[Teetorbilt]

One of my clients is a national repair facility for large corporations and I do quite a bit of work for them.
They recently shot me a WO for some concrete work (unrelated to storm damage). Tractor trailer drivers have been whacking a guardrail that protects a loading ramp and now the rail is loose. The wall that holds the rail is broken in 17 places, all small. The cast wall, as a unit, has not been compromised. The railing will need to be secured while the broken wall sections are recast. The top of the wall has a profile that will have to be matched, so custom forms need to be made.
I really don't want or need this job but don't want to lose the company either. Normally I just bid high and let the next guy take over but in todays atmosphere it may appear to be price gouging.
These conudrums are getting quite common here now days. I'm hoping that some outside sanity can help.

 

[PipeGuy]

The top of the wall has a profile that will have to be matched, so custom forms need to be made.

Can you form the front and back faces to a uniform height, afix flexible chamfer strip to the inside of the forms to replicate the profile - then finish to the chamfer strip. Admittedly it'll take some rubbing to remove the joint lines where the forms overlap the existing faces.

 

[Grumpy]

I have heard that the FL law dictates something like "40% above the norm is gouging."

I guess if you are gonna bid high and want your ass to be covered, change up the scope of work to justify the high price. INstead of a simple repair shoot a price for total repalcement.

 

[Teetorbilt]

A-1, Pipe. Wish that I could figure out how to post pics.
I can do the profile on the shaper, no problem. It's a loading dock on the backside of a large building, it's not like a finish job up front. Securing the railing is paramount.

 

[PipeGuy]

Maybe a good job to sub out? You know, "My forces are tied up so I'll need to outsource this to get you taken care of promptly. As such, it's going to cost more than if i did it myself."

 

[Teetorbilt]

Rich, This job is a joke that needs to be done. No serious concrete contractor would even look at it. I wouldn't even present it to any subs that I know.
Going back. Pricing out now appears as gouging.

 

[Grumpy]

I guess if you are gonna bid high and want your ass to be covered, change up the scope of work to justify the high price. Instead of a simple repair shoot a price for total repalcement.

I believe that's a way to price yourself out legally.

 

[Teetorbilt]

They called me back wanting material costs??????? What does that have to do with anything? I have already told them that the job is 95% labor.
Oops, left out the fire ants in the original post. About 10 nests to deal with. No biggie, but time.

 

[Glasshousebltr]

If I'm not mistaken Grump just replied to himself.

Bob

 

[Glasshousebltr]

If I'm not mistaken Grump just replied to himself.

Bob

Shut up and leave them alone......they know whats up.

Bob2

 

[PipeGuy]

They called me back wanting material costs??????? What does that have to do with anything?

It means their idea of what theyre going to pay is a long way from yours :cheesygri Have fun.

 

[wasdifferent]

T & M.

Make sure that the company rep is there to see the T. Nobody can argue that you're gouging if you have a fair hourly rate. Documentation is paramount.

Maybe you're "too back-logged" to take care of them this time. Let someone else take the heat. If the company ends up thinking that they were gouged by someone else, it only benefits you in your future dealings with them.

Your only other option is to eat the loss to keep the customer, sometimes it's worth it if the job isn't too large.

Why am I telling you this? You already know it. Guess you just needed to hear it from someone else.

Best regards.

 

[marc]

One of my clients is a national repair facility for large corporations and I do quite a bit of work for them.
They recently shot me a WO for some concrete work (unrelated to storm damage). Tractor trailer drivers have been whacking a guardrail that protects a loading ramp and now the rail is loose. The wall that holds the rail is broken in 17 places, all small. The cast wall, as a unit, has not been compromised. The railing will need to be secured while the broken wall sections are recast. The top of the wall has a profile that will have to be matched, so custom forms need to be made.
I really don't want or need this job but don't want to lose the company either. Normally I just bid high and let the next guy take over but in todays atmosphere it may appear to be price gouging.
These conudrums are getting quite common here now days. I'm hoping that some outside sanity can help.

Why not just respecively decline to bid. Be honest with the guys and they will most likely understand

 

[Teetorbilt]

They already know that I bid high on exterior work. If they called me it's probably because everybody else turned them down flat.

 

[boogie]

They already know that I bid high on exterior work. If they called me it's probably because everybody else turned them down flat.

if they know you bid high and chances are they to as you said cant get any one else in there to do it explain to them you are trying to cover yourself.cant do it for free.
give them the mat.list they want and explain its mostly labor and if they dont want to do t&m then what about a not to exceed #and if it is less you will cut them some slack in the end when billing time is due .then hold your guns and walk away from it .
i find in the end 90% of the time they will be calling right back after they find that most wont even talk to them or others prices are even higher because they too dont want to mess with it.
then in the end if you want to be in even better with them and the job is done and you can part with some of the money dont bill so high and keep in good faith with them they will remeber that
seems to work for me

 

[Nathan]

Why not just respecively decline to bid. Be honest with the guys and they will most likely understand

Welcome to the board Marc... How did you hear about us? From PCR?

 

[mtp]

you have to do the crap jobs to get the good ones as long as you get both it is all good

 

[Teetorbilt]

I look at it as 'what would I be making elsewhere?'. Say that I make $1K per day per job and I'm booked out 9 mos. Why should I drop my pants to $750.00 per day over one small job?
The bid was based on what the 2 guys would produce if on another job.

 

[wasdifferent]

Teetor,
Your tone suggests that you don't need the customer that much. Nobody wants to end a long term business relationship on a bad note, but why take the heat that these guys are putting on you all of a sudden? I can tell that this situation is bugging you, but maybe you should take care of the people who take care of you.

 

[Teetorbilt]

mike, as I am in tax throes at the moment, the numbers are at my fingrtips. Their contribution is minor but I never forget the ones that got me started, they were one of them. Early on, they were 20% of my volume.