what is it with customers??!

[Freerider]

1st one this week rings me up and tells me the job will only take half a day, when its a good days work atleast!

how the f**k do they know how long it takes all of a sudden!?

2nd one, just been to look at a job now, hall stairs and landing, and master bedroom re skim with a few patches to be floated, a good weeks work and matey boy says he would want me to do it next week.

Do they think we just sit at f**k**g home doing f**k all until they ring and then we jump at the chance to do their job, and ONLY theirs, until the next customer and so on and so on, I cant do it for two/three weeks, feel like theres no point in me even writing an estimate as they wont go for me anyway!

makes my blood boil!

 

[skimmin2day]

Mate i no longer dish out written estimates willy nilly,if its a sizeable /profitable job then i will dtherwise i make it clear i will give them the price in writing if they want it after full verbal agreement and start date /a price is agrreed.
A small busines like mine hasnt got the time to be writing estimates out for clowns and timewasters.

 

[Freerider]

your not wrong there mate!

might as well ask them before I go see the job when they want it doing, because 95% of the time they expect you to start immediately/next day, and 95% of the time for us we CANT do that!

 

[beddy]

i always just say politely, 'when are you looking at getting the work done?'

 

[rockhardsolidplastering]

must be big stairs and landing and bed sounds like a decent earner

 

[ziggy2]

I'm same as Steve, ask when they are looking to get the job done before I go to price it, save time and money.

 

[Freerider]

average size!

Ill deffo start asking them when they are looking at having it done, wasting my time driving miles to look for f**k all!

 

[skimmin2day]

Offer them a small discount if they will wait for you!!!!! our asian cousins love this.
Obviously just hike the price up before deducting your " discount".

 

[Nisus]

Yeah had em all.

1 woman phones me up saying her window reveals needed plastering after new windows had been fitted & some of the old plaster had dropped off back to the brickwork.
she said it's only a small job & she said it should only take you an hour

Another one phoned me on a Monday saying she wants her conservatory plastering I said I'll pop round weds evening to give you a price, she said oh can't you start it tommorow ???

Then there's the ones when you go past your house after work & drive so many miles past it, then spend time measuring up etc,
then arrive home an hr or so after you past your house & don't even get the job.
Waste of time & diesel.

Now I just ask them over the phone when are they looking to have the work done, saves driving out your way to find you can't do the job anyway.

 

[nelly]

I had a phone call at 6 pm on a saturday to price a job that was just down the road so I said do you want me to come and look at it now, he said yeah, then added you may aswell bring your tools with you.

I said what for, he said if the price is right you can start straight away

I just put the phone down.

 

[beddy]

I had a phone call at 6 pm on a saturday to price a job that was just down the road so I said do you want me to come and look at it now, he said yeah, then added you may aswell bring your tools with you.

I said what for, he said if the price is right you can start straight away

I just put the phone down.

priceless.

 

[skimmin2day]

If they want it doing in a real hurry,the chances are high they aint getting other quotes to compare,so if you can do it quickly price accordingly " highly /expensively " Makes it worth while then.

 

[nelly]

The majority of my jobs are one day stuff like a room re-skim, I dont really work for builders so I can normally do some jigging around and accomadate rush jobs.

Most people strip the paper off their walls expecting to be able to paint them, then realise it needs skimming so they start looking for a plasterer, thats why a lot are after us straight away.

 

[skimmin2day]

Wait till next week with the school half term break, theyl be plenty of yummy mummys stripping of paper and getting in a mess and wanting it doing that week / day and theyl lpay for it cus they need it doing that week and finnished before they go back to work the following week.

 

[beddy]

if they are real yummy mummyies ill do it for nowt!

 

[bodplasterer]

I cant remember the last time i priced a doestic job but i do remember what its like how they try and put you on the spot and get a price out of you there. Or the classic when you tell um you will phone em later with the price and they ask how much it would be around and if you give em a guestamate they usually take it as the price and throw it at you when you give em a higher price.

 

[skimmin2day]

Bod its all part of the domestic game mate.i think you gotta give a quote on the spot,well i always do on almost every job.
i know what materials i need,iknow what they cost i know how long it will take i just add them together and give them a price there and then.
that way you put them on the spot and you can negotiate the price out there and then if need be.

 

[phippsy333]

i always just say politely, 'when are you looking at getting the work done?'

yep on the phone when they ring " when are you looking to have the work done" so no-one wastes their time!
Ive never given them a quote there and then anyway......i tel them i'll send it to them within 48 hrs......and sorry to sound big headed but i get most of my jobs......i can even remember the ones ive lost in last 6 months or so and i can count em on one hand....
.i think it looks more professional and if the customer pushes u for a immediate quote give them a rough idea and say dont hold me to it tho..and gauge their reaction.........if they dont blink at it...put a bit more on when quote goes off.......this has always worked a treat for me.

 

[flynnyman]

Bod its all part of the domestic game mate.i think you gotta give a quote on the spot,well i always do on almost every job.
i know what materials i need,iknow what they cost i know how long it will take i just add them together and give them a price there and then.
that way you put them on the spot and you can negotiate the price out there and then if need be.

This is bad advise never give a price on the spot then negotiate your price down tut tut tut

 

[skimmin2day]

i live in Leicestershire flynny ,i dont know if you are aware but it is 60 % asian area,price negotiation is in there blood u crank it up then lower it down.
That the game here,i dont agree with it but its the law down here man honestly.

 

[phippsy333]

Bod its all part of the domestic game mate.i think you gotta give a quote on the spot,well i always do on almost every job.
i know what materials i need,iknow what they cost i know how long it will take i just add them together and give them a price there and then.
here here...never a good thing in my book to..........
that way you put them on the spot and you can negotiate the price out there and then if need be.

This is bad advise never give a price on the spot then negotiate your price down tut tut tut



here here

 

[beddy]

its the same in cov mate, thats why i tell them over the phone. and a price is a price.

 

[phippsy333]

i live in Leicestershire flynny ,i dont know if you are aware but it is 60 % asian area,price negotiation is in there blood u crank it up then lower it down.
That the game here,i dont agree with it but its the law down here man honestly.

I dont work for ethnic minorities ...sorry...they dont pay properly.if at all..i feel for u my man.....cant u move
;o)

 

[flynnyman]

i live in Leicestershire flynny ,i dont know if you are aware but it is 60 % asian area,price negotiation is in there blood u crank it up then lower it down.
That the game here,i dont agree with it but its the law down here man honestly.

Yeh true in the asian culture there is no true price a price is negotiated i agree, also they have a word for a plasterer it is mistry the same word is used for all trades coz all they have is builders, when you work for most asians they think you can do all the jobs ie paint, plaster and joinery.

 

[skimmin2day]

Luckily i can do all the jobs above and more.

 

[ziggy2]

Your on sticky ground by giving a price on the spot to which they agree, it's to do with the supply of services act and contracts etc....if they agree in their home they have a seven day cooling off period, if agree over the phone they don't. Also the act gives the consumer various rights and you could end up not getting paid even if it goes to court.

 

[SLIPPY]

I hate it when people say its only a small job and you could do it on the way home when you have some stuff left over.

 

[phippsy333]

....." oh and if u have any of your muck left on your board could you just......"
that old rascal

 

[skimmin2day]

I live on the suburbs rural part thank god,but where all the asians live its row after row after row of old terraced houses that need plastering work.You cant turn it away with an above 50/50 mix of culktures in an area that has nearly all the plastering work in can you?

 

[christ]

i never give on the spot prices.....because i always say something stupid like,,, ahh umm, ill do it all for £60 including materials :-X :-X. and then think way the f$$k did i say that.

 

[phippsy333]

u know it sky......anytime i misspriced ona job when i 1st started it was because of exactly that...and thus the 48hr thing now

 

[bkh]

i never give on the spot prices.....because i always say something stupid like,,, ahh umm, ill do it all for £60 including materials :-X :-X. and then think way the f$$k did i say that.

haha i remeber my first ever guvvy job i priced whilst working for my old company, asian fella wanted a bathroom dot and dabbing bout 4mx3m no scimming, he was like "it wont take you long will it? bout an hour or summat? he kept saying come on then how much? and i ended up saying


50 quid ;D ;D ;D


agreed and walked out with the plumber, he said (french word) me lad i charge double that for a call out lol, bit cheap init lol

 

[Freerider]

i never give on the spot prices.....because i always say something stupid like,,, ahh umm, ill do it all for £60 including materials :-X :-X. and then think way the f$$k did i say that.

tell me about it! Im terrible at being put on the spot!

So now whenever they ask how much I tell them I cant think off the top of my head, Ill have to go away and think about it! and also the "how long will it take" question, number of times i've given them an answer off the top of me head and gone home and worked it out to be twice as many days, makes me look like Im charging 3-400quid a day lol

 

[flynnyman]

I always tell them i have to go home and put all the information into the computer and the answer comes out the other end.

 

[kirk johnstone]

work out how long it will take, then work your day rate and dont work for less than that.
so i say to them it will take me a day and i want £200 for a days work and the materials come to say £60 odd so the price for you to pay is £260 and i will need this in cash for the end of the day once the work is complete. THANKYOU ;D