I hate low ballers

[Carburetorless]

Someone asked me to take down a tree for them, a Pine around 24" in diameter, about 35' high, and has so many limbs that it would difficult to climb without trimming it out on the way up to top it.

She wanted it taken down without damaging other landscaping around it, so I decided the best approach would be to limb it on my way up, then top it out, drop down part way and top it again, then drop the remainder, and cut it up. She wanted it cut into short logs and moved to the other side of the house where the city could pick it up, so there was no chipping or haul off required.

I told her I would do it for $350. I actually thought I might have been under bidding the job, but she said that was too much, then she went into how she had "a guy" cut down a much larger tree a few years ago for $175. She said he had two helpers and a chipper, and it only took them a few hours.

I tried to explain to her that I would have to make at least $175 just to break even, let alone if I was paying two helpers and maintaining a chipper.

Sure two helpers would make the job go much quicker, but they wouldn't work for nothing, nor would I.

Finally she said she was going to call the guy, but she heard that he had hurt his leg, and I thought to myself "No he didn't hurt his leg. His helpers quit, his equipment wore out, and he wasn't able to replace any of it on what he was making".

Why do these guys work for nothing? I mean it's easier to over bid a job and get it than it is to under bid jobs and work yourself to death for nothing. What are these guys thinking?

 

[Huskytree]

WOW man

You take things to personal. You know what you need to get out of the job, if they choose not to use you then so be it. What does it matter what the next guy charges?

I just looked at a job that I didn't get, someone must have under bid me. If they can do it for less and give the same service I don't blame the Home owner to go with the lower cost. But I know what I want and need out of the job.

 

[lone wolf]

Someone asked me to take down a tree for them, a Pine around 24" in diameter, about 35' high, and has so many limbs that it would difficult to climb without trimming it out on the way up to top it.

She wanted it taken down without damaging other landscaping around it, so I decided the best approach would be to limb it on my way up, then top it out, drop down part way and top it again, then drop the remainder, and cut it up. She wanted it cut into short logs and moved to the other side of the house where the city could pick it up, so there was no chipping or haul off required.

I told her I would do it for $350. I actually thought I might have been under bidding the job, but she said that was too much, then she went into how she had "a guy" cut down a much larger tree a few years ago for $175. She said he had two helpers and a chipper, and it only took them a few hours.

I tried to explain to her that I would have to make at least $175 just to break even, let alone if I was paying two helpers and maintaining a chipper.

Sure two helpers would make the job go much quicker, but they wouldn't work for nothing, nor would I.

Finally she said she was going to call the guy, but she heard that he had hurt his leg, and I thought to myself "No he didn't hurt his leg. His helpers quit, his equipment wore out, and he wasn't able to replace any of it on what he was making".

Why do these guys work for nothing? I mean it's easier to over bid a job and get it than it is to under bid jobs and work yourself to death for nothing. What are these guys thinking?

Well they arent experienced enough to know what it is worth.Or they are low rent dirt bags with no insurance or overhead.Or they work for a tree Company and that is more money than they make there in a day.Or they are Tweekers and need Meth now!!!

 

[Alex D]

How do you even know that her story isn't bs in the first place???

 

[Oak Savanna]

When people tell me that they have another guy who will do it stupid cheap I say well go with them then! Most of the time its BS, just the homeowner trying to get you to go even lower. This happend to me with a homeowner, oh ya some one else can do it for way less. Ok fine then, the guy phones me back a week later and says can you come and take that tree down that you quoted, the other guy cant make it! Sometimes there is no other guy! Its BS! ask the homeowner to see that low ball price in writting!! People like that I tell em my price is good for 24hrs. Then if they call you back you might be able to charging alittle more. I call it a$$hole tax! There is an old saying : better to do nothing for nothing than do something for nothing. Stick to your price, you know what you need to make on the job.

 

[Carburetorless]

How do you even know that her story isn't bs in the first place???

Whether her story is true or she's just trying to get me to drop price; What's the difference; It's BS anyway you look at it.

I told her she had better hang on to that guy and treat him well, cause no one else would ever do it that cheap.

 

[tree md]

Get really good at something then learn how to specialize in it. Then learn how to market your service. Then learn how to do it in the most economical way (without a chipper and two ground hands). Then learn how to advertise it. Then build a reputation on your work. Then you will realize that most anyone can do a 35' tree and in most situations that will not require a pro. Then you will learn not to even leave the house for a 35' tree that someone else got a good bid on for $175.

 

[abureels4me]

It happens on everything not just job bids. I sell a lot of saws, mowers, weed eaters etc.. and I hear all the time "my buddy just got one for...." or "A guy at the flea market is selling them for.." I make it a practice to price a little higher so they can feel good that they haggled me down but some of them are really out there. I just tell them to have a nice day and go on with my life.

 

[Havana woody]

Some potential clients are just toxic customers and as soon as you get that feeling you should just walk away and have no regrets .

 

[Scrat]

You take things to personal. You know what you need to get out of the job, if they choose not to use you then so be it. What does it matter what the next guy charges?

I just looked at a job that I didn't get, someone must have under bid me. If they can do it for less and give the same service I don't blame the Home owner to go with the lower cost. But I know what I want and need out of the job.

X2 I Agree! don't take it personal, don't get aggravated, there are plenty of miserable people who would be glad to have that aggravation so let them have it and YOU enjoy the pleasures of our business of trees!

 

[superjunior]

Get really good at something then learn how to specialize in it. Then learn how to market your service. Then learn how to do it in the most economical way (without a chipper and two ground hands). Then learn how to advertise it. Then build a reputation on your work. Then you will realize that most anyone can do a 35' tree and in most situations that will not require a pro. Then you will learn not to even leave the house for a 35' tree that someone else got a good bid on for $175.

I agree but on the other hand those little piss jobs make great "fillers" I call them. You got the call and went to look at it right? So you already got $ into it..Those little jobs will fill in for an un-expected short day, in between 2 bigger jobs, ect.. They can help in making the quota for the day and if the landscapers beat ya to it you didn't lose much.

 

[ForTheArborist]

I finally realized that these stingy people were gaming me a while ago. Many people do not care if you make money. It makes them warm in side. I can tell because of the smiles I've seen on these people's faces.

I've found many people that don't care how much you charge, just don't be ridiculous about it.

 

[himiler]

A good book to recommend is "The Powers of Negotiation" by Roger Dawson. What the homeowner did is explained in detail along with mucho other tricks of the negotiating trade. It happens to us in one way or another every day, it's just that most of us don't realize it, and the trick is to learn how to play the game.
You're a business man in the profession of trees, not a treeman in the employment of a business. It's a hard concept for some to transition to. Trust me, I'm still a schmuck when it comes to this and it seems like I'm an idiot more often than not. Can't tell you the number of times I've walked away from a bid or job kicking myself the whole way.
Steve

 

[no tree to big]

this reminds me of a time I bid a job I looked at it when no one was home I called the guy to tell him the price I said 800 he was like what? 225??? i'm like NOOO 800 again he said huh 225? NO F'n 800! Well I have a guy that will do it for 250 that was almost a year ago tree is still standing and its only getting deader so it will take twice as long to do the removal because everything is going to explode when it hits the ground plus its a long azz drag out a narrow gate. Whats even worse its like a 750,000 dollar house and the tree is in the middle of his nice azz paito and the guy wong spring to get the tree removed:msp_confused:

 

[Pintony]

A little off topic but I'm with you on the "I HATE LOWBALLERS"
I have a Stihl for sale. In that I mean I would like to sell it... I WANT, not "NEED" to sell it.
I just had some Jackass call me and start telling & yelling at me how and why my price is too high.
After making me MAD then tries to buy my saw.
I told the guy to... well u-know...
These Aholes really need to work on their buying tactics.....
Sorry my spanish is no so well...

 

[bushwacker101]

I dont mean to sound mean but there will always be low ballers its a fact of our industry deal with it! Anyone can go and buy a chainsaw, watch a few video's on youtube and have at it, until HO's are educated on what to look for in a tree care or removal provider (other than price) we'll always have lowballer's. Every year I see two or three start-up and by the end of the season there gone never to be seen again, and we as legit service providers pay the price for there incompetence and lack of knowledge. I know how frustrating it is when you have some hack biding a $800 job for 200 bucks, I deal with it too but I'm not going to work for free and risk my rep for the HO to save a buck or two. To end it with look at it this way, "They probably didn't have the money to pay ya anway"

Ben
Bushwacker Tree Removal

 

[sgreanbeans]

A 35ft tree is something that I would do as a fill in, on the way in or out to a big job. Unless the thing is in some crazy location. I cant imagine something like that, with a good crew, taking more than 20 minutes or so. That is one of those deals that the chipper gets fired right up and as it comes down it gets cleaned up. When I get to the stump, everything else should be done. If I have a bunch of them, sometimes we go out and do just those. They make for fun easy days, good coin too, if ya can get a bunch of them stacked up

 

[Carburetorless]

A 35ft tree is something that I would do as a fill in, on the way in or out to a big job. Unless the thing is in some crazy location. I cant imagine something like that, with a good crew, taking more than 20 minutes or so. That is one of those deals that the chipper gets fired right up and as it comes down it gets cleaned up. When I get to the stump, everything else should be done. If I have a bunch of them, sometimes we go out and do just those. They make for fun easy days, good coin too, if ya can get a bunch of them stacked up

For sure.

I had to go by there today, the tree is still there so evidently the $175 guy either turned her down or doesn't even exist.

After looking at it again, the tree is more like 45' high by 26" at the base, but limb-E-er than any tree I've ever seen.

Something I noticed is the house next door has a bunch of pines that are way bigger than that one and in terrible shape. I might end up doing it for her for less so I can get the business next door.:biggrin:

 

[Huskytree]

hmmm

For sure.

I had to go by there today, the tree is still there so evidently the $175 guy either turned her down or doesn't even exist.

After looking at it again, the tree is more like 45' high by 26" at the base, but limb-E-er than any tree I've ever seen.

Something I noticed is the house next door has a bunch of pines that are way bigger than that one and in terrible shape. I might end up doing it for her for less so I can get the business next door.:biggrin:

Better hope they don't checkout your rating on here!

 

[Carburetorless]

Better hope they don't checkout your rating on here!

It's easy to judge people when you can hide behind the anonymity of the internet; Isn't it?