Professional Painting Contractors Forum banner

Can you do the job for $100 less?

16K views 139 replies 47 participants last post by  MKap 
#1 ·
I looked at a painted over popcorn ceiling removal job last week. Sq Ft was 432. I priced it for removal, painting and supplying paints / all materials @ $1,400.

HO calls me up and says, "we want to hire you", "but we got a price of $1,200 from another contractor", "we will give you the job if you can do the work for $1,300".

I told her, "my price is firm". So I get an email today stating, "we have deceided to go with the 1200 dollar job thank you for your time and cnsideration"! -- misspelled words are theirs.

Any feedback? :jester:
 
#125 · (Edited)
I apologize in advance for my less then enthusiastic reply to the your issues with a comment I posted last month, but here goes, with all due respect.

Painters and painting contractors alike, are a dime a dozen. We are just slapping on simple paint after all. Heck, Suzy Homemaker's grandaddy could paint circles around any one of us, day in and day out, and he was a one armed pig farmer with a third grade education for crying out loud! I mean you can sell the home owner what you want, or you can sell them what they need. Apparently, the guy who writes contracts on the backs of business cards recognized her needs, and got the job.
 
#126 · (Edited)
I apologize in advance for my less then enthusiastic reply to the your issues with a comment I posted last month, but here goes, with all due respect.

Painters and painting contractors alike, are a dime a dozen. We are just slapping on simple paint after all. Heck, Suzy Homemaker's grandaddy could paint circles around any one of us, day in and day out, and he was a one armed pig farmer with a third grade education for crying out loud! I mean you can sell the home owner what you want, or you can sell them what they need. Apparently, the guy who writes contracts on the backs of business cards recognized her needs, and got the job.
Correction, average painters are a dime a dozen. If that is the class of painter you fall into, sorry to hear that.

I never said the competitor wrote a contract on the back of a card.
What I did say is that he wrote his price down on the back of a business card. Sometimes, a price on the back of a card, or a verbal price is all you need to get the job. On a small simple job, the fancy 10 contract means nothing to some customers, and a $100 savings means everything. So the only thing that is apparent, is the fact that you like to make assumption after assumption.

On a small job, contractors often explain the Scope of Work verbally (remove popcorn - then paint), then write a price on the back of a business card. I am sure the day the work begins, they have the customer sign an agreement.

Thanks for you imput. :thumbsup:
 
#130 ·
CaPainter,

You have 2 painters come to your home to give you a price to paint 3 bedrooms.

Painter #1 pulls up in a 14 y/o pickup truck, wearing a pair of painters whites and gives you a verbal quote of $1,200 to do the work. He tells you he has 25 years exp., and has worked in the Brandywine development up the road from you, (500k homes). On the way out of your house, he notices that your son plays little league baseball and the two of you strike up a 15 min convo about the league. Painters leaves and you say, I’ll let you know my decision on Monday. Painters says, “thanks”, and shakes your hand.

Painter #2 pulls up in a fully lettered 2014 Ford E150. He comes to your door wearing kakis and a collared shirt. This guy is salesmen of the year with great communication skills and a 4 year college degree. He opens up his briefcase, gives you a business card and brochure, then breaks out his laptop and printer and gives you an amazingly detailed contract, and on the 5th page is the price of $1,400.

So now who do you hire? The 25 year exp., painter or the slick talking salesmen for an additional $200?

If you decide to give the job to the 25 year exp painter, would you say that the salesmen for $200 higher failed or had some sort of sales deficiency?

Who would you hire?
 
#133 ·
CJ,

If the point you're trying to make is that you provided the best sales presentation, and therefore shouldn't be viewed as having a "sales deficiency" just because the homeowner chose to go with someone cheaper, I have to ask, what qualifies you as having the better presentation other then your own perception?

You see, everyone has a perception. In the case of your misfortunate outcome with that homeowner, her perception was that either a hundred buck discount trumps the better sales pitch, or, her perception of the other guy fit her needs better. So apparently she perceived some sort of deficiency. It doesn't necessarily mean that there was one, but rather, she perceived it to be so. We all have deficiencies. Why do you think I'm just an average painter?
 
#140 ·
CJ-Newfield said:
CaPainter, You have 2 painters come to your home to give you a price to paint 3 bedrooms. Painter #1 pulls up in a 14 y/o pickup truck, wearing a pair of painters whites and gives you a verbal quote of $1,200 to do the work. He tells you he has 25 years exp., and has worked in the Brandywine development up the road from you, (500k homes). On the way out of your house, he notices that your son plays little league baseball and the two of you strike up a 15 min convo about the league. Painters leaves and you say, I’ll let you know my decision on Monday. Painters says, “thanks”, and shakes your hand. Painter #2 pulls up in a fully lettered 2014 Ford E150. He comes to your door wearing kakis and a collared shirt. This guy is salesmen of the year with great communication skills and a 4 year college degree. He opens up his briefcase, gives you a business card and brochure, then breaks out his laptop and printer and gives you an amazingly detailed contract, and on the 5th page is the price of $1,400. So now who do you hire? The 25 year exp., painter or the slick talking salesmen for an additional $200? If you decide to give the job to the 25 year exp painter, would you say that the salesmen for $200 higher failed or had some sort of sales deficiency? Who would you hire?
That's a tough comparison...good points though. They say to get 3 quotes though...
I have made my living because I'm showing up in a 7 year old lettered truck with whites, a company shirt, and 75% of the time with some paint on my hands, I try to make conversation unrelated to painting, then will follow up by sending a professional, detailed proposal. I come in at 1,300 (on the books) with all things equal and get the job, most likely making a higher profit margin than both would have. Homeowners have told me they gave me the job because the price was in the middle of the other two.
In all honesty, I would prefer to be the guy in khakis, as my goal within the next 3 years is to be out of the bucket.
To the OP of the thread, I wouldn't come down 100.00 to get a job this time of year. In the winter months, that could very well be a different story.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top