The Ethical Lawn Turd??? - Page 4 - LawnSite.com™

Keith · #31 07-24-2011, 05:47 PM

Based on your wording in the email, I would refund the difference. What you do is your business.

For anyone else reading this, here's your lesson for the day. Never mention numbers of pallets or measurements unless the customer brings it up. Quote the price for the completed work. Offer no more information than you need to.

Edit: Personally I think Michael refunded the money based on the title of the thread. I don't think he would have ever brought it up if he didn't

Ric · #32 07-24-2011, 06:08 PM

Mikey

I made two statements. 1st was the fact I actually went back to the customer and returned the money. The 2nd was how if you under bid the customer still expects the job done for the original price.

You quoted the second statement and went on in other posts to justify keeping the money. So Yes by all means keep the money and buy a big Bag, who am I to question the Ethic of a Yard Boy. After all we are all Drunks and Druggies.

Florida Gardener · #33 07-24-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric

Mikey

I made two statements. 1st was the fact I actually went back to the customer and returned the money. The 2nd was how if you under bid the customer still expects the job done for the original price.

You quoted the second statement and went on in other posts to justify keeping the money. So Yes by all means keep the money and buy a big Bag, who am I to question the Ethic of a Yard Boy. After all we are all Drunks and Druggies.

This is exactly the point I'm trying to make. If you underestimate on an out the door price, you eat it. I would rather refund money(overbid) than eat it(underbid).
Posted via Mobile Device

Landscape Poet · #34 07-24-2011, 06:27 PM

OK,

So here is how it is going down. I knew what I was going to do as Keith suggested in one of his post before I actually brought it up here after thinking about it long and hard yesterday after discovering the error.

The HO is not home this weekend so I could not notify him in person of the error. This will be done Monday morning.

This is what I know. I know that I am going still make a nice profit from the job. I know that HO will most likely not have any doubt about using me to finish the job in the back when he can afford to do so. I know he is very likely to refer me to others he knows and if it lands me another job it will have been worth it. If he does so my long term profit will be more than triple of what I will make this time. Rob added the possibility of getting him to use my company for maint with a credit...and that will most likely be brought up to to see if I can not get my foot in that particular neighborhood.

This really is a gray area if you would choose it to be so. The only issue I have with it is that I did in fact give the HO the number of pallets which as Keith mentioned in his post. If I had just given the out the door price and nothing else - I would be keeping the cash most likely. However I always give the total number of pallets so the customer if comparing can see apples to apples what they are getting. I have had on more than one occasion given a estimate to have a HO ask me why I was X amount over my competitor in the number of pallets, to which I reply because that is what I feel it is going to take to ensure that we have enough sod to not leave large seams like others might. If we come across horrible pieces we are not forced to use it. Overall I overestimate to ensure a quality install. In these cases I generally get the job so it does work in my favor at times to include the number of pallets.

I just wanted to see what the rest of your lawn turds would do!

Landscape Poet · #35 07-24-2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric

Mikey

I made two statements. 1st was the fact I actually went back to the customer and returned the money. The 2nd was how if you under bid the customer still expects the job done for the original price.

You quoted the second statement and went on in other posts to justify keeping the money. So Yes by all means keep the money and buy a big Bag, who am I to question the Ethic of a Yard Boy. After all we are all Drunks and Druggies.

Ric,

Calm down old man

.....it is not like you have never selectively quoted someones statements on here. I was just poking to have some fun and see what others would do.

PROCUT1 · #36 07-24-2011, 07:02 PM

So your selling point is for the customer to compare your bid to others and see that you are proposing to use more sod and therefore justify your price being higher. You then use less sod like your competitor was going to do all along and instead just charge the customer for the extra material that you never used in the first place.

Do I have it right?
Posted via Mobile Device

Stillwater · #37 07-24-2011, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Geist Yard Works

You say you are a bottom line kinda of guy.....does that mean you are only concerned with your bottom line?

Is it dishonest to keep this potential extra income because the HO accepted it? Or is it acceptable because I gave a price for the project and they accepted? If you give a price for a project to the customer and it ends up costing you less do you refund them money or do you just consider your profit margins to have increased.

Mike your like my wife twisting this onto me. Its not going to work hear. I can't answer your deflective questions because their is no context to them. I am not hear to make you feel better about yourself I would try but you are defensive in nature. You asked a question on a open forum and I answered. You are clearly wrestling with this issue and given the strong defensive nature of all your responses it is clear you have already chosen a path. Why do you feel a need to defend your business decisions. you should be beyond this.

Landscape Poet · #38 07-24-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PROCUT1

So your selling point is for the customer to compare your bid to others and see that you are proposing to use more sod and therefore justify your price being higher. You then use less sod like your competitor was going to do all along and instead just charge the customer for the extra material that you never used in the first place.

Do I have it right?
Posted via Mobile Device

Incorrect. You do not understand it correctly. At times I have been asked why my estimate would be one or two pallets more dependent on the size of the job. It is because I truly feel the need for the extra sod. I figure on any given pallet their is easily 10% waste between cut outs needed and just general off color or bad pieces. Get a bad pallet and that number turns into 15%. I make sure I have enough product that the guys can put down quality pieces and they know not to use the crap. This makes them more productive if you ask me anyways as they are not trying to make crap pieces like many others do.

So again to answer your question - I do not intentionally add extra to my estimate to raise the price, I add extra to ensure my guys have enough to complete the job with a quality product. If it works out we have extra...oh well....but it is better to have ensured that I could have extra than to have charged the customer for the bare min I thought I would need and then pieces their lawn together with little scrape pieces knowing that in the FL heat and sun they never stand a chance.

Landscape Poet · #39 07-24-2011, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillwater

Mike your like my wife twisting this onto me. Its not going to work hear. I can't answer your deflective questions because their is no context to them. I am not hear to make you feel better about yourself I would try but you are defensive in nature. You asked a question on a open forum and I answered. You are clearly wrestling with this issue and given the strong defensive nature of all your responses it is clear you have already chosen a path. Why do you feel a need to defend your business decisions. you should be beyond this.

Still,

I was attempting to get a rise out of you. No disrespect intended but I think if you follow my post and the last couple you will see I was indeed turning and twisting your words trying to see what other LCO's would do in this situation. NOthing more nothing less, just a little fun.

Stillwater · #40 07-24-2011, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Geist Yard Works

Incorrect. You do not understand it correctly. At times I have been asked why my estimate would be one or two pallets more dependent on the size of the job. It is because I truly feel the need for the extra sod.

This based on your faulty equipment as outlined in your first post.