Are we too CHEAP

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Landscaping Van's scream gypo
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I went to quote a customer today to skim a bedroom I doubt he will accept my quote I turned up in my uncle's landscaping van :LOL: been helping him fencing and level the garden for a customer,he said what you doing in landscaping van I said shifting 3 ton of sand from the back of it so a patio can be laid

Job I was on in Bath, builders turned up in a brand new Mercedes convertible everyday...tools in the back leather seats...couldn't believe my eyes..coming to work in a 40K Merc :rolleyes:
 
Job I was on in Bath, builders turned up in a brand new Mercedes convertible everyday...tools in the back leather seats...couldn't believe my eyes..coming to work in a 40K Merc :rolleyes:
When I had my boiler replaced 2 years ago the guy turned up in a 4x4 Porsche he actually owned the company he goes out and does all the quoting and he gets his team of guys on it tbf he was the most expensive he was a good crack he delivered aswell told me would all be done in a day no messing after about 4 hours the old boiler was out the new one was in with some new pipework and the f**k*r had 3k off me for 4 hrs work
 
One thing is this .
Say up north you get a grand a week down south you get 1500 .

Take house prices in to it and price of beer . My mortgage is 200 ish a month . That's a 3 bedder with a big garden. Beers 2 quid ish a pint . Now dont know what it is darn sarth but I reckon 200 gets you a 6 x 3 shed and you dont get much change out a tenner for a pint.
So I reckon that bit extra soon goes . Leaving you on less then us northerners.
Then as far as i know all holiday and sky and internet etc are same price . So where is money at . I reckon lads on best screw are the northern lads who go darn sarth for week then back up north at weekends
stop moaning jon im -paying £320 a month for a 2 bed council house
 
When I had my boiler replaced 2 years ago the guy turned up in a 4x4 Porsche he actually owned the company he goes out and does all the quoting and he gets his team of guys on it tbf he was the most expensive he was a good crack he delivered aswell told me would all be done in a day no messing after about 4 hours the old boiler was out the new one was in with some new pipework and the f**k*r had 3k off me for 4 hrs work

they also say dont let your customers see the car you drive :D

I get judged because I am a scruffy toerag that rattles about in s**t heap car. makes me laugh knowing that they have no idea :D
 
Fact is life is never easy but for sure a lot of these younger guys the £120 a day crew I mean will look back on there life’s at 80 years old and think what a waste , the sinking physically sick feeling of a life wasted will kick in
It won’t be a nice time, but retirement should be
 
they also say dont let your customers see the car you drive :D

I get judged because I am a scruffy toerag that rattles about in s**t heap car. makes me laugh knowing that they have no idea :D
I know what you mean mate my work boots have been ready to go in the skip for the last 2 years keep telling the missus I'll get another 2 years out of them shes been trying to chuck em away for years lol
 
How much comments has this thread generated?
I think it depends on your value system and self worth and selfish levels.
Not mentioning any names I think some comments on this thread are revealing rip off traders..
If multi is £6.50 at B&Q and £8 at builders yard where you gonna get it from? B&Q If the answer despite any misgivings over diy stores. If people realise they could of got the same plastering work done on their house for less money your busted as a rip off.
Area totally makes a difference and if your begging people to buy your bread and they have not come to you from a recommendation most people up North will not pay top dollar and go for cheaper quote.
I moved up to Birmingham in 2013 from London and was shocked at the prices and response to quotes. Massively different ball game. I charge here what I charged in Oxfordshire in 1998. Yeah I’ve been about a bit
 
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they also say dont let your customers see the car you drive :D

I get judged because I am a scruffy toerag that rattles about in s**t heap car. makes me laugh knowing that they have no idea :D
my main customer drives/ no he doesn't his minder drives a w reg car the boss owns a castle 350 acre land plus 6 houses
 
Fact is life is never easy but for sure a lot of these younger guys the £120 a day crew I mean will look back on there life’s at 80 years old and think what a waste , the sinking physically sick feeling of a life wasted will kick in
It won’t be a nice time, but retirement should be

Retirement will be in a coffin at 45 mate
 
When I had my boiler replaced 2 years ago the guy turned up in a 4x4 Porsche he actually owned the company he goes out and does all the quoting and he gets his team of guys on it tbf he was the most expensive he was a good crack he delivered aswell told me would all be done in a day no messing after about 4 hours the old boiler was out the new one was in with some new pipework and the f**k*r had 3k off me for 4 hrs work

I'd love to turn up in a Porsche at a carrot danglers house...take my hawk and trowel out of the passenger seat. Love cars but never had a expensive one I'm the type that drives around in a Focus and invests every penny to work less, spend more time with family and enjoy holidays.
 
How much comments has this thread generated?
I think it depends on your value system and self worth and selfish levels.
Not mentioning any names I think some comments on this thread are revealing rip off traders..
If multi is £6.50 at B&Q and £8 at builders yard where you gonna get it from? B&Q If the answer despite any misgivings over diy stores. If people realise they could of got the same plastering work done on their house for less money your busted as a rip off.
Area totally makes a difference and if your begging people to buy your bread and they have not come to you from a recommendation most people up North will not pay top dollar and go for cheaper quote.
I moved up to Birmingham in 2013 from London and was shocked at the prices and response to quotes. Massively different ball game. I charge here what I charged in Oxfordshire in 1998. Yeah I’ve been about a bit

I had a reputation for being expensive... if you cant afford me then use someone else... I encouraged people to get other quotes but like many others my reputation is what mattered. People happily paid more because they knew the work turned out will be perfect, no dramas....

A rip off is overpromising and under delivering...

If I have to compete on price I dont compete... whats the point? its a race to the poor house.

The honey I sell is charged a lot more than others in the area... in fact mine I think is almost double in price. you can buy honey from sainsbury for pennies compared...

I sell out, in fact I restrict it to max 2 jars per person because the demand is so high. I have a waiting list that I cannot fulfil but when I do get honey my arm is snapped off for it.

Why though? people are sold into it, people watch and see what I have been doing and are following the journey and they want to be a part of it. They are not buying honey but buying into the story or journey and they want to.

Its all down to marketing/branding and selling and it is not just "plastering" you are the key to making someones life a lot better, transforming rooms into livable spaces and people always think that "plastering" is a magic art and lots of people admit they cant do it... So work on that and just talk to customers and just give them patter and chat.

you are solving a problem charge to do it.

I dont give a crap what other people in my industry are charging, not interested makes no odds to my price.
 
I'd love to turn up in a Porsche at a carrot danglers house...take my hawk and trowel out of the passenger seat. Love cars but never had a expensive one I'm the type that drives around in a Focus and invests every penny to work less, spend more time with family and enjoy holidays.

I know someone who turned up to a venetian plastering jobs in a new aston martin
 
He did, but that's not what's being questioned here. He's like many tradesmen/women up and down the country, doing good work and running his business badly. Just because you're good a trade doesn't mean you can run a business. It's amazing when you think that to become proficient at most trades takes 3 - 5 years. Yet people can and do start a business without even the most rudimentary understanding of how they work or what's required to do it properly and successfully.

The point I was making was to answer @carys and others who say "you can't charge that round here". Firstly that's not true, and secondly they'd find that out if they tried it. That example was in Wales and in an area with thousands of second homes and holiday properties owned by people who would quite happily pay more than they're being asked for. As I said though, if you don't quote for the higher figure no one is going to try and force you to take more money are they?
How long did it take him? If he done that in a few weeks he’s still had an earner
 
I had a reputation for being expensive... if you cant afford me then use someone else... I encouraged people to get other quotes but like many others my reputation is what mattered. People happily paid more because they knew the work turned out will be perfect, no dramas....

Oh pleeeaaaassse

A rip off is overpromising and under delivering...

If I have to compete on price I dont compete... whats the point? its a race to the poor house.

The honey I sell is charged a lot more than others in the area... in fact mine I think is almost double in price. you can buy honey from sainsbury for pennies compared...

I sell out, in fact I restrict it to max 2 jars per person because the demand is so high. I have a waiting list that I cannot fulfil but when I do get honey my arm is snapped off for it.

Why though? people are sold into it, people watch and see what I have been doing and are following the journey and they want to be a part of it. They are not buying honey but buying into the story or journey and they want to.

Its all down to marketing/branding and selling and it is not just "plastering" you are the key to making someones life a lot better, transforming rooms into livable spaces and people always think that "plastering" is a magic art and lots of people admit they cant do it... So work on that and just talk to customers and just give them patter and chat.

you are solving a problem charge to do it.

I dont give a crap what other people in my industry are charging, not interested makes no odds to my price.
 
I can rant about this all day but if you don't have the mindset to understand it then I will be talking to a brick wall.

Financial education is the most important education you can ever ever ever have, if you dont understand it then you will always be working and will always be poor.

@theclemo says that "working is for the poor"... think about it for a while... itis probably the most true statement and has personally changed my way of thinking in the last 2 years
I was working last week lol
 
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