Got A Call For 208 Decks Today....

curapa

I was pretty excited when I checked my voicemail and heard this lady saying they needed 208 decks done, especially considering I'm pretty slow right now. The lady went on about how they were taking bids today only, I was referred to her and to give the job supervisor a call that they need these done asap. I'm thinking, who in the world calls someone out of the blue for a one day only bid on 208 decks?

I called him up to discuss the project and I become confused when he says he needs half of the decks done by Wednesday in order for me to turn a draw in this week. I begin to ask what size are the decks?.....6'x8'. Stairs?....yep. Handrails?.....yep.....????

He then says he had another bidder that said they can do 140 decks in two days. I'm pretty amazed that someone has a crew that can build 140 decks in two days, I tell him I cant frame 140 decks in nowhere near two days....He then says, wait a minute,..these are already existing I just need them stained.

I then decline to bid on the job seeing as I'm not equipped to stain 208 decks in a timely fashion.

I'm just wondering which one of my customers referred me as a painter? I would have loved to build them...

L. B. Condulet

That guy has rocks for brains. You're better off not dealing with him.

Just for fun, how many decks can 1 man stain in a day? How many men would it take to stain 140 decks in 2 days?

I know absolutely nothing about staining decks, but I'd guess with travel time and set up, etc a guy could maybe do 5 a day? I have no clue. But if that's close enough, you would need 14 guys to pull this off. That's 14 guys who know what they're doing, and I've never seen 14 guys in one place who knew what they were doing.

Also the urgency and panic to get this done is a major red flag...

KentWhitten

yep. something smells funny. especially when today is an observed holiday.

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kevjob

LACK OR PREPERATION ON YOUR PART DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY ON MINE.

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Basement Finishing Highlands Ranch Colorado
Littleton Colorado, Basement Remodeling
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Putty Truck

Sounds like a rip-off to me.

deckman22

Must be some kind of apartment job, probably won't pay ****. Be glad you passed on it.

copusbuilder

I have to agree.....get the hell away. Not the way most businesses run

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curapa

Yeah, I didn't realize he needed them done this week until I returned the call, I thought he was rushing the bids, in which I would have added a large percentage for unknown circumstances that I could not have foreseen in the short amount of bid time. At that point I still thought I was building the decks.

Your right it was an apartment complex, I did 600' of french Gothic 4' fencing for an apartment complex in the ghetto one time, I bid high and to my surprise I got it over several other bidders. You are right, most apartment complexes are price shoppers.