The Good Book “You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
How One Contractor Tried to Overcharge a Senior Homeowner, and Lost Siding Scam
Galatians 5:13–14
Dealing with competing home-improvement contractors can be a challenge for people who don’t do it every day. That was the issue facing one of our recent customers, Kim, who called us to bid on installing new siding on her house. As an older adult living alone, Kim doesn’t negotiate major home- improvement contracts every day. She called several contractors for siding quotes. One of the first that responded was a big regional company. By the time Kim finished dealing with them, her head was spinning. First, they quoted her a heart-stopping price of $93,000 to install vinyl siding over her old wooden siding. When Kim resisted, they asked, What is your drop-dead number? Kim gave them a number, and to her surprise, they met it by cutting their price dramatically to $38,000 … but only if she signed up on the spot! Kim was getting suspicious at this point, but the salesmen wouldn’t leave unless she signed. So, she did. We heard this story from Kim when we visited her the next day to give her an estimate. After inspecting her house, we concluded that even at $38,000, the larger company was still price-gouging her because they planned to do a shoddy job of installing cheap, inferior siding. Doing the job the right way, by removing the wood on the home’s exterior and installing high-quality siding, would still be two-thirds less than the high- pressure salesmen’s original quote. Fortunately, Kim was able to revoke her agreement with the larger company. Pennsylvania law affords homeowners a three- day right to rescind any home-improvement contracts signed at their home, for any reason, and to receive a refund of any down payment. Kim’s story serves as a cautionary tale. A growing number of big regional companies are moving into the home-improvement industry. Some have plans to buy and consolidate smaller operators, set prices as high as the market will bear, and eventually resell the companies at an additional profit. Many of these companies are backed by deep-pocketed private equity firms. This isn’t happening just in our area; it’s a nationwide trend toward industry consolidation. We were happy we could reach Kim before she fell victim to an overpriced deal. And we’re delighted she has joined the ranks of satisfied Cousins customers.
Testimonials
“We needed the siding replaced on our second floor. They also did soffit and fascia and gutters. Cousins did a spectacular job on our home. The work ethic and integrity of the crew was exceptional. They were working with a home built in 1902 and not updated in 50-plus years. As they came to areas of concern, they were very honest on the best option to move forward. We are thrilled with the finished product. I cannot wait to start painting the bottom siding a dark brown to contrast the beautiful job they did on the top story and porch siding … I would highly recommend this company.” –Kathleen J.
OUR SERVICES:
• Roofing • Siding • Gutters, Soffit, and Fascia • Decks • Roof Construction • James Hardie Siding • Windows and Doors
• Design and Build • Architectural Drawings • Concrete • Stamped Patios • Outdoor Kitchens • Outdoor Living Spaces • Repairs
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