this is the testament when I said sometimes the hassle isn't worth the money.
Is my response too aggressive to a potential customer?
- Thread starter tistan
- Start date
Your response is pretty unwarranted, it legitimately sounds like the guy just doesn’t understand what things cost. Take it as a teaching moment and share with him your foundation costs etc. to explain how his budget will not even achieve 1/4 of what he’s asking for, thank him for his interest, and move on.
Okay, here's my take. In my opinion, your second sentence in your first response already set the wrong tone. As a business owner you never tell the customer to go somewhere else right off the bat. That's saved for the crying lady who was a pain in your @$$ and then wants more work done.
In response to your original question. As a business owner you do not want to portray any type of negative demeanor. Be tactful in your response as you do not want this guy bad mouthing your business or not come back to you after doing more research with other perspective businesses.
You mentioned concrete work and how much that would cost, plus the addition of the flat work, making it around $66K of the $150K budget. I believe that should be your response in order to open the customers eyes to the project as a whole, not telling him to use his construction expertise. You are the expert, not him and throwing that in his face is not good business practice. In my opinion, the guys response comes from an unknowing/uneducated perspective. So, educate him in a tactful way.
This is an assumption on your part. You cannot assume to think the guy "should" know what you know. I have internet and access to news and I have no clue what it costs to build what your customer is asking for. You do.
Don't confuse his ignorance with stupidity. This goes back to showing him how much the foundation alone costs so he understands the cost of the project as a whole compared to his budget.
Let him know you are willing to help and show material costs/labor costs and how they compare to his budget. Once he sees you're interested in his project, his business and can help him understand the overall cost of the project, he may not be able to afford it, but he will remember how much you did your part to help.
Just my perspective. Hope it all works out for you and the customer in the end.
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We don't strictly do design and build. We always give the option to have one or the other done by someone else. Sometimes we're too busy to do both, and it's easier to tell them to get plans somewhere else instead of waiting 9 months.
That is not an assumption. If you are ignorant to the cost of construction at this point, then it is willful ignorance. The price of a board foot of lumber was on the news for almost 6 months, along with record cost of building news stories for the last 3 years.
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I only do small jobs. And work solo
Reading this I can see alot of cost..
Labor alone over time it takes will suck up half of the 150,
10 man crew @300 a day each ,
3gs a day ,15k for a week
I'm building a tough shed,12x16 ,homedepot sells it at 6200..
I'm 3k into it doing it myself,and weeks time .
Supplies and wood are so over priced now
Maybe a little harsh on response ,but nothing crazy
Reading this I can see alot of cost..
Labor alone over time it takes will suck up half of the 150,
10 man crew @300 a day each ,
3gs a day ,15k for a week
I'm building a tough shed,12x16 ,homedepot sells it at 6200..
I'm 3k into it doing it myself,and weeks time .
Supplies and wood are so over priced now
Maybe a little harsh on response ,but nothing crazy
I don't believe there is anything wrong with this business practice, but the way things are worded is important. That might seem trivial, but it will come across as less intrusive.
This is how I would have worded your initial response:
In order to price anything we would need plans. We can prepare those for you, but our current waiting list for plans is 9 months. If you currently have plans we can use those.
You are not directly telling the customer to go somewhere else. Your 9 month wait list time may imply that, but you are not saying it. Again seems trivial, I know, but this reply seems more business friendly vs. I don't have time for you.
Maybe. I was speaking from my perspective. Obviously I'm not in the market to have something built. So, I don't know. Maybe this guy has not conducted research yet and doesn't know and is looking to you to educate him.
Either way, my perspective stands on your original question. No negative demeanor in your reply is the way I believe you should respond.
But it's your business and your choice my friend.
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Just for context, I assume this is in CO? Which area is this cat located?
This is a complete assumption, and a poor one. People not in the construction business have no interest in it at all... Until they look to a professional to help them build/remodel. This is something you deal with everyday and are very close to, but the rest of us have our own daily problems and don't give a shit about construction costs because it doesn't affect us.
Agreed. I do HVAC and haven't a clue what a 2X4 cost. And don't care to be honest.
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Home Depot double garage kit for just under $20K.
Tell customer to hire 3 migrant workers. About $1000/wk each. (10 hrs/day × 7 × $15/hr = $1050)
They build the garage first day and live in it for the rest of the project.
Owner tells them what he wants and they 'acquire' the fixtures and materials, charging 20 cents per dollar on the retail price.
6 weeks later the project is finished for around $68K.
I hear from snowbird friends that this is how people do additions and renovations in Arizona.
Customer gets what he wants and you don't have to work with him. Win/win.
Tell customer to hire 3 migrant workers. About $1000/wk each. (10 hrs/day × 7 × $15/hr = $1050)
They build the garage first day and live in it for the rest of the project.
Owner tells them what he wants and they 'acquire' the fixtures and materials, charging 20 cents per dollar on the retail price.
6 weeks later the project is finished for around $68K.
I hear from snowbird friends that this is how people do additions and renovations in Arizona.
Customer gets what he wants and you don't have to work with him. Win/win.
Yes, Black Forrest, El Paso county
Except for the fact that the guy acts like he's a ****ing expert on how much things cost in construction and how easy the project is, and wants me to defend what I tell him against his disillusion expectations. **** people like that. I don't negotiate from a losing position.
Brief, Informative, Friendly and Firm (BIFF) is a great communication style.
www.highconflictinstitute.com
How To Write A BIFF Response® – High Conflict Institute
www.highconflictinstitute.com
Yikes. I think the guy is better off somewhere else regardless.
Yeah, like with a shoddy contractor in his price range. I offer to let any potential client speak to any of my past clients. My past record of client satisfaction speaks for itself. We finished every project during covid on time and on budget. Find another contractor that can claim that and back it up.
I think part of the issue is intent and tone is always lost in email. It's always read in the recipients mindset and with whatever predisposition they might have, positive or negative.
I always find it best to take the high road and keep it short & sweet without much room to add intent when possible.
Can you school the guy and prove him to be or make him feel like an idiot? Sure, but what does that really accomplish?
I always find it best to take the high road and keep it short & sweet without much room to add intent when possible.
Can you school the guy and prove him to be or make him feel like an idiot? Sure, but what does that really accomplish?
It's more your attitude than your experience. There's just no need to treat people like that.
"Hi Mr. prospective customer. You are right, $100k is a lot of money but these days it does not go far in construction costs as one might think. For this amount of money, with value grade finishes, you could probably expect to complete, at best, only the garage and breezeway (or whatever you want to list). Completing all of these items is likely in the $350,000 to $500,000 range. If you are still interested in discussing this project further I would be happy to schedule a site visit / phone call / etc."
His extensive list is probably closer to $500k, based on my experience. But I'm sure you know more than me anyway so why ask for advice on a car enthusiast message board?
Explain why you started this thread?
I guess you are looking for peer support of your shite attitude toward this customer?
Perhaps you should listen to your wife.
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All I will say is the general public watches to much HGTV nowadays.
I was once one of those till I got 3 seperate estimates for some work here in my house.
Decided to lay down astro turf in my bedroom to save money.
I was once one of those till I got 3 seperate estimates for some work here in my house.
Decided to lay down astro turf in my bedroom to save money.
There’s nothing positive at all, that can come from your response to him. He doesn’t want to waste his time anymore than you want to have your time wasted. He simply has no idea what the cost of building is, and what he can get for $150k. Simply tell him the average cost per sq foot for the remodels you do, puts him at $400k, and you’re booked through 2024.
Refer him to a colleague you hate, and say my friend “x” likes to work with people on jobs on his scale, and move on.
Your reply serves absolutely no purpose, other than being mean. It’s just not necessary.
Having recently built a house way more into 7 figures than I wanted to be, I realize how insane building costs can be compared to just 5-10 years ago. That being said, I was weird about certain costs that were a drop in the bucket compared to the project cost. Our builder was awesome. A good builder learns to relate to people of all walks of life. You never know who knows who and where your next customer is going to be referred from
Refer him to a colleague you hate, and say my friend “x” likes to work with people on jobs on his scale, and move on.
Your reply serves absolutely no purpose, other than being mean. It’s just not necessary.
Having recently built a house way more into 7 figures than I wanted to be, I realize how insane building costs can be compared to just 5-10 years ago. That being said, I was weird about certain costs that were a drop in the bucket compared to the project cost. Our builder was awesome. A good builder learns to relate to people of all walks of life. You never know who knows who and where your next customer is going to be referred from
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