give free estimates? 
(A) Yes... and No....   Yes, we're happy to give a free ballpark based on client supplied photos, measurements and descriptions.    However, we do charge a fee for onsite consultations.   

Our team receives an average of 3 to 6 calls per day for quotes and estimates on new projects and there simply isn't any way we could possibly send a team member to meet with every client, so we have developed a Virtual Estimate System which allows our clients to send us photos through our COPE Construction and Renovation facebook page, or via email (please call for the address).  Sometimes, our experience with previous jobs allows us to give you a quote from your photos.  And with other projects, we'll offer you a ballpark estimate, and discuss our on-site consultation fees.   Our ballparks based on customer provided photos, are free.


(Q) I don't have time to take photos, but I’d really like for you to come see it.  Can’t you just swing by and take a look and give me your ideas?   
(A) Yes, Absolutely!  We’d be happy to.

And we like to pay our local skilled craftsman for their years of experience, their time, along with the payroll expenses, the vehicle expenses and overhead associated with the time to do so. To that end, we do offer On-Site Consultation and Design Services. The OSC Fees vary by project type and the anticipated length of the visit and project type, and are used to offset some or all of the payroll expense, billable to that specific project and meeting.  

We normally like to complete the VES first, so that we can ballpark your project, discuss your Target Renovation Budget, and select the most appropriate member of our field staff to meet with you based on the photos and description you provided. However, occasionally we make exceptions, though, without a TRB, our staff may offer suggestions or recommendations that exceed your intended or available investment in your home.

In the case of Proposal Fees, where we are merely confirming an estimate, if you hire us within 30 days of receiving our proposal, we will credit the fee towards your project.  On-site Consultation, Design, and Diagnostic fees are used to pay our team for their expertise and are not creditable towards your project.  Contact our office staff to discuss our On-site Consultation Services further and to inquire about the fees related to your scope of work for your project.

If you are looking for free DIY advice, join our CopeBUILT DIY group on Facebook and we would be happy to serve you there.

(Q)So you don’t give Free Estimates?
(A) No, not in the traditional sense. With over 40 calls per week, it’s simply not feasible to give an on-site free consultation to every caller and HGTV seems to be giving potential customers the idea that they can hire a skilled, experienced, reputable, insured, local registered or licensed contractor to remodel a bathroom for $4,000 or finish a basement with a theater and a wet bar for $10,000. You can’t, and we can save both our potential customers, and our employees a LOT of time by following our VES process instead of jumping in the truck every time the phone rings.   We implemented this system and stopped providing free estimates in 2016 and it has helped us provide the Outstanding Customer Service Experience we are locally famous for. 

We have developed a Virtual Estimate System whereby our clients send us some photos, and we provide a free ballpark, based on our experience, of what we think the minimum cost threshold or cost range for a given project might be. Then we discuss our client’s Target Renovation Budget. And if it makes sense to move forward, then we talk about our on-site consultation services and the associated fee, and scheduling an appointment. You can learn more at these links about our VES process and why an accurate TRB is critical to the success of your project. This allows us to educate our clients as the consumer, and provide valuable information, without pulling our field staff from contracted projects. This also ensures that every potential customer pays their own way, so we’re not “passing the cost of the so-called free estimates” onto our paying clients.

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COPE Construction and Renovation is a registered and insured Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor. PA88078. We look forward to serving you soon!