Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

My husband is an engineer and it seems that whenever contractors find out, they don't want to bother giving us an estimate.

I heard contractors do not like to work for engineers, doctors or lawyers and I'm starting to believe it. Anytime a home contractor ask for my or my husband's profession they run the other way after promising they would give an estimate, then finding out my husband's profession...

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

why do you tell them his profession? I could see it coming up in conversation during a job, but don't see how this is always asked.

Id find another way to answer the question. ie He works at so and so company

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

Why would they ask your professions? I don't think anyone who has ever worked on our home has ever asked this and if they did I'm sure my husband would ask them why. I agree with pp. If you have to answer, I would be as vague as possible like oh he works in the city (or wherever) for XYZ company and quickly change the subject.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

DH is a contractor and I've never heard him mention this.

Although I don't think he's done any work for any of the three professions you have mentioned, he has done work for people who certainly have the means to sue, and he has done work for people who are perfectionists. He is one too so maybe that's why they get along (he's a perfectionist that is).

Some of his jobs have even been featured on HGTV for people who have a ton of $$$ to play around with, and those people involved who run the shows are awful too LOL.

Honestly, the only reason he tends to avoid a job is if he thinks the customer is going to be a PITA because they are already trying to nickel and dime him over the phone, give a ridiculous time line they feel the work needs to be completed in or the biggest one---they or often their PITA wife comes in and acts like a know-it-all and interferes with the work.

He also doesn't take on jobs he feel is going to cost him more in labor, travel, etc.

I believe there are a couple of posters on here who are married to engineers so maybe they can give you feedback but I don't want to call them out.


P.S. It could also be advantageous for a contractor to do work for you because your DH could be a referral source and vice versa. Honestly too, I would say that the majority of the jobs DH does get involved in now are from word of mouth from people he has either done work for, or have seen and know the quality of his work.

It's hard to find a good contractor overall without a reference IMHO.

Message edited 11/26/2014 8:51:11 PM.

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

That's very odd, we've gotten probably a dozen estimates on various jobs since we bought our house and no one has ever asked what we do for a living. Is your husband volunteering that he's an engineer?

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I'm a lawyer and have never had anyone refuse to give me an estimate because of that. Although it may have come up in conversation once or twice, it's not something that I bring up when making appointments or when someone shows up for an estimate

Message edited 11/26/2014 9:31:20 PM.

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I wouldn't even answer that question--it's none of their business.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I am a lawyer and worker in construction before that. Granted we do most of our work but what we have hired people to do has never been an issue.

I don't think my job has ever come up during bids.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I'm a lawyer too and don't volunteer that, and certainly not when getting an estimate. I wouldn't want them to assume I make a better salary and then have them jack the price up because they figure I can afford it. I sometimes mention it if things are going badly so they get the hint that I have tools at my disposal to get my money back.

To the OP, ill just say this - anyone who is so freaked out by the thought of doing work for someone "in the know" that they bail on giving you an estimate is not someone you want doing work for you anyway. They are doing you a favor. Keep trying, don't volunteer his profession and hold out for someone honest and capable.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I have a small business and I'll be honest I have had some real lousy experiences with lawyers. So I can see why a contractor may have reservations dealing with lawyers. If you don't want this held against you, I wouldn't offer it. Or if somebody asks what you do, just say you are a receptionist.

I have had lawyer clients even admit they screwed up after I call then out on their B.S., and their excuse was "I am a lawyer, and I deal with bad people all day long".

Sorry buddy, that is no excuse to be an azzhole.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

My husband is also an engineer, no one has ever asked him. It may have come up in conversation, but they always came back. I will say if you are experiencing it, I can totally see it. My husband can do most things himself, it's just hard for him to find the time, which is went we get people in here. BUT he is hard on them. he hates having people work in our house he feels like they all cut corners, and since he is a Chief at work he is always ordering contractors around. I have to remind him to chill out at home a bit.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

If your husband is letting them know that he's an engineer and says it in a light "threatening" kind of way like don't screw me over they may just feel he is going to be a pain in the ass to deal with and don't want to bother taking the job. Not saying this is why but could be if he's the one volunteering that info out there.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I'm a lawyer -- I used to be a practicing litigator - and I never encountered this.

But if you feel it is an issue, don't volunteer it, and if asked, give a vague response (or tell your husband to). You are not obligated to disclose your profession or any personal details to someone who is just coming in to give an estimate, and is essentially a stranger. It's not relevant.

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

DH is an engineer and we NEVER mention it prior to the start of the job. They can probably guess he is in a profession along those lines because of the questions he asks, but it's never been an issue.

Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I've never been asked this question before? Weird.

Granted, we do probably 98% of work ourselves, but the couple of times we have contracted out, my profession has never come up. Though maybe they guess by my questions? Anyway, I may understand the engineering aspect of it, but I'm NOT a contractor, so I stuck around through the selection process. Then I let DH handle things once the work started. Lol

If its becoming a problem, honestly I'd probably make something up lol. Yeah, I know lying is wrong and all that....

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I am a lawyer and DH is an engineer never had this problem. Our occupations have never come up.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I'm a lawyer. I've never had this issue with home improvements but I have absolutely had it with other personal business transactions. I'm not sure whether anyone who worked on my house knew my profession or not. I don't hide it but I don't usually have a reason to tell them.

Regarding other business, when I had skin cancer I wanted a plastic surgeon to do the final stitches. One of them asked me what I do. I tell doctors because when they know that what I do involves medicine, they will use medical terms, not beat around the bush with my questions and they won't answer like they are speaking to a baby, which is something I hate. That doctor made every effort to avoid my case. He's well known and it annoys me that he was such a jerk about it. I didn't use him. Now years later I had back surgery and none of the doctors had an issue. In fact they knew my name, knew that they have done forms for clients of mine and that I used them based on my clients' experiences. Maybe they knew that if I showed up at their office after dealing with them for my job, I had confidence in them. I guess it depends on their own biases and experiences.

And the girl who does my nails thinks I'm wealthy because of my profession and she tries to upsell me a lot more than her other customers.

I do know of one shady contractor who would purposely avoid any educated person.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

We've gotten many estimates (both on LI and now in FL) and I can't remember ever being asked about our professions before getting the estimate. It has come up in conversation later. In your case you are under no obligation to answer. Just be vague.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

I've never told a contractor what my husband or I do for a living.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?

We've gotten several estimates for various projects over the years and it rarely came up- I think just one guy happened to ask and DH lied about his profession. I think he asked because some people offer discounts w/ certain professions.

Re: Anyone not able to get estimates due to their profession?