I think it also has to do with how busy, ones business is.
Why pay someone to do estimates if they can be making money at a job?
On the flip side, if you have someone not doing anything, why not send him out doing free estimates, to drum up more business?
Or charge for them if you can, but others out there will do it for free, and all I am stating is that myself as a consumer with a choice, I will call someone who will give me a free quote, because to me, he cares enough about his business to provide a free service. Be that, it is only about 10-20 of his time, but that little thing means alot to me.
Like I said, I am a consumer also.
It seems the bigger the company, the less personable things are, the smaller guys go out of there way to please you. And I am not stating anyone here does/doesn't do this. This has been my experience in dealing with a host of people, from plumbers to roofers. I like the small guys over the conglomerates.
So in all, free estimates are for some, but not for all. But consumers of all things have a choice of what they want to do. And thats how it should be.
Dnk........
