How to Handle (and Prevent) the Top 3 Objections Every Contractor Gets
I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.
Author: Brady Carlson | Co-Founder of Dirt2Dollars
Published Date: 9 December, 2025
Table of Contents:
Key Takeaways:
- “Let me think about it” isn’t a real objection, it’s a smokescreen covering the actual issue (belief or price)
- The decision maker objection is the hardest to overcome, prevent it by getting all decision makers on site before you show up
- Price objections need deeper probing, ask “What about the investment are you hung up on?” to uncover the real issue
- Closers ask tough questions, being willing to probe deeper will dramatically increase your close rate
- Always get signature + down payment on site, verbal yeses mean nothing without financial commitment
- Most objections can be prevented, a proper discovery call before the on-site appointment handles 80% of potential objections
Why These Three Objections Matter
These objections apply to all types of buyers: homeowners, general contractors, other contractors, and development groups.
Whether you’re working on residential or commercial projects, these objections come up consistently.
You need to know how to handle them and redirect the conversation to close the deal.
Let’s dive in.
Objection 1: "Let Me Think About It" (The Smokescreen)
Objection number one: “Let me think about it.”
This isn’t even a real objection. This is a smokescreen covering what their real objection actually is.
When a prospect says, “Let me think about it,” don’t just say, “Okay, let me know when you’re ready to go.” I see way too many people doing that, and you’re going to lose a ton of deals.
Here’s the reality: As soon as you leave that person’s property after they tell you, “let me think about it,” there’s a 90% chance you’re never going to hear from them again.
What to Do Instead
Start probing and dig deeper to find the real objection.
Most people don’t even ask this simple question:
“What is it that you need to think about?”
That question alone will get you further ahead than 90% of contractors.
It’s One of Two Things
The conversation will typically go in one of two directions:
- Belief in the service — Do they think you won’t do a good job? Are they uncertain about your timeline or ability to complete the work?
- Finances — Is it budget-related?
If they have concerns about your ability to complete the service or your timeline, that should have been addressed in your discovery call before meeting on-site. (We’ll cover how to run that discovery call in a future article — most objections can be prevented there.)
Isolate the Real Objection
Once you identify whether it’s a belief or a price, you’re not leaving with a vague “let me think about it.” You’re peeling back the layers to figure out exactly what they’re held up on.
Do not leave until you find out exactly what they are held up on.
This will help you close more deals and minimize the number of times you get ghosted.
Objection 2: The Decision Maker Problem
Second objection: wife, spouse, business partner, decision maker objection.
This one is the hardest objection to overcome. You want to be proactive here; asking the right questions before meeting on site to get all necessary decision makers involved and present when you show up.
When somebody says, “Let me talk it over with my wife, my husband, my partner, my neighbor,” you don’t want to be forced to handle that objection. You want to prevent it before going out to meet with them.
Get All Decision Makers On Site
You want all decision-makers on-site when you arrive to walk the property and present the bid.
Even if someone has only 10% of the decision-making power, or even 1%, every single person needs to be present for that on-site appointment.
How to Prevent This
Before locking in that appointment with a date and time, simply ask:
“Is there anyone else involved in the decision-making process? Do you have a wife, husband, a neighbor that needs to be involved because of property lines? Another contractor?”
It doesn’t matter who it is. They need to be there, and you need to put feelers out for this.
Even if somebody says, “Yeah, I’ll probably have to run it by my wife, but you can just come out anyway,” don’t fold for that.
Say, “Let’s have your wife there. I want all decision makers present when I’m walking the property with you so everyone’s on the same page.”
Set the Right Expectation
Explain that the appointment will be around 30 to 45 minutes. You want to make sure you can properly educate everyone, answer any questions, and pre-handle any objections when you’re there.
Even if they give you the slightest hesitation, do not book the appointment until you know every single decision maker will be there.
Why This Matters
You don’t want to spend an hour on site only to have them say, “All right, let me go speak to my wife.”
Because then the other decision-maker will only hear the price, or a fraction of what you covered.
They’ll be way more hesitant, ask way more questions, and objections will start popping up out of nowhere.
Get everyone there on site together.
Objection 3: Price (And How to Dig Deeper)
Objection number three: price.
Everyone’s dealt with it. You’ve heard prospects say, “Oh, it’s too expensive. I can’t afford to make an investment like that right now.”
Don’t leave it at that. Probe and dig deeper.
Ask the Right Follow-Up Question
Most people hear “it’s too expensive,” drop it, and write the prospect off as a tire kicker.
Go a step further:
“What about the price are you hung up on?”
Ask that question and figure out what part of the pricing or investment they’re actually held up on. Often, you’ll find it’s something very specific.
Common Specific Issues
They’ll tell you exactly what it is:
- They need to free up cash
- They’re waiting for a check to clear
- They need to move money around
- They need to split the payment and put part on a credit card
You’d be surprised how many people are willing to do that if you’re running a proper sales process. Help them understand: What’s more expensive, completing the project now or waiting?
The Value Comparison
In many cases, you can do the value comparison:
“Your project will cost X amount. If you don’t do it now, your property value will decrease by X amount over X amount of time.”
Or there’s real urgency: Part of the property is deteriorating. It’s creating a dangerous situation. If they don’t get the project done now, more damage will happen to the structure.
To wait will actually be more expensive for them.
Frame It the Right Way
If somebody’s giving you pushback, ask: “What’s more expensive — making the investment now or waiting and doing nothing about it?”
In most cases, waiting isn’t better.
Your Job Is to Help Them Decide
Your job when walking the property and selling to them is to help them make a decision.
This isn’t high-pressure sales. This customer is contacting you with a problem that needs to be addressed. Your job is to hold their hand through the process so they make an informed decision.
They need to know you’re the person to do it. They need to understand why you’re asking the questions you’re asking, even if it feels awkward.
Closers Ask Tough Questions
A lot of guys give up and fold on price because it’s an awkward conversation.
But closers ask tough questions.
You have to be willing to ask the tough questions because that will get you closer to a sale, and you’ll be doing the prospect a huge favor.
They might not realize it at the time, but you will be helping them. If it doesn’t make sense for them or you, then there’s no reason to pursue it.
But you need to ask the right questions to figure out exactly what’s going on in their mind, so you can help them make the right decision, whether it’s a yes or a no.
That’s your job as a business owner: to educate these people and help them understand why they need to get it done and in what time frame.
Additional Tactics: Scarcity and Urgency
As you continue to scale your business and do more revenue every month, you’re going to be charging more down the road. Your schedule is going to fill up.
When you’re on site meeting with somebody, they should love you. Get your confidence across that you are the right one to do their project.
Make It Light
When they tell you the price is too high, try this: “Look, the last thing I want to do here is put you out on the street next week,” and make a little joke out of it.
Most of them will say, “Oh no, no, you won’t do that.”
That’s your mental cue. But it’ll let you have a more raw, authentic conversation where they actually tell you what they can and cannot afford.
Financing Options
Many of our clients work with financiers who fund their clients’ projects. I see so many people only dealing in cash and accepting only cash or checks as payment.
There are a lot more people than you realize who are willing to put a portion of the project on a line of credit, on a credit card, or through financing.
Have those conversations with your prospects because you never know who’s going to want to go what path. Treat every single lead the same from start to finish.
Bonus: Get Signature and Down Payment Every Time
One bonus point that will move the needle for your on-site appointments:
When you’re closing somebody on site, get a signature and get a down payment.
Have your service agreement handy, whether it’s a digital copy or whatever, so you can get a signature and some type of down payment on the spot.
Minimize Your Verbal Yeses
I see people taking 50% upfront on projects, which is fine. If you can get it, get it. But the point is to minimize your verbal yeses.
You don’t want people to tell you yes and then ghost you. Or, worst-case scenario, you mobilize your crew and equipment, get out to the site (I’ve heard this happen too many times), and they tell you, “Oh, we don’t want to do it anymore.”
And all you got was a verbal yes.
Verbal yeses mean nothing without a down payment and a signature.
Even a Small Down Payment Works
Even if you have to take 10% of the project total or $200, $300, $400, $500, whatever it is, just to get them more mentally and financially bought in will help you tremendously.
It will minimize the verbal yeses because now that the prospect is emotionally and financially bought in.
If, for whatever reason, they do back out, your time’s covered. You didn’t waste money on gas. You either broke even or made a little money, but at least you didn’t lose money.
The Discovery Call That Prevents Most Objections
Here’s the reality: Most objections can be avoided with a proper discovery call before you meet your prospect on site.
We’re going to write an entire article about that initial phone call you have with your prospects. That one will help you prevent objections from even happening in the first place.
If you’re handling belief objections (Can you actually do the work? Will you do it on time?) in the discovery call, and you’re identifying all decision makers in the discovery call, you’re already 80% of the way there before you ever show up on site.
WHAT WE COVERED:
Objection 1: “Let Me Think About It”
- Not a real objection — it’s a smokescreen
- Ask: “What is it that you need to think about?”
- It’s either belief or price — isolate which one
- Don’t leave until you know the real objection
Objection 2: Decision Maker
- Hardest objection to overcome
- Prevent it by getting all decision makers on site
- Ask: “Is there anyone else involved in this decision-making process?”
- Don’t book the appointment until everyone will be there
- Even 1% decision power matters
Objection 3: Price
- Ask: “What about the investment are you hung up on?”
- Often it’s something specific (timing, cash flow, payment method)
- Frame it as “What’s more expensive — doing it now or waiting?”
- Closers ask tough questions
- Offer financing options, credit card payments, payment plans
Bonus: Signature + Down Payment
- Verbal yeses mean nothing
- Get financial commitment on site
- Even $200-500 gets them bought in
- Protects your time if they back out
Next Steps
Those are the top three objections and a bonus point for you.
If there are any objections I didn’t cover that you’d like us to address, drop them in the comments. I’d be happy to address them in future articles.
And remember: the intro call, that initial phone call you have with your prospects, will help you prevent objections from even happening in the first place. Stay tuned for that article.
Ready to build a systematic sales process that handles objections before they happen? Book a call with our team to see if we’re a good fit to help you scale your land management business.
