Set Up By Homeowner

Traditions

So i go to give a bid today on a new finished basement. One good sized bedroom, stairway, big family room and bath. Smooth ceilings. No trim or doors included. Basic job. Go in spray primer, spray and backroll ceilings, two coats on walls. So as soon as i get to the job the homeowner says"i got another bid. Guy is wants to work for 12 bucks an hour and says it will take him 16 hours." Boy, talk about a set up. So I say, "well, if you want me to tell you I can beat 200 bucks for the job, I might as well leave now." Homeowner was insulted and said I was rude. This really isn't a big job. I could mask off and spray primer and ceilings all in one day. In all honesty, with no trim I could probably roll out the walls in another day. However, it is much more than a 200 dollar job. This "painter" doesn't have a sprayer and said he wants them to put the stained trim up and then he will be back to paint. Homeowner is doing trim. Homeowners can really be retarted.

4thGeneration

I would tell the homeowner that he should just get a clue and check the guys liability INS, contractor license and references. I gave a price at a trailer park for a lady who wanted her trailer pressure washed including the roof and have the roof kool sealed. I gave her a price of $850 including material to try and help her out. She about choked. She then asked if I just cleaned the roof and kool sealed it. I said $600 and she still flipped. I rather sit home and drink ice tea with the family than work just to beautify her home, add value to her home, pay a paint bill and pay taxes while I pay for gas to get the honor to paint her place. I do not know what she was smoking but it aint legal.

ProWallGuy

Congratulations. You both successfully dodged 5hitty jobs for (most likely) bad customers.

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Crawdad

I'd have asked, "Then why did you call me?"

Traditions

I guess i probably could do it in 16 hours. Its 900 square feet one big family room, bedroom and bath. only one door to mask. I could spray primer out in about 3 hours. come back spray ceilings. Primer and ceilings may take a day. In all reality, with no doors or trim i could roll out one color throughout in another day. So 16 hours isn't that far off. I would say more than that though. How many hours you all think? I would never step in the house for 12 bucks an hour though.

donb1959

2 men/ 2 days $1400.00 labor plus materials

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boman47k

I have to wonder why the "painter" wants the stained trim in place before painting. Makes me wonder if he will show up. seems like he is either stalling or wanting to protect his paint work. Just seems to me the job would be a lot quicker without having to cut in around stained woodwork. First coat, at least.

Traditions

I'm with you on the hours. I would probably figure about 30 hours. You are a little higher than i would charge for labor. However, I am in a small area.

Joewho

Point out to the owner that there is more to this than just the hours you have to put in. You do have a sprayer, tools, transportation and you are a professional painter. You have to deal with setup and clean up too.

Also point out that when someone says they want an hourly rate, that person is not motivated to get the work done quickly. Just because a 12/hr painter says 16 hours, doesn't mean he will actually get it done in 16 hours. At this point it's all talk. Aren't there any closets? How about fixtures in the bath? Is the whole place just bare drywall?

slickshift

Another "bid" lost to Crackhead With A Brush Part-Time Painting Company
If that's what the customer wants, let them have it


Must be charging by the hour too with that description
I'm suuuuure he'll be done in 16



...unless he runs into some difficulties with the project


....like running out of money for more drugs

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Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

Ed the Roofer

Was this conversation during your measurement call or after he had hired you to do the job and then he got another quote?

If it is the latter, then did he receive his "3 day right to rescind" paper work and was it signed by both parties? Did you request a deposit upon acceptance?

If it was the 1st scenario, just during your measurement call or during your 2nd consultation call when you where delivering your proposed specifications contract, then its just a job you lost because you did not get the HO to appreciate your perceived value offered.

If that is all he wanted, then either he is truly cheap and did not require any qualifications or you did not properly sell your value to him.

After all, most HO think what is there to being a painter and that anybody can do a comparible paint job. (Thats really true, isn't it?) It is up to a more skilled sales artisan to reveal the differences. Why else would donb1959 be selling that same job for $ 1,400.00 and the other joe schmoe be doing it for only $ 200.

Good Luck on acquiring a more persuasive selling strategy,

Ed

Traditions

Guess what! Guy just called and said the other guy is not going to be able to do the work and wants me to come back and talk. I was thinking more along the lines of 700-800 bucks labor. Like i said, for this area 1400 would be high. Maybe just because he was being a jag bag i should bid it at 1400!

PlainPainter

Tell 'em you are tacking on an extra $200 for lost time and aggravation.

Ed the Roofer

Tack on something extra. It already required an extra trip charge plus the aggravation.

Ed

boman47k

Kinda thought the other guy was maybe not too eager, or the ho was blowing smoke. Out of curiosity, would you want the ho to have the stained trim already installed before you paint?

dougchips

KEY WORD= TALK Sounds like he wants to bargain with you. I would get a commitment over the phone before you waste more time.

Traditions

I'm pretty sure there was no other bid. Homeowner was trying to get a low ball price out of me. I would probably not even take the job if the trim was put up prior to me painting. I may be able to finish the job in appx 25 hours but if trim was up it would take much longer. The way it is there would be nothing to cut except ceiling lines. I told the guy i couldn't come by until tomorrow. Wanted to get some opinions here.

Ed the Roofer

Save yourself some time with this guy before you go there to "talk". Call him this evening and bluntly ask him if he is agreeing to the job with you. If not, then just tell him your phone #, and tell him if he just wants to talk, you are usually available after 10:00 P.M. To get another time-wasting appointment, you should be sure he is still not on the fence about something.

Call him at his work and start telling him about your wifes day at home or how your truck needs a new oil change or tune-up or Hey, how about the Super-Bowl. (just kidding). Do you need the practice on how to talk. Maybe your time would be better spent on an agreement appointment, if that is any different.

Point is. Are you going there to seal the deal, or to see if he wants to kick some more tires.

Ed

slickshift

Any H/O that thinks, or even makes up a story implying, that $192 is a fair wage for two days work by a professional contractor is not going to be able to wrap his head around the fact that is gonna be $800

People like that simply don't grasp the concept that while they sit at their desk collecting 15 bucks an hour it's costing their company 35 to 65 bucks an hour to provide them with the building, heat, water, phone, paper, liability ins., unempl. ins., the ads they had to place to get the phone to ring so they get sell the widgets...all the tools they need to do their 15 buck an hour job...
They don't get that the contractor is the owner, and to pay himself 15 bucks an hour as a tech, he's got to charge over $40 an hour

But maybe if you explain that to him he'll decide he wants to pay you what you ask

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Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr