free estimates or not

[mikethetile]

im still doing the initial site visit and estimate free but ive written into my T&Cs that I may at my discretion charge for further site visits, ordering materials . preparing detailed specifications and quotations and so on, ive also added another term that if job cancelled after they have signed the acceptance the full quoted amount will at my discretion become chargeable

no where else and in no other business would you supply your labour and expertise foc, in addition to that I do the job with no gaurantee of being paid on completion, my clients dont pay anything up front

having spent hours going through the consumer laws ive realised how vulnerable we are to being knocked for money and its our own fault for not covering ourselves with a proper contract

 

[kilty55]

hi mike,i have thought about charging for estimates before but based on the fact that every other company doesnt charge for this then i thought this would be a no goer,

i have also had issues with people cancelling this year,to counteract this or to try to counteract this i go and quote as per normal...i dont mention a deposit at all at this stage i just quote on the job in hand trying not to put the customer off and once i get the job i then put in writing and also verbally explain i take a deposit upfront to put them in my books


every one so far has been fine with this and i think/hope it puts them off considering cancelling............put yourself in there shoes if you werent tied down financially to a job being done its very easy to just say no thanks and not care about the poor tradesman at the other end whereas if they have 200 pounds or so tied up in you they will not want to lose it


works fo rme so far

 

[aph257]

i can see the points mentioned to charge for estimates but i'm not totally convinced, maybe if i get some short notice cancellations then i may have to re-consider.

 

[White Room]

Must admit never charged for quoting/estimating

 

[mikethetile]

thanks kilty

I may well do that, I cant see it being a problem with genuine customers who want the work done , its the messers that will object and I can live happily without them

 

[kilty55]

thats it mike if they dont wan to go the deposit route then you know immediately they may well aste your time so you have saved yourself a pile of grief straight away

 

[andy-p]

Charge a fee for insurance quotes , with the fee deductable off the price when or if you get the job.

I cant see how you can charge for estimates , everybody no matter what trade gives them free, but DO NOT give the customer all the relevant details and sizes so that they pick your brains ..

 

[mikethetile]

the more I think about it the more I like it, the deposit doesnt have to be big but big enough so they wouldnt want to lose it and if its needed to hold their slot open they will pay it also it guarantees you will do their job when you say you will

 

[Scott]

I would never charge for an estimate nor would i pay for one. I had a builders merchant pffer to quote for all my building materials and wanted £75 to give me a price, i told them to do one.

If you called your insurer and asked for a quote and they wanted £5 incase you didnt want to go with them you simply would go elsewhere, same in building trade i think.

As for doing the estimate and first visit free what would you need to go back for?

I doubt very much that you'd get away with getting the full amount back if you hadnt done the work, all you would have to do would become very unreasonable before starting the job and make them unsure about either you or your abilities. that way you could cream every job with a cancellation?

 

[mz30]

mike with all due respect mate,what your thinking will not work,as scottley said after your first visit why would you need to go back?.

If you priced a job for me and than asked for a deposit once we had agreed a price then i would go with someone else,i don't know about the other guys here but there is no way i would pay a guy who hasnt even put a tile on the wall,its to easy for you to walk away with the deposit and not do the job,the client only has your word that you will do the job you say and if you dont trust them(by asking for a deposit)why would they trust you enough to pay you a deposit?.

Like i said in my earlier post ,i dont know if you just tile or you do full refits if its full refits then its reasonable to ask for some cash upfront for materials etc,but if your ordering stuff from your supplier then do you have to pay a deposit?.

 

[Thespanishtiler]

Hi Mike

I do not and will not charge for quotes.

in my opinion:-

the site visit is your oportunity to sell your service and forge a relationship with a potential customer.

the time you spend with them and generating your quote are an investment in winning the job.

the site visit is also an oportunity to weigh up the client and make a judgement as to how much effort you should put in, or not.

i can generate a very detailed and accurate quote in half an hour so this is not an issue to me.

my quotes are acompanied by 2 copys of my terms and conditions, one to be returned signed and dated to secure a slot in my diary and the other to be retained for referance.

i take a 40% deposit 10 working days prior to starting.

95% of my jobs are full refurbs, on small in fill jobs up to about a grand i dont bother with a deposit.

It works for me

 

[mikethetile]

right lads

when youve done having a go at me and actually read my posts you wil see what ive done

 

[Thespanishtiler]

hi mike

not having a go mate, i think your advice is always very good.

just wanted to share my way of dealing with quotes, deposits etc

hope no offence taken

spanish

 

[mikethetile]

no offence mate, I agree with the way your doing things, very professional

 

[DHTiling]

My 2 penneth worth..

Personally to charge isn't for my business but members.. if Mike thinks he can make it work then i really do wish him well and after all Mike knows his business better than all of us.. so he is entitled to do it and say so without backlash..

Mike.. good luck.. you can only try and if it works then bingo..