going to do an estimate and tree company already there

[Rftreeman]

Around here, you would get ZERO appointments after you told them you were going to charge for the privilege of talking to them.

same here, if I'm called today to give an estimate then they have a written estimate within 24 hours and I go in my car, if I get there and someone else is there doing their estimate then I ride around the block and come back, had to do that today...

now what gripes my ass is when they tell you you have the job and you can't do it for a week or so and they get someone else to do it before you get there and they don't have the decency to call and cancel......

 

[treeclimber101]

Sorry, but I think its kinda funny that you got stuck in that court with all that metal , a chuckle was surely had at your expense as you left all pissed and rejected ..... and don't try to say that you wouldn't have laughed a little at him wearing the other shoe ....

 

[Toddppm]

Like somebody else said- They're ready to buy and just start calling everybody in the phone book. 1rst one there with a price they thought was reasonable gets the job. And who knows what they think is reasonable?


Makes me a little more considerate when I call for something I need like a plumber, electrician. I keep track of who I called and when etc., so I don't waste their time if I accept another estimate. Before I was in business I had the same mindset that if a company can't come right away that's their problem.

 

[ronnyb]

WTF is a coltasack? Balls on a baby horse?

 

[Sunrise Guy]

WTF is a coltasack? Balls on a baby horse?

LMAO! Anyway----Yeah, as others have said, it's the nature of the beast. If you can jump on a gig you just bid, cool, you'll be doing the job. Tell the client that it's set for x amount of days from today and----don't count on the $$ from that one.

 

[Josh777]

Make it a retainer.

Simple. Make it a deposit/retainer, not an estimate. If they do the job with you it's built into the price. If they don't do the job with you or switch companies, you get their deposit. You don't come off looking like you're charging for an estimate and you won't get as many walk aways either. All the best! -Josh

 

[tree md]

I don't know if you're in the yellow pages but if you are you had better get used to that. I will often bid against the same three or four guys who are in the book. We have gotten to know each other actually. When I ride by and see one of them already doing the job I just smile and wave and don't look back. One thing that I will do is set up a time with the client and ask if we agree on a price if I can go ahead and do the job. That will usually let you know if they are getting other estimates. If they say yeah sure, bring your stuff and lets get it done I know that they are motivated to get the work done and I will likely get the job if I give a reasonable price. If they say that they are just looking to get a few estimates right now they get moved further down on the priority list.

 

[treeman75]

I try to make an appointment when they are home it is alot easier to close the sale. I will give them a price and if they say they have to think about it I will ask if they had a price in there head and see if we can negotiate. If I put a good number on it and get it I will write it up and sometimes even start the job right there.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

i had fun

its not just your biz i bid a tile job for 3500 bucks . decent price lady is a teacher at the kids school. her hubby the general got another contractor to do the job for more (my price was just labor they were to pick out and pay for the materials but i got em my contractors price) the other guy bid the materials in.
when the job was done the other guy subbed it to me. for 3500. her hubby had a funny look when i showed up and an even funnier look when he realized how he had screwed himself. the other guy marked up the material the usual . he paid just under 8 k for what he coulda got for just about 5 k. and the general was not happy. i could barely keep a straight face when i got my check