So we’re needing to replace one broken window in our townhouse and one older window. The rest are relatively new and well insulated. The broken window works fine except that it doesn’t really open. Thus we’ve been postponing replacing because replacing one window seemed foolish.
However we started chatting with our neighbors about our home repair plans for this year. Turns out they are going to replace all their windows in the home this summer. Thus, they talked to their window installer and he is willing to do our windows for the same price as theirs. They are being charged $500/window, with a 20% discount being applied because they are doing a bulk install of 20+ windows. Typically it costs around $750/window if it’s just one window.
Thus we’re saving 50% more than having called around and we’re going with someone that my neighbors have already researched and negotiated with. We’re saving both TIME and MONEY! Another bonus is that when the windows are installed, we probably don’t have to be home because our neighbors will be home having their windows installed. Since they have a key to our place, they said they’d be willing to let the workers in without us being at home! SCORE!
I know that this type of savings is not typically available for most people. Previously we’ve gotten deals on yardwork, insulation, etc by partnering up with our neighbors. We often get better deals because put together our 3 unit condo is larger than most single family homes and you have 3 people sharing the costs. We had previously done this when we installed a retaining wall in the backyard and this summer when we get it landscaped, we’ll again share the costs of hiring someone. Actually my DH and I will be piggybacking on whoever our neighbors choose and we’re sure they’ll shop around for quotes again.
Thus our savings aren’t just financial, but also we don’t have to take time to meet contractors, nor do we have to be at home to have the work done. Typically the neighbor who hires the contractor oversees everything and we just cut them a check. It’s worked out beautifully for us. The only thing we ask is a signed contract beforehand estimating the price.
So even if you live in a single family home, consider trying to partner up with your neighbors. Perhaps if multiple homes need their roofs done or yards landscaped, the contractor will cut everyone a deal because he can book a bulk deal!
2 responses so far ↓
1 Michelle // May 17, 2009 at 8:11 am
That really is an awesome deal – and in terms of frugality, a lot of folks wouldn’t think of that as an option! Our neighborhood was trashed by a hailstorm 3 years ago, and rather than hire a fly-by-night roofing company (there’s lots that move in after these kind of storms), one neighbor hired a long-established local firm with a deal that he and the neighbors could get a 15% discount if three more houses used that same company and the same materials (same color shingles). So my neighbor went to the 5 or 6 houses with damaged roofs and got 3 to sign up…The contractor could concentrate his manpower, get a bulk discount, pay one delivery fee for the materials and one dumpster, work more efficiently. It was like an assembly line – the crew demo-d the old roofs, leaving the sub-surface to dry while they went to the next roof, then replaced the plywood surfaces next, then prepositioned the bags of shingles, then installed. the 4 houses took less than 2 days and were first in line – done that very week, when a lot of folks in other parts of the city had blue tarps over their roofs for weeks. Neighbors got a good deal and were buying/hiring locally. Since then, that company is the only one I’ve seen in my hood, so the added benefit must be word of mouth marketing, too!
2 LAL // May 20, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Michelle it really is a SWEET deal. To negotiate these type of piggyback deals is awesome! I mean it’s lovely to get so lucky that we get a better rate just for signing up together for something we would do anyway.
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