Customers Who Can't Make There Mind Up???

TMF

I'M doing a full remodel in a bathroom,took a wall out made a doudle head shower with full base. Did this 2 weeks ago still waiting on costumer to decide on tile,this guy cancelled three orders because he can't make his mind up ,At signing of contract i told him 2 and half weeks for job completion. and at that time we picked tile out and ordered it.I still need to tile shower area walls and base plus tile floor in bathroom this guy is driving me nuts.This whole job labor and material is about ten grand but still my God man,lets go here.And the thing is I have a heardwood floor to do on monday and tuesday,and start another big job on the 6th.People think we have nothing else to do .And since Im only in my second year on my own and Its me and my brother, I dont trust many people to do Home Improvements.

Mike Finley

Dude, get yourself a clause in your contact to cover this situation. You aren't on retainer for this one client. With the proper contract all you have to do is refer to it and let him know that you'll be back in 5 weeks to resume the job since he changed the scope of work with a tile change. Customers don't really get too excited when they read that clause that says something about $60.00 an hour for every hour they delay the progress of the job.

You'll always have a hard time running your business profitably without control of the job.

Teetorbilt

Welcome to the real world bro. A better one is when a hubby and wife can't make a decision and try to place you in the middle, time to beat feet. I politely tell them to call me when they have arrived at their final decision and I can reshedule them then. Oh! BTW would you mind paying me up to our current completion point? You owe me $***XX

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

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joasis

Don't let a customer dictate your schedule, EVER! One thing you might consider is a rule I made up as I learned. It doesn't matter when I do the estimate, how many times a customer calls and wants to talk about a project, or whatever, it doesn't go on my schedule until the materials are paid for and ordered, and in the case of tile, or special order items, I sell the customer on the idea that prices rarely ever go down, so once they decide to do something, get the materials bought, and we will get them on the scheduled time. It also is a selling point for some that they can then split the cost over a time period instead of all in one bite. Then, if they change their minds, I can drop them off my calendar until whenever and we don't loose a day. I have never had to eat time while my guys waited on anything.

Several months ago, we were in a drought in Oklahoma and a guy calls and wants an estimate on a roof. I go and measure (we do steel roofs) and give him the estimate. No call back and a month ago, the rain started. he calls and said he wants us to do the job. I call and get an update on the price and steel has went up 20% or so. He has a fit and finally says do it, and then the magic "when will you be here?". I told him June looked pretty good, and he really started in on me. As I cut him short, I explained that my estimate said good for 15 days, and if he hadn't waited, he would have saved a grand AND we would have been there last week. I haven't heard back from him, and I am not loosing any sleep over it either. People like that do not make your business work.

theworx

Right on Mike !! Even though I do all commercial work and have drawings for the jobs, changes are always being made by the customer concerning the flooring, paint colours, where walls are located, etc... We carry change orders with us and have the client sign it. Even though it doesn't state the cost of the change, it shows the customer agreed to change something from our original contract and we charge them for that later. Having the signature covers our butt!!

TMF

Thanks for all the responce I set the customer straight,Im moving to other jobs will go back to him when all material is in.And I have recieved more than half of labor cost from customer.

jproffer

Are you saying the customer buys all the material and gets it on site?

That would be nice...might even give up the markup for that....if it was legal here. In IL all materials have to be included in the price given.

Might be something to ask your lawyer about next time you're payin the no good, overpaid, son of a....uhhh....oops...got off on my own little tangent there...sorry...anyway, food for thought.

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Jim P.

hauoli63

You've got to be kidding!! It's a legal requirement that the contractor provide all materials? Dang ... I'm glad it's not like that around here. We have many customers who like to provide some or all of their own fixtures ...

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~~ Lisa ~~

www.chantillyplumbing.com

paintr56

How do you handle that when the customer allready has thier own materials? I am in IL and was not aware of that law. I am a paint contractor if that makes a difference. I only need a city license. I supply paint in over 95% of jobs but there are exceptions when the customer bought the paint to do it them selves and then didn't or they can get a discount.

Jim Bunton

jproffer

I'm pretty sure I got it from a reliable source. Thought I had anyway. If it is law, I think the intent of it is so you don't go in after the jobs over and say "ohh that price was just for labor...the materials were ***.XX more".

I'm not saying I haven't given a little leway to special orders and items that depend on taste (fixtures, etc.), but as far as I know, that's the letter of the law.

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Jim P.