Estimates, diagnostics, pricing

Up-front pricing. Every time.

You see the price before work starts, and you sign off before it changes. If what we find on the job shifts the scope, we stop and get a new number in front of you. No surprise bills, no running tabs, no sales pressure. Our technicians are on salary, not commission, so what gets quoted is what the job actually needs.

(804) 465-7700

The short version

Three ways we price work.

Different jobs deserve different pricing. Some need a look before we can quote honestly. Some are clear enough to price over the phone. Some require real investigation before anyone can even tell you what’s wrong. Here’s how each one works.

Mode 1 · Free

Free estimate visits

For jobs where the accurate price depends on the site: full replacements, new installs, anything we can't responsibly quote over the phone.

When it applies: Replace a 15-year-old water heater. Install a standby generator. Jobs where the number depends on what's actually there: existing equipment, layout, electrical capacity, gas line sizing, venting.
What happens: We schedule a visit. A technician comes out, reviews the job, measures what needs measuring, and we give you a real written quote. You're free to take it, shop it, or do nothing with it.
Why it's free: The only way to price this kind of work accurately is to see it, and we'd rather eat the trip than quote blind and get it wrong. Because our technicians aren't on commission, the visit isn't a sales call. It's information-gathering.

Mode 2 · Phone-quoted

Phone quotes for defined work

For jobs that are straightforward enough to price over the phone. You get a number before we send anyone out.

When it applies: Swap out a kitchen faucet. Replace a light fixture. Install a standard outlet in a known location. Clearly-scoped work where we don't need to see your home to give you a reliable number.
How it starts: You call, describe the job, and we put together an estimate based on your location and the details you give us. If the price works for you, we get you on the schedule.
Before work starts: When the technician arrives, they look everything over before touching anything. If it all matches what you described, we send you the official quote to sign off on, same number we gave you on the phone. If they spot something that would materially change the price, we update it and send you a revised quote that reflects what's actually there. Either way, you approve the final price before any work begins.
If something comes up mid-job: Sometimes you can't know what's behind a wall until the wall is open. If we find something after work has started that changes the scope, we stop and present you with a change order. No additional work happens without your sign-off.
If you decline: If the on-site price doesn't match what we told you on the phone and you'd rather not move forward, no work has started and there's nothing to pay. If you decline a change order after work is underway, you pay only for the work already completed.

Mode 3 · Diagnostic

Diagnostic visits for unknowns

For symptoms without a clear cause, where figuring out the problem is most of the work.

When it applies: A water spot on the ceiling. A breaker that keeps tripping. A drain that backs up intermittently. Symptoms, not jobs.
What it costs: Usually $150. More if the symptoms point to something harder to track down. We'll tell you the fee before we schedule, not after.
What you get for it: Real investigation. That can mean cutting a small piece of drywall, running a camera down a drain line, pulling equipment panels, or running electrical tests. We'll tell you what we plan to do and get your sign-off before we do it.
If we can't figure it out: You don't pay.
If we do: We quote the repair as a separate number. You sign off on the repair before we start fixing anything.

What this means for you

Why the structure is worth caring about.

The way a company quotes, charges, and pays its technicians changes what you actually experience at your kitchen table. Here’s what ours is designed to prevent.

No surprise bills, ever

You see a price before any work starts, and you sign off before it changes. If we find something mid-job that affects scope, we stop and get a new price in front of you. You're the one who decides whether we continue.

No commission, no sales pitch

Most companies' "free estimates" are sales visits in disguise. The technician on your porch has a commission riding on the size of the quote. Ours are on salary. When they come out, they're measuring and quoting, not pushing.

Sometimes the right answer is "not yet"

If the honest assessment is that your equipment doesn't need replacing yet, or that a repair would tide you over for a few more years, you'll hear that. We don't have a quota that says otherwise.

Ready when you are

Tell us what you’re dealing with.

Call during business hours, or send a message any time. We’ll tell you which of the three pricing modes fits your situation before we schedule anything. More about how we work →

(804) 465-7700