Great answer when requesting a quote- and the reply is "do you have a budget"?

[GON]

Lately, when my wife asks for quotes as I am working OCONUS, the now common reply, if she gets a reply at all is: "do you have a budget for this?"

Came across a nice response earlier today and thought worthy of sharing:

"That's a great question. What range do you typically work within for projects like this?".

 

[JayhawkRoy]

I wonder if this happens if a male is doing the request..........

 

[Quattro Pete]

What are those quotes for?

 

[supton]

How well spelled out is the request for work? Is it open ended? Like, I need a roof--so do you want 20 year, 30 year shingles or maybe a metal roof?

But it does sound like fishing to me. Seems like a good response to come back with, puts the ball in their court to explain the options.

 

[TheOilWizard]

Yep, it's a common question they use to determine what they can extract from you. Basically measuring your pocket book.

Got an estimate from an excavation company to rebuild a pond.. their first question, "so.. what are you looking to spend?"

I played dumb and set up a trap. They failed the test and were not considered.

 

[TheOilWizard]

I wonder if this happens if a male is doing the request..........

You bet it does.

 

[spasm3]

My answer would be; Yes I have a budget. I want your quote , to see is it fits my budget. No I'm not discussing MY budget, I want to discuss your quote.

 

[The_Jeff]

Both sides to the party need to understand the power dynamics at play; if the contractor is like the ones by me they hold the upper hand and can just skip to the next client if the first doesn't want to play ball.

 

[CKN]

How well spelled out is the request for work? Is it open ended? Like, I need a roof--so do you want 20 year, 30 year shingles or maybe a metal roof?

But it does sound like fishing to me. Seems like a good response to come back with, puts the ball in their court to explain the options.

I knocked several thousands off my re-roof by insisting (based on my age) I didn't need the Cadillac of roof shingles.....

 

[02SE]

I knocked several thousands off my re-roof by insisting (based on my age) I didn't need the Cadillac of roof shingles.....

So you skipped the Cimarron of roof shingles, for the Yugo?

 

[Leo99]

So you skipped the Cimarron of roof shingles, for the Yugo?

He meant Lexus.

 

[Leo99]

My answer would be; Yes I have a budget. I want your quote , to see is it fits my budget. No I'm not discussing MY budget, I want to discuss your quote.

You're probably not going to get a quote back. When I was doing a tile project, one guy wanted $300 for a consultation.

 

[CKN]

So you skipped the Cimarron of roof shingles, for the Yugo?

Something like that

 

[zzyzzx]

Yep, it's a common question they use to determine what they can extract from you. Basically measuring your pocket book.

I would leave a negative review on this contractor on Google Reviews, Yelp, etc. and move in.

 

[Vil_Riker]

They are measuring the pocketbook on the other side. It's a normal behavior.

 

[CKN]

Yep, it's a common question they use to determine what they can extract from you. Basically measuring your pocket book.

Got an estimate from an excavation company to rebuild a pond.. their first question, "so.. what are you looking to spend?"

I played dumb and set up a trap. They failed the test and were not considered.

That's actually a valid question. Many people's expectations are beyond their pocketbook. Otherwise-a quote is a waste of time. And quotes do cost money to generate.

 

[TheOilWizard]

That's actually a valid question. Many people's expectations are beyond their pocketbook. Otherwise-a quote is a waste of time. And quotes do cost money to generate.

Disagree. I show you what I'm looking to get done, and you tell me what you charge to do it. That's how it works.

Anything beyond that is fishing.

 

[CKN]

Disagree. I show you what I'm looking to get done, and you tell me what you charge to do it. That's how it works.

Anything beyond that is fishing.

You are right...we do disagree. I wouldn't call it fishing-I would call it raising the per-cent of successful quotes.

I was in sales for 25 years-so I kind of know how it works...a little.

 

[TheOilWizard]

You are right...we do disagree. I wouldn't call it fishing-I would call it raising the per-cent of successful quotes.

I was in sales for 25 years-so I kind of know how it works...a little.

Yep, you're looking at it through the lens of making a sell and maximizing profit. That makes sense.

I'm looking at it from the opposite side of the isle - trying not to get gouged.

 

[CKN]

Yep, you're looking at it through the lens of making a sell and maximizing profit. That makes sense.

I'm looking at it from the opposite side of the isle - trying not to get gouged.

You can't continually "gouge" people. You have this thing called competitors.