Funny phone call

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

luke105

Active Member
Just had a call about boarding out a 5 bedroom house...

said I would price it up no problem.

Then he started asking how long I'd been plastering and what was my profession before I became a plasterer.

then saying he is looking for a PERFECT finish.

Made me feel a bit uneasy really like it's going to be a real crappy job dealing with this person....

anyone had similar experiences?
 
luke105 said:
Just had a call about boarding out a 5 bedroom house...

said I would price it up no problem.

Then he started asking how long I'd been plastering and what was my profession before I became a plasterer.

then saying he is looking for a PERFECT finish.

Made me feel a bit uneasy really like it's going to be a real crappy job dealing with this person....

anyone had similar experiences?
Click to expand...

yes mate had probabley half a dozen over last 15yrs...

I find its almost as though they have wrote themselves some notes down on a piece of paper and are reading it back to you...

the thing is they think they are doing the right thing by checking peoples experience and response etc and to some degree they probabley are...

but in reality all they are doing is just alienating you from being remotely interested in doing the work...

I found when I first advertising id get it but now all recommendation thankfully I don't get talked down to anymore...

the last one I had I actualy said whats this a feckin job interview pal you can ram yer poxy living room overskim!!!

walk away mate you will only be a nervous wreck not worth the stress!!!
 
Or it might be a guy who's been warned about course plasterers? I always advise anyone to ask: how long has the plasterer been trading / where he served apprenticeship / domestic and commercial references. Pity more customers didn't do this because it sorts the wheat from the chat.
 
People are so wary of cowboy builders that they seek reassurance ,sadly most of the reassurance is worthless, I have been given numbers of great spreads,God love them some were brutal ,our work is mostly refurb ,bread and butter stuff nothing specialist and they were lost, some gave the game away before they said hello,
went to see a finished dot and dabbed skimmed room today,the quality was 60percent of passable at best and he was recommended by a builder who was recommended, I thankfully normally have builders asking me to do their job ,the quiet times I found it hard to sell myself.i dont have itin me, trust me or don't I don't reallygive a fuk
 
that's just it though it doesn't...courses will just lie and blag...and every plaster going thinks there own works tip top!!!

all he will get is people who don't have much work prepared to do the work...who normaly are shite...

busy/good spreads he will just rub there back up and they will laugh at him and walk away onto a better job

but I do get your point timeserved mate:RpS_thumbup:
 
There was too many questions for my liking. I really hate it when people ring you and start the convo with...how busy are you mate?

What am I meant to say? Busy/medium/not very
its nothing to do with them is it...I just say fairly busy why is it
you need. he kept calling me Mr Wi**s as well.

I I think I would be nervous yes because it's dabbing and skimming a whole old house for someone who is Mr perfect apprently
 
You can tell a lot from a phone call - whether you're wasting each others' time for a start :RpS_thumbup:
 
This type of customer needs reassurance and when they get it they then have to understand that with professional plasterers comes a professional price? It's all about reading what they require? If he wants a Bentley paint job for a ford Capri price tell him to fiik off simples.
 
luke105 said:
There was too many questions for my liking. I really hate it when people ring you and start the convo with...how busy are you mate?

What am I meant to say? Busy/medium/not very
its nothing to do with them is it...I just say fairly busy why is it
you need. he kept calling me Mr Wi**s as well.

I I think I would be nervous yes because it's dabbing and skimming a whole old house for someone who is Mr perfect apprently
Click to expand...

walk mate...it will end in tears...through the course of a whole house it would impossible for him not to find something to pull you no matter how good you are if hes intent on finding floors from the outset!!!

also for a full house to board and skim you need to be hitting it hard to make pay as he will be looking to pin you down on price where as you will want/need to slow right down to doublec check your work ocd style every 2 mins!
 
zombie said:
walk mate...it will end in tears...through the course of a whole house it would impossible for him not to find something to pull you no matter how good you are if hes intent on finding floors from the outset!!!

also for a full house to board and skim you need to be hitting it hard to make pay as he will be looking to pin you down on price where as you will want/need to slow right down to doublec check your work ocd style every 2 mins!
Click to expand...

Agree with @zombie but if your sure you could do it let him know he has to pay for perfection? And that to maintain his standards you won't be held to any time constraints, unless he is a fully qualified plasterer himself, let him know this then whack 100% on top of job to cover ya ass, also agree interim payments through the job? Good luck either way pal.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yeah i wouldn't entertain him sounds like he's gonna be one of those from the start! Over your shoulder,clockwatcher, is that finished? No it wants another 2 trowels yet do one u crank!!:flapper:
 
as others have said if you do take it on give him a price for each completed room...that way at worse your going to know what you dealing with after a couple of days...

oh and start with the boxroom!!! lol
 
no problem the client wants a high class job, and willing to pay for high class plastering. if he has built the property to a high standard it will be simple. all the walls will be true and plumb. all the reveals and heads will be the same margin.
 
if you think you can give him the standard he wants go for it luke, all customers want the work to be spot on,
 
malc said:
no problem the client wants a high class job, and willing to pay for high class plastering. if he has built the property to a high standard it will be simple. all the walls will be true and plumb. all the reveals and heads will be the same margin.
Click to expand...

still waiting to see 1 of those with my own eyes myself malc...
 
Perfectly good questions I would be prepared to answer I don't see the problem I love working for perfectionists even more so when they are over the moon and getting you back without even looking for another quote. These people I find will pay top whack and expect top quality work in return if you are confident enough with your own work I don't see a problem. You will know within 1 minute if he is a cheap scate and is after a top job for nothing and is ready to pull everything so walk. I also mention to clients that their wall is not made in a factory so their is no such thing as perfection because certain light will show things different the same as when the light hits a car it will show imperfections that you would never notice. Like what's been said if th guys built his own house and it's ready to be plastered I'm sure he has met his fair share of dickheads before he even got planning.
 
i would quote him........then send him the written quote and make it clear its all official.
this way you have a leg to stand on if he plays games.
you could ask for split or interim payment for example when upstairs is completed i want half the money.
you could add 10 percent on top of the price in case he tries to knock me down at the end.
you could also add £300 onto the price and tell him you will knock £300 off for prompt payment.
you could type a contract up with your terms on it and get him to sign it

remember when you buy a car or van and spend a lot of money you ask questions and test drive and h.p.i etc
 
the client is entitled to a high quality job which he his asking to be quoted for, as a one off property he will have time to look at every thing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Share this page

Back
Top