[aaron61]

I have a potential customer who after I have given them a price for the project has asked what my price per sqft is. I have explained through email that there are to many variables in an exterior repaint for that to work. I also explained to him that every contractor has to figure HIS,labor, materials, overhead and profit. He still came back with what's your sqft price. I bid this job last week. I am about to send off an email that says take my price and divide by the sqft of your home. Does anyone have a polite way of addressing this.
This is a fairly large home and I would like to get it

 

[vermontpainter]

Aaron

I think you have already politely explained it. Its as simple as telling him that your price is not based on square footage. But as you pointed out, they could translate your number into square footage with a simple bit of division. Then, it turns into a game of square foot of what? Footprint? Painted surface? Its obvious to us, but probably not to everyone, that all square feet of painted surface are not created equal. Unfortunately, there are probably enough painters running around who dont know how to estimate so they have a random s.f. price number that they try to make work. Another example of consumer confusion.

 

[aaron61]

I have ran into this before and they seem to think you are being less then honest. This morning a customer said "so you don't provide the sqft and how much paint I'm gonna need?" :wallbash:

 

[vermontpainter]

I have ran into this before and they seem to think you are being less then honest. This morning a customer said "so you don't provide the sqft and how much paint I'm gonna need?" :wallbash:

Well since the materials are included in the quote, that is information that they dont need to be burdened with. That would be like asking your dentist how many ounces of material he will use to fill your tooth. Thats the business of the dentist.

I have had some crazy attempts at negotiation by homeowners this year, and the best you can do is calmly hold your line. Then, when you get off the phone, go punch a hole in the wall somewhere. With this type of customer, the more information you give them, the more they will try to use it against you in negotiation. The materials negotiation is laughable. It is such a small percentage of what we do, that to haggle over that is such a waste of time.

 

[Brian]

I tell them that my estimating software doesn't give me that information-- and I use that line just about any time they ask for information that is known of their business. It is none of their business, and if they can't accept that, then we probably don't want them as a customer.

I am growing more tempted each time it happens to respond with, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours. I'll tell you my sf price if you tell me what you make per year. I might have to increase my price accordingly."

For some reason, as I get older I get less and less tolerant of such people.

While I sympathize with the desire to punch a hole in a wall, you will then need to fix it. I prefer to go into my warehouse and smoke a cigar. It's much more enjoyable and it doesn't hurt my hand.

Brian Phillips

 

[painttofish]

While I sympathize with the desire to punch a hole in a wall, you will then need to fix it. I prefer to go into my warehouse and smoke a cigar. It's much more enjoyable and it doesn't hurt my hand.

Brian Phillips

Ahh... but your cigar may hurt more than your hand, and may cost much more to fix.

 

[Dave Mac]

For some reason, as I get older I get less and less tolerant of such people.


Brian Phillips

Me to :thumbup:

 

[Brian]

Ahh... but your cigar may hurt more than your hand, and may cost much more to fix.

That is true, but my most recent physical came back very good.

Life is too short to not enjoy. I would rather die at 80 and enjoy those years, than live in misery for 100 years.

Brian Phillips

 

[vermontpainter]

That is true, but my most recent physical came back very good.

Life is too short to not enjoy. I would rather die at 80 and enjoy those years, than live in misery for 100 years.

Brian Phillips

I'll drink to that :drink:

 

[painttofish]

When confronted with sq ft cost questions I usually go into a "state of excessive questioning". Interior being: sq ft of what, floor plan, walls, actual wall sq ft, ceilings different from walls, what product, etc.... This always opens eyes to the grandness of this question. Exterior I usually don't get sq ft questions, I guess due to the more obvious differences in homes. I am pretty sure I have never landed any job where someone demanded a sq ft price for the entire job. Probably because I don't give them one, and more probable because they are price shopping. I don't do track work.

 

[painttofish]

I I prefer to go into my warehouse and smoke a cigar.

Brian Phillips

I have a pole barn where I enjoy work , wine, and things that are shaped like small cigars.. Yes, happiness is better than the pursuit!arty::drink:

 

[slickshift]

As you do not charge by the sq. ft., do not answer by the sq. ft.

For one or a few reasons, this guy wants to know what your sq. ft. price is
Of the several reasons for him wanting to assign a sq. ft. value to this project, none of them are good
Either you will now have been proved to be a liar with how you figure, or he has someone telling him a sq. ft. price and wants to compare, he thinks we all do sq. ft. price, he doesn't want to go over XXX per sq. ft., saw on some interweb board that new const. painting runs XXX per sq. ft., he just wants some way to negotiate the price (lower it a few bucks per sq. ft.etc.)....

None of which are good

"I'm sorry, I can't answer your question, we simply don't price that way."

 

[MAK-Deco]

This is a fairly large home and I would like to get it

Sounds like a fairly large headache...

 

[slickshift]

Sounds like a fairly large headache...

The warning flares are a flyin'

 

[Brian]

I have a pole barn where I enjoy work , wine, and things that are shaped like small cigars.. Yes, happiness is better than the pursuit!arty::drink:

Ahh... but your small thing shaped like a cigar may hurt more than your hand, and may cost much more to fix.

Brian Phillips

 

[painttofish]

Ahh... but your small thing shaped like a cigar may hurt more than your hand, and may cost much more to fix.

Brian Phillips

I think I hear an echo... :whistling2:

 

[painttofish]

Ahh... but your small thing shaped like a cigar may hurt more than your hand, and may cost much more to fix.

Brian Phillips

Captain Otto scares me! Are we still talking about cigars??

 

[bikerboy]

I tell them that my estimating software doesn't give me that information-- and I use that line just about any time they ask for information that is known of their business. It is none of their business, and if they can't accept that, then we probably don't want them as a customer.

I am growing more tempted each time it happens to respond with, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours. I'll tell you my sf price if you tell me what you make per year. I might have to increase my price accordingly."

For some reason, as I get older I get less and less tolerant of such people.

While I sympathize with the desire to punch a hole in a wall, you will then need to fix it. I prefer to go into my warehouse and smoke a cigar. It's much more enjoyable and it doesn't hurt my hand.

Brian Phillips

So, what is the favored cigar when relaxing from the discomforts of customers? (mine would be any Partagas or El Ray Delmundo Robusta Larga in oscuro.)

 

[johnthepainter]

he wants to shop your price,,,,,,

and then back out the window and door openings,,,,,,

after all, they dont get painted.

 

[aaron61]

Customers are really baffled when I won't come down on my price.
I had a lady last month on a $1,700 exterior say the lowest bid is $1,200 but we want you to do the job,can you do it for $1,200. I told her if I skip the pressure washing and Loxon and use Builders grade paint, YES! She FREAKED. "why would I want to do that?" She just wanted me to eat $500.00. We did the job and she was the biggest PIA!!!!!!