Outbid

[murf]

Just found out today that I had been outbid for a job on a new showroom floor, consisting of 720 m2. I priced this job keenly at 13euros per m2, a drop of 7euros on last years price. The guy who won this job, went in at 10euros perm2. What business can sustain a price cut of 50% and hope to continue into the future. This is truly a race to the bottom and I don't know how long I can avoid the dole q.

 

[Aston]

mate, sorry to hear that..

my advice is get out of the site / commercial scenarios for the time being if you are working alone or with a apprentice...stick to domestics where you can..the prices on commercial simply boil down to who can do it the cheapest at the moment or who you are in with ;0) ...at least on the domestic side of things, people take into account how professional you are etc etc....

ctd and topps in liverpool and warrington have had big increases in sales during the past month and they reckon things are looking up a bit mate...just do what you can to stand out lke fit the ufh and aim at the installation of wet rooms...i will sub the plumbing out because its too much hassle for me but if you can do a bit of skimming or fir the plastic tongue and groove ceilings then it all helps......if you need any tips on plastering then i'll defo help where i can..

keep going mate, survival of the fittest and all that ;0) its gona take more than a double dip recession to stop us lot hey..oh and team up with any local lads from on here...it all helps dosent it..

all the best
ed

 

[Dan]

I too am sorry to hear that mate. I think Ed's advice there is spot on mate, get yourself in the domestics market and do nice jobs for nice customers and get paid for it while you're at it.

 

[Stewart]

Totally agree with above, Don't touch commercial, because it's survival of the cheapest. I find quality domestic work is where the money is, and always has been.

 

[hillhead]

Try to keep your head up John,
it's definitely trying times in Ireland right now,both south and north !
I have a full house on in Ardee,i have a 80m2 floor completed 3 months ago to start it,
i could do with getting back there but i spoke to the customer yesterday,they are waiting on money from solicitor so have chased everyone from the site until they get the money! Not great that.
I'm on site work at the minute on low enough rates but i do all the work for this company and they are struggling like most so i just play ball because of how much i do for them,you know how low you can go John so think about it and maybe try to pull something from materials etc? you can't sit back either,are the 10 euro guys doing good work? i know of a 75m2 floor that was put down at £8 m2 lately, i have to price the lifting and re tiling of it! tiles lipping,40-50% coverage etc.not good.I told the guy(who is a tile shop employee) he paid peanuts and got a monkey to tile his floor.I also advised him to seek legal advice about it.

 

[murf]

The problem here in the south is that both commercial and domestic scenes are saturated with cheap tradesmen, all competing in a very small marketplace. I suspect that all are not completely legit either, so we do'nt have a level playing field, so to speak.

 

[murf]

Yes Joe, it will be inferior work , but all that seems to matter these days is the bottom line.

 

[hillhead]

Have you any work at the minute John?

 

[murf]

I have not worked in two weeks Joe. All my contacts seem to have dried up.

 

[hillhead]

Very sorry to hear that John,
i have a brother who was a shuttering joiner in Dublin,all dried up too.
he lives in Monaghan,now he's a chimney sweep and is getting work every day ! good on him i say.
Is the tile shops quiet too,the economy is bad with you's and the interest on the debt is ridiculously high ! worrying times.
I have no contact's south of Drogheda really and they are quiet now too.

 

[doug boardley]

I'm hoping that these guys that go in that cheap will eventually cut their own throats and let us guys that do a good job at a fair rate get on with doing what we do best:mad2:

 

[murf]

If ever there was need of a revolution it is now. Our government seems obsessed with bailing out there banker friends while young families live on the breadline, facing eviction from there homes or being denied basic utilities because they have fallen behind with payments. I for one would love to see the working classes unite, to oust these parisites from society.

 

[united]

Sorry to hear this mate.

I really hope things pick up soon

 

[Diamond Pool Finishers]

and me mate these are bad time's!! and i think they are going to get a lot worse!! yet

 

[DHTiling]

Not good news to hear a TF member is quiet.. i wish you luck ...