im pissed!

i gave an estimate to do alot of mulching for a homeowner of mine along with a price to replace some dead shrubs... i gave hima great deal on putting in the shrubs because i was doing so much mulching for him and i was just being nice... he said fine go ahead and do it all! that was wednesday.... that day i orderd the mulch to be deliverd to the site so it would be there on tuesday. well.... i just got a email from his saying "dont do the mulch, i decided i dont want to spend all that money in the end but go ahead ang put in the shrubs". i gave him sucha good deal on the shrubs as i said because i was doing all that mulchjing anyway making alot of profit. now im not doing the mulching and i will make not much money to put in these 8 shrubs... its maybe an hour worth of work but thats not the point! i also now have to cancel the mulch and the guy i get the mulch from wont be happy! right now im steaming im so mad...there was 1000 bucks profit on the mulching that i wont have now....has this happened to you?

 

Yes, it has. Real simple solution. Explain to him what you explained here - you gave him a great deal on the shrubs because you were doing all the mulching. Because he backed out on the mulch, you'll have to rebid the shrubs. He won't like it, but too bad. That's why I now only bid by the project. If someone wants to delete something or add something, I rebid it, and present it as a total project price, not a price per shrub, price per yard of mulch, etc. Otherwise, the customer will always choose to delete the stuff that makes you money and keep the stuff that you're giving away.

 

tell him you orderd the mulch and you cant cancel the order. simple as that.<br>

 

stonehenge, i would do that but he has a nice size lawn that i mow so i dont want to loose that so i think ill just eat the low price im doing the wrok for and take it as a lesson learned.... its not to much money im loosing but it still annoys me.

 

because you have that lawn as an account you can always make it up on the next job or spread it out over the next couple of jobs, i do alot of rentals (triplexes, apt buildings)for my landlord and i always charge more for everything i do for her so i basically live rent free, you will get your money back<p>----------<br>CJC Landscape Management<br>Winter Haven, Florida

 

GOOD THINKING CJ!<p>HOMER

 

I would go along with the rebidding except that you have the yard account. I would still at least try to see if he will let you rebid on the bushes. Tell him it was a package deal. If you fail to convince him then I guess you have to weigh the loss on the bush planting against keepin the yard. But remember next time that customers really don't appreciate &quot;deal&quot; or free work. Because they don't think we are worth what we charge in the first place.

 

Evan, been there, done that. Was asked to bid <br>on treating all of the ornamental plantings around the VA Hospital, about a $2500 per year job, as an afterthought they ask that I quote on the lawn care. Not much grass, but a building that is one sq. block in Downtown. Requires that this be done on Sat or Sunday. After bidding, din't want the Ornamental work, just the lawn. Hated it every time I had to go, but did it anyway. Gave them a quote again this year (for what is was worth)<br>and never heard back from them. Live and learn, I always say.