Buying a fixer-upper house in Central Indiana? 5 calls to judge if a contractor’s quote is fair

If you’re buying a fixer-upper near Indianapolis, you need to know whether a contractor is in the right range before you spend an afternoon on a walkthrough. If not, you waste days on bad bids. But if you do, you know who’s competitive from one phone call.

1. The roofer ballpark. Ask: “As a ballpark, how much per square to remove, haul away, and replace a typical 20-square roof on a two-story house? Does that include labor, materials, and dumpster?” (A square is 10′ x 10′, or 100 sqft of material)

2. The toilet test. Ask a plumber what it costs to re-pipe a 2000sqft house. If they won’t give a ballpark, ask what they charge to replace a toilet or a faucet.

3. The ceiling fan test. Ask an electrician: “What do you charge to replace a light fixture or a ceiling fan?”

4. The same-specs question. Ask HVAC: “Do you have another brand with the same specs at a lower price?”

5. The markup question. Ask flooring: “Are you marking up materials, or are those at cost?” Ask it every time.

The logic for all five: a contractor who is competitive on the small job is usually competitive on the big one.

One bonus for exterior painters. You don’t need to be there when they quote. Send the address, let the painters stop by on their own time, and you get more bids for less of yours.

Call two contractors per trade before anyone walks the job.

You don’t need a house picked out or a plan. If you’re wondering what may or may not be possible for you, email me at nlamkin@c21scheetz.com and let’s talk it through.

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