Author Topic: Got a dilema here  (Read 7145 times)

Offline 01extreme

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Got a dilema here
« on: July 29, 2007, 11:53:04 AM »
I have this new house i am bidding on and its also for a friend just starting in the new home business.  I gae him a price to paint the int and ext.  where there is 4000 sf of walls and ceilings inside. 14 doors and about 364 Lf of base.  the ext is stucco with a cedar soffit and fasica with about 1600 sf of painted stucco.  from this information i figured out from the plans and came up with my figures.  so he gets other estimates and one company came in at 3000 for paint and labour costs i was like no way.  I have been painting now for amlost 5 years and been working for a company i haven't actually bid out a job. but i know from experience theres no way that is possible. a co worker of mine told me just for the ext stucco labour 1000 dollars.  i came out with a price of about 5500 for just labour costs.

Jared

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Re: Got a dilema here
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2007, 12:01:12 PM »
This is a classic dilemma, one which pro contractors deal with pretty much every day...  your competition is "lowballing" the bid.  Generally speaking, lowballers are the bottom-feeding blood-sucking slopjockeys of the industry.

I must admit that I've learned these lowballers do have a niche market: some folks have absolutely no standards of quality and actually seek the least-skilled labor they can find, thinking that it saves them money - and in some cases, it actually does save them money.  I have relatives who fit this description perfectly, and I will not work for them for any price.

In my opinion, your best bet is to enlighten your friend as to the adage "you get what you pay for" and let him make his own decision.  Right or wrong, he'll learn what he needs to in the long run.  ;)

Offline 01extreme

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Re: Got a dilema here
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2007, 01:37:43 PM »
exactly my thinking.  these guys come around thinking caulking without wiping it.  Spray everything including trying to use a shield to spray cut ceilings.  dont backroll nothing.  And there finish looks like a rookie. 5 years painting and i have seen it all we cut 6 guys in 2 weeks that we tryed out and they where babys.

Offline BrushJockey

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Re: Got a dilema here
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2007, 01:43:05 PM »
Jared is teh wise. 

So now your job is educator. Show professionalism, and someone who the owner can trust to stand behind your work.

That is worth much more in the long run, and maybe you're friend will get it. If not by hiring you, by not hiring you.

Good luck!
"It would be ludicrous to think I'm new to this, I know this, this is what I do"  ( Prince and Geo Clinton..)

Offline lackamoola

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Re: Got a dilema here
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2007, 06:12:33 AM »
What is the market price by the square foot (living area or under roof) in your area? That is how most new work is figured. That is what your competing against. You may not be able to compete with a 'blow and go' outfit unless your set-up to do the same type work. "caulking without wiping it.  Spray everything including trying to use a shield to spray cut ceilings.  don't backroll nothing.".....that's the way they do it around here. The builder really don't care as long as it looks good enough to sell. The buyer gets stuck with a bad job that needs to be repainted in 3-4 years......it's a shame but that's the way it is.
This in a nutshell is why I got out of new work twenty some years ago.
It ain't easy being cheesy

Offline brushandbucket

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Re: Got a dilema here
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2007, 04:45:12 PM »
I worked for and with a guy who taught me alot, one of the  Best lessons was "Your Price is your price" let him have the other guy do it and when the guy/gal figure out half way through the job they are working for $8.00 an hour you will be working on another job making your profit. Remember
if your getting every job your price is too low!!!!
Tony

Offline 01extreme

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Re: Got a dilema here
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2007, 06:34:34 PM »
Yea the guy i work for right now is from new york and has been painting for 25 years learned everything from him and was spraying within 2 years of starting.  I still work for him and its great i was just trying to get a side job to get out of some holes.  I hate it though when i see these houses where they are blow and go or water down paint half and half lol.  we painted a house for this lady i told her i said you got screwed on the painting on this house and she just bought it new.  one of those track home of course.  but on the other hand i know down here its about 2 dollars a SF with paint included i believe and paints only about 20 to 30 dollars a gallon for the bossman from Color Wheel or Sherwin Williams.  BM is insane with there prices

 

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