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Matthew · Guest

Please tell me I'm not crazy

Midtown · Guest

I bet he can't produce a copy of the quote...

Jun 15, 2010

Hahaha! Your not crazy. Welcome to Florida.

If some jackass wants to do that job for $200.00 or less then let them. It amazes me sometimes. People will spend more to have their car washed or their pets groomed but when it comes to their most precious investment they don't want to spend a dime. Move on... They are not your kind of customers. Although, I do know how you feel. It happens to me a lot too.

Matthew · Guest

Yeah... I hear it a lot too.
But come on... I normally charge $200 for just the enclosure.

He let Scotts tile do it last year, LAST YEAR with a surface cleaner and a pressure washer! I was like, "WHAT?"

I explained all I could but in the end he wants cheap, so.... I move on.

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Welcome to the business, lol!!!!!

I would think 600-850 would be in the ball-park, but I've only seen the picture and not the property.

Markus · Guest

Your price is definitely in the ball park. Considering the size of the house and the pool enclosure, your price was reasonable. You will find that there will always be customers that prefer price over experience or quality of work. $200 is a joke. Let the pressure washer guy have this one. It isn't worth your aggravation. This is the kind of customer that probably would have complained about your work after the job anyway in order to get even more of a discount.

Guest

$200 is insane.

How long do you think that job would take you to do?

Just a few of my pricing guidelines:

Dont always try to win every bid - if you do win every bid, your prices are too low.

If you take low ball jobs out of desperation, you are more likely to become a casualty of the business. Better off letting a low baller take these jobs so they can be forced out of business. (they will spend all day working for that $200 while you are out getting a few more $800 jobs.)

I use to watch the Carlton Sheets infomercials... He said: "profit breads competition, excess profits bread destruction." If you are out there making money - others will catch on and do the same thing. If you are making a $$$killing$$$, Alot of others will try to do the dame thing and cause prices to take a sharp decline.

Customers confuse "price" with "value" all the time. When they balk at my price, I try to get them to open up on the "value" they expect. If they expect $200 worth of value on a job I feel is an $800 deal -- I just move on to the next customer.

Guest

Oh and another thing.... don't take it personally when they tell you "no." You are just one more customer closer to getting a "yes!"

Pristine Roof Cleaning New Jersey · Premium Member Roof Cleaning Institute of America

it is the sighn of the times a contractor should get a min of 150 just to be there then the job you were right to stand your ground

Roof Cleaning Missouri 417-230-8103 · Guest

I dont show up for ANY job if its not at least$325.00 and by the looks of this job my bid would have been in the 4 digits....

Dave

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

Roof Cleaning Branson/Springfield,Mo (417) 230 8103 wrote:

I dont show up for ANY job if its not at least$325.00 and by the looks of this job my bid would have been in the 4 digits....

Dave

+10!!! Even a job for $325 would have to be VERY close by.

Dan its not the sign of the times. I was in Orlando recently and saw someone get a house about that size for almost $800.00. At the same time I heard another contractor saying he was having a hard time getting 8 cents a square foot in the same area. Just a difference in mentality.

Sometimes theres nothing you can do about it like in this case. A good amount of the time, enough to keep you busy and making money, you can get the prices you want. It just takes a bit of effort.

BCRoofClean · Guest

Matthew wrote:

I quoted $800 to do this roof and pool encloser with a non pressure cleaning method and the homeowner said I was "crazy"
Apparently he can get someone else to do it for under $200

WTF?

Did I price this right?
I thought I was low.

I told him my price was my price and to have a nice day.

Comments, suggestions, and advice are welcomed.

-- Edited by Matthew on Tuesday 15th of June 2010 08:26:57 PM

-- Edited by Matthew on Tuesday 15th of June 2010 08:29:18 PM

You should tell him, first of all call you to finish the job, and second to see if you know a good roofer when this obviously uninsured guy breaks his roof and third tell him what the going rate is for that house............I don't live in Fla. but that house is at least 1,000 where I come from.

RCIA Founder

Matthew wrote:

I quoted $800 to do this roof and pool encloser with a non pressure cleaning method and the homeowner said I was "crazy"
Apparently he can get someone else to do it for under $200

WTF?

Did I price this right?
I thought I was low.

I told him my price was my price and to have a nice day.

Comments, suggestions, and advice are welcomed.

-- Edited by Matthew on Tuesday 15th of June 2010 08:26:57 PM

-- Edited by Matthew on Tuesday 15th of June 2010 08:29:18 PM

Buyers are liars sometimes. You could have quoted 200,00 for the roof and screens, and they would have said they have someone to do it for 50.00.
That was an 800.00 to 1000.00 job all day long, I thought 800 was a great deal.

gutterdog · Jun 16, 2010

What everyone says is very true. If your getting over 70% of jobs, you bid, your price is too low, etc. etc.

gleamingtheview · Guest

Some people just want to know there getting a good deal. I probably would have gone abouts our methods of soft washing there roof. Building value and having concern for the proper care and maintenance of it.

Ive never scene a screen enclosure so intricate. I bet it cost a lot of money to repair and replace it when it wears out. Selling or offering a specific screen cleaner and sealer that will prolong the life and make it easier to clean may have sold them on everything.

200.00 is a ridiculous quote but doesn't surprise me.

Good luck bud!!!

Washed-up · guest

Your about right on the price....I am right up the road from you and I think you are right.
I would have him call another "Certified" cleaner and give him another quote. Chit, I will give him one! I will have to travel further, so you know what that means.

People around here dont like my prices alot of times, but I am the one who has to pay for all the supplies, insurance, help, etc....I am a FOR PROFIT company!

Hang in there, the ones who care about their roofs, and quality of work done will call you.

Lets say you didnt know how to change your oil in your truck....would you use the guy with certification, tools and know how? Or would you keep driving down the road to find a guy sitting under a tree with a screwdriver in his hand?

Quality, not quanity. You can choose your customers as well as they can choose a service person

Eric · Guest

dont let it get you down! he is crazy and just wanted you to come down, always stick to your price, i would of been alot higher than that, good luck and hang in there

Matthew · Guest

Thanks guys!

The next house I bid I got.
I went in a little gun shy and probably bid the next one a little lower than I should have, but not by much. I'm doing it tomorrow (weather permitting) and I'll post pics when I'm done.

I've been trying to bid around $.20 a sqft and I tell them that my "Summer Special" is 50% off any additional cleaning while I'm there. So,the pool cage for example.
I'm only booking one a day because I have another business to supervise, and this gives me a chance to take my time and learn what's what.

I did get a call today that made me feel better. The conversation went something like this:

Customer: I understand you do roof cleaning
Me: Yes Ma'am

Customer:Do you use a pressure washer?
Me:No Ma'am I don't

Customer:I have a tile roof
Me:Yes ma'am that's fine. I still don't use a pressure washer.
The way we clean roofs, any roof for that matter...

Customer:When can you come buy and see the roof.
Me:I can come by tomorrow around 4:00

Got information

Customer:Very good because the last 3 companies I called wanted to pressure wash it.
Me:I'm sorry to hear that. I assure you I can get your roof clean and I'll leave my pressure washer at home.

Customer:About how much will it cost?
Me:I'd really need to see the roof before I could give you a quote.

Customer:Very well, I'm guessing it won't be cheap to do it right?
Me:No ma'am probably not.

Customer:Okay, see you around 4:00

Washed-up · guest

Way to go! See....dont give up....thats what I tell myself lol!

Matthew · Guest

I feel much better now that I did a roof today that came out perfect.

I'll post pics later. I have the before; I'll take the after tomorrow.
Got both neighbors just by doing this job right, so I must be on the right track.

Made 1,200 at a single location... So, I'm feeling okay about that.

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The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

Roof Cleaning Wake Forest NC 27587919-412-2432

Roof Cleaning Wake Forest, Raleigh, Knightdale, Rolesville, Youngsville NC

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Lake Marion Citrus & Sumter Counties in Florida

Dwayne MillerFLORIDAWASH

Lake Marion Citrus & Sumter Counties in Florida

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"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

Roof Cleaning Wake Forest NC 27587
919-412-2432

Dwayne Miller
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