When a customer says your price is too high, find out what they mean
“Your price is too high” is not a verdict. It is the start of a conversation. Owners usually respond in one of two ways: they defend the number, or they offer a discount. Both can lose the job or the profit.
A better first move is a question. This page is part of our series on how customers see you: a price objection often says more about what the customer could see before they called than about your price.
The sections below give you five meanings of “too expensive” and a script for each, then a role-play, an email and a way to learn from what you hear.
The five meanings of “too expensive”
| What they say | What it often means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “That’s more than I planned.” | Budget | Offer a smaller scope or phases |
| “I’m not sure it’s worth it.” | Value not seen | Show what they get and what the risk is |
| “Another company quoted less.” | Not the same work, or price shopping | Compare scope line by line |
| “Can you do better on the price?” | Negotiation | Trade something, do not give something |
| “Let me think about it.” | Timing, trust or a hidden objection | Ask what is missing and set a follow-up |
You do not need to guess. Ask, and the customer usually tells you.
The first question to ask
Say this on the phone, in person or by text:
“Thanks for telling me. Can I ask what you were expecting, or what you are comparing it with?”
Then stop talking. Listen for a number, a competitor, a worry or a date. Write it down. The answer decides which script below to use.
If you get a competitor’s quote, ask to see what is included. If you get a budget, ask what matters most to them. If you get a worry, answer the worry.
Scripts for each kind of objection
1. “It is more than I planned” (budget)
“I understand. We can look at it two ways. We can reduce what is included, for example [option], which brings it to about [figure]. Or we can do it in two stages: [stage 1] now and [stage 2] later. Which would work better for you?”
You are offering a smaller job, not a lower price for the same job. That protects your margin and your quality.
2. “I am not sure it is worth it” (value)
“That’s fair. Here is what the price covers: [three things]. Here is what usually goes wrong when it is done more cheaply: [one real risk]. What matters most to you here?”
Use facts, not adjectives. Your warranty, your reply time, your license and insurance, a written scope, your arrival window. If a customer cannot see them, they cannot value them.
3. “Someone else quoted less” (comparison)
“Thanks for sharing that. Can you tell me what the other quote includes? I want to be sure we are comparing the same work. Here is what ours covers: [list]. If the other option covers all of that, it is a fair choice. If something is missing, I can show you the difference.”
Compare scope line by line: materials, labor, cleanup, permits, warranty, follow-up. If the other quote is the same work for less, you may lose that job. That is acceptable. A cheaper rival may also be a business you do not want to be.
4. “Can you do better?” (negotiation)
“I can’t change the price for this scope. What I can do is [change something]: a smaller scope, a different date, a package with [other service], or [payment option if you offer one]. Would one of those help?”
Give something only in exchange for something: a booking this week, a longer plan, a referral, a review after the job. Never give a discount for nothing.
5. “Let me think about it” (timing or trust)
“Of course. Is there anything about the quote that is unclear, or anything I can answer now? I’ll check in on [day] to see if you have questions.”
Then do it. Many customers who say “let me think” buy after a short, polite follow-up.
A role-play to practice with a staff member
Take turns as customer and owner. Use this short scene.
Customer: “Your quote is $2,400. A friend said it should be about $1,800.”
Owner: “Thanks for telling me. Can I ask what your friend’s job included?”
Customer: “I don’t know, it was a similar size.”
Owner: “Fair enough. Ours includes [materials], [labor], cleanup and a one-year warranty on the work. If the $1,800 quote includes all of that, it’s a good price and I’d understand if you chose it. If it doesn’t, I’m glad to go through the difference. Would that help?”
Customer: “Yes, please.”
Notice what the owner did: did not argue, did not drop the price, asked, listed the facts and invited a comparison. Swap roles, change the objection, and repeat until the words feel natural. (The figures are for illustration only.)
Email sample: a customer says your price is too high
Subject: Your quote for [job]
Hi [Name],
Thank you for letting me know. I want to make sure the quote fits what you need.
The quote covers [item 1], [item 2] and [item 3], with [warranty or follow-up]. Could you tell me what you are comparing it with, or what budget you had in mind?
If it helps, I can offer a smaller option that covers [reduced scope] for about [figure], or we can do the work in two stages. I’m happy to talk by phone if that is easier: 617-991-9912.
Best, [Your name]
Keep it short. Do not apologize for the price and do not add a discount in the first reply.
When the price really is the problem
Sometimes the customer cannot afford it, and that is fine. Do not stretch your price to fit them. Options:
- Smaller scope. The basic version of the service, or the most urgent part.
- Phases. Do what matters most now and the rest later, with the second stage priced today.
- Payment plan. Only if you actually offer one and can manage the cash flow.
- Say no politely. “I’m not the right fit for this budget. If it changes, I’d be glad to help.” Some of those customers return.
What to change after you hear it five times
Single objections are noise. A pattern is information. For a month, keep a simple log: date, job, what the customer said, which of the five meanings it was, whether you won the job. Then act:
- Mostly “value not seen”: your website, quote and listings do not show the facts. Fix the quote template and the site first. The website audit checklist shows what a customer sees in seconds.
- Mostly “someone else quoted less”: your quote is hard to compare. List what is included and what is not, and offer two or three options.
- Mostly “budget”: add a lower-scope option so there is something to say yes to.
- Mostly “let me think”: you are slow to follow up or customers do not trust you yet. Reply faster (speed to lead), follow up on every quote, and make your current reviews easy to find from the quote and the website.
- Almost never: you may be priced too low. See how to raise prices without losing customers.
Research summarized by Vikas Mittal of Rice University links higher customer satisfaction with lower price sensitivity. So the strongest long-term answer to “too expensive” is a customer experience that makes the price feel fair, not a better script.
What not to say
- “We are not the lowest price.” It starts a conversation about price instead of value.
- “That is the lowest I can go.” It sounds like a pressure tactic and invites haggling.
- “Everyone charges this.” It may not be true, and the customer can check.
- “Take it or leave it.” It ends the conversation.
- Anything that criticizes the competitor. State your facts and let the customer judge.
If the objection comes right after you raised your prices, the method is the same, but the notice you sent matters more than the script. How to raise prices without losing customers covers the letter and the replies to pushback.
Where to start
Check how a customer sees your business before they hear a price: your website on a phone, your listings, your reply speed. The “How customers see you” check (from $395) tests all of it and writes up what a customer runs into. Or ask for a free demo first.
Published . Updated .