In hidden camera tests, some technicians were honest. The rest invented repairs you never needed. Our method tells them apart.
Inside Edition; Dateline; CBS; ABCPay the best price for any home repair, with our Shop Rate Method™.
This guide gives you what contractors know and you do not. You will know what the job really costs, if the price is padded, and if the company is any good, before you say yes. Our Shop Rate Method™ takes you from the first call to paying what the job is worth, one step at a time.
- Know who to call the day something breaks
- Know how to pick the best contractor for the job
- Know what has to be in writing before you sign
One-time payment. Instant access.
30-day money-back guarantee.
You cannot tell which truck pulled up
Some repair people are honest. Some are not. They drive the same trucks and hand you the same quote. There is no way to tell in advance.
He is still standing in your kitchen. He has said a number and he is waiting. You do not know if it is high, or enough to ask why. So you say yes.
The price does not tell you either. Much of it pays for things you never see. A high price can be honest, and a normal one padded.
That is why guessing does not work.
We wrote this because no contractor will. What the job should cost, what to ask, and which extras to turn down. Our Shop Rate Method™, start to finish.
What homeowners and insiders say
Real experiences from people in exactly your situation.
Who do you believe?
"Every tech I've had out tells me something different, so I can't tell who's upselling and who's straight."
A homeowner on Reddit
Double the agreed price
"He finally sent me an invoice, and it was for double what I agreed to over text... his quality of work is shoddy... he didn't finish the job."
A homeowner on Reddit
Burned before
"I've been burned by shady car mechanics and maybe these guys are talking up regular wear and tear as something more dangerous."
A homeowner on Reddit
Why techs invent repairs
"I'm just a little low on cash... Not a lot of work right now."
A repair tech, on hidden camera
Is it just me?
"Am I out of line to think that is WAY too high?"
A homeowner on Reddit
I never questioned them
"I pay the guys without questioning their acumen, because I am not a tradesman, and far be it from me to challenge them [...] but now I feel like I've given them free reign to charge what they please."
A homeowner on Reddit
Everything in the Shop Rate Method™
Step by step, from the first call to the price you say yes to.
- The whole Shop Rate Method™, start to finish. How to know what a repair should cost before anyone quotes you.
- The hour it breaks. The calls to make, in order, when you have no time to look anyone up.
- Before you pick a company. The 15 minute check that weeds out the bad ones, and how to pick the best of the good ones.
- What to do after they say the first price. The questions to ask, which an honest contractor answers easily. You will watch the padded quote fall apart in front of you.
- When you look at the quote. What the repair should cost, and a simple sheet to compare your quotes side by side.
- If something sounds off. The plays caught on hidden camera, what each one sounds like, and the tell for it.
- Before you sign anything. What has to be in writing, and what to do when it is not.
- Never again stand in your kitchen wondering if the person holding the quote is honest. You will have the questions and the numbers before they arrive.
You never have to understand the repair
You do not need to know how any of it works. You ask our questions, and you watch how they answer. Someone quoting you the wrong way gets uncomfortable as soon as you start applying our method. It works the same on any repair and any company.
The plays, and the tell for each
The same plays turn up again and again in filmed investigations. Here are a few of the most common.
- The invented repair. They charge you to fix a fault that was never there.
- The scare replacement. A small repair turns into a whole new system.
- The refrigerant charge. They bill you to refill a sealed system that never uses any up.
- The bait tune up. The cheap visit is there to sell you something more expensive.
- The storm caller. They knock after a storm, and what they want is your insurance claim and a deposit.
These plays happen every day, and the guide covers more of them. For each one, you get the tell that gives it away, what to say, and how to still get the best price on a repair without compromising quality.
Told to lie
"You were told to lie? Yes, pretty much."
A call-center insider, in a TV investigation
The 6 parts of the Shop Rate Method™
Together they are the method that gives you the best chance at paying what the job is worth, on every job from now on.
Price tables
What the work really costs
The questions
How you hold the price down
Contractor vetting
15 minutes, in order
The plays
Caught on hidden camera
Second opinions
When it is worth a second quote
Contracts
What must be in writing
You will know what the job should cost, who to hire, and which extras to turn down.
This is for you if any one of these fits
- You need to do a home repair and you want to pay what the job is worth, and not a dollar more
- You want to be prepared for any home repair, before one comes up
- You have a quote in your hand right now and no idea if it is fair
- You do not want contractors taking advantage of you again
- You do not want to spend hours researching repairs just to avoid overpaying
- You already signed something and you want to know if the price was fair
The best investment you will make this year
When to start, what it costs, and why it pays for itself.
You are not too early or too late
If you have a quote in your hand, the guide tells you what the job should cost and what to ask your contractor. If you do not have one yet, you will be ready when the next repair comes. Either way, knowing how to talk to a contractor as a homeowner is one of the most money-saving skills you can learn.
This guide pays for itself
It costs less than one dinner out. You can use our method on every contractor quote you get from now on. Being prepared is how you pay what the job is worth, job after job.
Read it risk free
If the guide is not useful to you, email info@savethisguide.com within 30 days and we will refund you in full. No questions asked.
The next repair is coming. You only learn this once.
One bad quote costs many times what this does. One payment, no subscription. The more you get, the more prepared you are for any repair.
Basic Edition
Everything you need for the quote in your hand. The price tables. The questions that expose the extra charges. The quote comparison sheet. A 15 minute contractor check. And a printable checklist to work from. You make the calls and you do the talking. Want the words written out? For $20 more, see the Extended Bundle.
Extended Bundle
Everything above, plus the words written out for you. Short scripts for the moment, and text messages you copy and send after they leave, so you never have to second-guess whether what you say will hold the price down. The plays caught on hidden camera, with the tell for each. The emergency page for the day something breaks. The second opinion request, already written out. Want the years after this job covered too? For $10 more, see the Get It All Bundle.
Get It All Bundle
Everything above, plus every job after this one. The contract checklist, and the rules your own state adds to it. The dispute ladder, with the 2 letters that do the work. The storm and insurance pack. A yearly maintenance calendar. And Every New Edition: any new version of this product we release in the future is yours at no extra cost. Best for owners who want to be ready for the next few years, not just this job.
You cannot tell the honest quote from the padded one by looking. Whichever bundle you pick, it is risk free: full refund within 30 days.
One-time payment. Instant access.
30-day money-back guarantee.
How it works
3 steps, and you will know exactly what to do.
Choose your bundle
Pay once. No subscription, no recurring charge.
Open it straight away
You get a confirmation email with your private access link to your PDF files. Read them on your phone, your computer, or print them.
Follow the steps
Whether you have a quote or not, the guide takes you from the first call to the best contractor, at what the work really costs, one step at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the prices accurate for my area?
They work anywhere in the country. The prices are national ranges, and the guide shows you how to check what the job costs where you live, so you compare your quote against your own area, not a number from somewhere else.
I know nothing about repairs. Is this still for me?
That is exactly who it is for. You never have to understand the repair, only how to ask about it. Our questions give you the best chance at paying what the job is worth, without compromising quality.
Is this a subscription?
No. It is a one time payment for the bundle you choose. No recurring charges and no hidden fees.
How long do I have access?
Forever. The guide is a PDF you download and keep. Your access link stays in your confirmation email.
Does this work for any type of repair company?
Yes. The questions and the second opinion rule work with any repair company, on any job.
Is this a physical book?
It is a digital guide in PDF form. It downloads right after you pay. It is also designed to print easily at home if you prefer paper.
How do I get a refund?
Email info@savethisguide.com within 30 days of your purchase date and we will refund you in full.
What if my repair is not in the tables?
The guide shows you how to work out what any repair should cost. Whatever breaks, you will know what to pay before you say yes.
Do you update the guide?
Yes. Prices change, and so do the tricks contractors use to charge more. When we update the guide, everything in it comes up to date. We do not promise a schedule. Everyone with the Get It All Bundle gets every new version we release, at no extra cost.
Can I use this for an entire home remodel, not just a repair?
Yes. The price tables are for repairs. Everything else works on any job: the questions, the contractor check, and the contract red flags. On a remodel these things matter even more.
Find out how to get the best price on your repair today.
Download our Shop Rate Method™ and check the price before you say yes. If the quote is padded, it walks you through getting the best price without compromising quality. The next quote is coming either way. You can read it knowing what the job should cost, or you can guess.
Get the guide for $27.99 →One-time payment. Love it or full refund.In hidden camera tests, some technicians were honest. The rest invented repairs you never needed. Inside Edition, Dateline, CBS and ABC filmed it.