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.

 

[Best]

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.

It is a problem for to be polite to people who ask for a bit too much.
I am guilty of being far too nice and have been walked over lots.
Now that I am getting older, I do try to stand up for myself.
I will give you one good piece of advice - Do NOT promise anything straight away! Bluff it by saying something like, " I don't normally do breakdown quotes, but I will see what I can do." This will be polite and gives you time for a thought out response.
You could just look surprised & then ask them (if you already have given them a basic quote) - " That's unusual? Why? Do you think the price is too low, or too too high?"
Probably a very polite easy way is to just say you haven't much time at moment to do it.
...or I suppose you could just tell them to F off. You won't get the job though. :smile:

 

[julesverne]

I never give a breakdown on quotes. I have been asked and i always give the responce do you ask for a breakdown when you do the weekly shopping i never get the job and thats ok.
people who ask for a breakdown are always looking for the lowest quote so i know im not going to get it.
People seem to think its ok for the likes morrisons, british gas etc to earn millions but im not allowed to be seen to earn more then they do and they dont seem to think we have business overheads. Its not the answer your looking for but i think your on a hiding to nothing if you do this.

 

[tomplumb83]

I normally give a breakdown. I mean the quote, not the customer.
Funny cos I thought everybody gives a breakdown on the quote!
I dont think I'd get any work otherwise.

It is crap though. The customer asks you for a quote, you give it to them and then they decided they want it broken down. At which point, theyll go on the internet, decide they can get the stuff cheaper and just have you or somebody else to provide the labour
They want something for nothing and these sorts of people youre probably well giving a wide berth.
Ive literally just had one a couple of hours ago - She rang last week and asked me to fit a steaming hot tap. I didnt know the price of the tap so I gave her my labour charge.
She then asked me to call her back with the total price, which Ive just done.
I then get 'can you break it down for me'. Then I get 'ill think about it'
You live and learn.

 

[rpm]

The only advantage there is that you don`t cover the warranty or the return visit costs for damaged or missing parts but you do lose the mark up Tom.

 

[Millsy 82]

I would break it down into 3 things, parts with Mark up, labour that I would keep as low as possible then running costs and I would write literally everything I can think of down on that. Then they might realise that you are only making an honest living.