Asking for a discount on a garden office

privatepeanut

Hi everyone..first time poster, long-term lurker. Forgive me if I have posted in the wrong bit.

We are getting a 'shoffice' (shed/office) and have been in contact with a guy who runs his own company. Lovely guy, pretty hefty quote :eek:. I am rubbish at haggling, especially when it's a one-man opertaion rather than a big global organisation.
I don't want to turn him off, as his offices are the only ones we're considering so I don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face by going elsewhere.
How do I ask politely but authoritively for a discount?

TIA.

keith969

privatepeanut wrote: »

Hi everyone..first time poster, long-term lurker. Forgive me if I have posted in the wrong bit.

We are getting a 'shoffice' (shed/office) and have been in contact with a guy who runs his own company. Lovely guy, pretty hefty quote :eek:. I am rubbish at haggling, especially when it's a one-man opertaion rather than a big global organisation.
I don't want to turn him off, as his offices are the only ones we're considering so I don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face by going elsewhere.
How do I ask politely but authoritively for a discount?

TIA.

So you don't want him to know that else he will not give you one!

Get some competitive ones in, even if you don't like them. Then go back to him and tell him he is more expensive than xyz, you really like his though price is important so could he do something about it?

spmc

how big is the office and what is the price? - I'm only asking as I did quite a bit of research last year for one, which we actually use as a kids play room, so have an idea on costs.

privatepeanut

It's 3m x 2.5m. £7k including all electrics (inc cabling from house), lighting, underfloor heating, plastered..
I know they can be cheaper than this..I know you can pay anything through the roof. I just want a discount

nickj_2

ask him if that is his best price , bear in mind that if you deal with national companies you can never be certain you are getting their best price , however if it's a small company you are usually getting a good deal based on their costs and overheads

Alan_M_2

Some days I feel like I've got a stall at a Moroccan Kasbah. Today was one of those days, every single customer asked for a discount, despite us being wholesalers, selling at wholesale prices....

It's so normal to ask for discounts I now expect it.

We only discount for volume, no other reason.

Cash is the other favourite...Discount for Cash?....Nope..it now costs us more to take cash (0.55%) than if you pay by debit card (18p) and I'm not in the habit of committing VAT fraud so my customers can save a few pennies.

A flat No really seems to throw people, they genuinely expect some sort of bartering to take place.

mikey72

Nothing wrong with a good bit of bartering, flat no if you're not the cheapest won't work all the time.

Alan_M_2

mikey72 wrote: »

Nothing wrong with a good bit of bartering, flat no if you're not the cheapest won't work all the time.

Depends really, right now I'm struggling to get stock in quick enough I'm selling so much.

If I'm piled high in stock and it's not selling I may think different, fortunately I've never had that problem becasue we sell at wholesale from the word go..so generally, we are the cheapest. Therefore I have no need to barter.

Doesn't stop people trying though.

mikey72

Alan_M wrote: »

Depends really, right now I'm struggling to get stock in quick enough I'm selling so much.

If I'm piled high in stock and it's not selling I may think different, fortunately I've never had that problem becasue we sell at wholesale from the word go..so generally, we are the cheapest. Therefore I have no need to barter.

Doesn't stop people trying though.

If you don't ask you don't get.
Me, that's my camel outside.

Imp

privatepeanut wrote: »

Hi everyone..first time poster, long-term lurker. Forgive me if I have posted in the wrong bit.

We are getting a 'shoffice' (shed/office) and have been in contact with a guy who runs his own company. Lovely guy, pretty hefty quote :eek:. I am rubbish at haggling, especially when it's a one-man opertaion rather than a big global organisation.
I don't want to turn him off, as his offices are the only ones we're considering so I don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face by going elsewhere.
How do I ask politely but authoritively for a discount?

TIA.

Why don't you just tell him that it is a little much for you, what can we do to resolve it, change to spec, different materials, quality of finish. That way you can work together and build the relationship while at the same time reducing costs.

spmc

Seems like a good price. The company I used charge approx £6500 (incl VAT) for that size but that excludes the electric supply and any heating although I have found an oil filled radiator to be fine. Also it was a prefabricated building (not the typical home office style) so there was no finish plastering. I did quite a lot of research and don't think I found anyone cheaper (for a properly insulated one) so difficult to refer to a cheaper alternative which is always helful when seeking a discount.

You could ask whether he would be willing to offer a discount if you were willing to let prospective customers look around once it was finished. Otherwise you could say your budget was £6500 could he come down to that, even if he can't he may offer something off.