Hi all,
I’m new on the block here in the post its forum for woodworking, thought I’d chime in.
I do a handyman business, you know fix ups, garages add-ons that sort of thing. I was reading about someone losing bids, and well, I loose bids now and then, in fact , I was underbid by someone in my field. The thing that poked me in the eye was I had told this person the job, over coffee one day, then the price came up, I thought nothing of telling my bid, cause I thought it was a little low, he under bid me by 2G’s!! The thing I said to the business owner when he said I didn’t get the job is, Okay, thanks for the opportunity. He said, don’t you want to know the other bid cost? I said no, I already knew it. The moral is, tomorrows another day, and another job, just keep moving forward, and don’t trust someone that does your type of work, at least let them bid their own price…
GB2
Replies
Amen brother
who cares?
Ya lost a bottom feeding price shopper to a bottom feeder carpenter.
Sounds like a win/win.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Gb, when your dealing with the competition, you have to alter your strategies. I've ended up with some fairly impressive deals by feeding the competition some wrong information.
A friend of mine and I have had some good laughs about one deal that I tricked him into.....while I plucked the plum.
blue
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
Thanks for the tip !! I'm in a situation where there are 30 'handyman' businesses in my area, not to mention the contractors. After my buddy took me on this job, I GUARANTEE there will be fabrications of ALL kinds from now on!! On the up side, The owner called to say he wasn't happy with the new bids suggestions on how they were going to attempt the job, I had him closed for 3 days, the other has him closed for 4 1/2 days. He wants me to update my price, (to one that may suit him a little better). I asked him if he still had my quote, or should I run another copy!! HAHAHA
C-ya, GB2
ONly lost it by 2 g's? Try this. I just lost a resturant build out. I've started to speacilize in theese & I know what things cost. My buid was at $111,000.00 and change, minimum of 8 weeks to build. the winning bid? $54,000.00 in 4 weeks. NO way no how. My HVAC alone is 44,000 my cost. The upside is this might be the job that finally bankrupts this bottom feeder. I've lost to him before, he underbids and then comes back with this wasn't in the prints ( with this set it would be true but this ain't my first rodeo, it's all in my bid) we couldn't anticipate this etc. I'm hoping they call me back to clean up the mess.
How in the world could they do the same job for 54m?? If the guy hires them, he's got to be as crazy as they are!! Somewhere somehow in the business world that's going to bite somebody in the end!! I'm only 7-15m/month, to under bid a job like that would devastate me. I hope you get it back somehow. I'd be interested in the final showdown as to what happened. Good luck.
GB2
They can't. the last email I sent to the owners asked them to stay in touch as I would like to see where it finishes in terms of time & dollars. I received no reply. The owners are sales consultants and also sell insurance, they have never bbuilt or ran a resturant before. I will keep this up to date as I find out more.
That's too bad about the consultants, do you think of insurance sales people kind of like car sales people?? I hope it turns in your favor somehow.
GB2
Actually I have nothing against any one trying to make an honest living. Some one has to sell the cars & insurance. they come across as being the savy bus types that you aren't going to put one over on them. I'll check on progress with a drive by next week, tommorow is the end of week 1
Theres a world of difference between car sales and insurance sales. Insurance pays residuals. That says it all.
blueJust because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
next thing U people are gonna do is start talking bad about telemarketers!
Jeff
I used to joke ... got the telemarketing and car sales covered ... now remodeling contractor ... the only thing I can do next to make people hate me more and trust me less is become a lawyer! Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I said insurance people are like car dealers the the other day. Then yesterday, Friday, out of the blue, an insurance guy called about quoting a leaky roof and replacing drywall damage and such!! This is my first insurance quote!! I almost feel bad about what I said..... almost.
GB2
Blue,
car sales could pay "residuals"---- If car salesmen were not such a-holes.
I remember the FIRST new car I bought-----I really felt the salesman went out of his way to help me---I really thought he bent over backwards to help us buy that car-------I remember my wife and I driving home laughing---"I can't believe they let US buy this car"
A year later I go back to buy a new truck--- ask for the same salesman----he will barely talk to us---doesn't really want to work with us-----I STILL buy a new truck from him.
Couple years later I go back to the SAME GUY---gonna buy ANOTHER car. " My" guy is now the sales manager---he is drinking coffee behind a desk---I introduce myself, mention I have bought 2 vehicles from him--he says , ya,ya,ya---here my new man Javier is gonna handle ya----bye.
Needless to say---the next 2 vehicles I bought were someplace else.
BTW----I am a very EASY sale. I don't go to the dealer untill I know what I want---and I am prepared to buy it RIGHT NOW.
Imagine the "residual" sales "my" guy turned "sales manager could have chalked up over the years if he had just said " Why hello Mr. Hazlett, I am certainly glad you have come back to our dealership once again"---and then listened to what I was looking for---and then said " you know Mr. Hazlett ,I am really glad you came back to work with me. I am the sales manager here now, and although I can't personally handle every detail of your new purchase I am going to ask Javier, one of our brightest new salesmen to help you today. I am really glad to see you again"
Hell, I can in effect get " residual "sales in roofing---and roofs have a 25 year life cycle!!!!!! ( I talked to a man last night on the phone----I am selling his family their 3rd roof in about 7 years---his first house, his second house and now his fathers house ) any idiot car salesman otta be able to sell me a LOT of cars.
Stephen
What I have found in deals like this is that in the end you find the owners will become a bigger PIA because they have been screwed already and they don't trust anyone now. It's not a case of "I told you so" because they already think that you would have screwed them too, only for more money and they only called back because you may have been the next in line or the first to come when they called. Regardless, if you get involved now it can either go real bad or real good, it's not like the initial time around where you establish a relationship and trust. They just want it fixed and completed.
Dustin I couldn't agree with you more. Experience says cash up front too, they could well be drained and are hoping to have me finance them. I've taken over other messes in the past and donde ok but I don't let them get ahead of me.