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~~~Clifford Renovations~~~Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y ~~~
I have learned how to weed out certain potential clients as users. One biggie are those that call and ask with VIGOR if the estimates are free. Then ask if they can get the estimate in writing. Us hardened contractors know why most need that. Right. Insurance claims….Take the highest estimate and submit it to the insurance dept and use the cheapest contractor to do the job. Burn you up? Sure did me but it didnt take long for me to learn how to weed that one out. I make it clear now to ANY client that needs a written estimate that I charge for that which is applied to the job if they use me.
It is very difficult in many businesses besides renovations to do the brain work for free. Real Estate agents have the same issues….Come to the potential clients homes and work up a comparitive market analysis,,,,,,,give a fair idea of what the selling price should be yet the client uses the agency that claims the house is worth more than it is..Eventually the price is lowered and the house is sold so often. The honest agent looses out. There are many professions that loose out in this department. So what is the criteria a contractor can use to weed out the greedy thoughtless client that may not even intend to do the job….just interested in window shopping at your expense. I think this is a great topic of discussion. Its ineveitable it will always happen….so what are other contractors “realistic” techniques to minimalize this problem????????????
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~~~Clifford Renovations~~~Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y ~~~
I have learned how to weed out certain potential clients as users. One biggie are those that call and ask with VIGOR if the estimates are free. Then ask if they can get the estimate in writing. Us hardened contractors know why most need that. Right. Insurance claims....Take the highest estimate and submit it to the insurance dept and use the cheapest contractor to do the job. Burn you up? Sure did me but it didnt take long for me to learn how to weed that one out. I make it clear now to ANY client that needs a written estimate that I charge for that which is applied to the job if they use me.
It is very difficult in many businesses besides renovations to do the brain work for free. Real Estate agents have the same issues....Come to the potential clients homes and work up a comparitive market analysis,,,,,,,give a fair idea of what the selling price should be yet the client uses the agency that claims the house is worth more than it is..Eventually the price is lowered and the house is sold so often. The honest agent looses out. There are many professions that loose out in this department. So what is the criteria a contractor can use to weed out the greedy thoughtless client that may not even intend to do the job....just interested in window shopping at your expense. I think this is a great topic of discussion. Its ineveitable it will always happen....so what are other contractors "realistic" techniques to minimalize this problem????????????