Customer wants quotation "breakdown"

[gassafe]

I quoted a job recently & the chap is now got back and asked for a quotation breakdown, materials cost, & the time I think it will take.

I always just quote a final price etc... Does anyone do full breakdowns etc, he asked when I was quoting my daily rate... But this is for a boiler upgrade & different bits... The way I see it, just because I can fit a boiler in a day! Does not mean your paying just one days rate!!!

I normally just estimate the amount of work & size of a job & then charge alike. For example, if I am changing from a tank fed back boiler to a modern combi system, with powerflush etc, I can work my arse off and get it done in 2 / 3 days ... But for that sort of work I would want to be making 1200 labour.

I don't want to do a part breakdown just to be told I'm not paying you that amount per day!

 

[plumber0808]

Give him total materials cost with 20% mark up. Labour cost and estimated time of how long it will take.
there is not a lot you can say if he's asked for it. It's that or tell him no your quote is what it is.
it is down to him then, from experience these customers can be a pain in the bum

 

[plumber0808]

If its 1 day I would say 1-2 days.
2 days say 2-3 days.

 

[villa_tom]

I don't do my own private work, I just contract, but its people like this who make me not want to do my own work. The bloke sounds like a tosser, if you can afford to walk then I would.

 

[CES]

I put materials and labour into a quote. I dont break it down any further.
I used to until it was pointed out to me that the customer would use it as a shopping list for the next guy to use for his quote.
If he wants to know how long it will take I usually say 2 or 3 days, if I finish quicker or If I run over its still the same price. Make that clear to him.

 

[tamz]

Personally i don't and wouldn't break it down any more than list what they are getting for their money.

 

[Leo21]

Don't break it down. It is what it is, it's just an oportunity to pick at it and haggle. Besides the breakdown wouldn't cover van cost, fuel, publiciabty, tool maintenance and renewal. Etc,etc.

 

[gassafe]

If I add 20% as suggested then they just say they can get it cheaper! I lose a 20% chuck off my profit then!

Do these type of people go into a restaurant and ask for a breakdown of there meal!!!

 

[plumber0808]

It depends how much you need the work.
If they say they can get it cheaper then tell them to.
Personally I would do it, when he phones saying its too expensive, tell him that's the price take it or leave it.

 

[theanalyst]

I would just tell him that's the price. It includes tool usage, tool wear, insurances and gas safe membership, van running costs, ordering and collecting all the bits. As someone else mentioned this type of customer is usually a nightmare....

 

[gassafe]

I'm glad the general feedback is not to breakdown prices!

Its just giving the custards ammunition to haggle, nit pick & moan

 

[R1CKY]

In my opinion, daily rate is not for private customers. It is for business to business use.

Make sure when you quote for labour, in brackets, write down fuel, PL Insurance, vehicle insurance, tool wear and tear, tool calibration, gas safe registration, design fee etc.

 

[emergencyman]

Ask him if he behaves like this in a restaurant, when he orders his steak and chips. " How much is for the Chef?, How much is for the waiter?, how much were the peas? How much for the heating and lighting?. Steak and chips is £20, take it or leave it and the same should apply to his plumbing.

 

[secret squirrel]

Depends,

Make sure you include everything, power flush, chemicals, extra valves if you use them, core hole drilling, when my friend is asked to do this he quotes £60 per hole and explains in the quote that the core drill has to be paid for, he'll go as far as diesel costs and Gas Safe registration, he also puts in a cost for re-calibration of equipment.

He realised that the first time he did a break down he wasn't charging enough.......

 

[julesverne]

Did a beakdown a few times when i first started before realising that when i did i never got the job.
Like has been said before they use it as a shopping list to get other tradesmens prices lower. If they dont like my price then fair enough i aint putting a gun to their head

 

[kay-jay]

Make sure you itemise
'quotation full breakdown' £175

He will get the message🙂

 

[Leo21]

I don't even give the quote in writing till they book me in. I just give them a verbal quote. All they do is play it of against other tradesman.

 

[Guest123]

Don't.

If you give a detailed breakdown then you are putting yourself at a disadvantage as he will have something to compare with other quotes and he can talk down the price of your competitors using your detailed quote as a bargaining tool.

Unless your desperate for the work, tell him that it's not your firms policy to provide detailed quotations as it puts you at a disadvantage against your competitors.

 

[vern]

I did once on starting out, never again, pretty much fully itemised, then got a callback from custard " how much off if I hang the rads?" I was quite obliging upto this point........click bbbbbrrrrrr buttoned him!

 

[WHPES]

I do a semi detailed quotation - detailing larger items like boilers or bathroom suties but lumping others such as "pipes and fittngs" and "sundry items" together