Custards are cheeky!!!

[Plumbstar Tom]

Next time just say..

Well I wont commit to doing this job for you just yet I am going to answer a few more calls and go with the best one

If only

 

[jim fennessey]

she was after the one thing ( a bargain ) at your expense,i often get calls from all n sundry asking how much for this and that and if you are daft enough or gullable you would end up giving all your prices away lots of companies use smaller companies to price jobs to give them a feel of costings and then try to undercut , but hey that was always an old trick to cut estimating costs

 

[plumb_know]

she was after the one thing ( a bargain ) at your expense,i often get calls from all n sundry asking how much for this and that and if you are daft enough or gullable you would end up giving all your prices away lots of companies use smaller companies to price jobs to give them a feel of costings and then try to undercut , but hey that was always an old trick to cut estimating costs

How do you guys go about pricing jobs now then? As I'm just about to go self employed and would like to use your experience to try and minimise the amount I get stung. Also on quotes how in depth do you show your material costs. For example on a full bathroom rip out and install it is hard to price for everything as plans change/ alter as the work is carried out usually, so you over estimate adding you 20%, But how do you show this on your bills without the customer seeing your mark up your adding on materials?

Thanks

 

[kay-jay]

itemise things for yourself to help with the pricing. give the customer a price for the job. no breakdown.
try and sell to them from a catalogue as your merchant should give ytou a decent discount

 

[Sag]

I show a breakdown of everything that is to be done, but with an overall cost for labour & materials. Not everything individually priced. That way it's crystal clear what you're quoting for but also doesn't give away how much for each bit of work.

 

[CES]

Don't break anything down as you're just writing a shopping list for the diyer or the next guy. I just put "material "and "labour" down with the cost. That's all they need to know.

 

[Sag]

Unless they've specified an item, they don't get a shoping list. "Remove, suplly & fit new bath" is about as descriptive as it gets.

 

[oz-plumber]

I generally list the works to be done in a:

'Scope of Works'

Then they get a total figure at the end of the quote.

The other 'rule' I have developed is the 3 quote rule.

If I have quoted someone, eg builder, 3 times, and haven't got a job, I don't bother quoting them anymore - and generally let them know the reason for not submitting a quote on the 4th project.

 

[LPC]

Her telephone number would be stored in my phone with an 'X' in front of it. X for 'never answer ever'.

 

[Best]

Her telephone number would be stored in my phone with an 'X' in front of it. X for 'never answer ever'.

Or just put "pig" against her number.

 

[BLOD]

The other 'rule' I have developed is the 3 quote rule.

If I have quoted someone, eg builder, 3 times, and haven't got a job, I don't bother quoting them anymore - and generally let them know the reason for not submitting a quote on the 4th project.

I do this as well - there's too many time wasters & twits out there

 

[Koogatubac]

Or just put "pig" against her number.

Please refrain of using abusive message... Treat this as a warning

 

[Sammyt]

How do you guys go about pricing jobs now then? As I'm just about to go self employed and would like to use your experience to try and minimise the amount I get stung. Also on quotes how in depth do you show your material costs. For example on a full bathroom rip out and install it is hard to price for everything as plans change/ alter as the work is carried out usually, so you over estimate adding you 20%, But how do you show this on your bills without the customer seeing your mark up your adding on materials?

Thanks

I agree with what the other guys have said. Don't give them a shopping list, you will get lots of people ask for a breakdown of items and even materials. Just makes it easier for them to go get Joe blogs from down the road to do it. Learnt this the hard way.