Foreclosure carpet pricing ??? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Eric Carpet Guy · 04-25-2009, 09:59 AM

wuz up family,

Are there any carpet / flooring contractors in Southern California, especially San Diego, CA that have any experience working with these national asset preservation companies. I am in a holding pattern on becoming a vendor for one of them and really dont want to price myself and my guys out of the market. They need to eat and so does my family. I dont want to underbid and get screwed or overbid and be rejected. They are looking at base grade FHA grade rug with pad and installed. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks y'all.

Eric B, San Diego CA

3rdFloorDesign · 04-27-2009, 12:38 AM

Eric-

I am a Licensed Flooring Contractor in Ventura County Ca. One of my former clients was a Prop Preservation guy. I say Former because I dropped him. They want your services dirt cheap, and they want it on their schedule-, which is fine, if they pay on time.

I had him on 30-day terms, which I thought was fair. Every job he was 2-3 months late paying me. Keep in mind I paid for labor and material upfront, so I would literally be out thousands of dollars for months. I had to hound them to get payment.

According to him, banks paid $18/yd for pad, and FHA carpet installed. I cut him a deal and sold and installed for $15 so he can make some scratch too- because he told me he would have 3-5 jobs a week. Turned out to be 1 job a month.

Be careful - Prop Preservation guys are popping up all over, and there are a lot of snkaes out there, unlicensed hacks trying to make a quick buck.

MALCO.New.York · 04-27-2009, 04:32 AM

You WILL get stuck....In the WRONG end!!!!

Floordude · 04-27-2009, 12:40 PM

Go in and tell them what you need to stay in business. Deposit + Payment upon completion. Don't let them run your business for you. Treat them as any other client.

J-Peffer · 04-27-2009, 01:29 PM

Believe it or not, these guys can be a usefull tool in your business.....

Get a business card from your biggest competition.

Give his card to this guy, tell him you are just too busy right now, but your friend at "XXX Flooring" can help you, here's his card!

3rdFloorDesign · 04-30-2009, 07:37 PM

J- Great idea-

Let someone else go broke waiting for payment from these clowns.

Thats the problem, we give the banks and contractors loose terms because we hope we will get lots of buisness, but that rarely materilizes because they like to pit us against eachother and in the end we get screwed.

Eric Carpet Guy · 05-03-2009, 09:17 AM

hey thanks guys for your feedback on this flooring deal for these preservation companies. I have supposedly been on a waiting list for one of the national companies for about a month and havent heard anything except a phone interview. seems like that work has really dropped out the bottom. Interesting idea about giving my competitors business card to these people.

I think i will spend the down time getting in some training. Anyone been through the Laminate or Wood Training at TriWest. Any recommendations on a good class to check into in the LA or San Diego area??

late. Eric B