Just thought I would share.
This weekend, I’m in the local Home Depot picking up some drywall tape and a new 8″ knife. As I’m standing there I happen to mutter how I would prefer to be poked in the eye with a sharp stick every 15 minutes for eight hours rather than spend eight hours finishing drywall. But, it is my own house, and it needs to get done.
Guy next to me mentions how much he hates finishing drywall too and how his guys only do it as part of a bigger jobs. That leads to the whole “What do you do” conversation. He installs replacement windows and doors. I explain about having been self-employed but having stayed in the Army after a deployment.
So next I ask how the Window and Door business was. So on the conversation goes and he tells me it’s getting more and more competitive by the month.
Thats when I told him about a guy who had been running around my neighborhood selling replacement windows, installed for $300 a piece. We figured out that he was paying $160 on average for the window he used. So, when you figure it out, he is making $140 a window for the sales call, all the work to order and pick up the window, install it, clean up and provide any service or warrenty work.
I happened voice my opinion that the guy was killing himself with that price. So now this other gentlemen isn’t sure how to take that and kinnda isn’t sure what to say until I mention that he’s practically giving his work away.
That’s when he realized we were on the same sheet of music so to speak and opened up about all the clowns selling thier work for free and driving the price to the rock bottom.
So, I ask, is this happening where you are?
From 1993-2000 I lived in this area and worked elsewhere, even when it was my own business. Then, prices started to come up to a liveable wage and you could work around here. Now, and this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this, prices are on the way back down and it’s the guys in the trades themseles dong it.
As a side note, as I was walking to my truck, he was driving away. Turns out, he runs a very reputabel, well respected loacl company.
Replies
I've lost a couple of jobs to "lo-ballers". I had a few people tell me what I lost to (money wise) and in one instance, if I did my count correctly, he was pretty much working for lunch money.
The thing you have to consider though (as a homeowner), is are you comparing apples to apples? Alot of people can low ball but, are they insured? Do they stand behind their work? Use quality parts? The list goes on.
Bottom line, I usually mention to people that this is their home were talking about, and then I mention that Michigans world famous roads were built by the lowest bidder.