Would You Even Respond To This Person?

wackman

"Looking for reliable, professional, fast working and economical person(s) to update 2 small bathrooms.
This will include a combination of the tasks listed:
Replace tile surrounding shower and bath
Replace tile surrounding stand up shower
Replace floors both baths
Replace cabinets both baths
Replace vanities both baths
Perform demolition
Replace light fixtures
Replace mirrors
Replace doors
Replace all fixtures
Install heat/fan/vents
Replace 1 sliding glass shower door

Please do not contact if you are not interested in working in this area due to distance
PLease do not contact if you are not going to be able to keep your appointments and commitments or you are unable to provide an estimae within 3 days
This is not a high end job so if you are interested in putting your kids through school or going on a lavish vacation at our expense, please don't bother responding
If you do not have your own verifiable active insurance and bonding, please do not reply
If you can not offer great practical ideas and sources to get a great looking bath on a budget, please do not respond

PLease contact Valerie/Ron at

We are ready to begin work within the next 3 to 4 weeks (we have taken the holidays into consideration). If you can finish before christmas that will be great, if you can start right after 1st of year and keep an appointment book to remember, that's ok too
We want work done on Mon, Tues, wed or weekends(optional), if this does not work with your scheduling, please do not replyusly look forward to working with the Right person."


I received this email from an ad we have out and I'm torn on how to deal with it. My gut reaction is to not even respond to this lady OR respond politely but decline to bid the job (say we're all booked up, too small of a job, etc...) but on the other hand I kinda like a challenge and it sounds like they care about it being done professionally by licensed, bonded and insured contractors.

I usually trust my gut feelings but I also welcome the chance to win customers over and show them that not all Contractors are slobs that can't make deadlines, be on time for appointments and just generally not be scum bags. These are the kind of clients that if you can wow them they'll probably be yours forever and tell everyone they know about you. They could also be impossible to please and unrealistically demanding, then cause a bunch of trouble.

We have some new spec homes being built but I need to consider, what if they don't sell or sell way under asking price. I don't want to get caught with my pants down. A lot of other builders here are going bankrupt because they only built new homes. We're doing fine because we're small and everything has sold so far.

We've only just recently started really looking for remodel work so I don't have much booked out. Being the holidays I don't have many leads coming in and don't want to regret turning away work then needing to lay guys off later, ya know?

I normally would pass but I don't want my ego calling the shots.

So does this sound like too much of a pain in the ass customer to you, or does she sound worth the time to go after?

Wack

chris n

Run!

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eastend

sounds like Craig's List.
I've seen variations to this one , which make me wonder if it's all bogus.

Crawdad

Reply, tell them your qualifications.

Then say,
Please do not reply, if you are going to add things to the job, after the agreement is made, and expect it to be done for the same price.
Please do not reply, if you can't afford the work to be done in a professional manner.
Please do not reply, if you're going to take your time paying.
Please do not reply, if you're going to try and re-negotiate a price, after the job is done.
Please do not reply, if you want me to pass on my contractor's discount to you.
Please do not reply, if you're going to pull up a chair, and ask me "why are you doing it that way?" every time I do something.
Please do not reply, if you're going to post on a contractor's website, and ask everyone if I'm charging too much.
Please do not reply, if you just want to take my proposal, and shop around for materials with it, so your laid off brother-in-law can do the work.

Flacan

Wouldn't waste my time with it.

This person wants to call all the shots - very bad for you.

Also, they are disrespecting your kids (even if you don't yet have any) from the get-go - very bad sign.

Sounds like scum of the earth to me. After dealing with people in a work environment since 1982, my gut says: Run, run like the wind.

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Brockster

This is great! I needed a good laugh.

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Pearce Services

Darn.....I was going to steal this opportunity from you, but I do not keep an appointment book, I must not be reliable enough.

I would ask these control freaks to send you a complete set of plans and specification for you to bid from. If they have no real plans, and want "practical ideas", tell them that you charge $65/hour for design and specification.

deckman22

They want a lot but, don't want to pay a lot. I'd pass on that one.

Al

threaderman

Whole-heartedly agree,send this adjustment back with high number.Personally,it sounds like they're already convinced most of us are hacks/un-professional.I wouldn't do the job but I personally have minor issues seperating personal feelings and business at times!?

KentWhitten

I absolutely agree, send this back to them, word for word.

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silvertree

Probably best to ignore this one. I always feel that if it's bad at this point, it will get worse later.

woodmagman

It is always nice to work with a customer who knows what they want.. this sounds more like someone who is a fool dressed as a customer.

donb1959

I would send them what crawdad wrote word for word I swear I would, these people want the world, they want it quick, and they want it cheap.

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RizzoMaryland

These people have been burned at least once in the past and they are frustrated. This sounds more like a plea than a command. If you handle them professionally from the beginning they will lighten up.

If you need the work these people won't be that difficult. Of course leave nothing up for interpretation or any uncertainties out there when you start. You'll have to spoon feed them for the first few days because they are drunk with their frustration and not thinking of the specific details. But after you establish yourself with them they will be fine.

...wait until after the holidays though....just in case

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AbeBarker

If I was conscerned about workload through the winter I would consider meeting them in person and politely interragate them.

Mike Finley

No they don't, they are scared to death of being screwed again, by the lowball loser jacklegs that they only hire because they never are willing to pay enough for a legitimate contractor.

They keep getting what they pay for and are nervous about it. They wouldn't know quality or a legitimate contractor if their life depended upon it. They told you themselves, that legitimate contractors need not apply, those are the ones that charge too much and go on vactations they pay for.
That's what women who keep ending up with losers for boyfriends and husbands think. They keep thinking they will just change him. These customers and not changeable or winnable, because they will not pay anyone enough to be able to take the time required to do the job correctly. Price is their #1 consideration.


oh they will be trouble all right, but probably nothing you can't overcome by working it out for free for whatever they are upset about.

These customers will be yours forever as long as you remain cheap. Raise your prices on the next one and you'll discover how loyal they are.

You must be very slow right now and desperate for work to be saying this.

#1 I'd take your ad out of craigslist.

#2 Disregarding all the red flags of this customer, how can anyone even consider a job that they could only work on part-time and will obviously not be considerate of the ramifications of scheduling that would result by fitting in their work when you can.

If you really end up going after this job, the only way you should take it is with a lot of changes up front to them about what you will and won't do, especially inregard to completion and working on it. If they want all that and want all those requirements without being even willing to pay for them, they have to give up something, which would be the schedule. Let them know you will do it for free like they want to keep your guys busy, but as soon as a real customer comes along, they go on the back burner and it might take you 3 months from start to compeltion. It will be a waste of time though, these cusotmers will hire the lowest jackleg that gives them empty promises and then be unhappy in the end like they always are.

thom

Most of the stuff you can work with. I wouldn't give them a price break but would show them the high quality of my work. I would also give them references and encourage them to call. I would take give them options.
Show them the things they missed. "You said remove and replace tile. You didn't say anything about substrate. Do you want us to put the new tile on A)existing substrate B)sheetrock C)greenboard D)denshield E)wonderboard F)Hardibaker?" Give them enough choices that they learn they don't know everything. Then, give them tile options, glazed clay, porcelain, mat finish, gloss, etc? Then do it all over again for the floor. Put them in a position where they understand that you, not they, are the real expert. And, do this all by e-mail. If they accept that you are the expert, the guy that can do what they need (not what they currently think they need) they will get back to you. If not, nothing lost.

The real issue here to me would be the monday, tuesday, wednesday schedule. They're forcing you to drag out the job and do something else concurrently. The thursday, friday job might not like that.

PARA1

It all depends on your need for a job. Step up and take control of the task at thr get go. Match all of their demands on you with an equal expectation of them. If they balk at your composure, refer them to the HD or BLOWES contractor design center.

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dirt diggler

this part is the most offensive and I think shows their ignorance.

You know your target market better than us Wack - but something tells me these people are not in it ...

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Thanks in advance!!!

wizendwizard

They know so much, but they don't seem to add licensing into this. My wife and i discussed this and both said." RUN LIKE HELL!!"
As opposed to what someone else said.. It would appear that they are pissed at a big contractor that wouldn't live up to thier schedule.

I can't believe they want someone to work mon, tues, wed, sat, and sun.
What company does this?

This sounds like a customer i recently bid on, wanted 1 very large bath with wall to wall barilla and extended into a 85 sq ft walk in closet, walk in shower,new vanity and 1 small bath with 2 tone ceramic subway shower and tub, new vanities and a large mirror, stair rail, replumb both baths,all new fixtures, trim out 2 story house that was never trimmed, replace all water damaged ceiling and structure above the kitchen(which was alot) and a 2 story exterior paint job. She wanted this done in 3 weeks and only wanted to pay $12,000. I placed my bid at $43,600 and she almost fainted!!

Needless to say i didn't get that one.