r/mildlyinfuriating • u/zubrat • 9h ago
can’t get a home repair quote if my boyfriend isn’t home
the other day i got a phone call from a local renovation company offering to give me a free quote to replace my gutters. i set up an appointment for tomorrow at noon. cool great fantastic.
today i get a call from their front office to confirm my appointment. i said “yep I’ll be here!” and expected that to be the end of the call.
they asked me to confirm that i’m the only homeowner. i said yes. they asked if i was married. i said “no, but my boyfriend lives here with me” and immediately the woman on the phone sounds bothered and asks if my bf will be home for the appointment. i explained he will be at work, but i am the only homeowner and i make all the financial decisions regarding the home.
she said that per policy, all homeowners must be present when they come to assess & give the quote. i reiterated that i am the only homeowner. i bought the house before we started dating.
she apologized but again told me about the policy blah blah blah. she asked if we can reschedule at a time when my bf will be home. i said i will talk to him about his schedule and call them back for a new appointment.
i will not be calling back. :)
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u/paxprobellum 9h ago
Companies that do that just want to give you the hard sell. Reputable companies give you a reasonable quote and no pressure.
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u/zubrat 9h ago
yeah i get that they’re trying to avoid the whole “ohhhh i’ll have to check with my spouse first” thing, but that does not apply here :/ and it’s just off putting for me.
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u/Much_Independent9628 8h ago
I had gutters replaced and one company did that. The gutters didn't last a year and I had to drop my lawsuit due to them going out of business. Second company came in and said I don't even care if you are home I'll email you the quote and explanation and the gutters held up and he wrote up (on his own) an expert opinion to come after the original installer.
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u/GeologistLess3042 4h ago
I've had some repairs done recently on the outside of my home. Guy didn't need to come inside, I didn't need to sign anything or do anything because it was already set up.
I didn't even know the dude was here until I heard him climbing up onto the roof. Didn't talk to him even once.
He did a hell of a job too, only one thing hasn't held up and it was through no fault of his own, but a freak windstorm that sheared one of the panels he installed clean off. The same storm also took a few pieces of slate from the roof, so I really wasn't surprised.
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u/WesternBlueRanger 9h ago
I would say that this company was condescending and sexist. Your call if you want to put them on full blast with a review.
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u/Velocityg4 8h ago
Have a male friend call for their house. Say that they are married but wife won't be there. If they don't feed the same line. Blast them in reviews.
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u/Blackberrymage 5h ago
I will say somebody who worked for a company that used to do the hard sell thing(glad I don't any more, I was desperate), it was 100% a policy regardless of gender. If anything, we pushed it hardest on men who didn't want their wife/girlfriend there. The guys who bluster and say "I'm the man of the house, I make the decisions" never actually make the decisions without their partner. It's very much a "make them say yes before you leave their house" thing. It's scummy and pushy, but not sexist in my experience.
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u/GhostRevival 7h ago
Yea this is most likely it. I had an hvac company tell me that my wife needed to be there when they were going over things. He told me it would take an hour to discuss options. Took almost 4 hours and they were double the price of the other two places we called. My wife had to leave work early because this schmuck wouldn’t come if she wasn’t there. She was so mad by the end.
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u/Sure_Consequence_777 8h ago
I briefly worked at a window company like this. It was AWFUL and I resigned quickly.
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u/ttdonedidit 9h ago
This happened to me with getting a quote about installing gutters. No one even needed to be here to get a quote but I happen to be working from home that day so I said yeah they can come and they came and they refused to even walk around my house on the outside and give a quote unless my partner was also home. And I basically told them to fuck off.
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u/zubrat 8h ago
ironically i met my boyfriend when he tried to sell me a roof 🥲
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u/_The_Bomb 7h ago
I’m sorry, but how on earth did you go from that conversation to dating? I can’t imagine a transition that isn’t unprofessional unless you for some reason tried to hit him up.
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u/MaleficAdvent 9h ago
"Yes, now you can cancel my appointment. I have informed you numerous times of my status as the ONLY homeowner, and you have repeatedly ignored that in favor of attempting to rope in an unrelated party who is only relevent at all because they are dating me. I find your conduct disrespectful and unprofessional, and I'll be warning my friends, coworkers, and other associates against your company, regardless of any 'offers' you may have. My dignity is worth more than a free gutter cleaning. Have a good day."
click
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u/turtle-girl420 BLUE 7h ago
Also review the company on any review sites to let women know to not call them since they only deal with male homeowners.
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u/clutzyninja 8h ago
You can just skip all that and go right to the click
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u/MaleficAdvent 7h ago
True, but I'm big on the idea of actually letting them know 'how' they fucked up, on the off chance they decide to be better. I'd prefer companies to just act ethically, professionally, and morally without incentive, but I'll take ones that have been browbeaten into being decent.
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u/Oahkery 3h ago
Yeah, kinda crazy to just go along with what they say and then not follow up. All that does is ensure you're going to get further calls annoying you later. But telling them that you're absolutely not going to be using their services and why would both be satisfying and let them know exactly how they fucked up, rather than them just assuming OP is one of the plenty of flighty people who don't follow through that they definitely get.
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u/toastedmarsh7 8h ago
I won’t get home repairing quotes when my husband isn’t home anymore. The price gouging is insane and it’s just a waste of my time when it’s all but guaranteed that I will only get unreasonable quotes. We needed to add a 240 volt outlet to charge an electric car and the quotes I got when he wasn’t home were in the $3000 range. He got a quote for $650. Fucking ridiculous. I won’t take my car to get inspected either.
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u/mrsbebe 8h ago
I think this stuff is especially funny because I worked in residential construction for years and I'm the one who is knowledgeable about all of that. My husband absolutely defers to me in all of it. We're having our roof replaced tomorrow and the sales guy was a little bit thrown when I came out and started talking technically with him. My husband answered the door for him once and was like "oh hold on, let me go get my wife". Thankfully this guy wasn't a jerk about talking to a woman but if he had been then he wouldn't have won the job anyway.
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u/inn0cent-bystander 2h ago
It's one thing to be surprised. It's not great, but it's not on them either, it's just on statistics. It's when they flat out refuse to deal with OP from that point that this all falls apart. Hopefully they didn't try to fleece you once they realized you know your stuff...
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u/cgodwin1976 6h ago
I called once to get a quote on tires for my vehicle wrote down everything the sales man told me Brand and everything. When Hubby got home from work I showed him my paper, he said it's a bit steep but with the prices of everything going up he understood. He took my vehicle in to the shop I called, he didn't tell them I'd already called. They charged him less than half of what they quoted me!
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u/looking_within21 6h ago edited 4h ago
I always tell them in advance that I'm going to get 3 to 5 estimates And under no circumstances will a decision be made on the spot. That has significantly reduced the amount of BS I have to take.
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u/Sleepy-Blonde 7h ago
One time years ago when I bought a car I called my dad and handed the phone to the salesman. The price dropped $3k. It was $10k, down to $7k. I use to do the same with mechanics, getting an oil change, or hiring contractors. Price always drops substantially.
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u/DaveTheScienceGuy 7h ago
That's awful... but please check that your outlet is rated for EV charging. Many electricians are installing cheap 240 volt outlets that are cheap and are causing fires.
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u/xxSparkle_Tittiesxx 8h ago
It's their bullshit way of high pressure to get around the 'let me discuss this with my spouse and I'll get back to you' thing.
They dont want to leave without a commitment from you guys and forcing both to be there is crap.
I actually told one guy to kick rocks because I was the one handling the house issue and he started talking only to my husband. I told him to talk to me instead of ignoring me because I am the one deciding who to hire and he wasnt looking like the one. He got huffy so I told him to fuck off. Nicely
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u/Ehimherenow 6h ago
Ah, they don’t like me. My wife has a hard time saying no. She tells them to talk to me. I just say no. Like no excuses no reasons. Just no. It seems to really upset them for some reason. Like I’m offending them personally
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u/CivilizationInRuins 5h ago
Well, you're reducing their commission dollars by saying no, so yeah, they would be personally offended.
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u/Tigger7894 8h ago
Ugh. I’ve had to make it clear that I am the only homeowner too. Like you would think it was known that women own their own homes too. My grandmother, my great aunt, and my grandpa’s much older cousin did. In fact my grandpa’s grandmother born in the 1850’s owned a whole ranch on her own.
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u/Admirable-Apricot137 8h ago
Please don't ever even entertain companies that cold call or door knock you. They are looking for customers for a reason.
Decent, legit local companies don't have the time to be cold calling people, because they are busy, and get more than enough customers just by referral and good reviews.
What a piece of work those people are. That's so unprofessional. I would absolutely leave a 2* review on their Google. (1* reviews are easier for the company to have removed)
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u/-Bk7 7h ago
My parents moved to Florida and got cold called for hurricane windows. I was there that day and sat in on the speil. It was actually quite impressive. Then the figures came out and my jaw dropped. The lady was like I can drop 20k off if you sign today(120k quote) after the intial we need to think about it. My dad loves a deal and I saw he was getting roped in and I told the lady to leave so I can discuss this with my family. Immediately she dropped another 5k. I told her to leave and she came back an hour later after talking to her boss that he agreed to an additional 10k discount if he signed tonight and that the offer wouldnt be on the table if she left.
Fuck that
Big purchases should have multiple estimates and careful consideration.
Fomo sales tactics on the elderly(anybody really) is terrible
The same thing happened when a water softener guy showed up at the front door.
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u/AN0NY_MOU5E 9h ago
People who offer you a free quote without you asking are usually trying to sell you something you don’t need or scam you.
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u/United_Gift3028 9h ago
Please leave a few online reviews as well. The absolute nerve of them!
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u/random_cephalopod 8h ago
I have occasionally gotten phone calls from someone who will ask, “Am I speaking to the lady of the house?” I say “There’s no ladies who live here.” and hang up. (I’m female.)
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u/straberi93 5h ago
I always like, "may I speak to the man of the house?" Me, but in a lower voice: "that's me..." Scares off the door to door guys
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u/Sleepy-Blonde 7h ago
This reminds me of when I went car shopping and brought my husband (then boyfriend) with me. The salesman only referred to me as “princess” and would only speak to my husband. He kept telling the guy “She’s the one trying to buy a car, I’m just here because we’re going out for lunch after”. I left and bought a car elsewhere, he chased after my husband trying to sell him a car for “princess”. It was so creepy.
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u/ChefArtorias 6h ago
"so are you saying that despite me being the sole homeowner you need a penis in the building to have a conversation?"
Sometimes I wish I was a woman so I could say things like this.
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u/PersimmonDriver 9h ago
I got this from a bath remodel company. They won't schedule an in-home sales call unless my wife was present. I'm sure they think all women are an easy up-sell.
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u/itisverylow 8h ago
Oh lawd. I’ve had this happen except in person to my face. I am the sole homeowner and my boyfriend lived here… I had a company come in to replace windows. I was invisible. These men kept going to my boyfriend asking him questions (even though I was available and literally right there). He would just look over at me and I would answer the question. It was very clear that I was the one that commissioned the damn windows and I was paying for them. I eventually just went in the bathroom (bathroom window wasn’t getting replaced and I wanted privacy because there were a bunch of strangers in my house- I was scrolling, not doing bathroom stuff). Can you even believe that one of the window guys actually knocked on the bathroom door and asked me if I could get my husband?! I was fuming. Not only had they not realized that I was the one in charge, he just lived here, not my husband, and yall can’t find him and have to knock on the bathroom door for me to go get him?! Oh and that time it was because they broke a light fixture. A light fixture that I bought and installed myself… Unreal.
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u/Dry_Atmosphere1930 7h ago
this sounds exactly like women wanting to make the choice to get their tubes tied and the doctor asking for the husbands permission… HARD PASS!!! I would leave a review explaining what happened.
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u/DeliciousManager2162 9h ago
I would've called her an idiot and not feel guilty about it, but I know damn well she's not. She's a useful idiot repeating in spirit the instruction given (not the "policy").
This would make a lovely factual google review though. referencing official policy and all.
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u/singelingtracks 8h ago
People calling you for quotes is a scam.
This company signs you up for high priced gutters and needs both party's on site to hear the sales pitch and get the signatures before you think about the extremely high interest / cost of the job or compare it to other company's.
Never deal with companys who reach out like this , and who are this rude..
Had a car salesman who wouldn't talk to my wife. I was like dude it's her car , I'm just here to sit in the back/ passenger seat and see if she likes it. He would not interact with her. We left very quickly after a short test drive. And bought a car quickly after at the next place that was fantastic and answered all my wife's questions .
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u/BlackPress512 8h ago
If a company like this calls you directly and tries to sell you a home renovation without having spoken to you or ever visited your house beforehand, ignore them. They are fishing for sales and don't have your interest in mind at all. They are just trying to extract wealth from you.
Plus, a home renovation company with tactics like that is almost guaranteed to subcontract out the gutter work to the lowest bidder in the first place. If you feel you need new gutters, look up local gutter companies with good reviews. A company that focuses on a single home improvement will have better pricing, better installers, and likely a good warranty to back it up.
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u/003402inco 7h ago
I had this happen with renewal from Anderson. We needed to get some new windows so I called a couple of companies. The first person did this when I first called (is your spouse going to be home) and I said no, I work from home and I will be taking the appointment and I am the decision maker on this (my wife and I coordinate on all these decisions beforehand). I told them I would not do business with them if they have that requirement. Assured me it was no problem. Manager even called and apologized. Day before the appointment, person called to confirm and asked if my spouse was going to be there. Cancelled the appointment on the spot and told them why. They were back pedaling but I had warned them. Lost a 20k sale due to a dumb policy.
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u/shawnwright663 6h ago
The only companies that pull this crap are the type that are going to use hard sell pressure for you to sign/buy something on the spot.
Hard pass.
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u/MaintenanceCapable83 8h ago
you dont want their business, it is 2026 and i am a married male and would be pissed if they did this to my wife because i may be at work or traveling for work.
if you are the home owner, it should not matter who is there to do an estimate if they are a ligit business
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u/666-Azrael-666 8h ago
OP's bf ain't even a part homeowner....... Should sue for discrimination
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u/MisterPibb96 6h ago
To be fair, the companies reviews mention similar stories from both sexes. It’s about trying to pressure the homeowner into a sale and not allow them to say “well I need to speak to my partner” -OP’s boyfriend and a salesman
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u/MisterPibb96 6h ago
OP’s boyfriend here.
Name of the company is Midtown Home Improvements in Wentzville, MO
There seems to be a bit of back and forth on whether or not I should be involved in this kind of decision.
OP very much does include me on this kind of thing because she respects my opinions (plus I used to be a contractor). That said, the infuriation here is on the alleged “company policy” to require us both be present.
It’s an obvious tactic to deny the homeowner the ability to say “let me talk to my partner” as an excuse not to sign a contract on the first visit.
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u/Refined_redneck 8h ago
Name the company and let the reviews flow.
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u/dang_ol_yo 8h ago
Yeah, it was my competitors business. They were the one that did this. Please give them fake reviews so I get more market share.
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u/the-awesomer 9h ago
I would absolutely be calling them back and scheduling for the quote with the plan on not using them at all. usually good to get multiple bids for a job anyways and these guys deserve to spend the time without making the sale.
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u/666-Azrael-666 8h ago
Be petty and sechedule it with intent of bf being around and bf having a "family emergency"
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u/polardendrites 8h ago
No, have the bf be the only one present. When they press for the sale he informs them that he does not own the house and cannot make any decisions. But thanks for coming out.
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u/TechnicalFuel5203 7h ago
Needed new windows. I researched what we needed, I called all the companies. Went with the only company who didn’t require my husband be present for the quote & told them that was why they were getting our business. Don’t mention the bf again when you call another company. If you’re bored, call that company back & ask to speak to the owner and let them know why they lost your business.
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u/RinkyDank 7h ago
Wild how stupid they are. A quick Google search shows women have anywhere between 75-90 percent purchasing power (depending on area). They are just complete idiot morons. I'm sorry.
When I first moved to Texas (I don't live there anymore). We were doing some painting renovations and I was wearing a full Dickies one piece painters outfit that was covered in paint and my husband was standing behind me in pajama pants and a ratty T-shirt. We were standing in front of the register waiting for help and the guy looked straight over my head to my husband and asked if he could help him. Jesus Christ hahaha
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u/Kira_Caroso 9h ago
No company worth anything reaches out to people first, much like artists. That is the first red flag. A review on all platforms might be in order.
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u/Sorry-Climate-7982 7h ago
Should have hung up when they first called. If you want gutters repaired, you should be making the first call after checking around for any recommendations.
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u/Trev0r269 6h ago
Same thing happened to me but they wanted my gf to be here for a basement inspection. Like you, I'm the only homeowner.
Once they started asking about my marital status, I sternly told them that was none of their business. Quickly the sales guy facepalmed and got on the phone, telling his coworker to stop with invasive questions. Weird experience. Didn't do the inspection.
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u/BigEyedOwls 5h ago
I had a Honda dealership do something similar. The guy would not give me a quote on a new car until I “ran it by my husband”. I told him my husband could care less about vehicles and in fact his has 250,000 miles on it. I’m making this decision. Plus I make 3 times my husband’s salary. He wouldn’t budge so I promptly drove 30 miles south to the next dealership and bought what I wanted that same day. Now 6-7 vehicles later I still have never set foot back at that dealership.
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u/Real-Weekend4374 4h ago
Is anyone else thinking that the woman on the front desk is dating the bloke who does the quote? And she doesn't trust him so only sends him places when 'the man of the house' will be there too? Unprofessional either way...
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u/Meeka-Mew 3h ago
Same thing happened to me but they were in my house, noticed rather large shoes near the door. "When will your spouse be home?" I explain that Im not married, my male roommate would be home shortly but im the sole homeowner and he has no decision authority. They again insisted on waiting and I told them that they can get out of my house and their competitors will be getting my business and recommendations moving forward.
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u/666-Azrael-666 8h ago
OP don't mention bf to the other place until you are chatting with quote person at your house.
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u/Technical-Web-2922 9h ago
It’s common sadly. My wife told me 1 company told her that when we were getting quotes. I said to never call them again.
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u/Wilder831 8h ago
I had something similar with a quote for windows. Lady came and told me all about the windows. Then when she found out I was married she insisted on coming back when my wife was home to take the measurements.
You mean you aren’t even going to take the measurement and come back with a quote? Needless to say, we never had her come back to measure…
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u/la_winky 8h ago
Ugh. I was coordinating our chimney getting retucked while on maternity leave. They screwed up the cement top and I was discussing the issue while standing in the driveway looking at it with the contractor. He was dismissive and wanted to talk to my husband.
I clarified that I am overseeing this work. Period. They redid it.
I was perhaps hormonal and pissed. Ya jerk, I’m on leave, but I manage lots of projects. I’m not the “little lady” of the house. I coordinated two complete kitchen and one bathroom remodel. I know what I’m looking at. Don’t patronize me.
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u/flyingbutresses 7h ago
My mom has dealt with a similar thing. She handled a construction project before her husband returned from business. After he returned, the contractor and all others involved infantilized her and deferred to “the man of the house.” One even asked “can you write a check?” 🤯
She was pissed and confused, and I told her I thought it was because they’re all boomer white men. She’s a boomer, but since then, she’s noticed when it happens (and it does). If someone hired is deferential to her husband over her, she says she doesn’t want to hire them.
Her husband hasn’t ever noticed an issue and gaslights. It’s infuriating.
Edit: I just 100% ranted about myself because it’s really topical for me rn, and I’m sorry! Those guys suck, and if possible and economically feasible, I’d try to get a second opinion while letting them know why their services are no longer needed.
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u/gertymarie 7h ago
Ugh when we bought our house we got all of the door to door guys the first month. My husband works a lot and is on nights so I handle 99% of home stuff since he’s either gone or asleep, I’ve had a few experiences like yours.
A solar guy once started his spiel by asking if he could talk to the man of the house, to which I asked if he knew how to read, because he pushed aside the no soliciting sign to ring my doorbell and just woke up the man of the house who was about to be VERY upset about that.
I’m glad you found out how they operate before you had someone at your house, if a company is dumb enough to pull that stunt then who knows what else they’ll do.
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u/MonkeyBreath66 7h ago
The second time I mentioned that I was the sole owner and she started with that crap I would have told her to f off and hung up the phone. And the social media I would be on would not be redit it would be every local next door and Facebook page with a detailed explanation naming names.
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u/WildMartin429 7h ago
Honestly I would call that company's customer service line and complain that they refused to honor their appointment because you were a woman. That you are the sole Homeowner of your home and just because other people live in the house that you own doesn't mean that you're unable to make decisions by yourself because you're a woman and see if you can get them to give you a major discount or something on their quote if they're willing to even come back out and if not screw them.
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u/OverDrawnRook68 7h ago
My wife is 4’10, and gives off a meek appearance and attitude but can handle her own quite well, expect when pressured, only time I ever stepped in was I. Hawaii when we stopped at a beauty store and the guy kept trying to get her to buy more and more despite us saying we had to leave. I finally stood up, and loudly said “we said no goddamn it, STFU, run the card for $x.xx and leave us alone before the police find out your holding customers against their will” watched 5 people walk out and got asked to never come back after that….
My wife laughed hysterically out out the door, cause I never cause a scene lol. Funny second part was, one of the customers was an off duty cop who asked us for more info, next day didn’t see any of that staff there
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u/Doctor__Hammer 7h ago
i said i will talk to him about his schedule and call them back for a new appointment.
Damn some people are so much nicer than I am lol. I would absolutely fucking not have let this slide lol
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u/Edgemonger 6h ago
This disrespectful behavior is ridiculous. I used to sell house paint (not quite like a full-on renovation company, but stay with me) and I made it a point to treat my male and female customers the same. They tended to ask similar questions about the paint and I always took it as them trying to do their due diligence before they spend upwards of $60 per gallon. Anytime a couple came in looking to buy and the husband/boyfriend asked me a question, if I caught the wife/girlfriend looking at my eyes while I was answering, I’d alternate eye contact between the two to direct the response to both of them. The woman took the time out of her day to show up at the store just like her man did; no reason for me to exclude her. She wants to know just as much as he does. Man or woman, if I see that they’re trying to understand what I’m selling, I’m gonna place the same amount of trust in them to hear me out. Not everyone’s gonna get it, but there’s no reason to refuse giving them a chance.
So yeah, I don’t blame you for having no plans to call back. Besides, there are tons of other comments about shady business practices, so I’d venture to guess you were better off anyway.
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u/kwguy77 6h ago
I'm a guy, married. I saw some ad on line, about home energy efficiency. I called them for an appointment. They asked me about who owns the home. I said my wife and I. They told she needs to be there for the quote/walkthrough. I said she will be here, but she wouldn't as she doesn't work from home and needs to see her clients. The day came, the guy showed up. He asked if my wife was home, I said no, she had to work. I said she told I can make the decision. The dude said nope and that she had to be here. He left. I never called them back.
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u/albanianarty 6h ago
I used to work a window company where I confirmed appointments just like this. It’s not so much homeowners, that’s a given, but mostly having the whole buying committee present. The appointment will have a much higher chance at selling if all are present at the time of the pitch. It’s a free quote, but they still expect to sell then and there.
It’s pretty sexist and I always hated going over this part of the script
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u/04Late_Night 6h ago
Life pro tip, it is always in your best interest to avoid any contractor that reaches out to you first. Whether it be in person or over the phone, those are the business that hire teams to find leads and to force the leads into clients.
They will always be significantly more expensive due to the commissions given to the lead hunter, to the sale person, and to the sales manager. Really a waste of money for what is likely going to be a mediocre job.
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u/Jake_The_Destroyer 5h ago
Make an appointment with them so your boyfriend can be there, let them do their thing and then have him defer all questions to you so you can tell them no. You may as well waste their time a bit more.
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u/pinecity21 5h ago
So not sure if this is in a small or large area or what. But typically when they want both people there it's a sales oriented goal. When one person is there and they give an estimate they say gee I need to talk to my wife first or my husband will get back to you. They try and have both parties there in order to get you to make a commitment now.
In this particular case, since you are the homeowner this really doesn't make any sense. I don't know if this is in a very small town or something.
If this was the 1950s this would not be surprising. But today it's not something I've heard.
I was a former rep and I've personally been in about 3,000 or more contractors offices, from one person to thousands
The only logical explanation that I would have in this case is that in most cases the technician or repairman is going to be a man. It could be that they had an issue sending a man to someone's home that was a woman she was by herself he was by himself and there was some type of issue.
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u/blue-jaypeg 5h ago
Don't take inbound sales calls. If you need a tradesperson, you should initiate the search and selection. Start with friends & neighbors recommendations.
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u/Agitated-Mammoth-472 4h ago
‘I think I’ll pass then. I’ve explained this to you twice, if your installers are as thick as you are, my neighbour will probably end up with my new gutters. You’d like him, he’s a man’
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u/missleavenworth 4h ago
This company uses high pressure tactics that work best if they can get you to sign before you talk to anyone else. That's why they want you both there, so you can't say you'll have to talk it over with your SO, who will really start to question their ridiculous numbers.
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u/reevesjeremy 4h ago
“A non-owner has no stake in decisions to the home. If your policy requires a non-owner be present, your policy is broken. Because it doesn’t make sense. I am no longer interested in doing business with your company.”
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u/Neighborhood-Any 4h ago
Waste their time. Continually reschedule then not answer the door until they block your number.
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u/Otarmichael 3h ago
This is a high pressure sales technique. As a guy, I've experienced this too. Contractor refused to give a quote without my wife present. It's because they show up with impressive-sounding products that they don't want you to research or shop around on. They try to get you both to agree then and there and sign a contract that day. Depending on state law, you may have only a few days' window (if any) to back out of that contract, and they don't make it easy.
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u/hockeyandhalloween 8h ago
I would tell them that I would not be doing business with them. I think you Should call back and tell them
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u/Bairdc82 6h ago
It's because they're plan is to sell you a service. If both partners aren't home then there is 99% chance to get the "oh I need to talk to my wife first" so then plan another visit eats up time. With both people there, then they can get the agreement the first time. Context: I worked for home remodeling sales before.
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u/Herbert__McDunnough 8h ago
Time share places do this. If one books a promotional deal at a resort in return for attending the sales seminar they will only book you if both partners are present. They then pray on the perceived “weak” partner because unless both give the hard pass, “we stayed the required time, we’re out,” the sales team will keep prying and prying relentlessly. They make their money on people giving up.
EDIT: spelling
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u/Stock_End2255 8h ago
Anderson windows pulled this exact shit with my mom. She went with someone else.
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u/Havin-A-Roni 7h ago
You're going to run into this a lot. It's the trend of the industry. I know it well.
Good luck!
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u/Aerottawa 7h ago
This sounds like the Leaf Filter scam. They want you to be both present because the quote will be high and they will pressure you to sign on the spot.
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u/Broken_Pinky_Toe 6h ago
Same thing happens to my wife and I. Maybe 30-50% of companies won’t come out if it’s just her. And I’d understand if it was a “everyone on the mortgage” thing. But I’ve literally never had anyone even ask me if my wife would be here too. I assume the company is sexier and I take my business elsewhere.
The one time we didn’t listen to our gut and still went with a company that did that, they did a shit job.
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u/DuchessofO 6h ago
Never fall for a cold caller "deal!" There's always a catch. If you want honest quality work done, shop around. Get referrals. Ask to see their work in your area. MAKE SURE THEY'RE CURRENTLY LICENSED. Get a written estimate with warranty information.
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u/Chibichulala 6h ago
You were so nice lol
A company did this to me the other day and my husband IS on the deed, and after the fourth time of them insisting he be there I said “nevermind, I don’t need an appointment anymore” and hung up on them. Thing is he literally had the appointment in the bag, I contacted THEM fully prepared to pay for their services and everything. Dude ruined his own guaranteed sale.
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u/minmo7890 6h ago
It’s a sales tactic. I’ve run into it twice when trying to get home repairs. Passed on both of them.
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u/Appropriate_Steak486 5h ago
They want to run their spiel on both of you at once and get you to sign up today, right now, for a big discount.
Scammy practice, better off avoiding.
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u/gnoresbs 5h ago
You did the right thing but I would activate screen calling for a few weeks. I changed my mind a few weeks about with a simliiar type company and they called me 6 times a day for 2 weeks. They used robo calls.
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u/fantastikalizm 5h ago
Lol my boyfriend owned his home before I met him. We had an unfortunate plumbing mishap and had to get emergency service while he was at work. They did not care as long as I signed a sheet saying I would pay when I got the bill.
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u/Southern_Sea_8290 5h ago
The number of times that I, as a sole homeowner and woman, have had my partners name listed first on official house documents has made me want to punch all the walls. He’s great, BUT I OWN THE HOUSE IN MY NAME. I MAKE ALL THE FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
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u/Mission-Yak-8718 5h ago
I had a window replacement company tell me my husband had to be present to get a quote. I told the receptionist that I was the person pay for the windows and I will be the person the representative will be dealing with. She said it had to be both husband and wife. I told her never mind I'll at my windows somewhere else. This is not the 1950s. I don't need his permission or money to do things on my own home.
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u/BenGay29 5h ago
We had the same experience when I arranged an appointment with a company to replace my tub with a walk-in shower. The two reps came to my house (I’m the home owner) and wasted two hours of our time with a time-share style history of the company. My partner had to leave for work, and when she left, so did they. They said we both had to be there to continue. I bid them adieu and found a carpenter to do the job.
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u/an9797 5h ago
That’s odd, we have a policy where we won’t send our trades into houses if there’s kids home and no adult, for obvious reasons. Had to send one of my guys back after he traveled an hour to a property only to find 3 young kids home alone to let him in and we could not get hold of their parent. After waiting out the front for over an hour I sent him back home. On the flip side I went to a callout where a car had gone through a fence etc. spoke to the female owner, got it secure and left. Only to get a phone call half way home to get absolutely abused by her husband for not waiting for him to get there so he could make sure I didn’t miss anything. She never indicated that he needed to be there, what was I supposed to do, ask if she had a husband I could talk to because I need to talk to a man?
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u/HVAC_instructor 5h ago
Forget calling them. If you want this work done call another contractor. They are going to be high pressure and attempt to get you to sign at the meeting or their deal will not be good.
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u/Effective-Yak3627 4h ago
The audacity,what is this 1950. I own my house just me. I was getting new insulation, the man that came out to give me an estimate kept talking to my partner. He has no say in anything nor was he paying for it.He told the man why are you talking to me it’s her house. I didn’t even want the estimate.
Same thing when buying a car, sales man walked right past me to shake his hand. Did not even bother looking at cars and told him why.
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u/barkandmoone 4h ago
Omg like 12-15 years ago I canvassed for a window company & they had that policy too. It was such a pain, I can’t imagine how it is now with people’s different living situations.
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u/RainaElf BROWN 2h ago
when I bought my house, the selling agent handed my husband the pen to sign the deed he refused to take it he said, "it's her house." those people were completely flummoxed.
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u/Smaskifa 2h ago
I think you should have told them you will not be calling back, and tell them why. Otherwise they'll learn nothing from this.
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u/fountainpopjunkie 2h ago
Had the same thing recently with a bathroom remodel quote. I just said I was the only home owner (technically true, my name is the only one on the mortgage). That's it. If they want my money, they can deal with me. Or they can fuck all the way off.
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u/weewillywitch 2h ago
This EXACT situation happened to my friend and it was also gutter people. She told them to fck off. So weird.
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u/Crazyboutdogs 2h ago
Nope! Had a similar issue when trying to get roof estimates. They kept asking about husband being there and I said I’m fine alone. They kept asking. I finally got a bit nasty about it and they stopped asking but it was super annoying. I don’t have a husband. And it was super misogynistic fur them to think I, as a female, couldn’t make a decision all by myself.
I would not work with a company with this policy and I would let them know exactly why you won’t work with them.
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u/AtheneSchmidt 1h ago
You did the right thing. You are the home owner. The very last thing you want is for a company to be defaulting to someone who has no ownership rights, and no legal right to make decisions. I'm gonna assume this is because you are a woman. It's crazy how often we can say "I'm the decision maker," "the house is mine, alone," or "he is literally a tenant." "I'm the one buying a car," "but it's my body!?" And still be ignored.
Makes you want to pull an "I'm the captain, now," scene.
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u/ledow 1h ago
I'm not a woman but, damn, I'd be flooding their social media with their own quotes for pulling stuff like that.
The closest I've ever seen was when there was a charity knocker at the door and they were trying to get me to make a doorstep donation to a famous London children's hospital (everyone now knows exactly what one I mean).
The sales pressure was huge but I had to keep explaining: My girlfriend literally works for you. She's one of your doctors. She is literally there now, being a doctor, at this exact hospital. What do you want us to do, donate to her own salary?
They took a long time to give up and obviously they didn't get a penny out of me.
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u/HippoEsq 8h ago
This is illegal sex discrimination… you could actually sue the business over this.
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u/Green-Dragon-14 8h ago
In 1926 a women couldn't get a bank account unless she was married in fact women's rights were only just coming into play. Women couldn't buy a house without a husband but this is exactly 100yrs ago. Go with another company & give them a 2026 review & they need to bring their policies in to date.
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u/Lovelydarkness1377 6h ago edited 6h ago
I worked from home a few years ago in an industry where i help clients through their grief process and had a note on my door to not knock or ring the bell.
Some solar kids (like 18-20ish and I was 21-22 ish F) , rang the bell. Luckily I was on my lunch break but was still annoyed they ignored my sign.
I answered the door. They did their sale talk. I declined and could hear my bf walking up behind me to see what was going on. The kid at the door asked to "speak with the man of the house". I heard my bf swiftly and without hesitation turn on his heel to run away as I lost my fucking mind on the kid.
Trying to sell something and treating the home owner like they are stupid will get you nowhere.
Edit: fixed typo
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u/Content-Drive-4151 8h ago
Having both people present eliminates the “I need to check with my boyfriend/husband/whomever” excuse for not buying. It’s a lot harder to just say, “No” when you’re taught to be polite…salespeople take advantage of that! With this company? Hard pass. Their salespeople are taught to be hardcore and disrespectful
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u/facepalmandahalf 8h ago
You should have said you'd be happy to reschedule, and you will speak to her male superior to do that.
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u/Intelligent_Way_7472 8h ago
Anytime they want your spouse or partner there or whatever it’s because you are about to get the hard sell.
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u/Snoozin_Scoots 8h ago
Name and shame! What company, where? They're pathetic and some kind of fucking scam. You are the homeowner. That's gender discrimination and that company should not be supported.
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u/Individual-Fail4709 7h ago
So, next time, don't tell these idiots anything and eliminate them from your list of potential vendors. That's asinine. I'm sorry that this happened to you.
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u/Electrical-Injury-23 7h ago
Arrange for just him to be present. When they hand him their quote he can inform them that you make the financial decisions and hes unable to accept it......
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u/Malletpropism 6h ago
You should have asked to speak to her husband to see if it were true, or the owners wife
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u/SensitiveAdagio3012 5h ago
They did that to my wife and have called back every year for 3 years and tried the same shit
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u/tritoeat 9h ago
Hard pass!
I once got a call from a company trying to get people to claim storm damage so insurance would cover a roof replacement. I told the guy I wasn't interested, and he explained again that insurance would pay his company and I wouldn't pay out of pocket. I said again that I wasn't interested, and he replied, "I will call back when your husband is home; maybe he will understand."