I Can Beat Any Estimate-GUARANTEED!!

ChainsawCharlie

You see these ads all the time. The first thing that comes to my mind is "How can you beat a price you have not even seen?"

I'm not going to plug my business here because I can not beat any estimate. instead, I want to give you-the homeowner-a little food for thought.

1. Is this person offering to beat any estimate insured? If not, if he gets hurt on YOUR property he CAN and most likely WILL sue you. Or if he damages your property, and he is not insured, is he going to have the money to fix the damages? if he's trimming a tree and it falls on your house or car, who is going to end up paying in the end? Or you have them re-roof your house, but it leaks after...who foots the bill for the water damage?

2. Does he have Workers Compensation? Getting hurt is one thing, but what if his injury causes him extensive time off work? Can YOU afford to provide his income until he is back to work?

3. Are they a licensed professional? if you call on the cheap fix for a dead ceiling fan, is going to know enough to determine it wasn't really the ceiling fan that died, but instead some potentially serious wiring problem you may have? Who will pay for your house when it burns down?

We all want to save money when we can, but there palces to do that...the grocery store, the department store, even you auto insurance.

Do you really want to gamble with your home and your future just to save a few dollars?

ChainsawCharlie

How can I clean that up a little better? I want to run it on craigslist.

Maybe some examples from the other trades of a seemingly small mistake that can have dire consequences?

Mike Finley

Just cut excerpts from articals that have ran in newspapers or magazines all over the country about horror stories and of people getting ripped off by fly by night jack legs.

Bodger

Plenty of stories around about the guys who target the elderly with the driveway resurfacing scams too.

I think your onto something here 'Saw. Play it out and let us know what happens. This could be a good trend, and might, just might, get CraigsList's attention too if you make enough noise.

Deadhead Derek

I don't think you really have to clean it up, and I like the idea, you are a good man...or at least a good online persona....

__________________
www.darkstarltd.net
Hand-crafted Traditional Masonic Furniture
and Coffins

A W Smith

I'm considering posting ad ad that says

I will provide you with a written estimate you can use against those "guaranteed lowest price" advertisers!

__________________
Al Smith
http://www.awsmith.com

Bill Z

Chain Saw:

I feel your frustration, I've felt that way in the past. However, I've found that any mention of competition that comes off as a challenge "taints" your message and scares people away. (Ask my about my full page rant in the local paper 25 years ago). Instead, you can easily get a lot more mileage by being positive. Here's an example that turns the question around and makes it a homeowner concern.

Does YOUR Contractor Have These Credentials? (A company picture helps)
1. xx Years Serving the ________ area

2. 1000's of satisfied customers who are your friends & neighbors, ask for our complete list of referrals, check our references.

3. Complete written specifications, drawings, and an exact price. No Surprises! Affordable, common sense pricing.

4. Liability Insurance to protect your property in case of an accident.

5. Worker's Compensation Insurance to protect you from lawsuits in case a worker is injured or worse.

6. Licensed by the state of confusion. (your state or entity here). We handle the red tape so you can relax.


Protect your home, protect your family... Call ***-***x for professional
consultation. We understand.

ChainsawCharlie

I understand that. I do not plan on advertising my, or any other's biz in it.

More of a "public service" message to homeowners. Buyer beware, so to speak.

Bill Z

Charlie,

Sorry, I missed that in the original post, my bad. I think the same structure would work if you can find a venue to get your message published as a public service.

When selecting a contractor, make sure YOUR Contractor Has These Credentials.

1. An established track record of dependable service to your local area.

2. A list of satisfied customers who you can verify at random, not just 3 references.

3. Written specifications, drawings, and an exact price with a written agreement outlining all terms and conditions, and a payment schedule.

4. Liability Insurance to protect your property in case of an accident.
Worker's Compensation Insurance to protect you from lawsuits in case a worker is injured or worse.

5. A price based on your needs. Be concerned if the price is too low or the contractor claims to be the lowest price. Measure quality as well as price.

6. Licensed as required in their trade, municipality, and state. Acquires proper permits and follows codes.

dreambuilder1

I go on a roofing estimate last fall in a neighborhood where we have done a substanial amount of work over the years. The homeowner listens to all that I am saying and says he apprieciates the detailed estimate. He says have you done any roofs in my neighborhood. From his driveway I point out 11 houses we put a new roof on in the last 5-7 years 7 of them his kids go to school with their kids etc. etc. He say to me do you have anymore? I say yes...thousands but but what better than a few in your neighborhood that have simalar houses, challenges, etc. He says yeah I quess your right..I will call you in a couple days with my decision. Call me back in a few days to thank me for the estimate and to tell me he got two other estimates that the three of us were within 3-5 hundred dollars of each other. Then he tells me he called a quy and the quy said get all the estimtes you want....then call me back and I will beat any estimate by $2000.00...So he goes with this quy....This quy tears off the back of the house about 10 square...along with about 5 square of plywood and leaves never to be seen again....so the homeowner calls me and one other contractor and wants us to bail him out for the same price as the quy that ran away gave him ...saying a bunch of work was already done....I quess these homeowners will never learn if it sounds to good to be true it probably is...to back homeowners don't have respect for the trades out there that are good and recognize that you get what you pay for.

drako

Maybe he cannot beat the written estimate, but at least he gets a chance to look at it, modify his bill of materials, and then he can "beat" it.