Customer calls wanting exterior windows done before august 5th. Says she has 50 windows. I ballpark $250-350. She objects that she only paid $180 before but they “only do commercial now.” Said she’ll pay max $250. I reply I’d be happy to have a look. I then proceed to approach this house:
Guys, it’s a freaking mansion. The pic doesn’t even do it justice. One of those properties where you can’t even see the boundaries. The windows are as tall as doors. The doors are as tall as my ceilings.
So she only wants the front and right side done. Price comes to $217. She’s appalled. Mentions the $180 again. I tell her there’s a reason they aren’t doing it again. She says “they went out of…i mean they switched to commercial only.” Lol. Right. Then she tells me she knows them. Oh…so they’re your friends and still won’t do it for you?
Asks me to price just the front…and then only certain windows. Comes out to $160. She then treats me like some desperate, homeless puppy and says, “Well, i would have given you the job, but i guess you don’t want it.” She mentions how she’ll just have to find someone else. Yes, good luck: the other companies won’t even answer the phone by august 5th…if at all.
That’s just summarizing of course. She wasn’t rude, just ridiculous. I love how the person in the $5 million home thinks my price to do her giant windows up to three stories high covered in bird poop is too expensive.
I also love how the job right before told me how reasonable my prices are, so worth the money, and gave me a $20 tip.
Of course that looks like 150 to me too. I tell these people my price and if they like it GREAT, if not thanks a lot. I’m sure you can find a cheaper guy if you look around. I’m so emotionless with bidding these days.
Yeah not that it’s super hard, but it needs like 36 ladder sets. That alone is saying something. I know from the pic it might look like a $150 but in person this is one of the biggest houses i have ever seen. Oh and the “second story” windows were 35’ up (according to her).
Cleaned a house in June. 16000 sq ft, 12 ft ceilings. About 45 windows that were double the size of a normal window. 41 glass doors and 26 transoms. Gave her a quote and spent twice as long as i thought and I charged her almost double my normal rate in the first place because of the above and the outside hadn’t been cleaned since it was built 10 years ago. she likes perfect, and something was up with these windows because a clean scrim left streaks, not just lint a little lint. Told her next time will be double. First real pita fee, as she was not the easiest to deal with either. She didnt say no, and still seemed interested.
Good for you for not caving. I quoted a gutter job last week for $270. “Last guy” did it for $100 but she didn’t like his work. It’s blazing in Florida, I know I do a great job and I tell her I can’t do it for any less and I know I’m better than the last guy. She fidgeted a bit, said she’d get other quotes, fidgeted some more and then said to just go for it. After 3+ hours on her roof, she realized I’d done a better job than the “last guy” just by the time I took to do the job. It was the first time I ever told someone to their face I wouldn’t do the job for less. In the end, she was happy and I was happy.
Agreed! While i really don’t think she’ll call back, I’m certain she won’t find anyone that will do it for less, let alone by the time she needs it done. While at first i thought it would be hilarious and fitting to tell her if she does call back that it’s actually more expensive now, i realized she’s not the type of customer you want. She’ll just knit pick and complain and not be loyal anyway. Not worth the money. In reality, while she was acting like she was doing poor me a favor with this grand opportunity to earn effectively $60 after taxes and expenses, i was really doing her a favor by trying to squeeze her in before her party. So if she does call, “Aww sorry ma’am… the last opening got filled and there are none till end of August. So sorry. ”
Good for you for sticking with your price. Every single time you go against your own rules it will bite you and you will without a doubt regret ever going against that voice in your gut.
Every time I hear that the last guy this or that I laugh a little and know right from there I don’t want the job.
The best calls begin with “what does your schedule look like” or along those lines. Those calls have my attention. Its also the reason why I will NOT go and give in person estimates. I’d spend another 200 bucks a day on it. Forget it.
our price structure is consistent whether your have 10 windows or 100. I have no problem, and do explain to customers why it is important that we keep our prices in line with every customer. I don’t go back and fourth with customers on my pricing because I don’t negotiate with terrorists
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