Quoting re-pipes without site visit is a total crapshoot

I'm so pissed at these homeowners who demand quotes for full house re-pipes over the phone, like how the hell am I supposed to know if it's PEX-A or B without seeing the setup? Been doing this in the Chicago area my whole career, and every time I bite, I end up eating hours on a snake job just to measure runs for 1/2 inch lines. Last week some guy in Plumbers United group swore by quick estimates using Google Earth, but that's BS, ended up quoting $8k for what turned out to be a $12k mess with cast iron stubs. We gotta stop this nonsense before it kills our margins. Watched a Roger Wakefield video on accurate takeoffs, but clients don't wanna pay for the time. SMH, it's like they think we're magicians. Anyone got a script to shut this down politely?

fuck that noise, i tell em site visit or no quote, period.

use jobber for remote quotes, plug in square footage and it spits out a baseline.

template email: 'happy to quote but need 30 min on site to check DFUs and access.' works 80% of the time.

train your apprentice to do video calls for basic layouts, saves trips.

these cheapos deserve the lowball they get, then cry when it's wrong.

exactly, i had a guy haggle down to $4500 then add $2k in changes.

proud of my system: fixed price tiers based on bedrooms, no visits needed.

saw a post on r/Plumbing about this, guy lost 5k on a bad estimate.

same here man, feels like we're giving free consulting.

bump the quote 15% for unknowns, eat it if you don't.

solid advice, saved my ass on a slab leak job.

don't quote without seeing the water meter size at least.

frustrated as hell, lost a big commercial gig to a hack who underquoted.

i'm in the same boat, clients think sharkbite quotes are free.

use supplyhouse app to mock up materials list remotely.

app's decent but overestimates copper runs.

hey op, you using any drone footage for exteriors?

finally got a client to pay for virtual walkthrough, worth it.

we're all getting screwed by this trend.

i feel your pain, been there with re-pipes.

ask for floorplans upfront, narrows it down.

floorplans help but old houses like in chicago don't have em.

beware lowballers, they'll nickel and dime every fitting.

i sympathize, ops.

same crap in my line, quotes without specs.

frustrated too, boss makes me quote blind.

had a nightmare job from a phone quote, never again.

don't ever quote without a deposit on the estimate.

we're all in this mess together.

pissed at pe firms buying up and forcing quick quotes.

had to fire a client who wouldn't site visit.

use 20/20 software for pex layouts.

frustrated with homeowner diy gone wrong quotes.

we're getting hosed by tech-savvy cheapskates.

frustrating as fuck.

man i get it, ops.

lol just tell em 'magic 8 ball says $10k'.

sharkbites aren't the devil, use em for estimates.

i feel ya on the chicago jobs.

yeah chicago old pipes screw everything.

sucks man.

finally raised my estimate fee to $250, weeds out tire kickers.

i hear that.

pe takeovers are ruining quoting.

haha my last blind quote was for a unicorn.

frustrated with the whole system.

had a funny one, guy sent pics of his toilet.

use ai for quick calcs now, chatgpt roughs it out.

hit 100k this year by only quoting on site.