Would you bother?

[percy verance]

Got this text last night

 

Hi, we have a biggish garden and I have a few trees that need removing (an old dead beach, another beach, an Xmas tree the previous owners planed in the middle of the lawn and something else deadish....). Got a quote today that will be mad when the guy sends it. Are you interested in quoting? This is prob first of several jobs we will need. But I don't want to get into negotiations or silly levels of quote like the guy today as it wastes time all round. We live on wood lane. Let me know what you think and if you want to pop round? Thx

 

Sounds like it might be a time waster to me, wanting to get work done for next to nothing. I always think you can tell when they say (give me a cheep price now) that there might be a lot more work in the future.

 

I think my response will be something like "yes I'll be interested in quoting but it sounds like you have quite a bit of work that needs doing, so as long as you are not expecting to pay cowboy prices for professional levels of work because as you say this will benefit nobody"

[Mick Dempsey]

If it's not far just go round and do the quote as normal.

 

 

ps can nobody spell BEECH?

[richy_B]

Skip it - Trust your instincts.

 

I have given people the benefit of the doubt too often and found my initial assumption is always right. There is always something better to spend your time on.

[Moony]

Percy,

Firstly when I am quoting after someone else I will not give them my price there an then, I will look at it, take a few pictures, make a few notes then get all thier contact details and then prepare and send the quote. If I think the job is worth doing it will cost it fairly. If I think it's a pig of a job, I will cost it heavy (it's got to return you a profit) if I don't want it I will tell the customer face to face, usually whilst I'm there on the site survey.

I never get into a Dutch auction, it just lowers everybody's margin and effects standards in the long run. Never sell yourself short, we have to work hard for what we get.

If you get the job and there is a second job to be done then you can add a little more to the second quote but give them a repeat customer discount, looks good on paper and the customer has that feel good factor because the feel they've saved a little.

Good luck, Moony (Gordon)

[base]

personally, if the job is close, yeah I would go and look, I wouldn't waste much time on it but worth a look, you'll be surprised and what figures some people throw out. I agree about possibly being a timewaster but thats all part and parcel of quoting.

 

As for you potential response imo that makes you look unprofessional, personally I would just arrange a time to go and quote and then spend 10 minutes there. you never know the previous person might of spent 4 hours trying to talk them into submission, like rouge double glazing / roof cleaning salesmen etc do to OAPs.

[william petts]

All I'd say is go round quote it at the price you want and feel it should be and leave the ball in there court, if they try and get you down you need to weigh up if it's viable to do the job cheaper and also if you need the work. I have done a few jobs a bit to cheaply because I needed the work but then looked back and though I slogged me guts out for a not a lot

[Mick Dempsey]

Skip it - Trust your instincts.

 

I have given people the benefit of the doubt too often and found my initial assumption is always right. There is always something better to spend your time on.

 

"Trust your instincts"?

 

It's a chance to quote a small domestic job nearby, not an invite to Spooky Island.

[treequip]

Got this text last night

 

Hi, we have a biggish garden and I have a few trees that need removing (an old dead beach, another beach, an Xmas tree the previous owners planed in the middle of the lawn and something else deadish....). Got a quote today that will be mad when the guy sends it. Are you interested in quoting? This is prob first of several jobs we will need. But I don't want to get into negotiations or silly levels of quote like the guy today as it wastes time all round. We live on wood lane. Let me know what you think and if you want to pop round? Thx

 

Sounds like it might be a time waster to me, wanting to get work done for next to nothing. I always think you can tell when they say (give me a cheep price now) that there might be a lot more work in the future.

 

I think my response will be something like "yes I'll be interested in quoting but it sounds like you have quite a bit of work that needs doing, so as long as you are not expecting to pay cowboy prices for professional levels of work because as you say this will benefit nobody"

 

Its a business enquiry simple as, if you blow it off you may as well start chucking your advertising budget away

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

"Trust your instincts"?

 

 

 

It's a chance to quote a small domestic job nearby, not an invite to Spooky Island.

 

 

😆

 

Did exactly that yesterday! I turned up just as another matey was leaving. We had a quick chat, he thought it was a pig of job and too much hassle.

 

A Silver Birch (actually a Euc! 😄) growing into a shed, over a pond and rotten decking.... "a horror of a job!"

 

Simple speedline 1/2 day work for 2 was how I saw it. Not bothered how anyone else prices it, how quick I could do it or if they give it to chainsaw Charlie.

 

The price is the price! Work hard / smart = finish early or do something extra, that's my choice not the customers.

[Mat]

Price it as you would any other job.....

 

It is just possible that the quote received is indeed stupidly high.

 

Rather than saying that they don't fancy the job, or can't do the job, most people just put in a stupid high price and hope they don't get it (Face-saver price).

 

Once quoted though, don't get into any further discussion - they are almost certainly a nightmare client.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.......bloody funny if they look at arbtalk sometimes though. How miffed would you be, seeing your proposed job getting slated on a public forum, lol.