# "I already ran all the wire, I just need you to . . ."



## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Years ago, I had a lady tell me that a competitor in town would do the crown molding job for nearly half of what I quoted her. Obviously it was BS, because the material cost alone was nearly that much. I said "lady, send him to do my house next, because I can't even buy the material that price." She called the following week and said her husband wants me to do the job even though my price is "too high." I told her, sorry, I'm booked for next 10 or so months... :laughing:


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## TaylorMadeAB (Nov 11, 2014)

m1911 said:


> They think they're being clever, by devaluing our work...



Its because no one can imagine the amount of prep work it takes to do a job. They see a crappy old shower, and they want a new shiny tiled one. They imagine slapping up some new tiles and it's done. They can't see the days of work it takes to get it to the finished stage.


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## builditguy (Nov 10, 2013)

I get so tired of people complaining about how much money I have. 

Just today someone was complaining because I have a 1990 Pontoon boat. 

Obviously I'm rolling in the dough.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

builditguy said:


> I get so tired of people complaining about how much money I have.
> 
> Just today someone was complaining because I have a 1990 Pontoon boat.
> 
> Obviously I'm rolling in the dough.


This cracks me up. I needed this tonight. :laughing:

No doubt. I can relate. :clap:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

builditguy said:


> I get so tired of people complaining about how much money I have. ........



Yeah, we sure do live the life of Riley. Why don't you become a contractor and join us livin' on Easy Street?


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## CarrPainting (Jun 29, 2010)

Part of the issues here are HGTV, and flip this shack and make it into a mansion...

I was at moms a cpl weeks ago, and I was flipping thruogh her hundreds of channels and came across this 'flip this house' type show, where these two real estate agents decided to go into the house flipping business in Kalifornia...

Buy this shack, that should be torched, and turn it into this marvelous place for $60K

new drywall new wiring, new windows new roof, new kitchens, new landscapping, ect ect ect... 

Your dumb HO sees this and says 'WOW! they did ALL THAT for $60K!'

then they look at the POS patio they have, and want a fancy new deck then completely tweak out when you hand them an estimate for $6-8K 

Cause in their mind, on TV these folks flipped a whole house with all new goodies for $60K, and you want 10K to put up a stupid deck... whose ripping off who here?

Its like HGTV... we will remodel your kitchen and do it in a week end :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Typically when I get a customer that is completely brain dead regarding reality, I give them a reality check....I ask them interesting questions like, How much did you pay in auto, home and liability insurance last year? Oh wow you paid $1200? I paid over $4,000

How many electric bills do you have? water bills? telephone bills? gas bills?

When your computer at work just dies, do you go to best buy and buy a new one, or do you say 'yo boss, this computer just bought the farm'

Your econobox gets 40mpg, that truck out there gets 6. these contracts cost 75 cents each... this pen was 30 cents... this moisture meter i brought with me was $50, to save you the trouble of wondering why you have all these brown stains that wont just go away.. by the way, you need a roofer...:laughing:

Most people see the rip off fly by night contractors on the news and see all contractors as crooks.

Most people dont realise that as a small business owner, your on call 24/7 no matter what... Most people dont realise that to run your business requires 30-50 hours a week 'off the job' wether its looking at jobs, book work, maintnence, product research (CT :whistling ), restocking your vans ect... on top of trying to have a life... 

Money is tight in many parts of the country, but dont be a total d!ck about it... Ok your having the inlaws coming for xmas, you have $800 to paint your living room and the front hall, my bid was a smidge over a grand... we can do this... but to say hey can you do it for $400... :laughing:


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## TaylorMadeAB (Nov 11, 2014)

I had a lady call me for a few things she needed done. While I was there she said asked me to give her s quote for her kitchen as well. Obviously she hadn't put much thought into this yet, but I measured it up anyways. It's just one of those " while you're here" things, not realizing how much time actually goes into a quote. Especially a kitchen. 
I turned down the estimate after I asked her what her budget was and her reply was "I have no idea, if I was going to sit down and make a budget, I'd just buy the materials myself and hire you to do it by the hour"
????????????


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## Frank Castle (Dec 27, 2011)

480sparky said:


> ...life of Riley.....


My mother is the only person I've ever heard use this saying.
Now you.:laughing:

As a youngster I had no Idea what she was talking about. I had to find out what it meant and when I did I was.... 

"Oh yeah Mom, I'm living the Life Of Riley":laughing:


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## brhokel606 (Mar 7, 2014)

I too am sick and tired of people thinking we are rolling in the money. Had a guy commenting about my new tools, yeah I went a tad Festool crazy, and everytime I see him, he is consitantly talking about "Hokel Construction" money! He meantions the bobcat, big trailers, fancy tools and keeps going on and on. Apparently contractors are suppose to have a hammer and shovel only! 

I explain that my tools make me money and how much I have to make a month just to break even, not including maintenance on equipment...yet everytime I see him, he doesn't let it go, what a [email protected]#k. 

The free advice and wanting me to bust azz all weekend for food and beer, yeah, don't think so.


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## Frank Castle (Dec 27, 2011)

brhokel606 said:


> ...my tools make me money....


I wish people would understand this.

No you can't borrow anything!


Mind if I borrow that X-Ray machine for a minute. Got a bad wing here. Just wanna take a quick look and see if it's broken. Won't take to long. Have it back to ya in the morning. Oh yeah, do you happen to have any extra blank films I can borrow with it? :laughing:


Never fails, even if you do loan a friend a nail gun, they always want the nails too. Hell no. Stop at the lumber yard and get some.


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## Cubwelder (Dec 3, 2012)

People really don't understand how important those "expensive" tools are. I mean, its not like we need them to make our living or anything! Lol Sorry I had to invest in a truck, trailer, and tools instead of that nice speed boat that you have, d!ck! Also, I'll be using those tools working all day on Saturday while they're drinking beer on the lake. Wait, who's got money again?


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## D.E.P.S. (Aug 3, 2013)

nunya01 said:


> Today I was close to the house, so I went home for lunch. I start making a sammich and, "ding-dong!"
> I answer the door, and it's a guy who lives in the other end of the subdivision. He's wasted my time before on bids for "work" that he wanted done. Apparently, I looked at a kitchen remodel about 5 years ago and he's just now getting around to it.
> In fact, he called and talked to my wife last week wanting to make sure I'd be available at the end of April to do his kitchen (Seriously?).
> Back to my front porch - he proceeds to tell me that he's already run all the wires and just needs me to hook everything up for him.
> ...


*I get this all the time from people.* Mostly from the folks that think my prices are too high. They take on the jobs themselves, or have some "hack" come over to do the work. 

I had a small 37 board bid turned down by a home owner a few weeks ago. (Hang - Finish- Knockdown Lids). His wife called me the other morning, pleading for me to come over. I told her that I don't get *involved* once another company starts the work. She told me that they didn't go with a contractor, and they had hired some guy they knew who said he did drywall. I was all set to blow her off, but she sounded pretty desperate. She also said that they were out of town while they had turned the guy loose in the room, and when they came back, they walked into a nightmare. She lives only a couple blocks away, so I drove by on the way to get a coffee.

I walked into the new addition and was blown away. The vaulted ceiling was tape coated, and the walls were just untaped board with 1/4" - 1/2" gaps every wheres, along with cracked boards. The guy had already started spraying knockdown on half of the ceiling directly over the tape coat. The hand held hopper was laying in the middle of the room next to a 30 gallon Craftsman compressor. One end of the room looked like a ice cave. All the windows and the double sliding doors were coated in a white fog. 

I went over to the hopper and saw that air control handle was broke off. I started the compressor and let it run until it shut off. He was running it directly off of the compressor which was set to shut off at 135 psi. Outlet pressure was set at around 100 psi. I saw what I thought might have been the mix he was spraying with in one of the buckets. It was diluted almost to a paint viscosity.

I looked around for a couple minutes longer, when the husband pulls into the driveway. His wife and I went outside to meet him and discuss what to do. He was not in the best of moods while we discussed his options, and he was still trying to go cheap. I had about enough, and politely told him that his best course would be to get a dumpster, and start all over again with professional. He started getting nasty, so I walked towards my truck to leave. He followed me making more snide comments. 

It was all I could do not to blow up in his face, but I managed to get away quietly and politely.


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## jproffer (Feb 19, 2005)

D.E.P.S. said:


> *I get this all the time from people.* Mostly from the folks that think my prices are too high. They take on the jobs themselves, or have some "hack" come over to do the work.
> 
> I had a small 37 board bid turned down by a home owner a few weeks ago. (Hang - Finish- Knockdown Lids). His wife called me the other morning, pleading for me to come over. I told her that I don't get *involved* once another company starts the work. She told me that they didn't go with a contractor, and they had hired some guy they knew who said he did drywall. I was all set to blow her off, but she sounded pretty desperate. She also said that they were out of town while they had turned the guy loose in the room, and when they came back, they walked into a nightmare. She lives only a couple blocks away, so I drove by on the way to get a coffee.
> 
> ...


10 to 1, the wife calls you back and begs you to come back one more time. If you do, this time SHE will make it a point to see that her husband isn't around when you're there.


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## Trim40 (Jan 27, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Yeah, we sure do live the life of Riley. Why don't you become a contractor and join us livin' on Easy Street?


Since joining CT, I've moved up to Easy Peasy St.


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

I'm working on one right now, the guy hired someone 30% lower price then me. Lawyers got involved to remove him from the project.

He's only got the frost walls in so far after 7 months and I'm telling the owner it's probably cheaper to tear it all out and have me start again as opposed to trying to figure out what he has done and if it was done properly.


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## aaron_a (Dec 18, 2013)

Another favorite of mine is "I was going to do it myself, but I just don't have the time."


Yeah, or the tools, or the knowledge, or the years of experience needed to do it right...


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## Cubwelder (Dec 3, 2012)

aaron_a said:


> Another favorite of mine is "I was going to do it myself, but I just don't have the time."
> 
> 
> Yeah, or the tools, or the knowledge, or the years of experience needed to do it right...


I've heard that one before - even by people who have way more free time than me! :bangin:


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

aaron_a said:


> Another favorite of mine is "I was going to do it myself, but I just don't have the time."
> 
> 
> Yeah, or the tools, or the knowledge, or the years of experience needed to do it right...


Or " I would do it myself, but it's not worth my time"


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## thehockeydman (Dec 19, 2012)

On a recent job, a section of my client's floor needed to have the joists replaced. I write up a change order, _with an excellent price for the work involved_, and bring it by to have the client sign it. Turns out the client thought the floor demo and joist replacement would be for free...

He told me that he was already paying me to do the hard stuff and replacing the joists was so easy that he could do it himself in a few hours. 

I took off my tool belt, dropped it at his feet, sat down, folded my arms, and stared at him. Might have been a bit dramatic on my part, be he got the point and paid up.


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## TaylorMadeAB (Nov 11, 2014)

thehockeydman said:


> On a recent job, a section of my client's floor needed to have the joists replaced. I write up a change order, _with an excellent price for the work involved_, and bring it by to have the client sign it. Turns out the client thought the floor demo and joist replacement would be for free...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That would drive me into a rage.
I sometimes get the feeling that once a customer pays you, some feel like they own your time now. I get one once in a while that gets me to look into products, or answer questions for them. All for free of course, because they already paid me.


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## illbuildit.dd (Jan 7, 2015)

What i heard 2 days ago.... 

"I dont need it to look good i just need it to work"

Well, theres only one way. If it doesn't look good then it wont work


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## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

jproffer said:


> 10 to 1, *the wife calls you back and begs you to come back one more time.* If you do, this time SHE will make it a point to see that her husband isn't around when you're there.


:thumbsup:

And one more time after that, and after that and after that.:whistling


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## jproffer (Feb 19, 2005)

Anti-wingnut said:


> :thumbsup:
> 
> And one more time after that, and after that and after that.:whistling


I was thinking the same thing, but I didn't want to make the lady sound like a ho, instead of just a HO. :jester:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

aaron_a said:


> Another favorite of mine is "I was going to do it myself, but I just don't have the time."............


"I don't have the time either. I'm far to busy working for free every day."


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## Kowboy (May 7, 2009)

FrankSmith said:


> I hate when people tell me how easy a job will be. If its so easy why am I here? It's just a customer trying to make it seem like a large invoice would be a surprise.


Along with that, they'll tell you what and how they want it done. I tune these types out immediately.


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## S.U.M (Apr 17, 2013)

Done a small 1 day job last summer, home owner was real happy with the work but give me a review sayin he loved the work but thought the price was too high for something he coulda done himself, this guy is a 60year reporter. 
Sigh. 

My other fav is, I don't wanna spend a lot of money so....... 
Or 
My husband is very handy if he helps do we get a discount?


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

thehockeydman said:


> I took off my tool belt, dropped it at his feet, sat down, folded my arms, and stared at him. Might have been a bit dramatic on my part, be he got the point and paid up.


What's dramatic about That ? You made your point. And a good one!
Sometimes that's what It takes to get through to the ''Special People''.

I can't tell you how many times I've held out my left hand with a hawk full of mud And my right hand holding a 12' and fiver ..And said HERE! 

Shuts em up every time!!!:thumbsup:


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## mako1 (Sep 1, 2013)

"I've held out my left hand with a hawk full of mud And my right hand holding a 12' and fiver ..And said HERE! "
Hawk?At least we finally got the spelling right :thumbup:
I learn something every day.Glad to see I'm not the only one using a big bird to mud.


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

mako1 said:


> "I've held out my left hand with a hawk full of mud And my right hand holding a 12' and fiver ..And said HERE! "
> Hawk?At least we finally got the spelling right :thumbup:
> I learn something every day.Glad to see I'm not the only one using a big bird to mud.


Up north I hear the yanks call It a hawg . 

You can call it what you want... I wouldn't care if I ever saw another one!! :laughing:


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## mako1 (Sep 1, 2013)

You know you love it.You're not fooling anyone around here.


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

I've got two stories.

My brother buys a house after looking for 4 years ( that's a story in its self). After helping him and putting in 25 hours for free, I mention I need to get paid on future work and would charge him the family discount. Haven't heard from him since. :laughing:

Customer wants to remodel a bathroom. My price is highest. He likes me and wants me to do the work so he sends me all the other proposals to compare. After reviewing the proposals only one other is comparable. But I state exactly what I am going to do and the other proposal is vague about pipe sizes, preslope...etc. HO believes that guy will do everything exactly the same. Sure, he will.

The kicker was he wanted to hire the electrician to do another project at the same time. After getting his price, the HO tells me if I get a cheaper electrician I would get the bath job. No thanks, I pick trusted people I know.

He says," I have to decide if I want to work for him or not". "No, I won't work for you." :thumbup:
Made it too easy. Probably dodged a huge PITA.


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

I added some blocks in a new home being built above the windows so wifey could install whatever window treatment she wanted. I mentioned just using the existing studs but the guy wanted the whole shebang solid wood. OK. 

In the course of a conversation I told him I was an electrician back in my military days. He had asked a few questions but I didn't put it together until a week or so later. He called and wanted me to wire his whole house the day before the sheet rockers came in, which was the next day! "Uh, no you really do need a licensed electrician for that".


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

blacktop said:


> What's dramatic about That ? You made your point. And a good one!
> Sometimes that's what It takes to get through to the ''Special People''.
> 
> I can't tell you how many times I've held out my left hand with a hawk full of mud And my right hand holding a *12'* and fiver ..And said HERE!
> ...


good thing it's a 12 Footer... get the job done real quick... :thumbup:


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

RangoWA said:


> I added some blocks in a new home being built above the windows so wifey could install whatever window treatment she wanted. I mentioned just using the existing studs but the guy wanted the whole shebang solid wood. OK.
> 
> In the course of a conversation I told him I was an electrician back in my military days. He had asked a few questions but I didn't put it together until a week or so later. He called and wanted me to wire his whole house the day before the sheet rockers came in, which was the next day! "Uh, no you really do need a licensed electrician for that".


And then insulated .. And then the inspections .. And then loaded with the board... I've never heard of a home hung the day after It's wired .


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

blacktop said:


> And then insulated .. And then the inspections .. And then loaded with the board... I've never heard of a home hung the day after It's wired.


It was surreal, I thought he was joking at first. But noooo. 

I spent a day there and saw a few issues, I got to thinking the whole house was being built on the sly.


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## J L (Nov 16, 2009)

blacktop said:


> And then insulated .. And then the inspections .. And then loaded with the board... I've never heard of a home hung the day after It's wired .


I find that when the electricians start in the morning and the drywall hangers show up after lunch, it makes the sparky's move faster. :laughing:


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

J L said:


> I find that when the electricians start in the morning and the drywall hangers show up after lunch, it makes the sparky's move faster. :laughing:


And I find lots of electrical and drywall re-work... :laughing:


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## J L (Nov 16, 2009)

m1911 said:


> And I find lots of electrical and drywall re-work... :laughing:


We'll just write those up as change orders :laughing:


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

J L said:


> We'll just write those up as change orders :laughing:


Somehow, I knew you would! :laughing:


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

TxElectrician said:


> Or " I would do it myself, but it's not worth my time"


That's even worse than "don't have time." That's stickin' it to you - implying that their time is more valuable than yours, since in their view, you are just a lowly laborer, and below them...


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

TaylorMadeCon said:


> I had a 3-strike phone call about a job the other day. It's this lady who needs a shower tiled. She says;
> 1. She fired the last 2 tile guys who started the shower
> 2. So she wants me to finish what they started
> 3. But don't worry about how it's built underneath, *she did that part herself!*!


So what's the problem?

Like they say, "if you want something done right the first time, do it yourself."


:laughing:


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

nunya01 said:


> He starts saying **** like, "I guess you don't need money". "You could have made an easy $75 or $100 on this!"


I spit water all over my keyboard and monitor when I read that! :laughing:
I would have had to respond with a deep British accent saying, "Sir! Surely you jest as I charge more than that for estimates!"

My dealings in situations like this involve people who want to do ALL of the work based on what my quote says. Then they call me when they get in over their head. I still have to charge them the full price plus whatever it costs to undo what they screwed up. 

The comment that I always get is "Ted, you're failing to understand that this stuff is COMPLICATED and CONFUSING and it's not as easy as it looks. I'm sure that if this was YOUR house, you would have fixed it in less than 10 minutes." :blink:


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## aaron_a (Dec 18, 2013)

I always pick on my drywall guys for being drywall guys. But it's good natured, they're all really good at it. I'm not. I was helping one of my buddies who is a drywall and plaster contractor do some work on his house. I called out a measurement to him in 16ths, then said "wait, do you drywallers know what those are?"


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## brickhook (May 8, 2012)

blacktop said:


> So ...If I hang the rock myself How much would it cost for you to finish It??
> 
> 
> My response Is always the same..
> ...


:laughing: I thought about you the other day. I went by the 'farmer's house' that I bricked last fall.

He is got to be the tightest man I've ever met. He's done the majority of the work by his self ,while his 30 year old son stood behind him all day texting.

He's done the framing, wiring , plumbing.....everything but the basement and brick. He's to tight to pay anybody, and he thinks he can do it all.

I had the house almost bricked before I found out he hadn't even had a framing inspection 

He had his plumbing ran all through the attic...I told him that wouldn't pass inspection. ...and he got mad and told me that 'they' tell him that water line could freeze over and over and never bust....I told him ..yeah but all those brass fittings in the attic will probably just freeze once :laughing: 

I was there the day the inspector came...he stayed there 5and a half hours! He failed on everything that he had done.

Anyway, during this time, I asked him who was he going to get to hang the sheetrock...he said he was going to hang it his self and get somebody else to finish it !  :laughing::clap::laughing::clap:

I told him a DC could be in and out in 2 weeks....and it would take him 6 weeks just to hang it. But he told me all the DC's wanted to much to hang it.

I went up there the other day, and you could put all the sheet rock scrap in the back of my Toyota!

Blacktop! he had damn near used every piece! I aint never! He had used enough nails to hang 4 houses! It was hilarious and shocking at the same time.

Who ever finishes this house, will have to plaster the walls....good luck getting this done cheap. :laughing:


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## brickhook (May 8, 2012)

A roofer told him he would build the cricket behind the chimney, shingle it, and flash it for $300.....Farmer said that was ridiculous ! He'd do it his self.....


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## brickhook (May 8, 2012)

...it took him three days to make that mess! :laughing:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

blacktop said:


> ....... I've never heard of a home hung the day after It's wired .


I have.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Inner10 said:


> For the majority of my working life everytime I took a break at work, looked around at all the other trades, I thought to myself "life may suck, but at least I'm not a drywaller" :laughing:


We often say that about roofers.

But as framers, we are probably third on the list of: At least I'm not a...


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

I'd a heckuva lot sooner be framing on a hot summer day than working with hot asphalt paving.


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

brickhook said:


> :laughing: I thought about you the other day. I went by the 'farmer's house' that I bricked last fall.
> 
> He is got to be the tightest man I've ever met. He's done the majority of the work by his self ,while his 30 year old son stood behind him all day texting.
> 
> ...


I'll bet you good money the old man will end up finishing his own hang job....Only a desperate finisher would take that on... I've seen those before...I love it when the homeowner says the hanging is easy .it's the finishing that's a real art. And they're right..it takes a whole lot of sugar to to turn chit into jam.


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## prowork (Oct 5, 2012)

Well I can't believe I spent an hour on a Saturday evening reading this. lol 

My own annoyances that I get often are the people that "know" how much things should cost or try to calculate the cost by asking questions like "how many hours will that take". I get people all the time that get quotes and say this is "outrageous it should only take 10 hours at $7.50/hr and $100 of materials blah blah blah". In my mind I want to say first of all you are grossly off on your numbers. 2nd, "let me give you a recap of microeconomics 101" -- prices are determined by supply and demand. However I just bite my tongue and say "Thanks for your feedback. Thats our price, I'm sure it is competitive among licensed, insured, and established companies. Have a good day"


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## Mort (Jul 18, 2012)

I fixed a driveway after a mudslide last summer, for the bossman's neighbor. Customer told bossman "it should only take an hour or two." Bossman's response was, "that's okay Jerry, I've got PLENTY of time."


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

In my experience it's a complete waste of time to try to educate people on pricing. If they are on that road they are looking to save money. They want the work done but they are special people and shouldn't have to pay full price. They probably need the money for more jewelry.


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## Splinter (Apr 5, 2005)

I got the "_I have a lot more work for you if you give me a good price on this_" line during a phone call yesterday. It was hard to hold back the laugh.... My helper heard and was snickering a few feet away... That didnt help....


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Splinter said:


> I got the "_I have a lot more work for you if you give me a good price on this_" line during a phone call yesterday. It was hard to hold back the laugh.... My helper heard and was snickering a few feet away... That didnt help....


That line is timeless.


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Splinter said:


> I got the "_I have a lot more work for you if you give me a good price on this_" line during a phone call yesterday. It was hard to hold back the laugh.... My helper heard and was snickering a few feet away... That didnt help....


Yes, that is one of my favorites. It's weird how those people never have any more work, though. :whistling


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

Or they will recommend you to all their friends if they get a good deal. Golly, a bunch more tightwads, count me in!


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Another one is, "I've got all the work done. But the city now says I need a permit. So all I need you to do is buy a permit for me. You won't have to do any work at all."

Or better yet, "Hey, remember me? I called you last year for a price on this work? Well, turns out the guy I hired  insert excuse from list below here , so I have $300 for you to finish the job up for me. It's easy work, I'm tellin' ya'!"


Excuses:
went out of business
won't return my calls
was stealing things from my house
got nailed for no license
took my deposit and disappeared
ended up in the pokie
started hitting on my 16-year-old daughter


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## cwatbay (Mar 16, 2010)

I have similar experiences that can be found in another thread: http://www.contractortalk.com/f11/how-do-you-say-no-unprofitable-jobs-178073/index3/#post2655649

You can thank the education system for teaching people that tradesmen are too dumb to go to college. This fits right into the mentality that your time is not as valuable as theirs. I went to college for 12 years and got three degrees and various cert's.....and during the time since I did all this, it has only got worse. 

You also get the various hacks, illegals, and, even licensed contractors who go after the "lowest price in town" method of doing business. Which further promotes the "doing it cheap" and "not too bright" mentality.


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

cwatbay said:


> I have similar experiences that can be found in another thread: http://www.contractortalk.com/f11/how-do-you-say-no-unprofitable-jobs-178073/index3/#post2655649
> 
> You can thank the education system for teaching people that tradesmen are too dumb to go to college. This fits right into the mentality that your time is not as valuable as theirs. I went to college for 12 years and got three degrees and various cert's.....and during the time since I did all this, it has only got worse.
> 
> You also get the various hacks, illegals, and, even licensed contractors who go after the "lowest price in town" method of doing business. Which further promotes the "doing it cheap" and "not too bright" mentality.


Yup. How many cubicle drones with generic bachelor degrees do you think could pass the licencing exam for electrical or plumbing?


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