Do tradesmen really deliberately quote inflated prices

noelphobic

when they don't want a job? On the basis that most people will turn it down but if the odd person wants to pay then that's OK and it's win win? If they don't want a job or are too busy to do it why wouldn't they just say they didn't want the job or are too busy to do it.

Or is it an urban myth?

phill99

If a customer responds to an advert etc and a tradesman turns up, sometimes you look at the job and think "I don't want this job". So you out price the job. It would be unprofessional to simply say "Sorry Mrs Homeowner, but I don't want to work for you", so you put a price in which is inflated and you don't get the job. It's not a myth. The reason I would inflate a price is normally based on a 6th sense about the customer ie you just get a bad feeling about them.

noelphobic

phill99 wrote: »

If a customer responds to an advert etc and a tradesman turns up, sometimes you look at the job and think "I don't want this job". So you out price the job. It would be unprofessional to simply say "Sorry Mrs Homeowner, but I don't want to work for you", so you put a price in which is inflated and you don't get the job. It's not a myth. The reason I would inflate a price is normally based on a 6th sense about the customer ie you just get a bed feeling about them.

Why would you look at a job and think 'I don't want this job'?

It's unprofessional to say you don't want the job but it's not unprofessional to quote a ridiculous price? And what does a bad feeling mean? That they won't pay you or they will be difficult to work for? Would you do the same if you had already done a lot of work for someone - which is what has happened in my case?

Also, I'm a bit concerned about why you might get a 'bed feeling' about a customer! Wouldn't that make you lower the price rather than raise it :rotfl:

Hudpod25

In the past, I have had what I felt were inflated quotes. However, as a customer my suggestion is to keep a record of quotes received so that if work needs doing in the future at least you know that particular tradesman are either 'trying it on' or just routinely expensive.

Leif

noelphobic wrote: »

Why would you look at a job and think 'I don't want this job'?

It's unprofessional to say you don't want the job but it's not unprofessional to quote a ridiculous price? And what does a bad feeling mean? That they won't pay you or they will be difficult to work for? Would you do the same if you had already done a lot of work for someone - which is what has happened in my case?

Also, I'm a bit concerned about why you might get a 'bed feeling' about a customer! Wouldn't that make you lower the price rather than raise it :rotfl:

I understand where Phill99 is coming from. I arranged for a stove shop to do a survey, for which they charged £30. The chap came round, and I felt very uncomfortable in his presence. He was arrogant and condescending, and basically creepy. And he gave me some BS about a plasterer working for beer money, and then ringing him up and inviting around to MY house. Needless to say they did not get the job. I imagine the same happens but the other way round.

Happy-Days_3

noelphobic wrote: »

when they don't want a job? On the basis that most people will turn it down but if the odd person wants to pay then that's OK and it's win win? If they don't want a job or are too busy to do it why wouldn't they just say they didn't want the job or are too busy to do it.

Or is it an urban myth?

Why shouldn't th trades do this? Othe reason being supply and demand. Say in jan, they are already booked up apart from 1 week for the next 3 months. Then come April, they only have 1 job for next 3 months.

How is it any different to amazon bumping the price when stock is low. Or travel firms bumping the price because it is school hols. The trade is free to offer to do the work for whatever price they like. As with anything, the customer is free to accept or decline.

Booskintbabe

I work at a plumber's merchant in Bournemouth and actually deal with some excellent tradesmen. Yes, a lot of them are on the take or have preconceptions about customers which cause them to quote inflated prices but I can honestly say I've not seen much of it my end. Plumbers and tradesmen get a bad press which is mostly undeserved.

C_Mababejive

Good Craftsmen are able to sniff out a potential customer who is a t*sser/timewaster and they blank them. Personally i would simply quote my price and they either take it or leave it.

phill99

Leif wrote: »

I understand where Phill99 is coming from. I arranged for a stove shop to do a survey, for which they charged £30. The chap came round, and I felt very uncomfortable in his presence. He was arrogant and condescending, and basically creepy. And he gave me some BS about a plasterer working for beer money, and then ringing him up and inviting around to MY house. Needless to say they did not get the job. I imagine the same happens but the other way round.

Exactly. Sometimes you just get a bad feeling. I can't put it into words. It's often an attitude that the customer has. Sometimes they tell you they have done some 'research' and they want a job done in a particular way, but in fact the way they want it done is completely impractical or impossible. Or they start telling you how much they expect to be charged. I've even out priced jobs simply because the house was so disgustingly filthy, I won't work in there.

gas4you

I too am very picky about which customers I do work for.

I agree it is a sixth sense.

I would usually avoid any that use a forum such as this.

baldelectrician

I have 2-3 jobs a year that I will not take further due to a gut feeling

The last time I didn't follow my gut it cost me- I have taken the customer to court, had a decree and still haven't been paid- this guy also owes the builder who referred me to him £1000

This client also has 3 other unsatisfied court judgements (he is a landlord)