But They Can Start Yesterday!!

WarnerConstInc.

Man, I am tired of losing jobs to one particular company (not really local either, 20+miles away) because they have nothing to do. HO says well they can get started right away, they are doing it for 1500.00 less, but they are not including this and this, is that nessecary? Why cant people wait for the guys who do the work right versus they guys that can do it yesterday? Plus how can you do a 38 square roof one layer tear off for 7250.00? I quoted to add 6 more vents, reattach 2nd layer of sheeting (dont ask it was really wierd) remove, paint and fab new flashings for metal chimneys, new drip, 2 rows of I&W, blah blah blah. I just dont get it. I have numerous people willing and wanting to wait for their turn to come around. This will be number 3 that these guys have snatched from me in the last month! Grrrrrrr makes me angry! I need more help I suppose!!!

joasis

I feel for you...one of the tidbits I use when a potential client asks when they can get a home or building built, if anyone can start tomorrow, then you probably don;t want them...good contractors are usually busy....hacks are not.

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WarnerConstInc.

Trust me I repeat that at least 3 times, it is frustrating, I guess it just boggles me that even in economic times like these people are willing to take a gamble and get a potentially crappy job done because they can be here last week and they seem to think that all of the stuff you are proposing to do is maybe just not worth it.

J F

Yeah, but now it sounds like the hacks are the ones who are busy.

J

BattleRidge

I dont want to be the bad guy, but sometimes thats just business. I would say they could still be doing a high quality job, for less. Especially if its a smaller business. EVERYONE has slow times and has to hunt for work, which is probably exactly what is there deal. I mean their price is a little low, but if this is a 4/12 roof gable to gable that would still be good money. But there are lots of circumstances you have to look at, not just that they can do it sooner and cheaper. which makes them hacks. Being slow right now is an understatement for a lot of businesses, and the snow is just melting here. My first reroof of the year I walked up to there door and told them I wanted to do it and they said yes. So I started the next day. Im not a hack, just had a gap in my schedule from building permits on one job and the inspections on another.

Either way tho, being underbid sucks, and pisses me off. But if you can't do it for weeks, it sounds like you have plenty of time to talk to other customers

thom

you are assuming the customers are telling you the truth when they say it's timing. It's probably price and the customers are trying to hide that.

The key here is that they mentioned the other things. The other guy told them they didn't need it, it was functionally no different, and no one could see it anyway. He sold them on what he was telling them. They believed him, not you.

BUT, they believed him because they wanted the cheaper price and they wanted to believe that the difference was in things that didn't matter. You could have done your contract differently to allow for this.

Charge a basic really stripped job. Then offer upgrades and price them. Additional for better materials, Additional for removing, painting, and re-installing flashing, additional for nailing off deck, additional for vents, etc.

You may still have lost the job if your price was higher but at least you would have had a base point to start competing with.