Quoted insane prices part deux

[Fuddy1952]

Here is one that still burns me 15 years after the fact.
I was building a new house and got 3 estimates for the septic system in the fall. Bill's Electric $5000, Smith $5300, Jones $5800. Prices were fair but couldn't begin because of WI winters.
In the next March I decided to start building and needed to have the septic system in before the house began for various reasons.

I called Bills and told him I needed it in and to give me an updated price. April rolls around I went to his business and he stated he didn't have time yet, but was on it. I told him time was critical as the house was a one man and woman build and needed to get rolling. I knew it takes a month to get that type of paperwork through Madison, so I pleaded my case to Bill...

In May I stopped by again, and he was getting on it very soon.
In June I called him again and he said he for sure will get it going.
In July I saw him riding around in his truck so I pulled him over and told him I definitely need it very soon and he said the end of the day he would have the estimate updated. I called him later that day and he said the new price was $8500. I squawked and asked why the hike. He said the price of PVC shot up and same with the special sand that was needed.
I told him I will get back with him the next day.
I called Smith for an update on their price and he said it would raise a couple hundred.

I told him to put it in as soon as possible. He said he would have a guy walk the paperwork through Madison and order the tank etc. and would have it in, in a couple weeks. HE DID.

I started the build in August and got it closed in by Thanksgiving.

The moral is; Screw the contractors and don't be patient. It really could bite you in the butt. I learned a tough lesson that spring.

Sounds to me like (and I mean it politely) the cheapest guy Bill simply got pixxed first by the wait, then all the calls, etc. He figured in a high "nuisance " charge giving a high estimate.
Second guy Smith sounds like did it for a few hundred more which is ok (to me).
Yesterday I got an estimate for a 300ft well for $8300. Seems high to me but then again it's drilling, double casing, trenching, wiring, plumbing, the best pump, etc.
The estimate said "this price good for 30 days" which I understand that also.

 

[RalphVa]

Wife has been pulling her little bit of hair she has left out in trying to find other skylight shades. Bought the 7 Bali ones from Lowes for $675. Paid the handyman $275 to take down the old and fuss around trying to figure out how to put the Bali up. They were obviously mismade because it was impossible to install the bottom part. She turned them back into Lowes.

She's gotten prices all the way from $2,100 to well over double this from about 3 or 4 different outfits. Probably going with the $2,100 installed from an outfit about 45 miles away.

Ralph

 

[Travelover]

RE - difficult customers. When I was a kid, I worked in a hardware store. Guy brings in two big storm windows and leaves them for glass replacement. When he comes to pick them up, he says cost is too high, he won't pay. Shop owner say, "Fine!", walks around the counter and puts his foot though both panes and says, "OK you are back where you started, now leave". Fifty years ago and I'm still laughing. :laughing:

 

[Deere Dude]

Sounds to me like (and I mean it politely) the cheapest guy Bill simply got pixxed first by the wait, then all the calls, etc. He figured in a high "nuisance " charge giving a high estimate.
Second guy Smith sounds like did it for a few hundred more which is ok (to me).
Yesterday I got an estimate for a 300ft well for $8300. Seems high to me but then again it's drilling, double casing, trenching, wiring, plumbing, the best pump, etc.
The estimate said "this price good for 30 days" which I understand that also.

He could have said to just forget it anytime. It is known policy to get a couple or three estimates then when time suits you, let the contractor know.

I think he got a better and bigger and higher paying job, which is fine. All he had to do is tell me to screw myself instead of hanging me on with empty promises. He probably figured if I needed it done that bad I would pony up and extras $3k. I would have had no problem with a nominal price increase because I know prices change over time.

If he would have done it for $8000, I have no doubt in my mind he would have tacked on another $10% to see if it would work.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Over the years I've dealt with so many contractors. One right now was highly recommended and supposed to do work at my 93yo Mom's place. This has been going on since March. One excuse after another.
One guy I've used here, always paid cash, always gave him a tip, supposed to do work for two years now! I'm serious! Thankfully not an emergency but needs to be done.
So you're not alone. Lot's of contractors are just sloppy, bad business people, make empty promises. Who knows.
When I had a business I loved notebooks and pencils. They can't crash (computer), cheap, I had my own system. I never promised and didn't deliver. If I was 2 weeks behind I told them so.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Over the years I've dealt with so many contractors. One right now was highly recommended and supposed to do work at my 93yo Mom's place. This has been going on since March. One excuse after another.
One guy I've used here, always paid cash, always gave him a tip, supposed to do work for two years now! I'm serious! Thankfully not an emergency but needs to be done.
So you're not alone. Lot's of contractors are just sloppy, bad business people, make empty promises. Who knows.
When I had a business I loved notebooks and pencils. They can't crash (computer), cheap, I had my own system. I never promised and didn't deliver. If I was 2 weeks behind I told them so.

The problem isn't that he is a contractor, the problem is with the MAN you hired. Wifey just mailed in our quarterly business liability payment; over 7K... that's x 4 for a year. All in, I'm pushing 50K a year for insurance. Who do you think pays for that? And how do you think that separates me from the guy you hired?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Part of the problem is that times have changed. Men used to leave the house in the morning, concentrate on work, and then come home. And do that Monday to Friday for 40+ hours. The women looked after the house and kids. Now men are expected to be wrapped up in all that crap, and expected to perform in the workforce. It isn't possible, in my opinion.

And in my mind. If you are working for someone, leave that dammmed cell phone in the truck!

A friend of mine just got a quote to ashalt his fairly large parking lot and short driveway. 4" highway grade, 1" stone, for $10.000 CDN. Seems very inexpensive. Salesman says they are slow and need to find work in the area. Legit or not? As soon as I hear "Salesman" by BS detector goes off! All the materials can only be more expensive than before, so unless they came across a source for slave labor, how can they suddenly do the job so cheap?

 

[ultrarunner]

Rolls have changed... my grandmother helped out in the family business but she was first the homemaker...

I know few like that today...

 

[caver]

I have a house I need to spruce up to sell. Then I will start building a cabin on my property. I had this big picture window that had suffered rot on the outside and insurance company dropped me because of that and my old roof. So I hit the local big chain up aka Lowes. I went in person and kid at desk hemm and hawed ..oh we'll set up an appointment where Mr Schmuckatelly will come and get more details. He showed up to measure and talk options. Then after several days he needed to get back with me and pay another visit. I hear crickets for a week and thought ehhh maybe he had a family emergency. He never returned my calls. They did me a favor. I got fed up and went to the local lumber yard who did it for half the cost quoted from Lowes. I've done a few windows and doors in my youth but there was no way i could do this by myself. It took my installer, his son stopped by to assist, the window delivery guy and me to get that heavy sucker up in place.

 

[radios1]

Shame the other one got shut down. Something about some innocent guys basement getting flooded I assume.

weird, something in the rules about a flooded basement not allowed to be mentioned??..