Homeowners Thinks I Get Paid More Than A Doctor

INTRA

Have any of you guys hears a homeowner say "man you guy make more than a doctor". I've heard this a few times. I do a job for a homeowner, we agree on a price ect. I finish the job quicker than they expect cause were working are butts off. Then they say wow that was quick, so in there mind there trying to figure how much i made per hour on there job.
so here it comes ""man you guy make more than doctors". What do you bricklayers make $200.00 an hour. Before hand they get 3-4 estimate, i'm usually not the highest price nor the lowest. I hate when customers try to figure what we make per job ect. Sometime i might say i get paid per job not per hour. Just one thing that bugs me, but never had anyone try to pay me less that is owed. I was wonder if you guys get this time to time.

Bodger

"No, Mr. Homeowner, when I was a doctor, I made slightly more".

rbsremodeling

But as a contractor I get laid more and get to wear my cool Rambo boots to work

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Wolfgang

Just tell them you got a Doctorate in your field.

Every once in awhile I hear something similar. Usually something like; "Gee, that went faster than I thought...." and the long pause afterwards just waiting for you to say something. Normally I dont say anything in return. If they pursue the subject, I just let them ramble on. Keeping real quiet is the key. When you present the bill to them and they bring it up again, I just say this was the agreed upon price and that is whats due. I dont really care if that type doesnt call me back or not. "Life's a bitch and misery is optional."

DetailHandyman

Reply: "And if you had done it, it would have taken longer than you thought."

I have a few customers who are doctors. And while they've never commented about the "hourly" rate, they are the first looking for a discount on the price.

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The cat box ain't gonna clean itself.

Brickie

Yes, I'm Dr. Masonry


How can they do that??? They don't know your overhead, mark up. etc.,

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D.Foster

I like to tell them that if it took me twice as long as i thought, i would lose money.I would not charge more. That is the gamble with ESTIMATING. When i get done faster i make money. It can go in either direction for me.

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Do what you would do, as if i won't Do anything after you Did It!

MCerminaro

When they do that and ask me how much I make, I always turn the question back on them. "Well, how much do you make a year?" Their response is normally that is not relavent or non of my business and my response is exactly!!!

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Top Notch Home Services
Commercial and Residential Contractor

DetailHandyman

They don't care about your OH, etc. Just the simple homeowner math: labor cost / hours = doctor wages.

It's amazing how most people just don't understand the concept of overhead.

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The cat box ain't gonna clean itself.

D.Foster

If its a quality job and they agreed on the price i never understood why they are upset. They should want a fast turn around. Unless they want me workin thru there cook out!!

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Do what you would do, as if i won't Do anything after you Did It!

rewrew87

You can never win with a HO... if you go to slow they feel as if you don't work hard enough and get upset but if you work fast they feel as feel they were charged way to much. Credit is never given when credit is do... it is always how did we screw them in one way or another! Sad but true.

Brock

Yep I've got that before. I always say that I should make more because a doctor justs walks around poking people and I perform actual physical labor. Plus, just for you to be able to find my number cost me nearly half of what I charged you.

Royal LLC

From time to time I come across a customer that will ask why my price is so high. Its the type of people that think remodelling a kitchen with top line cabinets, marble floors and a granite counter top costs $5000, including the materials of course. Ha, I usually send them to the gas station labor market to hire someone with a higher level of craftsmanship than us. Sometimes they come back around, sometimes they dont.

Anyway, it is the type of clients that need you to have a $5,000,000 umbrella from at least a B+ rated insurance company, with a list of other things that THEY need and when you give them an estimate they ask you for a detailed break down. They usually dont like the numbers in the detailed proposal either.

There was a time when we spent a week working on the client to commit and when we had a meeting to discuss the project, we set down to discuss the cost. Half an hour into the meeting, I hear from the client's wife - "... I don't care about how much you pay for your insurances! It's your bussiness!" They called my partner personal cell phone 3 months later, when the scumbag they signed a contract with packed up and left with 80 % of the money, 20 % of work done with the project closed down by the DOB and a bouquet of violations on it.

"They are in for a long ride" were the words I said to myself on that meeting we had with them. I spent two days thinking, was it me that turned the whole universe against them?

AtlanticWBConst

They see the final number on the check and have absolutely NO CLUE, what it takes to run a business. They constantly assume that we pocket everything that they write out to us. They are generally pretty ignorant of actual material costs, Insurance costs, cell phones, vehicle maintenance, WC, tool repair, etc, etc. Personally, I should be charging more...

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- Build Well -

Jason Whipple

Just tell them, "yes, of course. Why else would I have left my practice 5 years ago?"

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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rbsremodeling

The average doctor makes 120-160K a year

• Anesthesiology: $306,964
• Surgery, general: $255,438
• Obstetrics/gynecology: $233,061
• Psychiatry: $163,144
• Internal medicine: $155,530
• Pediatrics/adolescent medicine: $152,690
• Family practice (without obstetrics): $150,267

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precisionbuild

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silvertree

A job I bid for a doctor that years ago that I never got.
Wanted clear redwood siding, clear redwood deck and finishes you imported from Sweden.
So I give him a price and he asks "How many nails will you use"? Seriously asked me that.
I said "3,172", he figured I was a wise ass I guess. We both knew it wouldn't work out.

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

Houston's

I got the same **** the other day... people make me sick...
all a doctor does is use their pen all day..

Bodger

Mine occasionally uses his finger, but he doesn't charge extra for that.