[Grumpy]

How many of you guys lose repair sales because you want to do the job the right way?

The home owner has a terrible roof, but wants me to slap tar around her skylight. I told her this will do just about nothing for her. She said she is probably going to sell and doesn't want to spend too much money. I told her once an inspector sees her roof he will crap his pants, and she will have to fix it now or later.

She ended up signing with another guy who said he'd be happy to slap tar around her skylight for her. This will do nothing for her completely loose roof membrane. This will do nothing for her seams which have all decided to split. This will do nothing for her chimney which is crumbling, and the roofing is no longer adhered to. This will do nothing for her missing gutter flashing.

The magic can of black tar beats me again

 

[Floorwizard]

I would guess it would depend on how much you need it.
Sometimes I would pass it up, sometimes I would have them sign a waiver depending on how much I needed the work.

It would totally depend. I hate doing things apart from industry standard, but I am not going to starve if someone wants to, and they sign a waiver, and would do it thru someone else anyway.

The only time I really pass up a client, it is due to their attitude. Not EVERYONE is a client you want to have. There is no waiver for unrealistic expectations and complaining.

 

[ProWallGuy]

There is no waiver for unrealistic expectations and complaining.

That is the profound statement of the day.

 

[Don Benham]

You'll never lose money on a job you don't do. Don't take chances you're not comfortable with.

Don

 

[Nathan]

I hear this a lot with Paint. People don't want to pay for quality materials even though thats the only difference between our bids sometimes.

And, before I get the comments I do explain the differences to people but they always look at the price in the end.

Sigh.

 

[Floorwizard]

If your a quality guy, then you don't want the price shoppers anyway.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Doing something halfa$$ed just to make a quick buck will end up biting you in the end. Somehow I've always found it easy to blow somebody off who seeks you out for your reputation and then wants to haggle pricing.
I learned the waiver trick many years ago, it can get you out of a bad situation in a hurry but if you get the job detail the contract like never before. If these folks find a loophole be certain that they will exploit it.

 

[Mike Finley]

I would have to preface my comments with in my opinion there is a tremendous difference between doing a job the right or the wrong way, and doing a job that is a quick fix compared to long term solution. I wouldn't do a job the wrong way just for a quick buck, but I would do a quick fix for a customer if that is what they wanted. Making them aware of the pros and cons of the quick fix over a long term solution is just good business sense if you want to avoid problems later, along with putting it in writing and limiting your warranty.

If you consider the tar bucket the wrong way then of course you are right to not get involved. If you consider it just a short-term fix, then I only see it as a personal decision based upon if you think there will be an opportunity cost if you get involved with a small job like this instead of sticking to bigger ones only.

 

[Grumpy]

I decided I am going to draft up her long term fix proposal just so she has it on file. She didn't even let me get that far into the process.

She really NEEDS a replacement more than she knows and even if she is going to sell they are going to make her replace it first. Nobody is going to buy a house with a roof in this condition unless they plan to tear it down.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Mike and Grumpy, I know all about a tar bucket, right now that tar is what is keeping the outside outside in more than one place. Frances just tore off the tabs, Jeanne went down to the sheathing. Upside! The sheathing stayed.

 

[PipeGuy]

I decided I am going to draft up her long term fix proposal...She really NEEDS a replacement...Nobody is going to buy a house with a roof.

Maybe next time you come across this scenario you could get a commitment from them to hire you in the future to do the right fix, if they have to or otherwise choose to do it, in exchange for selling them the quick fix they want today. Just a thought.

 

[Grumpy]

Rick, to be honest a qucik fix is going to fix nothing because the home owner misdiagnosed where the leak was coming from. If I were to slap tar at the skylight, which is what they wanted, and the water is coming in at the seam a few feet away, the leak is never going to stop.

I was trying to explain to the owner all the problems and how the skylight was the least of the problems but they didn't want to hear it.

Normally I would approach a repair the way you suggested but this was a special case of a roof that is 100% shot and wasn't even installed correctly in the first place. I would have felt dishonest if I took her money to tar the skylight.

 

[Itsahipo]

I would pass up the job. If the problem is not solved then you loose no matter what. Some clients you just can't work for, we all have to make that decision from time to time.....Billy

 

[Grumpy]

I would pass up the job. If the problem is not solved then you loose no matter what.

Exactly my thoughts!