Signs a contractor's quote will balloon mid-job

When a bathroom reno starts at R35 000 and ends at R60 000, or kitchen work that was quoted as a five-week job stretches to twelve weeks, the culprit is rarely a deliberate con. More often, it's a contractor who didn't dig deep enough during the quote phase, or who started work before all the facts were on the table. Learning to spot those warning signs before you sign—and knowing what they really mean—is your best defence against a runaway budget.

Vague measurements and no site inspection

A contractor who quotes over the phone or from photos alone, without stepping foot in your kitchen or bathroom, is waving a red flag. Renovations live in the details: the actual plumbing routing behind the walls, whether tiles will need to be cut around an awkward corner, what's hiding under the existing vanity, whether your floor is level. If a quote arrives without evidence of a proper walkthrough—notes about obstacles, photos of the space from multiple angles, or mention of what they found when they checked—assume gaps. When you ask them what they discovered during their site visit, listen for specifics. Vague answers like "looks straightforward" are a sign they didn't look hard enough.

A quote that's suspiciously lower than others

If one contractor comes in 20 or 30 percent below the next nearest quote, the gap usually isn't their superior efficiency or wholesaler rates. It's more likely they've missed something. They may have underestimated labour hours, left out finishing costs, or quoted only the materials they know about now—confident they'll absorb unforeseen items as they go. This confidence often evaporates once they're in the wall. A contractor who's priced realistically will have built in a modest buffer for the unexpected; one who hasn't will come back to you when they hit it. Ask the cheaper quote to itemise exactly what they've included and compare line by line with the others. If they can't or won't, that's itself a warning.

Sketchy paperwork and no contingency allowance

A legitimate quote should itemise labour, materials, and fixtures separately, name the brands and grades of products they'll use, and include a line for contingencies—usually 5 to 10 percent. That contingency isn't padding; it's honesty. If a quote has no contingency, the contractor is either cutting corners or hasn't thought about what happens when the wall comes open and there's rot, or when a fitting doesn't arrive on time. Similarly, a quote that's just a number and a signature line—no breakdown, no timeline, no mention of payment stages—is a recipe for misunderstanding. You won't know what you're paying for or when extra charges will appear. Before you hand over money, insist on a detailed quote that lists everything, names the trades involved, and spells out what counts as a change order.

Rush to start before materials are locked in

Some contractors want to begin work immediately, before all fixtures and finishes have been ordered or confirmed with you. They'll say it keeps costs down or gets you finished faster. What it actually does is leave room for substitutions mid-job. A tap you didn't choose arrives because the preferred one is out of stock. A tile colour shifts slightly because the original batch sold out. These changes spiral: a different tile size changes the layout; a different tap requires different fittings; labour hours creep up. A professional contractor will wait until every material is ordered and on site, or will have you sign off on a list of approved substitutes before the first tile comes off the wall. If they're pushing you to start before that, they're pushing you towards cost surprises.

When you're comparing contractors, look past the headline price to how they've arrived at it. The ones who've done the homework—who've inspected the space, itemised the work, named the materials, included a buffer, and have the patience to get the detail right before breaking ground—rarely have to call mid-job to ask for more money. Strove's verified contractors are rated on how they handle the job from start to finish; reading those detailed reviews and checking their past work will show you which ones have a track record of sticking to scope and budget.