Want the Best Price for Spray Foam Installation? Don't Choose the Cheapest Contractor (Part 3)

Earlier this week we started taking a look at why choosing the cheapest spray foam installer could actually cost you more in the long run. Our first lesson? Don't sacrifice quality for convenience sake. If you need a refresher you can read it here.

Now, only to Lesson #2...

LESSON #2 – Cheaper upfront may be more expensive long-term

Buying that coveted pair of sneakers online proved more difficult than you thought. So it’s on to Plan B. You decide to go to Department Store D, the place offering the sneakers real cheap at $35.99. But the sale is only good for a week, so you better go today. After about a 10-mile drive, you arrive at the store offering the sneakers at the cheapest price. The parking lot is crowded and spots are at a premium. You finally find a place to park somewhere in the back nine, and huff it to the entrance. Upon entering you notice that only two of the five check-out lines are open, and each one is six people deep. It looks like the patrons have been waiting in line for awhile, because they don’t look happy and some of them are shuffling on their feet and peeking overtop the people in front of them to see what’s taking so long. One of the employees at the check-out counters doesn’t look much happier. She’s red in the face and visibly shaken, because she’s being yelled at by a customer. The other check-out employee isn’t faring much better: he’s having a heck of a time scanning a shoebox for a price, and just picked up the intercom, probably to call a manager for a price check. Oh well, you think. By the time I want to check out the check-out lines won’t be so chaotic.

So you push your way through a dozen or so people and finally find the pair of shoes you liked. It took you awhile to find your size because the shelves were a mess: shoe boxes were mislabeled, some boxes were missing a shoe, and some boxes were even empty! You think about asking a store clerk for help, but you scan the room and can’t find a single store employee. Finally you luck out and find a complete pair in your size, and good thing too—they were the only pair. You try them on and you like them—they fit well, feel good, and are indeed advertised to be on sale for $35.99. What a bargain! You fight your way through the crowds again, only to realize that the two lines haven’t seemed to move. You pick the line that seems the shortest and you think will take less time. Then you wait. And wait. And wait. Eventually, after fifteen minutes, it’s your turn and the check-out attendant (the young woman who was being yelled at by a customer when you entered the store) barely muffles a hello and refuses to look you in the eye. She scans the shoebox and tells you the total is $52.99. That’s impossible, you tell her. The shoes are on sale for $35.99; it says so right here on the—

You flip the shoebox over and notice that the sticker with the sale price of $35.99 has been crossed out. The salesclerk apologizes and says that the prices in the computer are current – the shoes cost $52.99. You mention that the circular advertised the shoes being on sale for $35.99 through next week. You tell her the store is engaging in false advertising. The salesclerk asks if you have the circular on you to prove it. You don’t, but surely there must be a sale sign near where you found the shoes advertising their discounted price. You look back to where you found the shoes, looking for any sale sign to help plead your case. There is none. The salesclerk only looks at you and shrugs, seemingly unwilling to help you. You ask to speak to her manager. A manager is paged, and you can hear groans from the people waiting in line behind you. You meekly apologize to them, saying you won’t be much longer. A store manager approaches the check-out counter, wearing a stained shirt and eating a sandwich. He doesn’t ask how he can help, just sighs and looks at you, waiting for you to speak. You tell the store manager the whole story. He seems un-empathetic and is unwilling to rule in your favor and allow you to pay the cheaper price. He walks away with only a quick apology. You’re left with two options: pay the higher price or walk away.  You decide to walk…and never shop at that store again.

Lesson Learned: Buying a pair of sneakers shouldn’t be difficult. Neither should looking for a spray foam contractor. Any contractor worth his salt should educate you about their company and services (and if they don’t, ask) and walk you through the process every step of the way. They should be professional and courteous and give nothing but the best customer service. There should be open communication at all times and never any unanswered questions about the scope of work or price. And speaking of price, don’t be tempted by the cheapest price, because usually it’s too good to be true. That cheap contractor is hiding something—shoddy workmanship, poor customer service, underpaid and uninsured employees…maybe all of the above. No matter what product or service you want to buy – and no matter how large or small – do your research. And most importantly, don’t be lured by the cheapest price. It’ll cost you more than you think.

Read Part Four of the series: Nothing personal, just business

Read Part Five (the last) of the series: Spending more upfront can sometimes equal long-term gain