Pride in Your Work

[2A_Tom]

A guy called me and told me he wanted his full bath remodeled and told me his budget, I told him I was not interested, he got mad at me.

 

[455 Beretta]

Is it a high-demand, low-supply thing where these guys can afford to not call back or not show up or do crap work? This is not uncommon, I just don’t know the cause/explanation.

 

[Fullmag]

Know your frustration all to well. I needed a roof done bids run from $4,000 to $12,000! I straight out asked this guy do you do your own work. He said Yes and his bid was in the middle. Work began by his subs and 6 months later the roof leaked and it cost more than the estimate. Called my insurance they said they will not cover faulty workmanship to sue his insurance company. So I did and they wanted to the patch roof. So I had to bring in other estimates to find out if that was going to work or not. He finally replaced my roof but it cost me several hundred dollars and many hours of work finding out info and dealing with him.

 

[churchmouse]

Is it a high-demand, low-supply thing where these guys can afford to not call back or not show up or do crap work? This is not uncommon, I just don’t know the cause/explanation.

They tend to stay with the high profit quick turn over work. Anything that drags out they want to put it off.

 

[kramer5702]

My wife called someone for an estimate for a new AC unit with a heat pump, guy came out and was super professional, gave us a solid estimate, explained all the differences between units and how good they are compared to when they first came out. Happy with him we set up an appointment for installation with him knowing that we had the money to pay him in full for the work. The day came...and went. No call, no show. I expressed my concerns about the lack of professionalism with this to my wife, she blew me off. When he did come he got the job done and did it well, with the exception of my wood furnace that he unhooked for some reason. This is our main source of heat besides electric baseboard. She's since called him for 2 weeks straight, no response. She now understands my worry with him. When I was a hod carrier my boss would tear down a brick wall of it wasn't level and the brick work didn't look perfect...I wish more people were like him.

 

[Tburke798]

My wife called someone for an estimate for a new AC unit with a heat pump, guy came out and was super professional, gave us a solid estimate, explained all the differences between units and how good they are compared to when they first came out. Happy with him we set up an appointment for installation with him knowing that we had the money to pay him in full for the work. The day came...and went. No call, no show. I expressed my concerns about the lack of professionalism with this to my wife, she blew me off. When he did come he got the job done and did it well, with the exception of my wood furnace that he unhooked for some reason. This is our main source of heat besides electric baseboard. She's since called him for 2 weeks straight, no response. She now understands my worry with him. When I was a hod carrier my boss would tear down a brick wall of it wasn't level and the brick work didn't look perfect...I wish more people were like him.

It's sad but it all goes back to if you want it done right....do it yourself". I work in the HVAC industry and I do Commerical Industrial but residential on the side, Bonded & insured. I run into so many companies that have great sales guys but install crews are crap. I hate to say it but after 25 years doing this I can honestly say 60% of Resi companies are just out to screw you.

 

[Dirtebiker]

There are still some of us who do quality work.
I take great pride in my work. I’m a perfectionist, which is not to say that I’m perfect (far from it!), but that I strive to do the best job I can possibly do.
I have had problems with help and subcontractors. That’s why I try to do as much as I can by myself.
I recently had a farmer screw up a porch roof that I couldn’t fix. We made it better but it isn’t exactly as it should be, and I can never be happy with that. I gave the client a discount, but I hate that I have to leave even a small portion of a job that’s not what it should be.

 

[kramer5702]

I rebuild cars on the side, buy them at salvage auctions, rebuild them and sell them. Only thing I don't do is paint the parts. Can I paint? Yes. Can I paint good? No lol, so I don't. If the person can't do it right and professionally, then tell me (the customer) and I'd be ok with it and move on.

 

[igotdiesel2]

Another thing is pride in your appearance at work. I see this day and day while making deliveries. From truck drivers wearing flip flops to customers looking like they just got out of bed and went to work wearing the jammies. I shave every morning and my cloths always look their best with my shirt ALWAYS tucked in. -Jason

 

[Usmccookie]

Always look professional. Walk out the door and treat every person like they could be the person that affords you the opportunity to change your life for the better.

 

[churchmouse]

It's sad but it all goes back to if you want it done right....do it yourself". I work in the HVAC industry and I do Commerical Industrial but residential on the side, Bonded & insured. I run into so many companies that have great sales guys but install crews are crap. I hate to say it but after 25 years doing this I can honestly say 60% of Resi companies are just out to screw you.

I spent the lions share of my life running industrial/commercial HVAC-R with an emphasis on the "R" and doing residential on the side.
The things I see that some pass off s acceptable. But when you hire the lowest skill for the lowest pay in hopes of the highest profits this will be the norm.

I seriously believe a lot of service companys can not fill the trucks with good people. But when you structure the pay scale based on sales real service people want no part of that crap. If your truck does not turn enough money that day your hourly suffers. So these guys are forced to up-sell everything for astronomical mark ups.

We still do some work even though I have tried to retire. Not a lot of service but new systems.

 

[eldirector]

Over the years, I've just learned to do it myself (whenever I can). That way, if it is wrong, I know who to blame.

It's gotten to the point I will pay for delivery (manual labor), but won't let folks in the house at all. Even then, the delivery folks turn out to be scary. My wife refuses to be home alone when they are scheduled to show.

Heck, I've been putting off a bathroom remodel because I haven't yet figured out how to remove the old shower/tub thing myself. No one wants paid to remove it (that I can find) unless they do the install too. And, I just don't trust anyone to not screw it up somehow. So, it sits until I either figure it out, or get annoyed and take a hammer and sawzall to it. That, and I hate plumbing. Never did figure out how to sweat pipes.

 

[churchmouse]

Over the years, I've just learned to do it myself (whenever I can). That way, if it is wrong, I know who to blame.

It's gotten to the point I will pay for delivery (manual labor), but won't let folks in the house at all. Even then, the delivery folks turn out to be scary. My wife refuses to be home alone when they are scheduled to show.

Heck, I've been putting off a bathroom remodel because I haven't yet figured out how to remove the old shower/tub thing myself. No one wants paid to remove it (that I can find) unless they do the install too. And, I just don't trust anyone to not screw it up somehow. So, it sits until I either figure it out, or get annoyed and take a hammer and sawzall to it. That, and I hate plumbing. Never did figure out how to sweat pipes.

We have always done everything ourselves until the last few years. I and all of my friends are either way to busy or just not up to doing a roof anymore. So I have made good solid contacts here on Ingo for such things.
I hate plumbing but have done a crap load of it. Every pipe/fitting/spigot in both houses we did. No leaks.....

Having the right tools also helps.

 

[Mgderf]

I routinely have customers tell me that we were NOT the lowest bid, but were chosen anyway.
One time, on a prospective roof job, the difference between us getting the job over a lesser priced company was over the wieght of the tar paper!
I quoted that we would use 30# felt paper instead of 15# felt.
The customer told me that he appreciated the fact that we would use the better materials.


On the other side of that coin, we lost a roof job because our bid was $300 more than the competition. The customers son urged her to go with the lesser price.
Less than 18 months after her new roof was installed, she called us to come repair her brand new roof.
I told her she needed to have the other company fix it for free, but they would not return her calls.

I had a lady 2 weeks ago ask me to lower my bid for a bath remodel.
I told her I gave her the best price I thought I could, and that I was going to stick with my bid.
She told me that she talked to another company for another bid. I told her "great, I think you should get several".
At this point she blew my mind. She said, "Do you know this other company..." and I told her no, it didn't ring a bell.
She then said, "Well, this other company knows who you are, and they said you would probably lower your price to match their bid."!!!

EXCUSE ME???
I told her that I was NOT going to get into a bidding war. I have enough business through word of mouth that I can hardly keep up now.
There is no need for me to lower my prices, and if she wanted to use another company, I understand.

WE start the job on Monday, at the original bid price!

 

[dudley0]

Ended up doing the majority of the work on my whole house remodel myself.

Brickie did good, flat work was good, my excavator was top notch. Hired the roof out and once they got there it was fine. Hired a contractor I worked for 30 years ago because I wasn't sure if I could recall how to attach the hip roof of the new to the old roof.

Had two HVAC contractors come in but went with a third guy because we had history. Fought him tooth and nail to get the work done. Always an excuse. Not happy with the work either. We ended up separating with a hand shake. Figured I would finish the job myself.

Well I keep finding more that he did not do but said was finished. Just found a big problem with the return in the crawlspace.

Now I will go with the guy I use for service on my rentals. Had to eat some crow when I got back with him, but hat in hand at least I know it will be done correctly.

Don't hire friends for business stuff. If you become friends with the guy after then that's cool, but don't trust his years of experience and smooth talking... trust me.

 

[Jeepfanatic]

I routinely have customers tell me that we were NOT the lowest bid, but were chosen anyway.
One time, on a prospective roof job, the difference between us getting the job over a lesser priced company was over the wieght of the tar paper!
I quoted that we would use 30# felt paper instead of 15# felt.
The customer told me that he appreciated the fact that we would use the better materials.


On the other side of that coin, we lost a roof job because our bid was $300 more than the competition. The customers son urged her to go with the lesser price.
Less than 18 months after her new roof was installed, she called us to come repair her brand new roof.
I told her she needed to have the other company fix it for free, but they would not return her calls.

I had a lady 2 weeks ago ask me to lower my bid for a bath remodel.
I told her I gave her the best price I thought I could, and that I was going to stick with my bid.
She told me that she talked to another company for another bid. I told her "great, I think you should get several".
At this point she blew my mind. She said, "Do you know this other company..." and I told her no, it didn't ring a bell.
She then said, "Well, this other company knows who you are, and they said you would probably lower your price to match their bid."!!!

EXCUSE ME???
I told her that I was NOT going to get into a bidding war. I have enough business through word of mouth that I can hardly keep up now.
There is no need for me to lower my prices, and if she wanted to use another company, I understand.

WE start the job on Monday, at the original bid price!

"I take no quarrel with those that choose to sell their own labor for a lower price"... know your value and stick with it.

 

[2A_Tom]

I routinely have customers tell me that we were NOT the lowest bid, but were chosen anyway.
One time, on a prospective roof job, the difference between us getting the job over a lesser priced company was over the wieght of the tar paper!
I quoted that we would use 30# felt paper instead of 15# felt.
The customer told me that he appreciated the fact that we would use the better materials.


On the other side of that coin, we lost a roof job because our bid was $300 more than the competition. The customers son urged her to go with the lesser price.
Less than 18 months after her new roof was installed, she called us to come repair her brand new roof.
I told her she needed to have the other company fix it for free, but they would not return her calls.

I had a lady 2 weeks ago ask me to lower my bid for a bath remodel.
I told her I gave her the best price I thought I could, and that I was going to stick with my bid.
She told me that she talked to another company for another bid. I told her "great, I think you should get several".
At this point she blew my mind. She said, "Do you know this other company..." and I told her no, it didn't ring a bell.
She then said, "Well, this other company knows who you are, and they said you would probably lower your price to match their bid."!!!

EXCUSE ME???
I told her that I was NOT going to get into a bidding war. I have enough business through word of mouth that I can hardly keep up now.
There is no need for me to lower my prices, and if she wanted to use another company, I understand.

WE start the job on Monday, at the original bid price!

I am an *******. I have said good buy and good luck to those types. And not taken their calls when they changed their minds.

You know what they say, Opperknockety tunes but once.