Gounads posted:

Trying to compare the bids line by line is impossible. First, they're grouped very differently. But even when I combine things to get comparable lines, one has electric and plumbing -50% but then framing +50%, foundations are nowhere near each other. It's just all over the place. I don't understand how line-items can be so far apart but the total so similar.

Also, last bid didn't include A/C, so there's another big chunk. Overall, It's definitely higher.

So we're at a point where the builder with the best referral, most complete bid, who's been the easiest and most professional to talk with, and who we've seen a house he's built and loved is also the cheapest. The only point where he wasn't *the best* is in time to build, and that was neglible - 4-5 months vs. 4 months. Not rocket science on who we're picking here.

Do I negotiate and how hard? (p.s. I suck at that)

All the decent negotiating articles I found on google were really aimed at tract houses and had silly advice like "try to get 3% off if you're not using a real estate agent".

Ferremit posted: