It Pays to Ring Around

[Bird]

Just talking with a mate trying to get some 32inch BFT AT's, and the prices are exactly the same as I got for the tyres above... hasnt the $$ just changed again, shouldnt the price be coming down?

[chisel]

Aussie dollar was very strong for a few months but is back to pretty average again (0.89 USD).

[cruisindub]

Its all a rip off Lost.

Cost of living in Australia and everything else thats been Discussed/Ranted/Everything Else..................

Just bend over, smile, and carry on as normal.   

[Beachman]

My best mate lives on acreage in a fairly expensive suburb, so whenever he gets a quote he jokes about the ‘suburb tax’. An example is he recently put a asphalt driveway in so he got 3 quotes.  My mate is pretty smart and did his homework and had a fair idea what the quote should be. Each quote came in at around $90 000, but when the company gave him the follow up call saying they can do the job in a couple of days my mate asks for a detailed breakdown and bluntly told them it’s way too expensive.

2 of the companies reduced the quote to $60 000 the same day and the 3rd guy abused him and hung up, rang back and abused him again as well as sending 2 follow up text messages abusing him, This same guys phoned back 2 weeks later saying he can now do $57 000 and when can he start – Let’s just say he didn’t get the job.

[Bird]

Just bend over, smile, and carry on as normal.

He is in Darwin... he gets bend over twice tax...

[02-SR5]

Happened to me today.

I am looking at a Tmax 9000lb winch.

Rang the local TJM and I got a quote of $990.

I asked does include fitting. He laughed mo mate, that is below wholesale.

I said that is very expensive for a Chinese winch. He asked me how much, I said I have seen them for less than $600. He said hang on, I will ask the manager. The manager gets on the phone and starts abusing me and tells me I am full of you know what.

Yea right.

Google. Popular online camping store sells them and a another popular store in Stafford, they both sell then for less than $600.

[briann532]

Interesting reading this thread.........

I remembered it from a while back so when my camper was due for insurance yesterday, I rang around.
I started with good old NRMA just because I have a heap of other policies with them.

I spoke to someone who was extremely difficult to understand on the phone. He had an Australian accent which just threw me and I was trying to interpret what he was saying instead of just listening 

He quoted me $120 cheaper than my current policy with CIL.
Then when he looked up my details and saw I had other policies with them, he took off another $45.
I didn't bother ringing any one else then.
$165 in my pocket, thank you very much.

Now what beer to spend it on???
 

Brian

[berlitza]

Theres a lot of this going on ,specially with tradies, had to get a plumber out to the folks house, one muppet quoted $305p/h + parts and the job would have taken two hours,I went over to the folks rang around and got the whole job done for $220 including parts. If they think they can take an advantage they sure as hell will try, even at the risk of not getting the job

[briann532]

Theres a lot of this going on ,specially with tradies, had to get a plumber out to the folks house, one muppet quoted $305p/h + parts and the job would have taken two hours,I went over to the folks rang around and got the whole job done for $220 including parts. If they think they can take an advantage they sure as hell will try, even at the risk of not getting the job

$305 p/h - I assume this means $305 Australian dollars per hour ?

What the? 
I'm in the wrong game.

 

[Bird]

Happened to me today.

I am looking at a Tmax 9000lb winch.

Rang the local TJM and I got a quote of $990.

I asked does include fitting. He laughed mo mate, that is below wholesale.

I said that is very expensive for a Chinese winch. He asked me how much, I said I have seen them for less than $600. He said hang on, I will ask the manager. The manager gets on the phone and starts abusing me and tells me I am full of you know what.

Yea right.

Google. Popular online camping store sells them and a another popular store in Stafford, they both sell then for less than $600.

You should go in there and front the manager.. see how abusive the cocksucker is face to face..
Do it saturday morning when they are busy, and make sure you have a big advert of the cheaper price to show all the other customers in the store.

[cruisindub]

two posts above, both mentioning 'Abuse' from people to people who are their potential customers and/or will recommend or not recommend anything........

Beggars belief. I would query that, but sadly, I do know that it possibly be true and not made up for pure reading enjoyment.

Do they not know that abusive phone calls and texts could be considered 'assault', not to mention just how stupid you would have to be when in business to be that way.? ? ?


I've had some similar instances, not quite for same as above, but jeez, makes you wonder.....

Funniest was when one concreter came round for a quote, paced out my driveway, came in at 90m2 apparently.  Gave a good price, about the same as some of the others. The total size was actually just over 120m2, big difference there in size and also big price difference.!!  Then he also proceeded to say that I pay the concrete company, I buy the mesh, I pay the bobcat/truck. His price is just for the concrete works......!!

Another was when one concreter turned up late from the agreed time for quote and 'his mate' turned up at the agreed later time to also do the quote.
They confired and came back with one quote and said pick either one of them!! (yeah, neither!)

Another quote, his was highest, and also didnt include GST.
I queried it and let him know that he was rather more expensive than others...
Dropped the GST price, dropped the price, dropped a bit more, dropped a bit more and then said when can I start???

Another was similar, didnt come back with quote, I phoned and phoned and left messages, eventually he phoned me back all arrogant and basically said hes got enough work on and wont bother quoting, not interested.
Ok, Thanks, Have a good day.

A few weeks later, same guy calls up, do I still need a quote, he can do a very good price. (Huh?)


Another was when we were very keen on getting our house rendered.
Thousands different dollars difference in quotes. Not a small amount, a staggering amount of difference.

We put that back a couple months once we knew how much we would be up for, only to have the one guy that originally turned up to quote in his new SS HSV super duper something or other flash looking race car, practically begging to do the job, dropping his quote by half. (yep 50%)




hmmmm,    There could be a thread dedicated to wonderful stories and experiences that have been worthwhile to be shared with the rest of the swaggers.....!!!

[Marcus73]

You should go in there and front the manager.. see how abusive the cocksucker is face to face..
Do it saturday morning when they are busy, and make sure you have a big advert of the cheaper price to show all the other customers in the store.

You've got such a way with words there Lost.... Love it!


Sent from the machine that goes..... Bing!

[Deseng]

Yup,Yup and yup. Things don't and haven't changed that much in many of the trade areas (no disrespect is meant to those honest and genuine tradies doing honest, quality, fair valued work and who struggle against those who make thier life as a tradie harder than it should be).  However,  the best advice is as this thread says "It pays to ring around".  Do lots of homework so you are ahead of the game you want to play in and know who is good and who is not.

Example of trade tricks for the unwary: Rang Sparky firm "I need a quote to undertake some work on my renos.  I am also getting other quotes just to let you know."
"Ok mate, no problems - I'll drop buy and see what work is needed then give you a quote."  "Fine" I say and we agree to meet before I leave for work the next day.

Next day I'm running late for work trying to sort out the multiple jobs and tradies to be finished in preparation other trades like electricians. plumbers, etc.
No sign of sparky and he is already 2hrs late for meeting - I'm getting p'd off and decide "Fairs. fair mate - you are not getting any job from me if you can't even treat your clients with enough respect to make a phonecall to explain your lateness".
I'm just about to leave when a van pulls up.  Out jumps a guy, loads his arms up with cable reels, walks down the driveway, says hi as he walks past and proceeds to walk into the house ready to lay cable. 

"Excuse me , um what are you doing?" 
"Err, the boss said I have a job here and have to start the fitout." 
"Did the boss say we only wanted a quote?". 
"Oh, he does the quotes - he just said to go here and start the fitout". 
"Sorry mate this is a quote job only.  Please leave and tell your boss to ----- off".

Now I was "in the building game" at that time and the brazeness to get a foot in the door, the abhorrent customer inconsideration of this firm left me dumbfounded.  Neeedless to say the job went to "Combined Electrical" of Tweed/Gold Coast who I will unashamedly plug (no other relationship other than being one of their customers) because not only were they customer responsive, they actually cared about the quailty of their work to the point they chastized one of their employees in front of me because his work wasn't to their standard (and they made him redo his work!).

Don't get me started on pool installers - that is a whole new world of "do bucket loads of homework" and "lots of ring arounds".

Deseng

[briann532]

I am a tradie and NEVER treat people that way.
In fact sometimes I think I get the raw end of the deal as I'm far too nice to my customers.
( I like to be able to live with myself, and set an example for my children.)

I do know the type though and see them all the time.
Because I deal with it day in day out, I know how to recognise the good from the bad.

I also never do a job without confirming the price in writing, even if the customer doesn't want to.
That way there is no arguing later.
What shocks me most about these stories I hear is that the customers rarely ask questions or check things out, they just accept that that's the way it is.

Rubbish, you are paying for our services and have a right to know what you will be getting and what it will cost.

On the other side of the coin though is the customers that want the job done now, then don't want to pay now.
Oh we'll send a cheque.

Yeah right.........
Try going to fill your car up and then saying you'll send them a cheque.
We are tradesmen not finance lenders. Pay what you owe for what you got.

It does work both ways, but always try to use someone either recommended or who is honest up front.
And more importantly once you have a good tradie, stick with them.
Mutual trust brings mutual benefit.

Cheers
Brian

[Tjupurula]

We wish we knew about cheques a long time ago.  Napanangka got paid by cheque for a painting she did, not only did the cheque not have any money, but the police were upset with us, as we had sent a stolen cheque to the bank, though we did not get in trouble.
Tjupurula

[Ynot]

I am pretty over waiting around for tradies to turn up on time, not so much time but on the actual day would be nice.
 I would understand an hour late or even two or three with a phone call, but to not show up at all then call you that night with a lame excuse!

I just tell them not to bother now, yet they still ring two or three more times before they get the message.

Problem with this theory is that I end up doing the job myself...

[Marcus73]

On the other side of the coin though is the customers that want the job done now, then don't want to pay now.
Oh we'll send a cheque.


Cheers
Brian

Oh I'm hearing you with that one. Just lately I seem to be getting more and more people who want to direct debit payment into my account, but it appears that it's when they get around to it.  Thankfully I'm so wealthy that I only work for the pure pleasure it gives me... Lol. It's getting to the point of ridiculous and as a result its now going to be payment on completion or I'll be returning all of the crap that was just removed from vehicles ( I'm a detailer ) my biggest gripe is that I am in no way an essential and more a luxury, so if you can't f*****g afford it, don't f*****g call !

Rant over
Phew  I needed that


Sent from the machine that goes..... Bing!

[Andrew_C]

I've just ordered my new wheels and tyres today for our prado.Ended up getting a few prices around the place 265/70/17 bfg all terrains on 17x8 csi tanami rims.
Tyres ranged between $320 to $350 ea,
Rims $200 to $245 ea.
Rang my local bloke who does all our work cars and does a good job, asked if he would match the cheapest wheel and tyre prices and if he could he would get the job (although I probably would have paid $10 extra a corner to get him to do it anyway) he called me back saying bfg are on sale at the moment and he would do the lot for $2070.

And they are good blokes.

I did consider for a bit the import 245/75/17 bfg all terrains on ebay in Sydney but wasn't keen on the warranty, freight, insurance issues for my wife's car.

[berlitza]

$305 p/h - I assume this means $305 Australian dollars per hour ?

What the? 
I'm in the wrong game.

 

You and me both mate, I thought my folks were winding me up until I started to read the quote

[Bird]

its that hard to get tradies these days (You know the ones screaming poor) to do small cash jobs that would take 1/2 a day or 1 full day, that 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the ****s never show up, unless you lie to them, telling them you want 50 units fully wired...

I use Service Central with some success, except for the tiler, one ... only one of 6 turned up. He didn't speak English at all, was Russian.. quoted me up the arse, but what choice do I have?

Gave him the job, start next week... end of the week, his interpreter rings, He cant start for another month or 2, is that fine?? I said what do you think - you agree to a time, and you **** me around don't bother - but what choice do I have? Nobody else is interested ... you know - these doing it hard tradies...

Anyway, I have a carpet cleaner show up that day, cleans carpet (easily the best job ever done in the house on the carpets in 10 yrs), turns out he is a retired tiler - he quotes, 1/2 the price of Vladimir give him the job.... few months later Vladimir's interpreter rings back, he will be there tomorrow to start the job I said **** off and die cause the tiles have been laid months ago for 1/2 the price, on the day the bloke said he would start and hung up.. He rung back. and informed me that apparently I had a bad attitude.

[Bunyip]

He rung back. and informed me that apparently I had a bad attitude.

You do, but not in this case 

Bunyip

[oldmate]

I am a tradie and NEVER treat people that way.
In fact sometimes I think I get the raw end of the deal as I'm far too nice to my customers.
( I like to be able to live with myself, and set an example for my children.)

I do know the type though and see them all the time.
Because I deal with it day in day out, I know how to recognise the good from the bad.

I also never do a job without confirming the price in writing, even if the customer doesn't want to.
That way there is no arguing later.
What shocks me most about these stories I hear is that the customers rarely ask questions or check things out, they just accept that that's the way it is.

Rubbish, you are paying for our services and have a right to know what you will be getting and what it will cost.

On the other side of the coin though is the customers that want the job done now, then don't want to pay now.
Oh we'll send a cheque.

Yeah right.........
Try going to fill your car up and then saying you'll send them a cheque.
We are tradesmen not finance lenders. Pay what you owe for what you got.

It does work both ways, but always try to use someone either recommended or who is honest up front.
And more importantly once you have a good tradie, stick with them.
Mutual trust brings mutual benefit.

Cheers
Brian

X2 mate. I am a tradie also running m own business and have the same feelings. If I say a time I will be there, I will be there at that time or I will ring before. I always make sure my clients are happy before they pay me, and yes I hear horror stories from my clients about other people.
And sometimes clients are the pain. Example.
A customer rang my wife's ph yesterday, left message, wife passes message on to me. I had very busy day and forgot to ring her back that day. So 7:30 am this morning ring her back, no answer goes to message bank, leave message and hang up. By 11:00 no return call, so I call her again, she answers.   (Me) hi it's Oliver from ________, how are you.
(Her) Oh. Are you the guy who rang at some ungodly hour this morning?
(Me) ummm, yeah it was 7:30
(Her) it was well before 7:30, who rings people at that time?
(Me) umm sorry about that,  had been at work for an hour
(Her) well what you do and what the rest of the world does are 2 different things!
(Me) yeah ok then, don't worry about it then, I can't help you. ( I then hung up)

So now she has to deal with the next 5 guys who won't even bother to ring her back, or will turn up late, or won't turn up at all even though they have booked a time to turn up, then won't return her calls.


99% of my customers are fantastic people and I have no problems doing work for them.

It does pay to ring around.

[toeball]

I quoted a job, the guy emailed me to inform me that he had chosen another contractor to do the job as the price he quoted was "more advantageous", which is a flash way to say cheaper, turns out he was half my price!!

Fast forward about 8 weeks and I receive an abusive phone call from him telling me I've been avoiding his calls not turning up at the promised time etc etc, mr 1/2 price has been giving him the runaround and he rang me by mistake!!  No money in the job I suspect 

[Bird]

I quoted a job, the guy emailed me to inform me that he had chosen another contractor to do the job as the price he quoted was "more advantageous", which is a flash way to say cheaper, turns out he was half my price!!

Fast forward about 8 weeks and I receive an abusive phone call from him telling me I've been avoiding his calls not turning up at the promised time etc etc, mr 1/2 price has been giving him the runaround and he rang me by mistake!!  No money in the job I suspect 

but why would someone bother quoting on a job that theres no money in.. You win the job, but have no intentions of doing it... I don't understand "tradie" speak...

[Stozz]

Just back to Lost's original post re the price of tyres. I dont know if this is an urban myth, but I have been told that sometimes the massive variation in price can be due to the age of the tyres. Yes they are all brand new, but exactly when were they manufactured, how long did they sit in storage/warehouse/sun and how long with the distributor and then the retailer? The older they are the cheaper they are. And when I say old, I'm talking years not months.

Does anyone know if there is any truth to this?

Apparently there is a stamp somewhere on the tyre that tells you when it was manufactured?