Went to go look at a job tonight that a previous customer recomended me to. The phone call was to fix some cracks in the drywall seams. Thats it. Oh and an address. So I thought they were just price shopping and what a waste of time. I show up on time and introduce myself and go in to look. The ho’s dad was there and starts off by saying “I’m a handy guy and I could fix these seams”. I was like okay why am I here?
The job was all vaulted cielings with hardwood flooring under me and a lot of furniture and a very very very very large aquarium net to one wall. So I talk about moving the furniture and possibly moving the fish tank and a few other things and their response was “well you can do that, right?”. I can move the furniture but I will not move the 500 gal. fish tank was my response. They said well just cover it up. Okay but I’m not responsible for any damage or fish.
Then the dad says “just tear off the old drywall and start from scratch or just add another layer over the existing layer and then tape it”. So I take a few measurement and some notes and tell the ho I will have a number in a few days and leave. The dad follows me to my truck and says “just figure on rocking over and taping the new rock”.
Is this guy trying to make me seem like a jackoff or what? Making me look bad by giving a price for something that can be patched? I’ll figure it high so they won’t call me again.
Replies
I dont do those . Just call her and explain it .
I would avoid this one because it's a fair bet that patching those cracks will be temporary at best. Where are they relative to that aquarium? You're looking at about 5000 lbs of dead load there and they may be stress cracks.
I've dealt with a couple of people who either had - or wanted - a big aquarium and were blown away when the subject of reinforcing the floor came up. The last guy even had a crack in his and just couldn't grasp the idea that I was nervous just walking past it - lol.
"The ho's dad was there ..."
Terrible way to talk about someone, especially with her dad right there!!!! LOL.
If you want the job then you could call the homeowners with your quote and say that you would not recommend doing it as dad suggested. Then by the owners' reaction you may tell what the situation would be.
If they said to ignore dad, he's just visiting for the weekend and we know he doesn't really know anything about construction, then you have a really good answer. If they said he lives upstairs, doesn't have job, will be overseeing the work, and is the smartest guy they know, then you have a really bad answer. But, it is worthwhile to feel them out about dad with him not there, if you think you'd like the work.