# How do you handle customers who want to negotiate?



## admin (Jan 4, 2010)

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> "Although your typical approach to bidding may be more “take it or leave it,” you might find yourself winning a lot more bids if you’re prepared to do a little haggling." Tips and Tricks for Handling Customers Who Want to Negotiate


How do you handle customers who want to negotiate?

Are you a “take it or leave it" type of person or do you try to work with your customers?


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## P.A. ROCKER (Jul 15, 2011)

Typically it's "take it or leave it" but if there's good rapport, there may be some concessions to consider. Depending on margins.


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Couldn't have said it better PA.:thumbsup:


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

If we all charged what we should!! None of us would have a job!


So like PA said....Take it or leave It! Cause I don't barter !!

I don't do price wars.


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

Yup take it or leave it!!:thumbsup:
Half the time I am not even asked for a price if its for a builder I have previously worked for!


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

Cricket said:


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Cricket,
I don't think you have an understanding of the construction industry or at least as to how it works here in the West. When a GC (General Contractor) asks for bids on a project the drywall contractors looks at plans (blueprints), Spec's (specification), and or walks the job and estimates (wild ass guess) what it will cost and adds in P and O (profit and overhead). The drywall contractor then writes a proposal of what they will do. Ours started with provide material, installation and equipment to complete drywall installation and finishing.

In the bid process negotiation is technically illegal and is against the construct of the bidding process. Moore provides a price to do a home and TF comes in slightly under and gets the job. TF now has to drive 2 hours each way which eats in to his P and O. Was it really worth it for TF to do this? Probably, just to get under Moore's skin.

Negotiation as you call it does happen though and is called bid shopping. A contractor who knows you and knows you can complete it in a timely manner will always call and say we got a guy who's 20% under you. You either drop your number or pass and let them struggle through with sub par performance. It really depends on how hungry you are!


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

Its funny how the non professional thinks how the professional should price a job. I believe to treat people equal when pricing a job period. The only negotiable factor is in quality of workmanship and time schedule to complete the project. Pricing is not.

The red flag is when a customer wants to negotiate price after you've established quality of workmanship and the schedule.

Best thing to do is......well that's something to discuss in the tricks of the trade thread.

Roc on ........


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

MrWillys said:


> Cricket,
> I don't think you have an understanding of the construction industry or at least as to how it works here in the West. When a GC (General Contractor) asks for bids on a project the drywall contractors looks at plans (blueprints), Spec's (specification), and or walks the job and estimates (wild ass guess) what it will cost and adds in P and O (profit and overhead). The drywall contractor then writes a proposal of what they will do. Ours started with provide material, installation and equipment to complete drywall installation and finishing.
> 
> In the bid process negotiation is technically illegal and is against the construct of the bidding process. Moore provides a price to do a home and TF comes in slightly under and gets the job. TF now has to drive 2 hours each way which eats in to his P and O. Was it really worth it for TF to do this? Probably, just to get under Moore's skin.
> ...


Your way out on that comparison between me and TF . I drive 2hour rounds on a daily basis. Not because I cut someone's bid but because I live in the sticks and have to go where the work is. But if I could afford to cut TF in half and take a job from his tacos I damm sure would!!!! Lol,,, the


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

moore said:


> Your way out on that comparison between me and TF . I drive 2hour rounds on a daily basis. Not because I cut someone's bid but because I live in the sticks and have to go where the work is. But if I could afford to cut TF in half and take a job from his tacos I damm sure would!!!! Lol,,, the


Just giving ya the business Rick. Thanks for the laugh.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

MrWillys said:


> Just giving ya the business Rick. Thanks for the laugh.


I know ! :thumbsup:


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## P.A. ROCKER (Jul 15, 2011)

Negotiating doesn't necessarily mean you actually have drop your price.
Sometimes negotiations work out to _you're favor_. 
There's nothing wrong with keeping an open ear and making a compromise.
I don't take a beat-down on price to just to land work. 
And then there were times I've done jobs with nothing more than a ballpark number and a handshake.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

P.A. ROCKER said:


> Negotiating doesn't necessarily mean you actually have drop your price.
> Sometimes negotiations work out to _you're favor_.
> There's nothing wrong with keeping an open ear and making a compromise.
> I don't take a beat-down on price to just to land work.
> And then there were times I've done jobs with nothing more than a ballpark number and a handshake.


I hear you...but I don't explain all the extras I give to anyone just to win a bid...they find out my methods of extras after the job is done.. the word of mouth kicks in after that. I call it shock and awe .....They have no idea how awesome I really am till the day I walk out!! :thumbsup:


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## embella plaster (Sep 21, 2013)

moore said:


> I hear you...but I don't explain all the extras I give to anyone just to win a bid...they find out my methods of extras after the job is done.. the word of mouth kicks in after that. I call it shock and awe .....They have no idea how awesome I really am till the day I walk out!! :thumbsup:


And thats where i say......boom biatches


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## fenez (Nov 30, 2009)

Cricket said:


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I might be in the minority here. Most of my work is for the same GC's that I've worked for for years but.. About 50% of my work is direct for home owners and none of my work is for builders( thank god) won't ever work for a builder. My regular contractors just let me do the job and ask what they owe me at the end of the job. Home owners are very different, It's their job to get the best price which I understand and it's perfectly fine with me and I don't mind haggling with them. That being said I personally always leave myself room to move if I have to, sometimes they want you to move just a bit. Once I adjust that's pretty much it unless they want to adjust the amount of work they want done.


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

Cricket said:


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http://www.amazon.com/Trump-The-Deal-Donald-J/dp/0345479173


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## thomesallen (Mar 24, 2016)

"Take it or Leave it" This is what always worked for me.. :thumbup:


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## krem (Mar 20, 2016)

i have some builders that just ll me when the job will be ready, do it and send a bill, some i just price at normal mt rate and they might shop around, but i still do the job, better the devil you know i guess, but ive only been asked to drop price on 1 job which was for a owner, lol,
i gave him a price on his 1100 m2 (sheet) house, all square set ceilings and windows, doors etc, he nearly shat himself, he got another quote which came in the same as mine but they were gonna use paper tape not square set beads like i do, anyways, he asked me bout a $$ labour price, he thought he could buy the materials cheaper than i could, so long story short, he bought the cheapest of everything he could find, sheet, compounds, the works, it was all **** **** ****, by the time i fixed up all the ripples and **** from the **** sheet, and spent more time scraping back the **** compounds he bought, it cost him nearly $1500 more than i quoted him with quality materials and thru the books price!! tried to tell him, but his house, his $$$, lol, starting his brothers house tomorrow, no haggling or arguing on price this time!!!!!
im happy to haggle, if the builder is happy to give me 10-15 homes a yr and pay within 14 days, but the discount dont apply til the next house i do, otherwise they say "yeah im flat out, got 9 more this yr" and try to rip ya down on 1 house!!
im also happy to go the extra mile for my regulars clients, rubbish removal, plane back some noggins if needed, give them a lift off with materials they have delivered, im pretty easy going, then when i need a hand for a few mins with a difficult sheet or something, they willing to help out!!
if i ever do get a client that wants it done for nothing (they are usually rich tight pricks) i will just ask them if they would consider helping do hard labour for a week, and id take that off their bill, lol, or simply tell them, you get wat ya pay for, unless they pay cash, lol, then im willing to neg a little!!
krem


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

Moore you probably could come cut my prices... I'm high lol. Lot of overhead ya know


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

thefinisher said:


> Moore you probably could come cut my prices... I'm high lol. Lot of overhead ya know



I don't do price wars! They either want me or they don't .

But I'll bet you last years wages ..that I could spend a few hours on the cell and find out exactly who you are and who your builders are and what your prices are!!


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

moore said:


> thefinisher said:
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> 
> > Moore you probably could come cut my prices... I'm high lol. Lot of overhead ya know
> ...


Probably. I often send out reference sheets that have who we are doing work for. No hiding here lol. However my prices change according to each job and how much I like the builder! I don't do the price war thing either.. Any time I ever cut the price down to get the work the builder ends up being a pain or they try to screw you on money.. About to start paying more for labor here shortly so we can get more help. Gets a bit stressful when you have about 3000 sheets out and you need them done at same time lol.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

thefinisher said:


> Probably. I often send out reference sheets that have who we are doing work for. No hiding here lol. However my prices change according to each job and how much I like the builder! I don't do the price war thing either.. Any time I ever cut the price down to get the work the builder ends up being a pain or they try to screw you on money.. About to start paying more for labor here shortly so we can get more help. Gets a bit stressful when you have about 3000 sheets out and you need them done at same time lol.


3000 sheets ! That's nothing for you !! You'll have that done by next week looking for another 3000!!!


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

Cricket said:


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Are you playing the "long game" or the "short game"? If you need a little money right away, Or you need to keep someone busy you may allow yourself to be haggled over price. That is the short game. But what is better is if after bidding something fairly for good quality work, but not being the absolute low bid, You let a client use the low bid sub and let them suffer the consequences. In the long game you wait for them to call you on the next project.


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

moore said:


> thefinisher said:
> 
> 
> > Probably. I often send out reference sheets that have who we are doing work for. No hiding here lol. However my prices change according to each job and how much I like the builder! I don't do the price war thing either.. Any time I ever cut the price down to get the work the builder ends up being a pain or they try to screw you on money.. About to start paying more for labor here shortly so we can get more help. Gets a bit stressful when you have about 3000 sheets out and you need them done at same time lol.
> ...


I will say that it is alot for us. Yes will be done next week but won't have that much to stock next week. Probably only stocking 800 sheets next week... Weak lol


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

thefinisher said:


> I will say that it is alot for us. Yes will be done next week but won't have that much to stock next week. Probably only stocking 800 sheets next week... Weak lol


HELL ...You'll only need too pay two men next week!!


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

moore said:


> thefinisher said:
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> 
> > I will say that it is alot for us. Yes will be done next week but won't have that much to stock next week. Probably only stocking 800 sheets next week... Weak lol
> ...


Lol I wish. Got a ton to pay out next week. At least $20k I'm thinking. Doing some really upscale townhouses right now.... Paying top dollar for them right now. Probably got 7-8 people to pay not including myself or my hourly guys... I hope business keeps booming. Stressful but fun


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

thefinisher said:


> Lol I wish. Got a ton to pay out next week. At least $20k I'm thinking. Doing some really upscale townhouses right now.... Paying top dollar for them right now. Probably got 7-8 people to pay not including myself or my hourly guys... I hope business keeps booming. Stressful but fun


Congratulations on not misclassifying employees as independent contractor and being a real employer and not a cheater. Anyone can be a Donald Trump but it takes a real man to play by the rules.


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

6 out of 10 jobs I get a bonus...that makes me happy and the last bonus was 500 dollars..wicked awesome


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