Seem to find time wasters

[brodders97]

Hi all,

I’ve not long started out on my own, and so because of this I try to keep my quotes down to generate business to start, but I seem to spend half my time giving out estimations to people and that’s the end of it. I seem to only find tire kickers.

I know my prices are on the lower side, I believe I present myself well, chat to the customers a little while and get to know them etc, but when I sent the price out they’re never to be heard from again, and if they do reply, it’s always the same, too expensive!!!

For example, yesterday I priced one up, 2 days work. £800 in total including around £400 materials, to get told I’m too expensive… it seems most people want something for nothing.

Anyway, my question is, is this experienced by most tradesmen, or is it just my luck at the moment?

Cheers

 

[catdog1121]

Not sure I agree with this Luke. Lots of people like to pay with cash still, particularly older folk. Makes you look unaccommodating to refuse it.

I agree, especially with smaller jobs.. I would say to the OP I charge an hourly rate, doing quotes is a pain, I do it for some customers but it takes too much time, after a while though you will especially not not massive jobs get to know roughly how much the materials will be (Although I still always seem to underestimate how stupidly expensive materials are). So I tend to just say there and then, I would estimate parts will be about X, plus I think it will probably take me about X amount of time @ X pounds per hour, obviously if I find unexpected things then it might take longer but I explain to them that I find thats the fairest way, I only charge for hours I am onsite, I dont lark around, I find its just the fairest way to charge.. I'm not the cheapest, not the most expensive but I would say I probably get around 90% of the work...

Being prompt, if you can give them a price there and then not mess around you often find they might go oooh thats more than I thought then you can explain normally the thing that catches people out is cost of materials, they just dont realise how expensive materials are, gone are the day where the majourity of the cost was in labour, now it seems like the majourity is in materials.. Be friendly, reliable, give them a date you can do it, make it the easy option for them... I am also a landlord and so deal with trades, you know what the worst thing I find is having people say "Ok yeah ill try and drop in at some point ill give you a ring", I dont know if im going to hear from them again so I try other people, if you say "Yeah no problem are you about this evening ill pop round take a quick look for you, work out what is needed and give you a rough price".. People come off the phone and its like a relief that its sorted and they don't phone other people, you then are more likely to get the work..

You will always get some cheap bottoms.. think my last rejection which was a while ago was replace two consumer units in a flat (on peak and off peak), from old rewireable fuses after it failed landlord EICR (That I didnt do).. I came in at a reasonable price, not overly cheap but it wasnt the nicest of jobs, customers response... "Nah I can't afford it, its ok I wont bother, ive met the regulations as I have had an EICR done", I tried to educate her that because it failed she needed it done but she assured me she was correct...

Have you thought about doing any charity work if you have spare time, I have a job to fit a defibrulator for a charity, I am doing it at cost price (Materials plus a little bit to cover my expenses like insurance etc), my company name gets put on the defibrulator and there is going to be an opening with some press releases etc with my company name, puts you out there in the local community..

 

[LukeD]

Not sure I agree with this Luke. Lots of people like to pay with cash still, particularly older folk. Makes you look unaccommodating to refuse it.

There might be times when cash has to be accepted .But in 2022 its rare and I never entertain it as a "payment method " when giving quotes or chatting with clients . "cash" translates too easily as "Avoiding paying tax etc " !

 

[nicebutdim]

There might be times when cash has to be accepted .But in 2022 its rare and I never entertain it as a "payment method " when giving quotes or chatting with clients . "cash" translates too easily as "Avoiding paying tax etc " !

World of difference between a 'cash job' and accepting payment in cash. Method of payment is of little relevance when the customer is furnished with the same sort of invoice as every other customer and there's cetainly nothing dodgy about accepting cash.

 

[mainline]

World of difference between a 'cash job' and accepting payment in cash. Method of payment is of little relevance when the customer is furnished with the same sort of invoice as every other customer and there's cetainly nothing dodgy about accepting cash.

Wonder what would happen after giving a customer an invoice, and they say they haven't got a bank account and only deal in cash ?

 

[mainline]

There might be times when cash has to be accepted .But in 2022 its rare and I never entertain it as a "payment method " when giving quotes or chatting with clients . "cash" translates too easily as "Avoiding paying tax etc " !

Awkward to avoid paying tax if you are supplying invoices.

 

[nicebutdim]

Awkward to avoid paying tax if you are supplying invoices.

That's the point.

If a customer expects cash in hand, with no vat, it's easy to put them straight. To be fair, there is some legislation to comply with if receiving sums of cash above a certain amount, but that's no issue with jobs running only to several hundred pounds.

 

[LukeD]

In the last 3 years Ive only been offered cash 3-4 times and always for those "Saturday morning quick jobs" that dont get to much more than £120 etc .Everyone seems to be happy to pay by bank transfer or card ( iZettle)

 

[mainline]

In the last 3 years Ive only been offered cash 3-4 times and always for those "Saturday morning quick jobs" that dont get to much more than £120 etc .Everyone seems to be happy to pay by bank transfer or card ( iZettle)

Bloody technology and the ease of payments, I miss the days of feeling a wad of cash in my pocket, now all I feel is my leg

 

[LukeD]

Anyone accepting bitcoin yet ? !!!

 

[JBW175]

Anyone accepting bitcoin yet ? !!!

I’d quite happily take $BTC as a payment method, I’m well into my crypto, trading digital assets are becoming a lot more popular these days.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I’d quite happily take $BTC as a payment method, I’m well into my crypto, trading digital assets are becoming a lot more popular these days.

I know a couple builders , plumbers and sparks who will accept crypto-currency as payment from certain clients

 

[JBW175]

I know a couple builders , plumbers and sparks who will accept crypto-currency as payment from certain clients

I don’t blame them, I’d certainly have no qualms in accepting it. Digital money is the future in my eyes.

I use my phone or watch to tap and pay for most things these days, paper money will eventually be a thing of the past and crypto will play a part in it.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I don’t blame them, I’d certainly have no qualms in accepting it. Digital money is the future in my eyes.

I use my phone or watch to tap and pay for most things these days, paper money will eventually be a thing of the past and crypto will play a part in it.

Cyber money will be the 'new' cash in hand

 

[JBW175]

Cyber money will be the 'new' cash in hand

But getting back onto the subject of cash, I’ll readily accept it as a payment.

It’s when people offer it up as a payment option expecting you to do the job cheaper. Sorry mate, my price is my price, how you want to pay is completely up to you.

 

[mattg4321]

It’s more expensive for me as a business to handle cash than a bank transfer.

 

[Dustydazzler]

But getting back onto the subject of cash, I’ll readily accept it as a payment.

It’s when people offer it up as a payment option expecting you to do the job cheaper. Sorry mate, my price is my price, how you want to pay is completely up to you.

In the past if my initial quote was say £220 for a quick job , I 'sometimes' would take say £200 'for cash'

But not so much now as most people prefer to pay bank transfer and very rarely offer up 'cash in hand'

I do know some builders who will knock 10% OFF for cash but they are all a bit wheeler dealer types

 

[Risteard]

It’s more expensive for me as a business to handle cash than a bank transfer.

Exactly. There should be a surcharge rather than discount for cash. I accept payment in cash but certainly don't encourage it.

 

[mainline]

Exactly. There should be a surcharge rather than discount for cash. I accept payment in cash but certainly don't encourage it.

If anyone has spare cash, give it to me and i'll put it in your bank account less the %5 handling

 

[LukeD]

It’s more expensive for me as a business to handle cash than a bank transfer.

It’s more expensive for me as a business to handle cash than a bank transfer.

Plus the time to go to the bank.....

 

[nicebutdim]

Plus the time to go to the bank.....

For large amounts it can be a pain, but smaller amounts I add to petty cash and keep it on hand.

I've always said that I'll accept any form of payment feasible, including Japanese Yen, provided all costs are covered, but I'd draw the line at Vietnamese Dong.


Different types of payment will be more prevalent in certain places and I'd expect people large cities to be more inclined to pay by card/apple/bank transfer etc than country folk.

 

[JBW175]

Getting back to waste of time customers…

Had a landlord message me on Tuesday night that’s got a rental near me, kitchen electrics have tripped and asked if I could attend.

Said earliest I can do is the next morning and gave him my rates, £60 first hour and £50 thereafter.

He comes back with, can you do it for £40?

I goes, no mate, but I’m sat here with all my electrics fully functioning and know how to fix them should they go ----.

Not the most professional response I know, but I was 4 cans of Tyskie deep at this point, had a clear diary until 1300, and thought I’d rather have a fry up and a late start than deal with idiots that try knock you down.

Needless to say, I didn’t hear back from him.

 

[nicebutdim]

Getting back to waste of time customers…

Had a landlord message me on Tuesday night that’s got a rental near me, kitchen electrics have tripped and asked if I could attend.

Said earliest I can do is the next morning and gave him my rates, £60 first hour and £50 thereafter.

He comes back with, can you do it for £40?

I goes, no mate, but I’m sat here with all my electrics fully functioning and know how to fix them should they go ----.

Not the most professional response I know, but I was 4 cans of Tyskie deep at this point, had a clear diary until 1300, and thought I’d rather have a fry up and a late start than deal with idiots that try knock you down.

Needless to say, I didn’t hear back from him.

That sort of mindset always has to gain some concession or a bargain price. It probably never occurred to him that he was asking you a favour and not doing you a favour by throwing an hour's work your way.

 

[JBW175]

That sort of mindset always has to gain some concession or a bargain price. It probably never occurred to him that he was asking you a favour and not doing you a favour by throwing an hour's work your way.

That’s the trouble, half of them think that they’re doing you a favour, but I’d rather work 3 days a week at my price, than 5 days a week at theirs.

Now I don’t get it right all the time and still struggle with pricing occasionally, but coming on here and reading through some of the threads we have on the subject, has given me the confidence to realise my worth and stick to my rates.

I’d also like to point out that I’m not normally a dick to potential customers, but I’d had a few beers and was finding myself funny.

 

[nicebutdim]

I’d also like to point out that I’m not normally a dick to potential customers, but I’d had a few beers and was finding myself funny.

I doubt it did him any harm - sometimes we all need to have things put to us straight.

 

[timhoward]

Some people HAVE to have the last word on price. Last week I was clearing out the shed, and realised I have 3 tents. It was clear one of them would never be used by us again - we'd got it in Netherlands as an emergency purchase when our caravan awning collapsed. It now was 4 years old, used once, and in perfect condition so I stuck it on facebook marketplace for a £15 bargain. It sold quickly and was collected.
Before I had the chance to mark it as sold, someone had the temerity to offer me £11.50 for it!!!

 

[123]

Some people HAVE to have the last word on price. Last week I was clearing out the shed, and realised I have 3 tents. It was clear one of them would never be used by us again - we'd got it in Netherlands as an emergency purchase when our caravan awning collapsed. It now was 4 years old, used once, and in perfect condition so I stuck it on facebook marketplace for a £15 bargain. It sold quickly and was collected.
Before I had the chance to mark it as sold, someone had the temerity to offer me £11.50 for it!!!

Ha, that's nowt. Wait till you list something you want shot of for free, that brings the best of them out. We did that with mother in laws old kitchen appliances...all old Miele stuff fully working, the amount after free delivery & installation was shocking.

 

[nicebutdim]

I hope you offered a decent warranty on those appliances.

 

[mainline]

Some people HAVE to have the last word on price. Last week I was clearing out the shed, and realised I have 3 tents. It was clear one of them would never be used by us again - we'd got it in Netherlands as an emergency purchase when our caravan awning collapsed. It now was 4 years old, used once, and in perfect condition so I stuck it on facebook marketplace for a £15 bargain. It sold quickly and was collected.
Before I had the chance to mark it as sold, someone had the temerity to offer me £11.50 for it!!!

Terrible, worth at least £12

 

[Dustydazzler]

Ha, that's nowt. Wait till you list something you want shot of for free, that brings the best of them out. We did that with mother in laws old kitchen appliances...all old Miele stuff fully working, the amount after free delivery & installation was shocking.

There are one or two good people who pick up freebies

I wanted rid of our old wooden decking boards, big pile of them I took up with most in good nick and perfectly reusable.
I stuck them on Gumtree saying free to pick up from outside our house.
A guy messaged me and said he would come take them away, great I said they are all yours.

He came when we were out but when got home I found some big real ale bottles on the doorstep as a thankyou

 

[123]

There are one or two good people who pick up freebies

I wanted rid of our old wooden decking boards, big pile of them I took up with most in good nick and perfectly reusable.
I stuck them on Gumtree saying free to pick up from outside our house.
A guy messaged me and said he would come take them away, great I said they are all yours.

He came when we were out but when got home I found some big real ale bottles on the doorstep as a thankyou

See, I can see if that was me I'd come home to be left with the decking boards they didn't need or the less good ones all left behind and a negative seller review left for me