Red flags: 7 signs a quote is too good to be true
Elena Ruiz
May 2026 · 4 min read
A lowball quote feels like a win until the extras start arriving. Here are the signals that a price is hiding a problem.
Quick checklist
No itemised breakdown, just one round number
Large deposit demanded before any work
No written contract or registration number
Pressure to decide “today only”
Cash-only, no invoice
No insurance certificate offered
A price far below every other quote
If one quote is 40% under the rest, it’s not a bargain — it’s a different scope, or a different ending.
