I had a bid turned in on a 1600s.f. paint over, 500 of that sf was 16' vaulted, trim painted (oil). it would need alotta sanding! 11 doors (one side only) oil also. 4 big windows, all trim ect has old varnish on it! sand, sand, sand,! I didnt get the bid, my buddy in town that paints turn in a bid for 2500!! and got it, I dont see how he can make any money on it? HO has the paint there, this was just labor.
sometimes the loballer wins
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Well, he doesn't have to buy any paint. If he can get it done in 60 hours, It is still almost $42ph. I based my estimate on $46 per man hour. $42 is not that far of from my price.
Before you call him a low baller, maybe you should ask your "buddy" how long will it take him.
Before you call him a low baller, maybe you should ask your "buddy" how long will it take him.
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2,451 Posts
He might not
You've seen it, you know what's up
You may have completely hosed himself
Sometimes the low-baller screwed up the bid
Sometimes the low-baller is an idiot
Sometimes the low-baller is a hack
Really, a cheap homeowner shouldn't be your target customer anyway
They are not good customers
They drop you like a hot potato the second someone cheaper shows up
...and there's always someone cheaper...always
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1,390 Posts
Even at $42 there is a very good chance he won't make much money. This is particularly true if he works alone.
Assuming the industry average of 50% overhead (I know he'll claim he has no overhead, but he's wrong) that would put his actual wages at $21. Certainly better than McDonalds, but a far cry from $42. And when you factor in his hours for paperwork, admin, etc. that $21 an hour is going to probably drop closer to $15 or so.
The low baller may win a particular job, but so long as he remains a low baller he never really wins.
Brian Phillips
Re: Sometimes the lowballer wins
If he rushes the job and has it done in less than a week (which is not impossible), he will make a bit of money in the short term. In the long term, he will likely lose his repeat/referral business, because the customer will likely not really 'thrilled' with the finished work. Not to mention that he has to work much harder to deliver the sub-quality work in a hurry, cut-corner, dont-look-back state of mind.
He may win some jobs and be content with his business/life now, but as the years pass by, he will find himself continuing to look forward to the 'next better, more profitable year', when he will actually be able to afford the things he wants/needs in life.
No, the customer may win sometimes, but the painter does not win anything --in winning the (low) bid, he loses a lot.
Most likely he will not make any money --assuming he will do a good, thorough job, which takes time.
If he rushes the job and has it done in less than a week (which is not impossible), he will make a bit of money in the short term. In the long term, he will likely lose his repeat/referral business, because the customer will likely not really 'thrilled' with the finished work. Not to mention that he has to work much harder to deliver the sub-quality work in a hurry, cut-corner, dont-look-back state of mind.
He may win some jobs and be content with his business/life now, but as the years pass by, he will find himself continuing to look forward to the 'next better, more profitable year', when he will actually be able to afford the things he wants/needs in life.
No, the customer may win sometimes, but the painter does not win anything --in winning the (low) bid, he loses a lot.
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