Lock in Pricing & Save Money: Why You Should Sign Your Acculevel Contract Now
If you’ve recently filled up your gas tank, bought groceries, or shopped at a home improvement store, you know the cost of everything is going up. This is especially true in the construction industry; lumber and steel costs are growing exponentially. This inflation isn’t just hitting consumers hard- it’s taking some major jabs at businesses, too.
Acculevel is a family-owned and operated company that specializes in foundation repair and waterproofing. Since we opened our doors in 1996, we’ve helped more than 30,000 homeowners make needed repairs to preserve and protect their homes. As a small-town family business in Indiana, we understand why you need to be a savvy consumer and watch your budget.
We’re going to explain how (and why!) taking action now will save you money. For many consumer goods, you can watch for sales, coupons, or sign up for a store’s membership card to earn discounts. None of these are useful strategies for a service provider like Acculevel; many of our customers are one-and-done buyers. (When you can provide warranties for the life of the structure, your customers don’t need you more than once.)
Why Do Home Repair Costs Increase?
Some Expenses Fluctuate
Every business has expenses that change prices on a seasonal basis. Fuel prices are always higher in the summer, when more people travel. These can also change without much notice, if there’s a shortage caused by a pipeline problem or production delay.
Others are driven by supply and demand, like the sudden rising costs in steel and lumber. In 2020, we were all under varying degrees of lockdown for the pandemic, which dramatically slowed non-essential home improvement projects. As vaccination rates rise and more people return to work, demand for home repairs has driven the price of building materials up.
Other Expenses Increase over Time
You probably have some costs that only seem to go one way: up. This is true for businesses as well. Employee wages have to keep pace with the general cost of living. Work vehicles are another necessary expense, with the added charges for regular maintenance and insurance. Of course, we have additional insurance costs and PPE to provide, which allow us to work on your home safely.
How Can You Get the Best Pricing for Your Home Repairs?
Acculevel has very clear and direct pricing. We do not add on extra surcharges or fees, nor do we artificially mark up costs to then “discount” them (this is a common hard-sell technique). Our pricing is fair and as reasonable as possible, given the variability of expenses.
If you find potential concerns in your foundation, basement, or crawl space, it is crucial to have these evaluated promptly. Once an issue develops, it will not go away over time; it will only get worse, more serious, and more expensive to repair.
Maybe, if you’re lucky, your home’s issue takes a long time to develop into a larger problem. But this doesn’t mean delaying the repair won’t still increase in cost. As we’ve reviewed, the costs for labor and materials are always going up, sometimes by sudden or substantial amounts.
When an Acculevel project manager evaluates your home, they will give you a written estimate that provides you with a whole home solution. The pricing is clear, direct, and valid for 30 days. It is in your best interests to sign the contract and lock in that pricing before the estimate expires.
After those 30 days, you are at the mercy of the free market. Repair costs may go up as much as 10-15%- even if the repairs you need do not change.
Do You Need an Estimate on Home Repairs?
If you live in our service area, contact Acculevel. It is our goal to provide 5 star customer service every step of the way: from scheduling the initial estimate appointment, to meeting with a project manager, to the installation crew completing the work.
We encourage every homeowner to use our checklist of Questions to Ask a Contractor. The article explains why you should ask the questions, gives our answers, and when appropriate, warns you about potential indications of dishonest business practices. We believe that the majority of service providers in our industry are good and ethical people. But there are scam artists out there, and we want you to help you protect yourself.
If you don’t live in our service area, please read our blog, 3 Steps to Getting the Best Price for Home Repairs. It includes a link to our Symptom Checker (it’s free), as well as information on how to research contractors before hiring one.
