Troublesome Customer

[highspark]

I have a customer who asked me to split labour and materials costs on quote which I did....I recieved a voicemail today saying she wants every single material itemised plus cost!!! Does she think I just sit round with all this free time? I've already done something I don't normally do because she asked me for a good quote as she has more work for me. That being splitting labour and materials costs on a written quote. I haven't even put a mark up on materials for her and I've knocked off 30% of my labour. Not my mates because he would work for anything less! Anyone dealt with one of these people before. I get the feeling shes the type to hold the money back because a socket is out by 0.0001 degrees!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

surely value for money`s the order of the day here.....

 

[Amp David]

I have had this once, on a loft conversion that was being overseen by the customer. After giving them the quote, over a week later he phoned asking for an itemised quote.

I told him that i didn't have the time to list every switch or socket and as the builder/joiner had told him it sounded expensive, i suggested he had them do the work if it was that easy!

Even now, 6 months down the line he still hasn't had the work done, so it wasn't just me who was expensive then lol

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I have had this once, on a loft conversion that was being overseen by the customer. After giving them the quote, over a week later he phoned asking for an itemised quote.

I told him that i didn't have the time to list every switch or socket and as the builder/joiner had told him it sounded expensive, i suggested he had them do the work if it was that easy!

Even now, 6 months down the line he still hasn't had the work done, so it wasn't just me who was expensive then lol

a time to negotiate and a time to walk...

 

[Knobhead]

All materials to be supplied by customer, to the agreed standard (specified manufacturers).
Any failed supplied equipment, will be replaced at the customers expense, at the installation companies normal hourly rates.

Should either:
A/ get rid of them
B/ get them to think again.

 

[Amp David]

a time to negotiate and a time to walk...

Hell yes, and I walked well away from it!

 

[Knobhead]

I have had this once, on a loft conversion that was being overseen by the customer. After giving them the quote, over a week later he phoned asking for an itemised quote.

I told him that i didn't have the time to list every switch or socket and as the builder/joiner had told him it sounded expensive, i suggested he had them do the work if it was that easy!

Even now, 6 months down the line he still hasn't had the work done, so it wasn't just me who was expensive then lol

Knowing the area your in, they’ll want 10% luck money back if they pay up!

 

[Amp David]

Come to think of it, why would anyone want a loft conversion on a caravan!

 

[kenny7askew]

i have customers pubs and the like who want a breakdown of charges but i tel them its not that simple afterall you have to measure the job up collect the kit from the wholesalers run about,pay scheme membership,take time to do certs ect,i say to them when i come into your bar for a beer or food i dont ask for a breakdown of your material and labour costs and profit margin so dont ask me for mine.

 

[Knobhead]

You’ve made my day! Caravan loft conversion :cheesy:

I’m from Buxton originally.

Did a lot of wedding photography in the area. Father would always dig the wad of notes out of the back pocket, carefully count each note and then stand there with his hand out for his luck money! Once it got known I paid back I was snowed under with work, what they didn’t know was I had two price lists! Lots of my work was over towards Leek (Staffordshire), weird people out in the wilds.

 

[Guest111]

Yes mate we,ve all been there unfortunately, two that spring to mind were both for foreign gentlemen that owned corner shops, 1 asks for a price for a basic alarm 3 pir,s so I quote him say £300 he says a guy down rd will do it for £150, I cant even get kit for that so I ask him what you ringing me for? go get it. second was a cctv gave him price he decided to supply own kit, 2 weeks later system goes down due to operator error,he rings me and I tell him I want a call out fee, he doesnt think he should pay as kit is under guarantee, not with me it aint that was months ago and he still aint got it working, if he had gear supplied by me no prob but he supplied it to save money(cheap rubbish) and can,t understand why I want paying to go back and sort out the problem.oh btw he wants me to take it back for him and explain whats wrong.

 

[Kiers1970]

does any other trade have to walk in the minefield we have to? SO annoying.

 

[UNG]

A number of years ago was promised the electrical work on a property after doing some minor work for a who owns the local hire shop. The original house on the plot was being flattened and a new bigger one being built in it place. 18 months to 2 years later get a call asking me to have a look at a few problems he was having in his house only to find it was the new one so went to have a look, the house was wired by a relative of the roofers and was a bit of a disaster with overloaded dimmers and all sorts of harmonic problems with the electronic dimmers and LV electronic transformers that had been installed. Managed to resolve most of the problems and got paid but he kept on asking me to call manufacturers as more problems appeared and I had to point out if I had done the original install then I would have done but as I had no knowledge of the design or the size and routing of cables then I was not prepared to do it. The guy admitted he wasn't sure the guy who did the original wiring knew what he was doing

 

[needasparks]

Highspark, In our game we have to not only be good sparks but good business men and only have our nose to tell us when things seem wrong.
Yours is obviously twiching so trust it !
We haven't even met the client and you can see the replies.

 

[Kiers1970]

Highspark, In our game we have to not only be good sparks but good business men and only have our nose to tell us when things seem wrong.
Yours is obviously twiching so trust it !
We haven't even met the client and you can see the replies.

Definitely, I've been on jobs, and got the wrong vibes, made the mistake once of not trusting my instincts and got burned. Walked off others after that. Only a couple! (honest)

 

[Amp David]

You’ve made my day! Caravan loft conversion :cheesy:

I’m from Buxton originally.

Did a lot of wedding photography in the area. Father would always dig the wad of notes out of the back pocket, carefully count each note and then stand there with his hand out for his luck money! Once it got known I paid back I was snowed under with work, what they didn’t know was I had two price lists! Lots of my work was over towards Leek (Staffordshire), weird people out in the wilds.

We're a little more refined here, not much more mind!