how do we sell ourself when priceing work

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henry

henry

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How do we sell ourself when priceing work, In this case it a bedroom. Take your shoes off or are you posh and put them cover things over the shoe. The first thing am looking at is carpets need covering or not. You get in the room
and you know, no more then 5 bags 1 window = 3 beads and pva . Check out if you need to sheet floor off. Total time
to price this job 10 mins. Now do make notes in a book feel the wall like we do , listen to what they have to say , I tell
them the walls will skim up really nice when painted, this makes them feel happy about the job. I always tell them the price there and then. In most cases they tell you when can you start. If they say nothing I would say leave it with you thank you goodbye.
So how do others go about it.
 
Pretty much the same, ill go and have a look at the job, as you say listen to what they say and what they want doing, then way the job up for time and gear sheeting up etc, and give them a couple of options, ie ceiling can be over-skimmed / Over-boarded / ripped down and re-boarded explain the pros and cons eg. this ways cheaper / dearer this ways guaranteed / this ways more mess and so on. Let them decide what they then want doing and give them a price, tell them my availability if they don't want to wait that long i usually chuck in that if i get a cancellation ill jump on it sooner, usually gets them booked in, if they're happy with the price ill offer to put it in writing for them, this also gives them piece of mind.
 
Unles its a small job i always quote on paper, with t&c attached on the back.Always measure up, even if you know what its going to cost as you walk in the room,stress what your going to do, so it feels like there getting lots for the money, and stress how nice it will paint when your finnished, and nopws a good time to drop in that you offer a decorating service.Then mentiion how it will complement thre good taste in the rest of the house.
Now the bit i find makes a massive difference, ring back a few days later and ask if everythings ok, if your works good you have nothing to loose,and believe me, it really goes along way.
 
Never thought of doing that kebab ringing back. Why do you think it goes a long way with them for what reason.
 
Generaly smile be polite speak posatively whilst realy thinking what a pair of muppets and fu***n Artex again aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! :RpS_cursing:
 
Kebab King,

Out of interest fela do you get much interest with following up with a decorating service? ... Ive thought about this myself but then remember how sh**e i am at cutting in so dont lol!

Zombie
 
Firstly i will call and tell them i am on my way just to make sure they are in, once i arrive i will put on my shoe protectors looks like your clean and tidy before you have even got the job. I usually sit them down in the living room and get out pictures of my previous jobs and will show them copies of all my certificates, if i have time i will try to get them out of the frames before i arrive but sometimes im too busy. Usually they will offer me a cup of tea which i accept and this one will kill you, i usually have a couple of cupcakes or chocolate biscuits in a tin and tell them the lady who i am working for today baked these would they like one? This gives them the confidence my clients are really happy. I then go and look at the job measure up all the walls and ceilings and tell them how not to do it this will usually mess up the next guy who is pricing, i never give a price on the spot and tell them this is the way of the cowboys and con men and email them a price. Just as im leaving i then give the killer blow i pull out the Gold CSCS card and explain every qualified tradesman should have one of these and keep clear of them that dont coz they are unqualified then say my goodbyes and email them the price that evening.
 
Haha Flynny :)

My quotes use to be 30 min affairs :)

But much like you its all about keeping them happy and putting them at ease... dont swear, take shoes off... be cheerful dont moan about anything smile :)

Be confident, tell them what you plan to do, don't slag other trades off though I never do that unless the trade is their and can fight his own corner.... Always give them a business card but a quality one :) not a vistaprint one.... vistaprint are good to hand out willy nilly but for the clients I always have a nice thick one :) (so to speak)

T shirts are a must,

Always shake hands and always accept a tea or a coffee even if you dont want it

I sometimes give an estimate on the spot but normally do a written quote on letter head paper on good paper I then follow the quote up 3 days later and normally say something like just because we are booking up quickly bla bla bla

even if I had no work I would never say I can do it this week I would say it is about 3 week wait but I will contact you if I can get in earlier :) That always worked because people like to know your busy

I could quote twice what the next quote would be because I sold it hard and I would get the work :) Obviously this was back in 2009 now... so things would have changed a lot but still none the less you need to sell your self not the job :)

Danny
 
all you need to do now is say 'i've just finished a course and i speak fluent polish/albanian/russian/welsh (circle your desired language)
 
That's a classic flynnyman. Never heard so much bullshite in all my days LOL. Are you still on site??
 
LOL no henry im doing my own at the mo and jumpin on site when i have a spare day but at the moment im baking some butterfly cakes ive got a living room ceiling to price later ;)
 
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quality business cards are a must,as is a professional aproach.
with my mono rendering i always take a big sample board as well as a thick portfolio of previous jobs, dont do much domestic work nowadays but i still use the same approach when i meet architects or developers.
youve got to sell yourself being a competent plasterer/renderer is only the half of it.
 
With the call back it goes a real long way with the repeat work, as for the decorating 1 out of 4 will have decorating done,my handy man does it for me.and make a little out of him .
 
Eyup KebabKing

Thats a decent return on the decorating isnt it though it doesnt surprise me ive often thought that it would be a good in-road for some extra dosh though i guess if doing yourself youd have to consider that a days plastering should pay more than a day decorating.

That said it would give you a bit of a break from plastering and much easier on the body etc i keep thinking i ought to try and elevate a bit off the old body and perhaps push for extras coving,painting,tiling etc.

Zombie
 
I got an invoice app on my phone. Takes a couple of mins to fill in. I got lots of stock stuff listed on it like the price of beads, plaster etc and I just tap in how many. It prices it all up instantly. Then it generates a pdf of the quote which i then email to them there and then as well as a verbal quote if it's straightforward like the bedroom above.
 
twitcher said:
I got an invoice app on my phone. Takes a couple of mins to fill in. I got lots of stock stuff listed on it like the price of beads, plaster etc and I just tap in how many. It prices it all up instantly. Then it generates a pdf of the quote which i then email to them there and then as well as a verbal quote if it's straightforward like the bedroom above.
Click to expand...

What's that app called matey?..........That could be very useful for me i have an iphone to
 
flynnyman said:
Firstly i will call and tell them i am on my way just to make sure they are in, once i arrive i will put on my shoe protectors looks like your clean and tidy before you have even got the job. I usually sit them down in the living room and get out pictures of my previous jobs and will show them copies of all my certificates, if i have time i will try to get them out of the frames before i arrive but sometimes im too busy. Usually they will offer me a cup of tea which i accept and this one will kill you, i usually have a couple of cupcakes or chocolate biscuits in a tin and tell them the lady who i am working for today baked these would they like one? This gives them the confidence my clients are really happy. I then go and look at the job measure up all the walls and ceilings and tell them how not to do it this will usually mess up the next guy who is pricing, i never give a price on the spot and tell them this is the way of the cowboys and con men and email them a price. Just as im leaving i then give the killer blow i pull out the Gold CSCS card and explain every qualified tradesman should have one of these and keep clear of them that dont coz they are unqualified then say my goodbyes and email them the price that evening.
Click to expand...
Nice! The old cscs card trick is a favourite of mine too!
 
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