If customer wants breakdown of quotes do you give them?

[WaterTight]

And if not, what reasons would you give them?

Also if you would for certain size jobs and not/less likely for others, why?

Thanks.

Essentially I want a good answer for when you're quoting fairly high for a job you're not desperate for / is a pig of a job / has an annoying customer involved and don't want to reveal your high labour cost.

I'm not talking about being a rip off here, just expensive and not keen to show how expensive.

 

[Masood]

I decline politely. I ask them if, when they buy a loaf of bread or a pint, if they ask to know the cost of ingredients and labour. Most laugh it off. Some insist that they want to check cost of materials. Those people inevitably turn out to be pains in the 'arris so I just don't provide the quote.

 

[SimonG]

They get a free estimate. End of.

Breakdown?, course you can. £50 please.

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

To properly breakdown the cost would be about an hours work so no chance unless they pay. If they want this then they sound like the sort of customer that will be a pain further on.

 

[Chris F]

With a free quote,there is no chance of me doing a breakdown.Guaranteed that anyone who wants the price of the parts is up to no good

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

The problem with breaking a quote down and going into too much detail is they can then use it to "tender" for more quotes!! I've been caught with that before.

 

[SimonG]

The only time they get a breakdown is if its multiple jobs. So if I was doing the main bathroom, ensuite and a cloakroom then they would get a price for each room. But thats more for my genefit as I would want paying after each rooms completed.

Or if I was doing a new build or full refurb. The whole job would be x and the breakdown would be again for payment stages. So 50% at first fix completion etc.

 

[hammers4spanner]

They get a free estimate. End of.

Breakdown?, course you can. £50 please.

haha good skills

 

[Best]

On an estimate for a small job with very little labour, but expensive parts, I would prefer to give people a breakdown so that they can see that nearly every penny is in the cost of the materials.
Like if you were supplying and fitting an expensive set of taps costing several hundred but just an hours labour, for example.
I do remember years ago one fairly wealthy gent who must have assumed he was ripped off because his new bathroom suite was approx over £800 retail but the bill for supplying and fitting it was over £1100. This bill included a new radiator, quality rad valves plus all pipes including sewer & fittings. He must have expected to get the full discount on the bathroom suite (which he did!) & had expected the bill to be less. He was a bit slow in paying final money & sent a letter with it asking what discount he had been given!
People can assume you are always getting plenty of money for labour.

 

[WaterTight]

Ok the consensus is not to give them.

But hasn't anyone got a good suggestion of how to say this to someone who asks for it while still sounding reasonable, friendly and professional? Analogies involving pints of milk seem a bit patronising.