Guerilla Craigslist Legitimacy in Contracting Campaign Update No. 1 - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Aggie67 · 11-24-2008, 07:44 PM

My Guerilla Craigslist Legitimacy in Contracting Campaign continues. I tried to steer another guy onto the path of righteousness on Sunday. He wanted work done, and the way he worded his post (do it for this amount) it was a recipe for disaster. I e-mailed him a note on why it's better to go pro, and what to look out for to weed out the hucksters. Here was his response, right from the e-mail:

From: (withheld)
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2008 10:25 AM
To: Oak Ridge Engineering
Subject: Re: Wood Stove Installation

Craigslist is amazing, a complete stranger replying to my add just to offer helpful (and very useful) advise. Thank so much man, people like you give me faith that maybe people aren't all that bad! You really made my day, I hope your day is great too.

thanks,
-e.

I also responded to an ad from a nice lady Friday and actually got some work out of it over the weekend. She wanted to have an engineer do something, shall I say, a little unscrupulous regarding sealing drawings. After a few phone calls Friday and trading some info, I figured out what she needed, walked her through the legitimate zoning and permit process, worked out a rate with her, did some quick wind and snow load calcs and a footing design during the Giants game last night, went down with her today at lunchtime to the building department (with the drawings she already had), and solved her problem. I made a quick $500, and she was happy as a clam in mud. Here's her response (had to remove the contact info):

From: (removed)@aol.com [mailto: (removed) @aol.com]
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 3:59 PM
To: Oak Ridge Engineering
Subject: Re: We do have a site plan/survey

Yeah!!!! (Isn't it nice to have happy clients)

(named removed)
(street address)
Princeton Junction, NJ 08550
(phone number removed)

Bodger · 11-24-2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggie67

My Guerilla Craigslist Legitimacy in Contracting Campaign continues. I tried to steer another guy onto the path of righteousness on Sunday. He wanted work done, and the way he worded his post (do it for this amount) it was a recipe for disaster. I e-mailed him a note on why it's better to go pro, and what to look out for to weed out the hucksters. Here was his response, right from the e-mail:

From: (withheld)
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2008 10:25 AM
To: Oak Ridge Engineering
Subject: Re: Wood Stove Installation

Craigslist is amazing, a complete stranger replying to my add just to offer helpful (and very useful) advise. Thank so much man, people like you give me faith that maybe people aren't all that bad! You really made my day, I hope your day is great too.

thanks,
-e.

I also responded to an ad from a nice lady Friday and actually got some work out of it over the weekend. She wanted to have an engineer do something, shall I say, a little unscrupulous regarding sealing drawings. After a few phone calls Friday and trading some info, I figured out what she needed, walked her through the legitimate zoning and permit process, worked out a rate with her, did some quick wind and snow load calcs and a footing design during the Giants game last night, went down with her today at lunchtime to the building department (with the drawings she already had), and solved her problem. I made a quick $500, and she was happy as a clam in mud. Here's her response (had to remove the contact info):

From: (removed)@aol.com [mailto: (removed) @aol.com]
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 3:59 PM
To: Oak Ridge Engineering
Subject: Re: We do have a site plan/survey

Yeah!!!! (Isn't it nice to have happy clients)

(named removed)
(street address)
Princeton Junction, NJ 08550
(phone number removed)

Well done.

True North · 11-24-2008, 08:33 PM

::Well done, indeed!::

dokuhaku · 12-13-2008, 10:33 AM

Hats off

Virginia Built · 12-13-2008, 11:46 AM

I love it when they're "Happy as a Clam in Mud" ....

tom m · 12-13-2008, 12:05 PM

Im not a fan of this whole craiglist thing. I think its making bad thing worse. Probably 30% of estimates I go on the clients are avoiding a permit or doing the job correctly. They will go to extremes to avoid dealing with the expense. Im not saying everyone is doing the wrong thing but in my head craiglist is a place where people go to get the cheapest way out. Maybe I would have more work if I jumped into but to me it like hooking.

tinner666 · 12-13-2008, 01:27 PM

I posted there just to put a link in. I expect more seo value than lead value from there. I'm not looking for any low-ball clients.

Max Nomad · 12-13-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinner666

I posted there just to put a link in. I expect more seo value than lead value from there. I'm not looking for any low-ball clients.

Same here, bruh... More SEO value than anything else. The minute I detect someone is searching for someone to do a job at "stolen merchandise" prices or they're trying to find some Jackleg to do something without a permit I'm quick to cut and run...

Sir Mixalot · 12-13-2008, 03:15 PM

Good one.

thom · 12-13-2008, 03:45 PM

Why not run your own anonymous ad, something like:

Hey, I’m cheap, so hire me.

Licensing, insurance, bonding? Why waste your money. Trust me, I’m on craigslist.

I can do anything and everything. My guarantee is at least as good as me having some license or insurance. You can trust me to save you lots of money. Don’t worry about that watch on the dresser, I’ll only look at it.

I’ve always wondered why someone would hire a contractor who has actually followed the law, earned his license, provided himself and his workers with workmen’s compensation insurance, and bothered to protect the homeowner. Certainly you rich people who own homes can afford to take the small risk of paying for my injury or your neighbor’s car when I drop the ladder on it. Surely you don’t expect me to actually understand common trade practices and safe minimum requirements.

Trust me, when I leave your house, whatever I did might work, and my work is certainly good enough for me.

Deadhead Derek · 12-13-2008, 03:56 PM

Thom- that made me smile. It would be nice to run that , though scary to see the response. It reminds me of a scene in "the Money Pit" ... "When will you be back to start?" ... : "as soon as you check clears"...

or, "I looked at the pipes five years ago, you think they got better?"

We in my area are actually trying to start a loose consortium of woodworkers to weed out the non lic. types and promote legit tradesmen and women.

Grumpy · 12-14-2008, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinner666

I posted there just to put a link in. I expect more seo value than lead value from there. I'm not looking for any low-ball clients.

Tinner. I know you may have posted alink but if you look at how craigslist automatically re-does your links you will see "nofollow" code. In other words it doesn't help your rank.

We've gotten good and bad from craigs list. Good enought hat it's worth keeping our adds up for the low low price of free. I also regularly scan though people looking to have work done and have bid a $120k tile roof job and am in the final running, from 10 to 3 contractors. Defintly worth the 10 minutes I spent that day scanning the posts and sending emails.

I even had the orange big box approach me asking if I wanted work. I replied that if they doubled what they pay their other subs I'd be happy to work for them, but that they don't pay enough for a legitiamte business owner to work for them and properly pay taxes and insurance. Think I got a reply?

I wasn't telling them anything they don't already know.

Grumpy · 12-14-2008, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deadhead Derek

Thom- that made me smile. It would be nice to run that , though scary to see the response. It reminds me of a scene in "the Money Pit" ... "When will you be back to start?" ... : "as soon as you check clears"...

or, "I looked at the pipes five years ago, you think they got better?"

We in my area are actually trying to start a loose consortium of woodworkers to weed out the non lic. types and promote legit tradesmen and women.

The money pit just becamea movie i want to see.

tinner666 · 12-14-2008, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy

The money pit just becamea movie i want to see.

One of my all time favorites Grump!

Al least until the painters finished.

tinner666 · 12-14-2008, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy

Tinner. I know you may have posted alink but if you look at how craigslist automatically re-does your links you will see "nofollow" code. In other words it doesn't help your rank.

We've gotten good and bad from craigs list. Good enought hat it's worth keeping our adds up for the low low price of free. I also regularly scan though people looking to have work done and have bid a $120k tile roof job and am in the final running, from 10 to 3 contractors. Defintly worth the 10 minutes I spent that day scanning the posts and sending emails.

I even had the orange big box approach me asking if I wanted work. I replied that if they doubled what they pay their other subs I'd be happy to work for them, but that they don't pay enough for a legitiamte business owner to work for them and properly pay taxes and insurance. Think I got a reply?

I wasn't telling them anything they don't already know.

Thanks for that info. I didn't know that. I bet I'm getting traffic from it though, which will tell google something or the other.

Deadhead Derek · 12-14-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy

The money pit just becamea movie i want to see.

an essential for all contractors. I cry I laugh so hard to this day.

"turkey's done... so is the kitchen, I suggest we never go in there..."

" we have stairs!!!! It's happening!!!"

I love it.

Bodger · 12-14-2008, 02:50 PM

[quote=Deadhead Derek;55591

We in my area are actually trying to start a loose consortium of woodworkers to weed out the non lic. types and promote legit tradesmen and women.[/quote]
That's something I would love to do. But I wouldn't have a clue how to actually get anything done in my area. The state licensing board out here doesn't do a damn thing about unlicensed people.
I have even turned guys in using the "hotline" set up for that and never seen a response of any kind.

Makes me wonder why I spend all this money to work legally.

BTW, Yakov Smirnov in the movie "Heartburn" was another contractor nightmare depiction that was funny as hell. The only English he pretended to be able to speak was "Yes" and "It will be extra, yes?"

Deadhead Derek · 12-14-2008, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodger

That's something I would love to do. But I wouldn't have a clue how to actually get anything done in my area.

Talk to the guys you know at the lumber yard, coffee shop or dump. It won't take much convincing that united we make it, divided, the craiglist cheapos of the world win.

Bodger · 12-14-2008, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deadhead Derek

Talk to the guys you know at the lumber yard, coffee shop or dump. It won't take much convincing that united we make it, divided, the craiglist cheapos of the world win.

That sounds feasible, getting up a posse like that. But how do you actually put a knot in these jacklegs' tails?
For instance, in CA, you have to have a license to do any work over $500. And there are laws about advertising without a license and/or including your license number in all ads.
I'm not sure of the specifics, but I will find out. Would CL consider not taking ads unless they comply? Or respond to complaints that the people who are advertising are then performing work without a license?

I guess that is my biggest question: How do you impede these guys from working and taking our business? I'm open to any and all suggestions including lynching.

thegreek · 12-15-2008, 03:31 AM

Free advertising is always good.