G
Graham100
When I quote for any job, I take my time absorbing the information the customer is giving me, taking notes, and sometimes photo's to help my lousy memory when working out a price.
(I should point out that I do all sorts of small building work).
I went to look at a job a week ago last Thursday to; swop the bathroom suite, remove old tiles and make good old blown plaster where needed, half tile the room, Supply & fit UFH, sort the loose boards, board & tile the floor, fit a new lowered ceiling & plaster with downlighters, move the WC and re-locate the soil pipe 6' away from its current position, install the customers iluminated wall cabinet. Supplying everything except the bathroom suite & wall cabinet.
Got on well with the lady a widow in her 60's, working and apparantly not without money.
My written quotes are always on quality paper and never less than 3 pages. Anything over 3 pages or £500 gets ring binding with a glossy cover. (You should try it, it makes a big difference when quoting for bigger jobs).
I gave her a price of £3200. (I'm not VAT registered).
As she is only round the corner I dropped the estimate off by hand the next day. Feeling confident, I gave it till Saturday afternoon and rang her, thinking it strange that she hadn't been in touch one way or the other. I left a message on her voicemail to which she replied with a text saying she hadn't had time to read the quote yet, but would that evening and would get straight back.
I thought maybe I am a little on the high side, and rang her again on Sunday afternoon as I was keen to get the job. Voicemail again to which I got no reply. Same again on Monday. Gave up until Saturday just gone, managed to catch her. First of all she asks if I will tile a splashback on her en-suite basin and include it in the price. OK I say. Then she says she would like the job doing all in one week. I tell her I would have to get help in and it would still take best part of two weeks.
She then says I would have to guarantee that I could finish in a week and a half. I stick my neck out and say OK.
Next she says she has another quote which doesn't include the UFH or the lowered ceiling but it's £2000 If I will do the extra work and match his price I can have the job!
I almost put the phone down, but instead just said no, one price, take it or leave it. OK she says, let me think about it I will ring you back tonight one way or the other.
I've Still heard nothing from her.
WHY are some people so ignorant? She was deadly serious about me knocking a third off my price. I hope she gets what she deserves. Some of the public think you have nothing better to do with yourtime than play silly games.
Rant over!:30:
(I should point out that I do all sorts of small building work).
I went to look at a job a week ago last Thursday to; swop the bathroom suite, remove old tiles and make good old blown plaster where needed, half tile the room, Supply & fit UFH, sort the loose boards, board & tile the floor, fit a new lowered ceiling & plaster with downlighters, move the WC and re-locate the soil pipe 6' away from its current position, install the customers iluminated wall cabinet. Supplying everything except the bathroom suite & wall cabinet.
Got on well with the lady a widow in her 60's, working and apparantly not without money.
My written quotes are always on quality paper and never less than 3 pages. Anything over 3 pages or £500 gets ring binding with a glossy cover. (You should try it, it makes a big difference when quoting for bigger jobs).
I gave her a price of £3200. (I'm not VAT registered).
As she is only round the corner I dropped the estimate off by hand the next day. Feeling confident, I gave it till Saturday afternoon and rang her, thinking it strange that she hadn't been in touch one way or the other. I left a message on her voicemail to which she replied with a text saying she hadn't had time to read the quote yet, but would that evening and would get straight back.
I thought maybe I am a little on the high side, and rang her again on Sunday afternoon as I was keen to get the job. Voicemail again to which I got no reply. Same again on Monday. Gave up until Saturday just gone, managed to catch her. First of all she asks if I will tile a splashback on her en-suite basin and include it in the price. OK I say. Then she says she would like the job doing all in one week. I tell her I would have to get help in and it would still take best part of two weeks.
She then says I would have to guarantee that I could finish in a week and a half. I stick my neck out and say OK.
Next she says she has another quote which doesn't include the UFH or the lowered ceiling but it's £2000 If I will do the extra work and match his price I can have the job!
I almost put the phone down, but instead just said no, one price, take it or leave it. OK she says, let me think about it I will ring you back tonight one way or the other.
I've Still heard nothing from her.
WHY are some people so ignorant? She was deadly serious about me knocking a third off my price. I hope she gets what she deserves. Some of the public think you have nothing better to do with yourtime than play silly games.
Rant over!:30:
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