OK, we learn from our mistakes. Hopefully as we get older the frequency of mistakes significantly decreases while our wisdom from positive experiences increases.
Generally, most of us incorporate some degree of comparison shopping when buying things. If it’s a big ticket item, we’re likely to do a more thorough cost comparison. We want to make sure to get good value, and in many cases we like to get the best deal available. Sometimes we’ll pay more to get better quality or a particular brand.
In this case, I failed to do adequate research for a product and am convinced I paid significantly more than I should have (albeit for a high quality product). We’re talking about gutter protectors that allow the gutters to catch the water, keep all the tree/animal stuff out, and last a long time. My days high on a ladder are over and we have lots of trees in the yard- we needed something installed to keep us from clearing out the gutters and downspouts on an annual basis.
I reached out to a national company with a solid reputation, and they were very prompt in stopping by to evaluate, educate us, and provide an estimate- it was a well-rehearsed message as to why they’re the best and how the competition doesn’t compare in quality. The estimate took us back a bit, and after further conversation, the price came down some, and they offered a start date in three days. We decided to go with the offer and signed the contract (with a three day period to back out). Lifetime-of-the-house warranty.
Three days later the installation crew showed up exactly when they promised, and did a professional job- best as I could tell from my grounded location. As I looked at the required material and added up a generous labor estimate, it was becoming clear that the company was going to make a bundle on this job. I checked with our original home builder on options they recommend (which I should have done at the beginning of the process), and got a much better picture of how much we should have paid- much less than we did.
The company asked for an evaluation and I documented that while the employees were professional and the product appeared to be high quality, we felt we paid well above fair market value. They then asked if I would post a review- I said that while the employees were professional and the product was good quality, I could not endorse this company’s product due to the cost. Their response was very generic. I wasn’t impressed. At the same time, I wasn’t impressed with my approach to getting the gutter protectors installed at a reasonable price. No one to blame but myself.