Raising rates on Renewal by Andersen installs - they hit me with a $146k quote, now I'm jacking mine up

Saw this wild thread on r/HomeImprovement about a guy getting quoted $146k for Renewal by Andersen windows, and it got me thinking - time to bump my rates 15% on those big jobs. Homeowners are paying through the nose for brands like that, so why shouldn't I charge $85/hr for the install work? Screw lowballing anymore, especially with material costs up.

Those Andersen quotes are INSANE, homeowners deserve to get bent over by pricing like that.

Raising rates feels good until the first no from a repeat client.

I'm in the same boat, been putting it off but that Reddit post lit a fire.

Don't get me started on those brand name markups, it's all profit for the big boys.

How do you even break the news to clients without losing them?

We feel you, rates up 20% here and half my calls are hagglers.

That Andersen crap is why I stick to generics, but yeah, prices gotta rise.

PSA: quote high on branded installs or you'll regret the underpayment later.

SharkBite or not, brands like Andersen are overrated for the cost - fight me on raising anyway.

Clients cry about prices but then drop cash on Home Depot specials.

Lost a bid because I didn't raise soon enough, never again.

Haha, told a guy my new rate and he said 'that's Andersen money' - I said yep.

Been there, rates up and business is steady.

My back thanks me for the higher rates, less cheap jobs.

Proud to say I hit $200k last year after a 12% bump.

Frustrated with subs who won't match the rate increase.

We all been burned by low rates, time to stick together on this.

That post about first year lessons in r/GeneralContractor nailed it - don't chase every job, raise those rates steady.

Finally implemented a 10% increase and referrals picked up.