I love these. Somehow, I can just tell when talking to them on the phone that they’re just looking for the cheapest price.
A lady called yesterday, insisting that I come and look at her family room that she wanted painted. My sixth sense had kicked in already, especially when she emphasized “You give FREE estimates, right?”
So, knowing the score here, I ask for rough room size, ceiling height, doors, windows, trim to be painted, etc. She then tells me it’s panelling to be painted over, paint the trim, ceiling, etc. So I tell her the right way to do it, wash with TSP, prime, use good paint, etc. blah blah blah. Tell here probably a couple of short days $600-$800 ballpark, but that I could come and measure if she wanted an accurate estimate.
She says she found an ad where these guys will come in and paint ANY ROOM for $95. Yes, that’s ninety five dollars.
Good for them. I hope she uses them.
Saved me a trip and a couple of hours, so I figure I made money on that one!
Yet another skill that gets honed the more it’s used.
Pete Duffy, Handyman
Replies
A couple of years ago I mailed out some flyers offering to do apartment painting. I got a response and drove across town and the manager asked me for a bid to paint a two bedroom aparment. I looked at the apartment and estimated three days and $600.
Her mouth dropped open and she said "we paid the last guy $100". I said "you're kidding".
After talking to her I found out one of the reasons I had overbid was they don't really want someone to repaint the apartment.
Instead, they want someone to paint as little as possible to get things ready "as a bare minimum". For example, go into a room and just touch up as needed where nail holes have been filled. Paint one wall only if you can. Those kinds of things.
I talked to a friend about my interest in doing painting or any kind of work associated with an apartment complex and was told apartment complexes offer low salaries to any worker associated with the business: managers, leasing agents, maintenance, landscaping, etc.
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-Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain-
Years ago when I was an apprentice, my boss got a small house to build.
We had just finished up when the painters arrived. In came the gang of 4, lots of paint and some spray equip.
The windows were masked and then the sprayer got cranked up. The WHOLE room got sprayed the same colour. Took no time at all, then on to the next. Looked awful but it was painted.
Maybe your $95 cowboys used the same technique?
Dunno bout your end, but here a gallon of decent paint costs more than 95 bucks....
Whatever it was.................I didnt do it.
One of my first lessons (15 yrs ago) in wasted time was a husband and wife who wanted their bathroom gutted and remodeled. (New fixtures, walls etc.)
I must have gotten the lead from the free "penny saver" paper, add I had run.
I went to their house, and they descrbed what they wanted done. "And depending on what this costs, there is a lot more work to do."
Then the husband tells me they have saved a little over $800 for this project. I must have had a stunned look on my face, because he added that they had a tax refund of $400 coming yet that they could put toward it too.
My suggestion was to use part of the money and buy some DIY books.
Strange, but I can still remember their last name. It was "Profit"
Bowz
I went to their house, and they descrbed what they wanted done. "And depending on what this costs, there is a lot more work to do."
That phrase seems to be common to price shoppers as well. This prospect said basically the same thing. "I have a lot of other rooms to paint if this works out and we work well together."
Had another guy years ago say the same thing when I was doing a bathroom for him. He was also the one who kept beating me down on price, and since I was starrting out, I fell for it and matched HIS price. The next day, on the way to the jobsite, he calls me and tells me the price is too high!
I have learned a lot since them, and keep learning still, but now I don't usually learn the hard way. The red flags are easier to spot these days.
Yeah, the BM paint sells here for around $45-$55 per gallon. Add the cost of masking tape, paper, and tarps, and I see how it could be sprayed for $95. Yeah, right. Not to mention cleanup, cleaning the spray equipment, etc. And what about the trim?
Thankfully, most of my customers and prospects know enough that quality work costs more.Pete Duffy, Handyman
You are right--It is a feeling you get about a customer.
Whenever I get that feeling I ask "Is price your prime concern?"
If they say yes I have a list of 3 Hacks. The guys that really shouldn't be in business, have already been bankrupt a couple of times and are destined to bite them in the butt if they use them.
I tell them to write these numbers down. They do the cheapest work.
About half the time they ask... "Why are you brushing me off?".
I tell them they have called the wrong company--we do the best work, and warranty for 5 years. We are never the cheapest. If they want to meet I charge them for the consultation. That's the cost of raising suspicians of potentially wasting my time. (I typically charge for all consultations unless a referral from a special client).
L
GardenStructure.com~Build for the Art of it!
Pete,
You shoulda said "Why sure. I'll beat their price and paint for $94.95."
An' it'll be a hunnerdollarcharge to clean.
An' it'll be a hunnerdollarcharge to sand.
An' it'll be a hunnerdollarcharge to patch.
An' it'll be a hunnerdollarcharge to mask and tarp.
An' it'll be a hunnerdollarcharge to finish trim.
An' it'll be a hunnerdollarcharge to cleanup.
SamT
I think the thread is getting off the point.
Landlords command the cheapest prices normally because they have a lot of repeat work. One job a year is a great residential client. A good landlord client can be up to full time work or more. Depends but you cant have very many normally or you will be full scheduled.
Walmart paint sells for 10 to 12 per gallon and 8 bucks on sale . They normally hire part time folks like retirees.
I think the problem is that she called a person that works in peoples homes and provides quality. Her mistake really for not knowing the difference .
Ive done a lot of work for the public and got used to it . Ive built , bought and sold to the public and its a little lower standard. Theres a line that you have to keep; If it will rent you have to stop cause they will mess it up anyway. Paint in rentals doesnt wear out , it gets trashed. Just as easy to do it to 45 dollar a gallon paint.
Of course rentals are a bottom line business and you need to understand that too.
Tim
Edited 2/16/2006 8:24 pm by Mooney
I know a real estate investor who bought a beat up run down old home in poor condition. It was a small house and a real POS.The roof was bad and had three layers of shingles. He got some bids to replace the roof.In order to save money, he had the roofing contractor tear off only two of the three layers. He then had the new shingles put over the top of one layer.He saved $300 to $400 by doing this if I remember correctly. Doing repairs this way is common with people who own rentals. They don't care about quality. They just want to try to save money..++++++++++++++++
-Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain-