Bid HIGHER Than Everyone Else and Still Get the Job!

Read 2 posts up - pretty good explanation.

Since i have dabbled in windows from time to time i do know that there are many differences between costs and types. The reason you can not buy from the company that makes them is you need a builders licence. I just dont understand you sometimes. You look at price only nothing more it seems to me. 10k for some fiberglass windows yes i can see that, but vinyl it comes down to do they even want to bother with you in this case. I could buy a house full of windows for aroung 225 average a pop. 300 in fiberglass. ANd so can anyone else that has a licence. Nice part about window sales the material, labor and mark up are already built into the retail price. THats why you are getting a price that high depending on what type of window you are buying. And for god sake 30 different companies no wonder your paying that much. Why not just asking them for the lowest price right off the bat.

I see the post, but how do you seperate an high bid, low bid medium bid etc etc etc. A contractor can give you a low bid and give you crap service.
You can get an higher bid for a better service for the same job as the lowest bid (if you get my drift) and you would still call them high bidders.

I think high bidders to you joe is the most expensive not quality.

Let me see if I can clear this up.

I have a list of widow sizes. The list explains EXACTLY what I am looking for. The brand, the options, etc, etc. Everything is spelled out - Windows only, no installation.

I them fax that list to several retailers asking for a quote. Again, same product, same options, nothing more.

The bids come back to me ranging from 5k to around 13k. From talking to some of these folks, it takes them about 1/2 to 1 hour to sit down and price the windows and fax me back the quote.

Now, I know that you don’t agree with me on this, but a ~$8,000.00 price difference makes me wonder. Actually, no, it does not make me wonder since I know the reason - HIGH BIDDERS!

Ha ha ha, I really find you funny joe. You must get a quote from every building trade that built your home to compare prices. Where do you do your every day shoping, I dread to think how many shops you go in to compare prices. I really do feel sorry for Mrs joe :mrgreen:

ok lets clear some things up. What type of windows are you getting quoted lets start there. There is junk and all the way up to comfortline fiberglass. Price will dictate what type of windows you get. Also how many windows we talking about.

Also if you talk like you do here to anyone within earshot no wonder you get these insaine bids. I would do the same so you would not buy from me.

WAS THINKIN THE SAME THING GTP1003. I TRY TO AVOID THOSE TYPES OF CUSTOMERS WHEN I GET BAD VIBES I JUST POLITLELY TELL THEM I CAN’T BE OF SERVICE TO THEM.

HEY JOE YOU NEVER ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS!!!

It appears I have started a war room. Let’s keep it clean and fun and educational in here.

A note on bidding high: You bid high because you know you and your services are worth it. Why do doctors, lawyers, CPA’s, and other proffesionals charge so much? We are paying for their expertise and the education that got them that expertise. I’m not talking about paying their student loans but the schooling for these kinds of proffesioanls is long. The education continues as they practice. Such is the case with us.

We may not go to school to become a contractor but our education and expertise comes from our sweat in the field. I am not always the high bidder but when I am I get the job. I sell me and the expertise that I have in that order. I have spent a lot of time and money figuring out leaks and now I can find them and fix them better than anyone. That’s not bragging. It’s getting to the point of bidding what we think we are worth.

The reason I like condo HOA’s is because I’m dealing with another corporation. The board of directors of these HOA’s aren’t always good business people but they are a lot better to deal with than regular homeowners. Also, they have budgets for things like roof repairs.

More later…

Hi Curtisroofing,

I’m interested in making the money you are making too. If you can help me in this. My e-mail is saavedraroofing@yahoo.com. I am a lady trying to grew up in this business.

I sent you something via email contact me if you need help.

hello hardworker dude here and I have a problem of getting underbid and having to slash my own throat just to get a roofing job. This looks very interesting please contact me ASAP. I will try anything legal to get more jobs My email is lincortrev@yahoo.com
Hope to hear from ya. cory (hardworker dude)

hello hardworker dude here and I have a problem of getting underbid and having to slash my own throat just to get a roofing job. This looks very interesting please contact me ASAP. I will try anything legal to get more jobs My email is lincortrev@yahoo.com
Hope to hear from ya. cory (hardworker dude)

To all who have replied. I am putting together a website with a lot of usefull information soon. You’ll stop worrying about getting underbid!!!

We are selling a service not a price. I go in all the time a liitle higher than my competition with pictures of some of the work I have done and a book with certifications and insurance and pages of warranty and insulation information in a 3 ring binder and I also come highly recommended sometimes and I am still busy as I’d like to be right now.

OK, I’ve got a question for you. What do you do when a customer tells you they’ve shown your contract to some other contractor who told them your price was too high? I think it really stinks. I feel like asking them why they just didn’t get a bid from this other contractor. They are asking what square footage we measured. My husband doesn’t like to put this on estimates because he thinks people will use it to get other bids without the other contractors having to do the measurement and look at the job themselves. It’s a 192 sq. double-handled tear-off and 3-ply BUR we bid for $50K. I feel like passing on the job because I don’t like dealing with someone that either doesn’t trust us or is trying to take advantage. Neither makes for a good business agreement.

Another variation we’ve had was a customer telling us they’d gotten a lower bid. My husband reiterated the quality of the roof we were proposing, but being a little new to the game and a little rattled, told them he might negotiate if the homeowner could produce this bid. Of course it was probably a lie and the homeowner couldn’t admit it, so we never heard from them again. If they weren’t lying his reponse made them believe he was overcharging, so it was a no win. I told him since he’d laready put his foot in his mouth, that if they called to give them $100 off. In retrospect we were probably better off not dealing with them.

My view is that suspicious people are projecting their faults on others. They think they are being cheated because they cheat!

scam

OK, now that I’ve gotten over my irritation I need to decide how to reply to the customer’s request for the square footage we used. I don’t really see much harm in giving it to him, we’re not going to change our price no matter what he thinks. So, I either provide it, ignore the request, or think of a way to politely decline. Any suggestions?

P.S. I’ve already delayed a day or two to think about it. We’re going in to the rainy season and it’s a big job, so it behooves them to make up their mind ASAP , but we’ll take the blame and/or risk when the job is delayed due to weather.

[quote=“BlanchardRoofing”]OK, I’ve got a question for you. What do you do when a customer tells you they’ve shown your contract to some other contractor who told them your price was too high? I think it really stinks. I feel like asking them why they just didn’t get a bid from this other contractor. They are asking what square footage we measured. My husband doesn’t like to put this on estimates because he thinks people will use it to get other bids without the other contractors having to do the measurement and look at the job themselves. It’s a 192 sq. double-handled tear-off and 3-ply BUR we bid for $50K. I feel like passing on the job because I don’t like dealing with someone that either doesn’t trust us or is trying to take advantage. Neither makes for a good business agreement.

Another variation we’ve had was a customer telling us they’d gotten a lower bid. My husband reiterated the quality of the roof we were proposing, but being a little new to the game and a little rattled, told them he might negotiate if the homeowner could produce this bid. Of course it was probably a lie and the homeowner couldn’t admit it, so we never heard from them again. If they weren’t lying his reponse made them believe he was overcharging, so it was a no win. I told him since he’d laready put his foot in his mouth, that if they called to give them $100 off. In retrospect we were probably better off not dealing with them.

My view is that suspicious people are projecting their faults on others. They think they are being cheated because they cheat![/quote]

50,000 for a 192 square tear off??? wow, not much money there…how much do you pay your help??

[quote=“BlanchardRoofing”]OK, now that I’ve gotten over my irritation I need to decide how to reply to the customer’s request for the square footage we used. I don’t really see much harm in giving it to him, we’re not going to change our price no matter what he thinks. So, I either provide it, ignore the request, or think of a way to politely decline. Any suggestions?

P.S. I’ve already delayed a day or two to think about it. We’re going in to the rainy season and it’s a big job, so it behooves them to make up their mind ASAP , but we’ll take the blame and/or risk when the job is delayed due to weather.[/quote]

why would you not want to share the square footage of the job???