Customer Says Price Too High Script For Contractors

Overview

A homeowner just told you your price is too high. Here's what to say, and what not to say.

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A homeowner just told you your price is too high. Here's what to say, and what not to say.

The wrong move: dropping your price immediately. Once you do that, you've told them your first number was a lie. They'll push harder next time.

The right move: hold the price, explain the value, and let them walk if the fit isn't right.

The script:

Them: "That's more than I expected."

You: "I hear you. What were you expecting to pay?"

(Let them answer. Don't fill the silence.)

If they name a lower number:

You: "I can see if there's a version of this job that fits that budget. We'd need to adjust [scope / materials / timeline]. Want me to price that out?"

If they say they got a lower quote somewhere else:

You: "Did that quote include everything I include: haul-away, permit, warranty, 1-year workmanship guarantee, cleanup? A lot of low quotes leave those out and it ends up costing more."

If they just say no:

You: "Totally fine. If the other quote doesn't work out, reach back out. I can usually fit in new work within a week or two."

(Leave the door open. Don't burn bridges. Sometimes they call back.)

Why this works:

The goal isn't to win the argument. It's to figure out if this is a real customer or a tire-kicker. Most customers who are serious about quality will hear you out. Most tire-kickers will take the low quote and call you back in two weeks with a disaster job to fix.

The faster you can tell the difference, the more money you keep.

LightWork sends customers a price range before they ever call you, so you only hear from people who already said yes to your number. See how it works: /how-it-works