Turned down a quote for the first time and it didn’t go well. Any advice?
ETA: I did not expect this to blow up! Thank you to everyone who has calmed my nerves and reassured me that this guy is a one off. I genuinely feel a lot better, and it’s settled my nerves a ton. Also I’m sorry for the few who have also experienced something similar to this. It sucks!
Update: someone suggested I look him up and see if he has any records, and I did. Nothing violent but he has been sued for not finishing projects, so I guess that tracks.
We (myself and my partner) are fixing up a home we bought and current repair and addition estimates are coming in significantly over budget.
We’re trying to increase or rework the budget and prioritize what we can/can’t do. One builder called me and asked if I looked over his quote, and I told him we had, but we were currently over budget and we may not be able to do the addition (he also had the highest bid). He asked if I had found or talked to any other builders and I said we had, and he asked if we were considering them. I said yes, because we may need to go with a lower price if we can swing it.
He then proceeded to yell ‘f*ck you’ and cursed, yelled, and threatened me because it ‘took him forever’ to put together the quote and said I had no idea how much work it was to bid out a job. When we initially talked to him, we told him we were just beginning to get quotes on all the different projects and weren’t sure what would/wouldn’t fit into our budget.
I kept my cool and told him I was very sorry our budget may not allow the full addition and/or that we may go with a different builder, but it’s made me incredibly anxious to reach back out to anyone who gave a bid.
Obviously we will not be using him, but we’re just beginning this process, so please tell me this isn’t normal!
ETA: I know this should not be normal, but it’s shaken me up pretty good, and I just wanted reassurance that is this far from being an average response to declining a bid.
Edit 3: Removed some identifying parts as this post blew up way bigger than I anticipated and I'd like to avoid any further interaction with said contractor.