Clients that make you go hmmmmm.

[Rough Hewn]

When I was a lot younger and greener...

my father in law to be asked me to tidy the front garden. Weeding etc.

an old lady came over and asked if I did lawns and would I have a look at hers.

a lawn 25 feet by about 40, sloping up to about a height of 3 feet in the corner.

she wanted it levelled and seeded.

the only access was through the house.

£70 a day I said, 3 days and £20 for grass seed.

after 3 days of of digging and moving tonnes of earth, 

i knocked on her door the next day, asked for my £230.

"you told me £7!" she screamed 

and slammed the door.

 

end of story.

 

 

 

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Nice idea Felix.

 

Other things that does my nut in are clients who want a multiple tree quote where they want a breakdown of what each tree will cost.

 

Tell me what you want done, I'll give you a price, it's not pick'n'mix.

[Matthew Storrs]

Felix- surely they'd not pay it saying they never agreed to a price to quote? Probably just end up wasting more of your time than just sucking up these bad eggs as they turn up.

[eggsarascal]

11 minutes ago, Rough Hewn said:

When I was a lot younger and greener...

my father in law to be asked me to tidy the front garden. Weeding etc.

an old lady came over and asked if I did lawns and would I have a look at hers.

a lawn 25 feet by about 40, sloping up to about a height of 3 feet in the corner.

she wanted it levelled and seeded.

the only access was through the house.

£70 a day I said, 3 days and £20 for grass seed.

after 3 days of of digging and moving tonnes of earth, 

i knocked on her door the next day, asked for my £230.

"you told me £7!" she screamed 

and slammed the door.

 

end of story.

 

 

 

 

I do some work for an Albanian crew that own a lot of car washes around here, I priced a job (three sites) at seventeen fifty...... When I'd finished, three days later, I went to draw my tut, the boss man came out with £17.50, he was joking thankfully. We went to the pub and he bought lunch afterwards.

[felixthelogchopper]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Storrs said:

Felix- surely they'd not pay it saying they never agreed to a price to quote? Probably just end up wasting more of your time than just sucking up these bad eggs as they turn up.

For the minimal amount of cost involved in raising an invoice, it would be worth the effort just to put the wind up them a little. You never know, you might get lucky. If they refused, I would make a few noises about them intentionally obtaining services by deception, ie getting you to quote for little more than their own amusement.

[Gary Prentice]

2 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

The lady then told me that they are doing it themselves and wanted to know what it would have cost!

I would have to had asked, I just would have had to, why they thought it was reasonable or acceptable to ask me to visit - wasting my time and money getting there, when they had no intention of having the work done?

 

I don't mind those who are going through the phone book getting a dozen quotes or more, that's the customers prerogative and I accept that money is tight and some are looking for the cheapest price (even if they sometimes get what they pay for), but I'd be really annoyed at that. They may not put much value on their own time, I do on mine. 

 

 

Edited August 12, 2017 by Gary Prentice

[Mick Dempsey]

I was annoyed Gary, but what would be the point in kicking up?

 

Smile and wave is all you can do.

 

I deliberately choose the domestic end of the market for a number of reasons.

 

It has its drawbacks.

[Gary Prentice]

28 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Nice idea Felix.

 

Other things that does my nut in are clients who want a multiple tree quote where they want a breakdown of what each tree will cost.

 

Tell me what you want done, I'll give you a price, it's not pick'n'mix.

Seem to be getting that quite a lot of that ATM.

 I'm happy to do it because I point out in the quote that each item is based on travelling to site to do and if two or more items are done together costs will be reduced. . When you add up half a dozen individual items (including travel) the total gives you a lot of leeway when producing an amended quote after they decide what they want/can afford.

[Mick Dempsey]

Yeah, but it's a faff innit?

[Matthew Storrs]

11 minutes ago, felixthelogchopper said:

For the minimal amount of cost involved in raising an invoice, it would be worth the effort just to put the wind up them a little. You never know, you might get lucky. If they refused, I would make a few noises about them intentionally obtaining services by deception, ie getting you to quote for little more than their own amusement.

Yep fair one- nothing to be lost by trying.