Get what they pay for - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Floordude · 12-04-2007, 08:24 AM

Why is it the price shoppers will always get what they pay for??

Case in point. Did a labor only bid and after it was done they wanted the material take off. I said, That is consulting and an additional fee, like HD charges you $100 for, but I'm only $50.

They declined. I didn't expect to hear from them. 2 weeks later I get a call and they want to go with my bid, as no one else showed up, and the guy that did wasn't very professional and they didn't trust him.

I did the work. Carpet in all the bedrooms and closets. She was pleased and paid, no problem.

3 months have passed and I get a call to reinstall a bedroom they pulled up, because a pet had used it as his urinal. No problem. "What is it going to cost?" $125 minimum uhhhh,, Thats OK, I can get someone to do it cheaper... What the heck. I'll have 2½ hour drive time, there and back, and it will take right at an hour, when it is all said and done.

I get a call yesterday, that they need me to reinstall the carpet. Seems there cheap guy couldn't get it back on the tackstrip... LOL!! Ya, I powerstretched it!! He has a knee kicker. She also said that there are some repairs that are needed. He ripped the carpet with his knee kicker in 6 places, trying to get it back up on the strip. Well, it is no longer a $125 minimum!!!!!

Mike Finley · 12-04-2007, 09:44 AM

Man oh man.

Two choices if it was me, pass or it's $300 now since you just overlapped into my busy season. Absolutely no way in the world I could do it for $125 now. Really wish you had taken me up on my original offer, would have saved you so much money.

Bill_Vincent · 12-04-2007, 08:02 PM

I did the same thing. About 3 years ago, I got a request thru John Bridge's site, to go look at a new home under construction in Guilford, New hampshire, about 2 1/2 hours away from me. I went to take a look at it. VERY nice house. All top shelf tile, only one or two areas that were getting straight laid 12x12's. The rest was all upgraded patterns. But there was a BUNCH of work there-- almost 2000 feet of tile, all totalled, including a steam shower and tile wainscot in the master bath. I gave the guy a bargain price, all things considered, because at the time, I had a partner and between the two of us and 3 others on our crew, I figured we could get this done in about a week's time, and by the time we added a per diem for hotel and meals, it came out to about a normal price anyway for the work involved. Well, I didn't hear from the guy for over a year. he calls me just before Thanksgiving, and asks me if I'm still interested in his project. At this point, I'd already told my partner to go screw (he got greedy), and it was down to just me and my step son. I told him it would take alot longer for that reason, and he tells me that's okay-- he had the GC's cousin install all the floor tile for 2.00 a foot-- he just needs me to do the steam shower!! I told him to have his GC's cousin do it, and he tells me that no one in the area is qualified, so I told him I wouldn't even be able to get out there until after Christmas to REESTIMATE it, much less do the install (at this point, I'm pissed off, and don't even want the job). He tells me no problem. So, I show up at 7 pm on New Years Eve (he asked that I get there in the afternoon if possible-- they had a party to go to on Cape Cod, where their other home was). In the original estimate I was going to give him the labor for about 2500.00 on that shower, being that we were going to make some good money on the rest of the house. My new estimate came to 4800.00. he looks at me, and then looks down at his feet and tells me it's a "little high", but okay. Okay, so THAT wasn't enough!! Then I told him that this time I want a retainer. Write me a check for 2 grand. Right now.

he wrote the check.

mrcountry · 01-09-2008, 10:44 PM

It's happened to me a few times and I always get a little more on the end. Like he said it got a little busy and I had to work them in.

Taranis · 01-10-2008, 04:15 AM

I did a job a couple of years ago.

I came recommended by their colleague.
Spent 5 hours in total taking them round my suppliers and in my showroom looking at tiles and flooring. A further 3 hours going to places they had been to to see the tiles they fancied there.
hat was on top of designing the layouts and patterns for various rooms.
When in their house (they were extending the original house by 100%), the HO's wife complained about the builder then the plumber. When I hear that alarm bells go off. I don't really need to hear about the other trades. Anyway, gave them the price. I made sure it was on the high side cos I knew there would be more work than anticipated. You get the feel for these things! They wanted the first room - Bed + ensuite completed by that Christmas so I had the materials delivered £2,000 ($4,000) worth. Guess what, the room wasn't ready so al the porcelain tiles sat there over Christmas and into January. I've paid for the material before I've even started the job.
Next room, halfway through she changed the design which meant more feature tiles required. Had to order these so stopped again.
This went on until job comlete. By this time she had sacked the builder and two succesive plumbers.
When I gave them the invoice he asked that I make it out to his company.
Fly swine.
Without stopping to think I said if I did that I would have to charge VAT (17.5%). I had already put this on the original quote so let's see what happens.
OK he said just do it. Result.

They phoned me a couple of weeks later to see if I would do their floor in the original part of the house as they weren't happy with the company that they had in to fit it.
Unfortunately I was too busy..........