Whatever happened to……….
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Shops, Barns, Varmints, and Trucks
Forum Description: anything you want to talk about except politics
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=202195
Printed Date: 06 Sep 2024 at 6:16am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Whatever happened to……….
Posted By: Lars(wi)
Subject: Whatever happened to……….
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2024 at 8:34pm
‘no obligation free estimates’?
Twice within the last week my son has gotten what was supposed to be a ‘bid’ on bathroom remodeling in his house. Both ‘salesman’ that showed gave the presentation on what their company offers, but the kicker is, ‘sign today, and get $XXXX.00 of the price’. Whatever happed to the old fashioned ‘estimate’ that is good for ___ number of days?
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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Replies:
Posted By: plummerscarin
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2024 at 10:43pm
New sales tactic. "Free estimates" going the way of the dinosaur. Likely the estimate was figured in to the bid anyway.
Reminds me of a story my accountant told me. She was a sales/estimator at a shop some years ago. When she submitted the estimate to her boss for review she mentioned the client was an engineer. He said add 10 percent and send it.
Another outfit I know of has all sorts of discounts to keep chipping away the price till you sign
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Posted By: Pat the Plumber CIL
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2024 at 7:34am
I usually have at least 2 weeks of work lined up before the phone rings in the morning. I stopped giving free estimates the last couple years. When work is backed up I need to work and make money. I can't stop what I am doing to go give prices for work that I do not have time to do. I am in high demand and most of my customers trust me. Guy the other day couldn't believe that I wouldn't drive 20 miles out of my way to give him a price so he knows that another contractor wasn't taking advantage of him . People don't want to work anymore and the people that are willing to work are getting covered up . Prices are going up and policies are changing
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You only need to know 3 things to be a plumber;Crap rolls down hill,Hot is on the left and Don't bite your fingernails
1964 D-17 SIV 3 Pt.WF,1964 D-15 Ser II 3pt.WF ,1960 D-17 SI NF,1956 WD 45 WF.
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Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2024 at 10:10am
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Am NOT EVEN in the Mechanic Trades except for myself anymore, Still receive calls and approached by those that know what I can accomplish. Sad to see the long faces when they get "NOT In the Business, do NOT want to be" response from me.
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Posted By: DougG
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2024 at 11:03am
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Yeah the mechanic stuff is crazy- get it in there- oh yeah while its there, been burned twice - F that
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Posted By: Hubert (Ga)engine7
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2024 at 12:39pm
If possible I try to deal with the trades people whom I know that will do a good job at a fair price. I may ask for a ballpark price but I don't get upset if the final price is different. One shouldn't expect an independent contractor to waste time giving estimates when he has work backed up that is feeding and clothing his family. And I don't trust these companies that say they will remodel your bathroom in one day.
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Just an old country boy saved by the grace of God.
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Posted By: Coke-in-MN
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2024 at 2:10pm
When I was in the Septic Design and Install business I used to give itemized estimates or bids on work . I listed each item needed to meet code both County and State .
Then only to lose work to the cut rate guy who could do it for less by removing items from my bids or forgetting items that later came as additional charges .
So being honest in business , means those who are not will undercut you by a nickel to $500 but do inferior work and the homeowner thinks they got a deal .
As I also had Inspector credentials and Certifications going to some of these jobs to inspect later , every shortfall ended up on the list of why system fail CODE .
One thing I stopped doing was giving the breakdown of my pricing and just listed end price . Even there the underbidding and exclusions of what was needed did not stop from losing work to the unscrupulous competitors .
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
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Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2024 at 3:12pm
One year, a potential new customer propositioned my company for pricing 6 different jobs. I priced all 6. Got 2 & they were the worst of the 6. MY FAULT FOR EVEN DOING THOSE 2 JOBS!
Found out later, customer ALREADY had contractors lined up for the other 4 better jobs & was just using my pricing as a guideline for their accounting. Worse yet, at one of the 2 jobs I was working, another contractor/business showed up unannounced to observe my equipment & processes.
NEVER AGAIN!!!
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Posted By: Lars(wi)
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2024 at 9:33pm
I get it, if one is too busy to do estimates or bids.
But those that do give an estimate, don’t get get all huffy, bent out of shape if the potential customer is just wanting prices. In my son’s case, both salesman left his house all pissed off, because he didn’t sign while they were there. To me, it seemed with both, they figured they should have the job, before they even showed up?
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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