The Green Industry's Resource Center

chesterlawn · #1 09-23-2012, 09:24 AM

Got a call for a pruning job from a guy with a foreign accent, in the past I've had nothing but trouble with this, but I thought I would give it a shot. Went out and met him, seemed like a nice guy and we walked around the yard and he showed me what he wanted done. There was nothing tricky just simple pruning and we agreed on a price, it would take no more than 2 hr and I told him $250. He said that was fine and I told him that I would be out in about a week to do the job, he said to call first as he wanted to be home when I was there.. As I was walking to my truck he asked me if this was an all day job, I said no. Then he said will it take 1/2 day and I said a little less because I have all the proper tools that I need to do the job so it goes a little faster. Next, am I going to have a helper with me, again I told him no I'm going to do this by myself. Most customers agree on a price, don't pry and say do it whenever. As I was driving away I could see what all this was leading to so I'm passing on this job.

vaacutabove · #2 09-23-2012, 09:51 AM

If i droped jobs bc my people asked questions around here i would not have much work. As long as he agrees and pays who cares.
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Florida Gardener · #3 09-23-2012, 09:54 AM

First, I think you priced too high. $125/hr for basic pruning? I could understand if this was tree work, but not basic shrubs. I don't blame the guy for asking.
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alldayrj · #4 09-23-2012, 09:57 AM

Its not too high if the guy agrees. Why leave money on the table?
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Florida Gardener · #5 09-23-2012, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alldayrj

Its not too high if the guy agrees. Why leave money on the table?
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Of he agreed, fine, I just think its too much. If it is out of the way of the route, or going to be a PITA, fine. But for a regular job, IMO, it's too much.
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DEPENDABLE LANDSCAPING · #6 09-23-2012, 10:04 AM

Go do the job. You agreed on a price and will look bad if you pass now. He may turn into a great customer.
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chesterlawn · #7 09-23-2012, 10:06 AM

I knew I shouldn't have put the price in, it's not the price we get higher prices around here, the point was there was going to be trouble after the job was done. No matter if the price was agreed on and the job was completed there would be a problem. Some will know what I'm talking about.

pseudosun · #8 09-23-2012, 10:23 AM

The questions about how long it will take really annoy me. If it took you all day because you didn't have the proper equipment or experience, what's the difference? I recently turned down an old (80 something) man when i gave him a very reasonable price for his yard ($30). He said, well, i want to see how long it takes you. I politely explained that i get paid by the job, not by the hour, and that conversation didn't go so well. I could tell that he was used to abusing his service people, so i had to walk off. I'm not sure where he got the idea that he could run over me. It may be because he's seen me working on his street being nice, and he might have thought that he could bend me, or that i'd feel sorry for him. I always look at the vehicles in the carport. Don't nickel and dime me when you have a new car.

easy-lift guy · #9 09-23-2012, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesterlawn

Got a call for a pruning job from a guy with a foreign accent, in the past I've had nothing but trouble with this, but I thought I would give it a shot. Went out and met him, seemed like a nice guy and we walked around the yard and he showed me what he wanted done. There was nothing tricky just simple pruning and we agreed on a price, it would take no more than 2 hr and I told him $250. He said that was fine and I told him that I would be out in about a week to do the job, he said to call first as he wanted to be home when I was there.. As I was walking to my truck he asked me if this was an all day job, I said no. Then he said will it take 1/2 day and I said a little less because I have all the proper tools that I need to do the job so it goes a little faster. Next, am I going to have a helper with me, again I told him no I'm going to do this by myself. Most customers agree on a price, don't pry and say do it whenever. As I was driving away I could see what all this was leading to so I'm passing on this job.

TBH, you actually deserved this 20 question game. Your decision to not spell out exactly what your services were to entail in writing, ie a work order signed off by both the client and yourself means the customer was making sure he was going to get his money's worth out of the job. Be better prepared in the future and have a work order explaining everything up front.
easy-lift guy