Author Topic: Aggravating situation  (Read 8164 times)

Offline Fat Tony

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Aggravating situation
« on: August 31, 2006, 03:13:35 AM »
Hey guys
I had something happen to me the other day which has me wondering and a little P. off.  I had gone to this womans house for the second time to estimate a job. The first time i went i went with my cousin and he square footed the whole house and came up with a bid of $5800, this included ceilings and doors and baseboards. The whole works. Anyway, after a few days the woman said we were the low bid and they were consdiering who to use. This was a few months ago.
Anyway, recently she had a major problem, her under the sink osmosis system cracked open while she was away and flooded the whole house, the downstairs. She called the insurance and got the adjustor and they took care of everything downstairs, the flooring the drying out and the painting but just for the downstairs only. She calls me again and wants me to bid on the upsatirs, i do and come up with a bid of $3000 which she is happy with noly i say this doesnt include ceilings which is fine as they are in good shape anyway.
So just yesterday she tells me the guy who is painting the dowstairs gives her a quote of $1695. I smelled a rat right away, theres no way on earth you aregoing to do 5 bedrooms, one large and one rec room, also large and two bathrooms, one large and closets and baseboards for that number, no way. I told her right away the only way this can be happening is the insurance guy is beefing up the claim to company and what with the painter charging, the insuarnce guy is going to get a kickback. Its the only possible way they can make money on this one. They probably got a crew of three guys working and they areusing Behr paint from homers. Im thinking how else can this guy make a nickel on the job ??
She did throw me the downstairs bathroom to do and varnishing some cabinets but its small change and she probably is only doing it cause she knows i was looking out for her. I told her to watch for this and that and not to give them a nickel up front.
Any thoughts on this  ?  Im not happy about this at all.
Even the woman was perplexed about how they can be doing this so cheaply.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2006, 03:16:03 AM by Fat Tony »

the PAINTSMITH

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2006, 05:37:10 AM »
Anyone remember Earl Scheib? "I can paint ANY car for just $99.95"...Tony, the world's full of these guys, I run across then frequently, mostly their work, though, when a customer calls me to see if I can fix it... ::)

Offline DecorativeWalls

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2006, 10:57:12 AM »
Tony,

well darn- I do believe I am typing on  a blacked out monitor.  My monitor just went black.  I can hit the little monitor button and for a split second I can see the screen.

Guess I am just going to need to wait un til I can get my monitor fixed.  I can flip the monitor on and off and see hte screen for just a second.

I'll just have to sign off and wait to get this checked out.

Can't see what I am typing.    ??? So, yes I would be a little p' also.
Later,
 :)

Jared

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2006, 02:30:00 PM »
DW - Too bad you are not in the San Diego vicinity, I have a ton of spare parts to give away - including 3 spare monitors...

and Tony - We have all seen this happen before.  Like it or not, the contractors who make their living by lo-balling bids are just a part of the business...  When I had to face this problem, I let it gnaw at me for a while before I realized that I had to step up and accept reality.  But upon doing so, I realized that the loss of jobs through lo-ballers could be made up for (amd more) by going the extra mile for every customer and really creating a reputation of quality.
The bottom line is this:  there will always be a market for the lo-ballers because there will always be consumers who are only concerned with the $$.  My philosophy is to let the lo-ballers have those folks - I choose to focus on the potential clients who really care about the quality of work.  (Works for me - I am booked solid for 2-3 months in advance, and it only took 1 commercial job in the area to get the ball rolling.)
« Last Edit: August 31, 2006, 02:40:50 PM by Jared »

Offline rmichael

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2006, 05:44:38 PM »
Hey Tony,

It has been my experience that insurance adjusters always take the lowest bidder. A high end paint job is often considered an "upgrade" ( over and above standard workmanship). I have known a few guys who have done very well doing restoration type work for insurance companies. The key to their success was NOT quality work, it was directly related to how many adjusters they could count as drinking buddies...  ;)

The woman will get exactly what she is paying for, a "spit and get" restoration painter.

Don't let it get you down...

Pro Painter 30 years ~ Down East Coastal NC

"Hell Son, It's always been about the work."

Offline Fat Tony

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2006, 07:32:24 PM »
First of all, thanks to all you guys for the encouragement. I learned quite a few things off this board that i probably would have had to learn the hardway otherwise.
Now, i left something out above, there was also a large hallway involved too. So it is driving me crazy trying to figure out how the hell this guy can make more than $200 off this job !!  Its just too damm much work. See i was around street guys all my life growing up and i seen every scam under the sun and its screaming at me that the adjustor told the ins company that there was more damage downstairs than he originally thought and they are cutting a bigger check and hes splitting the difference with the painter somehow. Its got to be. I mean you really got to be nuts to make a $1600 bid on this job. I was figuring my overhead with the paint and my helper was going to come close to 1400 so how the hell can he do it ?
Sorry to ramble but to me theres more here than meets the eye, lol.

Offline theopas7

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2006, 08:45:50 PM »
fat tony,
is it possible that the rat of which you speak is the one who owns the home?she needs some numbers to
go by so she calls you for an estimate,what your not aware of is that shes called 3-5 other co's and got
their numbers too.suddenly an (accident)in the home occurs.the adjuster comes in with some bonified
numbers which is o'ked by the"victim".now with plenty of money to deal with she can now get both
floors done.so she hits you again for more #'s only this time its to see how much she can keep in her
pocket after its all said and done.
 you've assumed that shes being on the up and up with you.this is not the first time.why do you pay
homeowners insurance??? :o]

Offline Lynjowoman

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2006, 08:53:35 PM »
Theo~

HMMMM
interesting angle

lynjo
"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
Charlotte Whitton

Offline Fat Tony

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2006, 02:41:24 AM »
Anythings possible but in this case im sure shes not in on it, i know the woman from my other job. But then again ......... :-X

Offline theopas7

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2006, 11:18:35 AM »
fat tony,
my point exactly.she threw you a bone(downstairs bathroom)for a point of reference,(price,quality,critique
other painter's work).she actually created a subplot so she make money at your expense,(the drama).
 what i should have read was;tony,we've gotten other quotes that are lower than yours but have decided
to go with you based on your quality work and thats what we want in our home.
 the fact that someone else's doing the job surely reveals something. :(
 

Offline ProWallGuy

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2006, 12:19:11 PM »
rmichael, I like the 'spit and get' line. around here it's called 'splash and dash'.
Insurance bids are the ONLY bids I charge for.

Offline rmichael

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Re: Aggravating situation
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2006, 04:43:26 PM »
Yeah Pro Wall, it is usually a waste of time, either the adjuster just wants a few ghost bids for the "paperwork" or the homeowner is going to cash out and wants a realistic bid for negotiation, with no intention of giving you the job.
I have regretted the few insurance jobs that I have landed over the years. The clients always have an attitude since it is a forced circumstance and a real inconvenience for them, to top it off you have to bear the animosity they have for their cheap, trifling insurance company, in their eyes you represent Ripoff Insurance Inc.
 
Charging for the estimate would help to weed them out, but I usually just tell them I'm booked.

rmichael   pro painter
Pro Painter 30 years ~ Down East Coastal NC

"Hell Son, It's always been about the work."

 

anything