So…I’ve pulled out my Zig Ziglar book and was re-reading it because I’m back selling for myself again. I am actually enjoying the challenge.
Anyways, Zig made some good points about asking enough questions during the sales presentations so I can learn their hot points.
So…I started writing my questions. My goal is to get twenty or thirty questions and try to get as many asked as I can during my initial phone conversation or the followup initial sales call.
I’d like some help with this from the team here.
I’ll post my rough draft in the next post. This will give you an idea of where I’m heading with this.
Replies
Blue is back!
View Image "...craftsmanship is first & foremost an expression of the human spirit." - P. Korn
bakersfieldremodel.com
I've been busy.
And I will continue to be busy but I really want to get this checklist done.
I was on an appointment today and could only remember a couple of the questions. I asked the homeowners if they minded if subs worked unsupervised in the house. Mr Prospect said "I'm okay with it....it's all on you! If they mess something up, you'll be responsible."
That wasn't the answer I was hoping for..but it gives me some insight into who he is and what he wants from me, the general contractor.
If the workers leave a little dirt and some tools lying around at night, will that bother you?
Would you prefer to have a licensed electrician or a handy man do the minor electrical?
Do you mind having non-English speaking workers in your home?
Do you mind them working unsupervised?
Will you always be present when construction is on-going or will you have to step out sometimes, maybe all day? If you leave, would you prefer that the contractor be there supervising or allow a sub-contractor be there working alone?
Remodeling puts a lot of dust into the air. Are you okay with that thought or are you thinking that the dust can be contained?
How important is it to you that all new construction be plumb, level and square?
Do you feel more secure with a highly detailed written agreement?
Have you ever worked with a contractor or tradesman that you didn’t like? What bothered you the most about them?
How important is price? Would you prefer that the workers take shortcuts to save you money?
Would you prefer cheaper materials to save money?
If a problem occurs, how important is the warranty to you?
Do you think that having a long track record in this business has value?
How important is speed to you with regard to getting your project completed?
Do you think it’s common that problems arise during the remodeling process?
If something comes up that was unexpected, do you think the contractor should have known and therefore should resolve it at no additional charge?
Would you use a contractor that doesn’t have General Liability insurance?
How important is training and education in the remodeling process?
Do you think a construction company is better if they do everything “in-house�
Are you opposed to doing some of the work to save money?
If a worker had felonies on their record, would you allow them to work in your home?
Blue, any of those questions would scare the sh!t out of me if I was thinking of hiring you.
If the workers leave a little dirt and some tools lying around at night, will that bother you?
Will it bother you If my slobs leave a mess
Would you prefer to have a licensed electrician or a handy man do the minor electrical?
To me = Do you want it done right?
Do you mind having non-English speaking workers in your home?
My take = Do you mind illegal aliens in your home?
<!----><!---->
Do you mind them working unsupervised?
If you're asking, I'm guessing you don't trust them either. Either to know what they're doing or to not steal.
I could go on, but I think you're on the wrong track with these questions.
This one is funny though, How important is it to you that all new construction be plumb, level and square?
Do you think the customer ever considered it would be otherwise? Anybody ever ask you if you could do it cheaper if it wasn't plumb level & square?
<!----><!---->
Joe, thanks for that feedback.
I am aware that the questions would cause concern and I'm not sure if I mind that. I'm thinking though, that I'd like to ask those questions in a different way, to get them to think about them.
As you might notice, most of the questions are dealing with real world situations that are occuring everday in the remodeling world. By bringing them to light in the intiatial consultation, I will have the ability to prepare a carefully crafted proposal that specifically eliminates those items that they are uncomfortable with.
The goal of questions is to get them to talk. The more they talk, the more I learn where their hot buttons are.
After re-reading my questions, I noticed that I asked about five of them at the meeting today.
I'd really like to get these same type of questions re-worded and a few more created.
The budget question that Jeff tossed out there is good. I might reword it like this:
Are you comfortable discussing YOUR budget with me before I go any further in the preparation of your proposal?
Re. your questions, you might be creating some concerns for them, rather than asking if they have concerns about them.
Are you going to put in the proposal:
"No non-english speaking contractors will be on job without me present"
What about the english speaking tattoo/pierced up plumbers assistant (sorry to pick on anyone out there but just using as an example)
I'd avoid any discussions re. language, potential discriminatory perspectives, etc. It is a pandoras box that you dont need to shake.
Make sure your team is good, honest ,clean and respectful and you can communicate that to your client if they raise concern when 15 guys pile out of the van to hang the sheetrock.
Tell them a little about how you run the job (assuming you run it well and that is a selling point) and ask if they have any questions about how the job would be managed. (Open ended question to get them to expound on any potential concerns, likes or dislikes) If they have any concerns, they would likely bring them up and then you can address them.
"Are you going to put in the proposal:
"No non-english speaking contractors will be on job without me present""
Yes, if that's important to THEM!
Interesting.
Not how i would attack it but I think that due to geographical differences, we would handle things differently
I agree, ask me those questions and I would be regretting my decision to even consider you and would be showing you the door. PS. Not all Legal aliens nor native born speak English, but I guess he did get a response as to your personal prejudice with that one so if his intent was to uncover that I would say the question worked .
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Not all Legal aliens nor native born speak English, but I guess he did get a response as to your personal prejudice with that one so if his intent was to uncover that I would say the question worked .
I'm from Southern Cal.
If there's Spanish being spoken on a job chances are they're illegals.
Every morning they're standing on street corners looking for work.
Contractors drive up & hire on the spot.
Who the hell knows what they are? Thieves, rapists, child molestors?
Or just guys looking for work.
Some are damn hard workers, some aren't.
Some have some skills, some none.
Either way, in many cases that's who will be in your house.
My "personal prejudice" is based on my personal knowledge.
That it offends you doesn't make it untrue.
Joe H
Joe, that's how it is here too. I've learned a few things here in Austin about how many subcontractors work. They agree to do the job, then they drive over to the Home Depot and pick up a crew and yes....THEY WILL LEAVE A NEW CREW IN SOMEONE'S HOUSE DOING THE WORK... and it's quite possible that no one in the crew knows anything about the job they are supposed to be skilled at LOL!
So, my attempt in my questioning isn't to ask the clients if they want ME to leave unsupervised illegals in their home...my goal is to get the topic out in the open so I can discuss what the lowballers do!
Now, most everyone that has jumped into this thread has completely missed the intent of the thread and has only focused on the horrors of the questions. I suppose I could sweep them under the carpet and pretent that they don't exist but I guess I have a different plan and a different approach. I WANT THE CLIENTS TO BE AWARE OF HOW SOME LOWBALLERS OPERATE!
Some HDs don't allow that, some do.
The original store in my old area was on the south end of Santa Ana.
Any pickup that slowed to enter was potential employment.
The place was chaos. Opened a new store nearer to me and didn't allow it there. I think the city had something to do with it.
Good luck with this, you want to educate the prospective customer as to what goes on in the real world without scaring them out of the job.
Too many watching TOH think they could do it themselves if they just had the time, the rest have heard horror stories and think every contractor is an embezzler.
Joe H
""I WANT THE CLIENTS TO BE AWARE OF HOW SOME LOWBALLERS OPERATE! "" I got that . Problem is the questions come off with you being willing to do any of the items contained in the questions. The questions really do need to be reworded so as to "Upsell" YOU not "Downsell" the competition.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
oh bs.....
we didn't miss the intention of the thread.. we were just pointing out that the way the questions are presented is not going to work with 90% of your customersi can get ALL of the discussion you are trying to lead to without asking those poited questionsmostly by a discussion of how we run our job..you've had enough sales training to know that those questions are going to have the wrong effectMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Blue,
These are good questions and it seems the trick is in how you present them so they don't reflect badly on you. All of the negative issues may make you and your proposal sound negative. You want them to feel good about you and your proposal, not scared and fearful (or ticked off that you are trying to use scare tactics on them).
One way to ask the questions in a way that doesn't reflect badly on you but shifts the weight to the lowball competitors is to discuss these questions in the context of "questions they should ask other contractors submitting bids."
Stay positive when discussing your work.
Educate them on questions they should ask all contractors including you. This allows you to stay positive while discussing the possible pitfalls and negative aspects of a construction project. And they may thank you for educating them.
Zig has a lot of good ideas. Another guy I like is Brian Tracy, although he is probably better on running a business, getting things done, and improving your business and personal life than pure feel-good sales advice.
Billy
jim.... part of this has to do with your premise that this is a pre-qualifying questionaire that you are going to do over the phone ... right ?my biggest mistakes have all been in dismissing the customer over the phonesome ... it was perfectly obvious that they had called the wrong guy ( me )
but most of the time ... if they were still a warm body... i was always better off with a face-to-faceit means devoting say 2 - 3 hours on an initial visit...and the topics you are using for your questions should be addressed there... in a non-threatening....manner...... that puts our company in a good lightso... is this an initial contact phone questionaire ?i know we've discussed initial contact before....Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike, here's my thought process on the entire thing.
I'm old and I don't remember a lot of things. I live in the moment. So, when I get on the phone with a client, or get in their house, I might very well be more interested in the birds flying over or the flowers in their garden. Remember..I' said I'm old...so please forgive me.
So, to help this old guy remember what his job is when he's with the clients, I decided that I'd create some sort of checklist of items that I'm supposed to cover.
For instance, I had a very nice chat today with some nice people. It was about 2 hours. I can't say I asked a single one of those questions in any form LOL! So, if I had a checklist in my file, I might actually cover some of them....if I remember to pull it out.
Ideally, I'd love to have something that I could actually pullout and check off the answers. I was considering a multiple answer form or something like that.
So, when I embarked on this project, I hurredly threw together some questions without any regard to how they are worded or how they would affect the clients. I think that is called "brainstorming". Then, when the flow of questions stalled, I realized that I needed some help with the brainstorming. So, I decided to ask my buddies. So far, I've only received one more suggestion...the budget thing from Jeff. Or course, I've thankfully gotten fifteen people telling me that the questions are harsh but not many have suggested a softer version LOL. I'm okay with that though, because I intended to re-write ALL OF THEM ANYWAYS.
I was just kinda hoping to make my project a little easier. I'm also kinda past that idea at this point LOL.
edit: I did remember to talk about budget. Of course, I ballparked my projected costs 33% higher than their budget....so it looks like I'm in perfect shape on that item.
Edited 2/8/2009 7:23 pm ET by jimAKAblue
i'll go back and read your response... but the opening reminds me...
this 90 year old retired guy had been playing golf every day since he retired at 65
one day he comes home... says...well, that's it.... i am giving up golf....
his wife says.... why, whatever is the problem ?
he says... well, i can still hit the ball great... but i can't see where it goes !
so his replies.... well...... why don't you take my brother with you ?.... his eyesight is just fine
What ?....he's 102
yes, but there's nothing wrong with his eyes
so...he trys it out....
first tee.... hit's a nice drive... turns and asks his brother-in-law.... well, did you see it ?
yeah , great shot !
thanks....where did it go ?
uh......
i forgetMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
from this response ...this doesn't sound like you intend to do this on the initial phone call... so...
if they've pre-qualified and your going to meet with them.... build the questions into your portfolio... and your sample Proposal
ours covers start time.... bathroom /porta-john.... clean-up.... insurance
ain't no fly-by-night gonna come close
you can put key words on each page of your portfolioMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
See...that's the help I'm seeking! Great idea! I'll create a set of pictures that cover each situation. Then, that will remind me to ask the questions.
ONly one problem...I'm like Haz....I do not take enough pictures. I had to give the couple my set of plans today and tell them to do a drive by of the house LOL.
jim.... you've got pics from your pre-digital days .... dig 'em upMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I've got a few pics from the 80's and then some from when i got my first digital. But I lost most of them from my first digital in a computer crash.
Most of my pics are rough frame stuff and thats not really what I need to be showing now but I'll dig something out.
I forgot to mention...I'm not doing much to "pre-qualify". At this point, I'm not chasing too many leads and I'm okay with running out there to see them all. I'm sure I'll get much pickier as the season heats up.
yet once more i have to agree with joeh..
my first thought on reading 90% of those questions were
"red flag #1"#red flag # 2"etc... i would think ( and i don't know what ZZ says ) that most of those questions would convince the owner that you are abad contractor... BUT...... THEY would ask the same questions of the NEXT guy they talk toi think the majority of those questions sets such a negative tone that the rest of the relationship is all uphillMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I honestly thought he was joking. Several of the questions are nuts. I expected the next one to be
Is it OK if I sleep with your wife, so long as it's off the clock and we clean up after ourselves?
well,
jim does have that "je ne sais quoi" approach ... don't he ?Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I really think he is just trying to get some wording down or hear how others do it.
he'll do all right.... jim always doesMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I really think he is just trying to get some wording down or hear how others do it.
Exactly. Or, maybe we all could go argue about whether osb or plywood is better.
I was actually hoping to get some nuggets....some angles that I haven't thought about. Thankfully, there are a few in here that have made an attempt to be helpful.
well.... garsh.... always happy to obligebut then,, you already knew thatHappy Valentine's Day , Jim !Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Exactly. Or, maybe we all could go argue about whether osb or plywood is better
Are we going to start that up again?>G<
Welcome back, Jim.
That is my take also.Ask 2 of those questions and you would never get to the 3rd..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
JoeH
My thougths exactly.
Too many dangerous questions.
I gain the clients confidence and make sure we keep dialogue at every step in the project and then tell them what will occur and ask them if they have any questions.
I ask questions to understand their ego, psyche, and also, most importantly, what they are looking for in a finished product.
Then, most importantly, shut up and listen.
If I am regularly checking in with the client and really talking and listening to them during the project, I will know what concerns they have and will be able to adjust and modify my approach slightly to make sure I am addressing their immediate concerns while staying focused on the big picture-Get the project done quickly, cleanly and cost effectively and get out of the clients way till they are ready for hte next project.
I've had customers ridicule me because I spent time making things plumb square and level. I had no business working for these folks and wish I'd have known before taking the job. Their attitude made them a PITA all the way through the job.In a similar way, customers don't really realize the benefit unless it is pointed out to them. One of the sad facts is the ability to make a job go smoothly doesn't show them what problems could have arisen.There's things I have to know and things I have to point out to sell myself, but how?
I agree with you completely. As a customer all these questions are a given, unless the customer is brain dead. And I would never ask them what hours I can work, I would state these are the hours we usually work (to meet the anticipated completion date)and are they acceptable to you. If not, then that effects the completion date, etc.
I would ask if using different fonts bothered you (;-)For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
Blue,
I like the list...I just think I might rephrase some of them as they sound "scary" without a little sugar coating....
Mike
I agree Mike.
I'm also looking for more questions.
You gotta be kidding with this list. I think I'd hang up after question two.
If your sense is that customers are concerned with "dirt" left around overnight, then clean up every night!
If you walked into a restuarant and the waiter asks you how important it is to you to not have rat turds in the soup, would you still order?
Eldan, some clients have actually asked me to let them clean up every night as their contribution as sweat labor.
Some want the place to look as though no one ever worked there.
Some don't want any debris left overnight in bins or boxes or dumpsters.
Some would rather save the money rather than have everything carted away daily.
Every client has their own version of "clean".
And...some people eat rats and rat soup.
Details such as exact definition of cleanliness is a wonderful trial close..
If I can let you clean up after my crewcan we agree that should save about $30.00 a night from the expense?
$40.00?
ABC
Always Be Closing!
First off Ive missed you and its great to see you back.
Second I look forward to visiting with you in the future.
I guess Im a little behind times . I thought you hated remodel . Seems its your target . Im a little miffed at it . Totally different then what youve been doing .
I dont know why you would want to bring any of this up unless you were writing it up and had the job already. I got the point that you wanted to point out the competiton but you need to separate from their existence period . Im certainly not in the top 10 salesmen in this forum or probably 50 so any thing I say as for sales dont pay attention.
On the other hand Im rated higher doing the work at hand and Im wondering how YOU fit the customer . Ive always wondered how guys that dont do that type of work end up contracting it . Thats not meant to be mean at all . Im just more interrested in how AKA will handle the job. I suspect you will have subs. Mebbe Im not far enough into the thread but I gotta run for now .
Tim
Actually Tim, I did my share of remodeling back in the early 80's..both residential and commercial. After figuring out that I could make much better and faster money doing custom frames, I stopped taking on any remodeling.
Now...I'm in Texas and the illegals and their legal cousins do framing at pre-1980 rates. Yes, it sounds crazy but that's how they price their work. So....if I want to make any money in construction (I really don't want to...I'm just biding my time), I decided that I'd sell remodeling services....which is nothing more than babysitting 3 to 6 different trades on small little one week jobs. If I'm lucky, I'll get a big whomping addition that should be done in a week but takes two months anyways LOL!
If you decide to continue reading the thread ( I wouldn't recommend it), you'll find out that I'm trying to develop a set of questions that I would like the answers to, so I can formulate my proposal presentation approach. Unfortunately, I mistakenly left the questions too raw and figured the collective wisdom would understand the concept but alas...I shoulda remembered that I'm dealing with tradesmen, not sales professionals.
What keeps them from doing remodeling ?
No I cant offer anything to what you want to know in this thread . I read it . All of it and I cant stand it . LOL. Like others here Im not a salesman. I do the work. I hate customers that write payroll checks . I also know where I stand the best. I do the work and sell the product. Im a sorry contractor for the public. One lawyer told me one time he was a sorry trial lawyer . I laughed but he wasnt . He said they dont like me and I know it but I know the law better than who they like . Ya gotta know who you are and stand on it .
Tim
What keeps them from doing remodeling ?
They remodel too. But, not every white collar client wants to deal with non-english speaking, no license, no insurance, unskilled workers LOL. Some do and they get their cheaper prices for the work done. Others are not comfortable with contractors like that and they seek out GC's like me. I've decided that I'm not comfortable sending in subs unsupervised so I'm trying to find those clients that are also uncomfortable with that arrangement....which is quite typical here in Austin. This town in a big "labor broker" area. You hire a guy for drywall and he offers to do your painting, electrical, stucco, roofing , and wash your car. If you actually hire him, he hires a sub, who hires a sub, who hires a sub, who hires a sub, blah, blah, blah...and when the lowest guy on the totem pole arrives...it's his first day on the job!
Well they are trying to help you in the busness sense which is what you are looking for but I think my thoughts are stronger.
The business side doesnt matter if you cant pull the jobs off one after the other . What are you gonna do when you get booked up with these 3 thousand dollar jobs ?
The only way to do them for you is have a man on the job you can trust that can handle the job manpower or the whole job himself . Either or both.
One guy that can do all the work [do it all] or be on the job to handle who you bring in.
Sense you dont do it all then you need the guy thats multitalented and tooled .
Or just take the bigger jobs .
Its really hard to make a living off small work unless its your expertise.
I know a lot about that side of it . Just remember you have to be very profitable taking remodeling and its multiple small headaces.
Being able to do it all is one thing . Being tooled to do it all every day is another . Comming equipped every day is still another on small jobs . You cant forget any thing and be running to the stores . Theres no time . Multiple tasks have to be performed that dont go together that require lists upon lists that resemble a punch list kinda thing as a way to make a living . Lots of memory and planner following .
Tim
Edited 2/16/2009 10:33 am by Mooney
What are you gonna do when you get booked up with these 3 thousand dollar jobs ?
The only way to do them for you is have a man on the job you can trust that can handle the job manpower or the whole job himself . Either or both.
That can't be the "only" way because here in TX it would be impossible to operate. There ain't no one that I could trust that is not already doing retail deals.
That said, I wouln't mind a dozen or so 3k jobs. I'd just plunk away at them one after another. A 3 job would be about two days in the type of work that I'm bidding.
You cant forget any thing and be running to the stores . Theres no timeYou cant forget any thing and be running to the stores . Theres no time
Acutally, I don't mind the run to the stores. They are only 5-10 minute drive and I can use the break. My old body starts to squawk if I push it too steadily.
"Lots of memory and planner following . "
I think you meant to say "lots of forgetting". Yep...thats me!
"That can't be the "only" way because here in TX it would be impossible to operate. There ain't no one that I could trust that is not already doing retail deals."
What is your game plan then? Teach me somthing I guess . Ive battled that for a long long time . Please dont misrepresent this as mean spirited becasue its not in the slightest. Id like to know what anyone does when they are faced with 3 grand jobs which are always multitalented. Mebbe its becasue they are my jobs and I do what needs doing while people dont ask for everything . When I have "hired out " to friends Ive got asked to do just about everything but they knew I did it all. A stranger wouldnt know .
Anyway its beside me how anyone makes 100 grand per year at this type of work for the public.
Tim
Edited 2/17/2009 7:44 pm by Mooney
Edited 2/17/2009 7:44 pm by Mooney
tim... we're scratching & gouging putting together small jobs
i'm caught in limbo with a couple jobs on the drafting table and a big one waiting fior an architect to deliver some costruction documents
we're finishing one job...but that involves carpet & painting (both subs )
our last 3 in-house jobs were remodel a basement ( $4K )
fix a roof leak and rebuild a sheet metal chimney ($2K)
and install a basement drain system and fix a balconey / window leak ($5K )
all in all... got about 2 1/2 weeks work for my two guys.... at our normal retail markup ( which is also our normall wholesale markup ).... and all 3 jobs hit their targets for overhead & profit
the chimney was funny.... the owner told me she would not spend more than $1K....when i explained what we were going to do... and that it would be $2400...she said ok....i charged her $2050 in the end....Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
If yer sayin you made the same on those small jobs as normal jobs for you then kudos to you . You got it goin on bro.
Ive never been able to come close to volume jobs with any thing else . Thats why I went commerical years ago as a sub.
Its a good subject to discuss but this aint the right thread I dont reckon.
Although I dont think Jim cares.
Tim
Edited 2/18/2009 7:50 pm by Mooney
harsh....tim, harsh........
of course Jim caresMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I dont think Jim cares if we discuss what we were talking about in his thread.
Nothing meant harsh at all.
Tim
Dont' worry about this thread. This thread was killed in the first ten posts.
But..getting back to your 3k job talk....I like 3k jobs just like I like 30k jobs. I like either of them because I'm bidding them the same: hard costs x 1.67. So, a 3k job will have about 1800 in hard costs. Some of those hard costs might be carpenter wages for me. There might be laborer wages in there for me (I charge the same for sweeping up as I do for carpentry).
So, that 3k job might put 1500 cash flow in my checking account. At this point, I'm happy with that and would like to get it done in one week or less. Why wouldn't you like that?
Would it be better to get all 30k jobs? Of course, but if you tell me that all I'll get is 3k jobs for the next year, I'll be grateful and just "git er done".
Of course, sometimes when I "bid" the job at the 1.67 markup, I pick up extra "profit" when I find ways to be more efficient with the materials and/or labor. When I'm bidding the stuff in the office, I assume worst case scenario. I'm also picking up a few extra dollars with contractor discounts...which I do NOT pass on.
Edited 2/18/2009 9:46 pm ET by jimAKAblue
tim....what blue said.....almost verbatimMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Id Like to have your business skills becasue I dont come up with those numbers.
Give me the drywall on a 1500 sg ft house which is roughly 4500 sq ft of rock and Ill be there 40 hrs alone on finishing .
This is the reason I left residential contractors ;
Give me me a mall with 50 foot walls and Ill run 50,000 sg ft in 40 hrs.
Give me 20 apartments at 900 sg ft apiece , Ill hire a couple of drunks and give it back to you in 8 straight days .
No job is the same . Im the same man doing those jobs above Ive pulled off countless times. Depending on the work Ive netted from 500 per week to 5 grand per week . I hired a bunch of drunks and made 5 grand per week on apartments several times but when that ran out I might have been working for wages waiting on the next commerical job. I was doing comercial drywall and painting when a tornado ripped apart my town. I was making 1000 a week and there wasnt much work. When that hit I bid all the roofs I could get and lived with the adjusters at the motel. I was right back to running 5 grand per week doing roofs because I had volume . I cleaned and painted those houses too and bid total repairs . When I got all the roofs covered I went back with a sweep doing the same thing to a list of houses I had. 17 houses to pressure clean which I did at once . I had 7 ceilings to repair that I did at once on all different jobs . Ive always made a lot better money off volume but doing volume is how I was trained to make money. I was never trained to do it pushing numbers.
Tim
tell me what you pay for materials and i'll tell you what i would have sold that job for
and...tell me what you intended to pay yourself out at per hour and i'll tell you what you should have been looking for Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
tim,
this is where our various personal histories can defeat us.
we naturally tend to think our personal experience is valid across the boardwith smaller jobs, my return per hour invested almost always is MUCH greater on a smaller project. given the choice --- I will take 10 of those $3000 projects over 1 of the $30,000 projects EVERY time ---- but you have to be set up to do it.1) my return on the 10 projects at $3000 would be more than double the return on the $30,000 project
2) at the end I would have 10 satisfied customers enthusiastically referring me--- those 10 sources of referalls are a very valuable commodity right there alone!
3) my risk over-all is substantially lower on the 10 projects at $3000
4) over-all pressure and hassle is WAAAAAAY lower on the string of $3000 projects BTW-- in the interests of clarity and accuraccy-- my roofs don't(yet) top out at $30,000--- but the past few years I have been doing 1 or 2 a year in the $25,000-$26,000 range---and I currently have 4 proposals out right now in that range and I confidently expect I will close at least 2 of them and probably 3 of them eventually also- i consider we might not be able to make a direct apples to apples comparison-- i think maybe blue mentioned he would be working a week on that $3000 project---and in my line of work i would expect to be in and out in a day or a day and a half for the same dollar amount project i can tell you that I would be very happy in deed if I was able to look into my crystal ball and determine that this year i was going to do---say 100 of those $3000 projects at one day or a day and a half each.Best wishes,
stephen
If that is the gross income for a business then it is possible, but barely , net and take home , ain't happening.
1 a week gets you a 150k figuring 2 weeks off to rest the body a year.
1/2 for materials ( my own historic average on remodels) leaves you 75k for company income, less overhead, taxes and expenses.
Now if you can live comfortably on about 30k a year take home then it is indeed possible to do Ok on these jobs.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Thats close to my take as well.
What I WAS doing was buying repos and flipping them after fixing them up for resale . I needed the profit money on top in the sale to hit the 100,000 target "net" . I would starve at 30 grand net. The profit on the houses topped it off and other deals I did all year but buying and selling has almost come to a halt . Ive been doing that for 17 years along with other things like working as a sub . I quit being a sub several years ago. Like Jim I have thought about working for the public doing what Ive been doing but Ive done my share of small jobs before and its probably the lowest income of any thing I did . Since thats what fixing repos is all about Ive streamlined the time involved . Ive accomplished that and do nearly everything in house . Takes a lot of tools on site to pull it off and materials . Still cant haul it all so Ive got a shop and a warehouse both. Its still a pain in the butt but it goes along with a rental business. So flipping and rentals actually go together . Its the same work. Wondering if I can mix this same work into the public at a profit . A lot of what I do is handyman work the way I figgure it . Im going today with an easy out and retreiving a broke off shower head arm and pulling out side faucets to rebuild . Tomorrow Im working on a garage door opener thats quit and running a switch where it doesnt exist. Im laying viynl Friday and replacing two entry doors Saturday. Quite a bit different than Mike describes. At least in what Mike decribes hes there long enough to pull in a tool trailer. That little stuff is hard to make a living on.
Tim
I have pulled myself through tough times using the little stuff.
No job I could churn a few bucks out of too small.
that said there is a real and as of yet unmentioned liabilty to doing it.
Reputation gathered as the "go to guy" for that in a smaller community will eliminate chances for pulling in bigger jobs. ' I didn't know you could build a whole house or do a complete addition, I thought you only did small jobs"
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Some people have allergy problems, asthma etc that extra precautions have to be taken. Maybe asking if there are any special clean up or protection needs might lead into a discussion about cleanliness in general and give you a chance to talk about how you do a good job.Just noticing things in general and bringing them up in an open conversation which can lead to your questions. "Looks like you just had your wood floors redone. It'd be pretty important to protect them then?""Well...yeah they cost me $XXXX""Heres what we do......"Asking about previous work many times leads into the things that upset them and gives you a lead in. People love to talk about problems they or someone they know have had.Maybe starting off with "When you look at our proposal, consider there are many things we do well others don't. Like....(Questions)
I like the idea of asking about allergies regarding dust and chemicals that might be used. Thanks for the idea.
Can the guys use your bathroom, or would your prefer them to use the back of the house?
How much over budget are you prepared to go?
On the scale of 1 -10 how likely will I be to get paid with in 10 days?
Hilarious!
Instead of If the workers leave a little dirt and some tools lying around at night, will that bother you?Maybe: How clean do you expect the site to be when we leave for the evening?
Instead of: Remodeling puts a lot of dust into the air. Are you okay with that thought or are you thinking that the dust can be contained?Maybe: Remodeling puts a lot of dust in the air and on the ground which we try to minnimize & contain but some inevitbaly escapes. How significant of a problem is the escaped dust to you?
Instead of: Have you ever worked with a contractor or tradesman that you didn’t like? What bothered you the most about them? Maybe: What kind of experiences have yo uhad in the past with contractors and the construction trades? What impressed you the most about them? What was your greatest disappointment with them?
Instead of: How important is price? Would you prefer that the workers take shortcuts to save you money? & Would you prefer cheaper materials to save money? & Would you prefer to have a licensed electrician or a handy man do the minor electrical? & How important is speed to you with regard to getting your project completed?Maybe: If you were given an estimate/bid that was outside of you budget, what would you sacrifice in order to meet that budget? Material Quality? Finish Quality? Use of un-licensed subs? Uninsured subs? Forecasted completion date? (maybe let them organize these items in a order of priority.)
Instead of: Do you think it’s common that problems arise during the remodeling process?Maybe: Problems will arise during a remodel and we will do our best to minimize the impact. Do you understand that these issues may incur costs. (I guess at this point be sure they know the difference between a bid, quote, and an estimate.)
I think I know where you're going with this one (How important is it to you that all new construction be plumb, level and square? ) but there needs to be a better approach. Maybe: Do you own a level and know how to use it? -OR- Plump & Level & Square is always our goal but existing conditions may force things to be not so. Perfection is our goal and we'd never sacrifice items of safety or strutural integrity but pleasing to the eye is sometimes better then P, L, & S
I'm tyring to think of a different way to approach the detailed contract discussion but coming up with zero right now.
Edited 2/13/2009 9:30 am ET by john7g
Thanks John. Your revisions are now part of my presentation book!
Here's some more...
Do you really want to ask If a worker had felonies on their record, would you allow them to work in your home? I understand that people have skeletons so I need to be able to trust them to work for me. If they pass that test, then I'm not sure what asking the HO if the mind workers with felonies on their record. If I hire a sub to do work for me I really have no clue about their criminal record. Does the HO know your criminal record? AFAIK no one has every run backgorund checks on me before they asked me to do work for them. They've placed their trust in us, we gotta do what it takes to maintain that trust. I wouldn't even ask the question.
Will you always be present when construction is on-going or will you have to step out sometimes, maybe all day? If you leave, would you prefer that the contractor be there supervising or allow a sub-contractor be there working alone? & ...Do you mind them working unsupervised?I'd rather not have anyone in a clients house without me or someone whose allegiance is to me being present. Too much temptation for even usually honest people (reminds me of the saying Never underestimate the stupidity of people especially a group of people). It really slows me down since I'm a one-man band and finding someone to act as super is a slim group for me. This wouldn't even be a quesiton for me, I already have my own internal policy that doesn't allow it.
Instead of: Are you opposed to doing some of the work to save money?Maybe: Do you have intentions or interest to do any of the tasks for this jobs? There can be a significant savings if you do, but often when HOs do their own work the forecasted completion date is compromised.
Instead of Do you feel more secure with a highly detailed written agreement?Maybe: Contracts protect all parties involved. They give a clear definition of what is expected by all signers so each has a clear understanding of what's expected from the other. For the HO and Contractor it defines the scope of work, quality of work and the pricing and apyemtn schedule. The goal of a contract is to remove any assumptions and put them in writing so as much as possible is clearly understood by all parties. What level of detail would you like to see in a contract?
Here's a few more for your list,
What brand of beer do you stock in your fridge?
When you find pay-per-view #### on your cable bill, will that upset you?
If you walk in on my cross dressing plumber & find him in your wifes clothes will be upsetting to you?
My guys might puke on your carpet, is that okay?
How old is your daughter & do you think she will like us?
If we decide to use your boat & not work for a couple of days, that would be allowed, right?
Do you have any guns in the house?
Can I see your tool collection in case we don't have something?
You wouldn't mind picken up some of my guys in the morning because they don't got their license any more, but not too early they work late most nights.
Of course there is so many more,
But first & foremost, instill confidence in the customer No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
how about?
"would it freak you out if you caught one of us going through your wife or daughters underwear drawer?" did I just say that?
stephen
Thats just a given, didnt think one would have to ask.
Also kinda thoght the question about the plumber had it covered.
No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
Edited 2/14/2009 4:02 pm ET by CardiacPaul
I thought most of the questions were a given---- just trying to have fun with it. Of course-- now that I have a better understanding of where blue is going with this-- i think he has the basis of a good idea----- just handling this in question form is definitely nbot the right way to approach it.
Stephen
just handling this in question form is definitely nbot the right way to approach it.
I also obviously underestimated the abilities of many in this group to grasp a concept and help streamline it.
When I started brainstorming my questions, I was just rapidly trying to remember as man horror stories as possible. I probably should have just posted key words and asked for more horror keywords. Maybe that would have kept the court jesters from their victory.
I'll be fine either way. I think I'm going to reformat the questions into a survey type document with multiple choice answers like this:
How important is job site organization/ cleanliness during the workday: __Extremely Important ____Very Important _____Neutral _____Not important ______What is job site organization/cleanliness?
Edited 2/15/2009 11:51 am ET by jimAKAblue
I might just create that document and send it my snail mail before the first appointment.
Don't!
The conversation should answer most of those questions not some questionaire..
Don't try to steer the questions like you are obviously attempting.. Most customers can see right through such approaches and will resent you for it..
The conversation isn't where you need to exert authourity or establish dominance.. let them set the aggenda.. If you try you will be discarded as too pushy.. Gentle open ended questions are what's needed not some agenda.
Thanks for that advice.
Okay...back to "gently wording the questions" or..maybe we could endure another thirty jester posts...
hey, we tryMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I'm still working on the thread title..what makes these man questions?Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Because you have to be a "Man's Man" to risk asking them ?
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I dunno, Hazlett was talking about aking if he could rummagge in the wife's undie drawer..I'm soooo confused.
Oh, got your email..we be cool.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Yea, well you know.....roofers... ;-)
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Hey! resemble that. I think I was on over 30 roofs in the last 5 yrs. But, I got into one undie drawer.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Blue have those question in mind but don't attempt to use them.. no matter how gently you steer the questions people sense that steerage..
I found much greater success listening, really listening to what people are saying and watching exactly how they say it..
The body language, the eye contact, movement,. The tone and tenior of such a conversation is far more critical to your ultimate success than using carefully framed questions..
One wrong question can dramatically change the whole relationship.. a couple could be the reason for your deselection..
Your questions are what is called closed end. There is only one way to answer.. based on the question you asked.
Open ended questions are differant.
Let me try to give you examples.
It's a nice day isn't it? (answer is yes or no but that's about all)
What do you think of the weather? (now a little conversation starts).. what's more you can't be wrong..
Don't dismiss that little conversation.. there's information in that and it's up to you to glean it out.. maybe it's an attitude, maybe she says it with downcast eyes or a warm smile.
That person has just set the tone and tenior of the future transaction and it should tell you how to proceed. and what hurdles you have..
You can't do all that if you're thinking of how to respond .. you'll likely to miss critical hints.. You need to focus on that person and how they are responding..
(it's also your chance to make a first impression)
Blue,
Hope I didn't upset you with some of my replies to your original post, I was just trying to have a little fun with it. When I read some of your first questions, to me at least, they seemed okay but as I got further into the list, the questions seemed to get more off the wall and maybe sarcastic, then I thought you were just trying to be humorous & I started to laugh. Maybe it was just me & the mood I was in or the fact I didn't read your question completely.
When I was remodeling , I made up a very complete booklet, from years of experiences, explaining my companies working procedures and what they could expect.
Everything from our normal working hours, how we clean, what subs may be on site, parking, children, pets or homeowners guest that may be present at the site, unforeseen extras, work order changes, schedules, building permits, what they could expect as to noise, dust or dirt, stress, how inconvenient things may get. My no smoking policy, I listed things they could do & things we would do to minimize these things and make the project go smoother. I also wrote out the entire warranty in this booklet and the WI lein law notice.
I had nearly a paragraph covering every topic I could think of. This booklet turned out to be a nice selling tool in its self, it show that we ran a tight and professional ship and it gave myself & all that worked on my projects a hard set of rules to work by.
It seemed to assure clients that we cared about all aspects of their projects including their comfort & feelings.
Having this booklet helped me not have to cover all these things each & every time I was selling, but allowed me to concentrate on finding out my clients wants & desires, designing, budgeting.
The booklet was written in such a way that it looked like we were really looking out for them & I was covering my butt for everything I could think of that could come up.
Working in someones home can get very emotional for some people.
I hope this helps
Paul No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
It does help Paul. Thanks for the idea.
My biggest issue is my memory. If I had gone on a hunred calls with your booklet, I'd be able to remember 90% of it without the booklet. Since I'm relatively green at presenting to retail clients (homeowners), I tend to forget to cover a lot of ground and I don't have a presentation booklet as you have used. My short term goal was to create a checklist of some sorts to help me remember.
The reason that the last few questions seemed silly was because I was trying harder to remember some of the horror stories in the trades. I was not being sarcastic, nor was I being silly...I'm just trying to do better at sales in the remodeling field. I can't rely on selling on price anymore...yesterday, a lady informed me that she had gotten a price of 3k on a job that I proposed to do at 9,500! There are some serious pricecutters here in Austin LOL! The good news is that she had some "reservations" about those other contractors. HELLO!!!! I WOULD TOO!
blue,
the question format is the wrong way to approach this. remember when you were a framing contractor???- essentially you were wholesaling your services to the GC- who then used them as part of his retail package now----YOU are in the position of selling retail--and a different tactic is in order. that list of questions????-- only bad can come of that when you are selling retailHOWEVER---- those questions ????--- you already KNOW what answers you want from those questions-----so assume your prospect has already answered them the way you want--- and demonstrate to the prospect how you meet each of those expectations---conversationally-- OR in the pamphlet form Cardiac Paul mentioned( an excellent idea)You can safely assume your customers want a licensed insured contractor------and you are going to provide copies of those without being asked,you can assume your customer wants the house extremely clean--and so you are going to chat about how obsessive you are about keeping eveything clean and exactly HOW you accomplish that You describe what your standard work hours are- and mention in passing that you can slightly adjust that for special customers and so on,and so on,and so on----- very simple for your prospect to quickly realize that you are head and sholders above the other "contractor" who was pricing $3,000 against your $9000 project but keep in mind that if all your prospect has is $3,000-- you are never going to sell her at $9,000---- she is NOT going to be your customer however- she may STILL referr you to someone who is a better fit BTW-- all those selling points about how clean and respectable and prompt you are------ you actually have to deliver on themWhen you were wholesaling--- the product was the most important thing but now you are retailing----and often HOW you produce and deliver the product is more important than the actual product.
stephen
well.... the $3000 lady already has made it known that she knows the $3000 price she received is not going to work
so.. the next thing might be...."all right, let's see how much of your work we can do for your budget "Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Maybe so but there is a big spread between $3,000 and $9,000 so maybe she knows something is wrong with $3,000--- but she really wants to believe it can be done for $4800-- or even say $6000 $6000 is TWICE the $3000----surely( she thinks) it can be done for $6000 ? you can invest a lot of time and energy in people who are NEVER going to be your customer--- but it is hard to tell up front. I am perfectly willing to show someone how much better my $9000 is than someone elses $7000--- but there is a real limit in how much time I am going to invest in someone even remotely thinking $3000 when I know I need to be at $9000
Stephen
I agree with you Stephen. It's highly doubtful that she'll be spending the 9k. But I will pusue this till I get a hard, firm no. I don't mind "wasting" the time because I know that I have to get 8 or 9 no's before I get a yes. I've already invested two trips to see her and I'd be willing to invest a couple more even though the odds are slim at this point.
I already asked her if she wanted to rethink the scope of work to create an easier budget. She's "thinking about it" and will call me "Monday" LOL.
Basically, I'm taking Mikes approach and hoping she'll rule out the 3k guys quickly then come back to me to forge a working deal at somewhere in the middle. On my next call to her, I'll ask her if she wants me to propose something in the 6-7k range. Then, it will be a simple matter to get out the eraser in my spreadsheet.
Your memory really isn't the only problem, its time to. Non of use have the time to sit with every customer & re-hash every procedure on every job. Also the customer will start looking at the clock thinking, Will this guy ever leave?
You stated you didn't have a booklet like mine but you do, infact we all do.
We all have the horror stories, we all have common sense & we all know how we would like to be treated if it was our home being worked on.
Take the time & effort you want to put into a list, which you should be commended that your even thinking about this topic & start writing a procedures booklet..
Take those horror stories, some are clearly self inflicted and think what did I do? and blend it with common sense & if it warrents make a policy or rule to work by.
Other horror stories are just that, customers being jacks, there to, blend it with common sense, & make up a policy that sorta heads em off at the pass if you will.
Like a contract that states what is included in your project, the booklet was all my rules, procedures & policies in writing.
One of your questions was, do you mind if everything is plumb level & square?
I think you what your really driving at is the fact that in exsisitng homes not every thing is plumb level & square and with your question you were trying to point this out in a round about way, In a booklet you can bring this up , Exsisting conditions beyond our control.
Your on the right track here
Paul No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
"I think you what your really driving at is the fact that in exsisitng homes not every thing is plumb level & square and with your question you were trying to point this out in a round about way, In a booklet you can bring this up , Exsisting conditions beyond our control."
That came up with my last job. An existing out of plumb wall was on my punchlist. I didn't like explaining the situation after everything was done. She had to accept it or pay me extra to rip out her exising wall and fix it. I'd rather pro-actively deal with it in the bid process.
1) WHAT ... IS ... YOUR ... BUDGET ??!!??
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Heres some more that I forgot to post:
If the price to do the job properly is more than you want to invest, will you choose to hold off on the project or use a contractor that has a “cheaper†way of doing it? <!----><!----><!---->
<!----> <!---->
Do you want workers who are friendly and considerate of your needs? <!----><!---->
<!----> <!---->
Do you mind if construction rubbish is stored on site or do you prefer that all rubbish be removed daily? <!----><!---->
<!----> <!---->
Are there specific hours that you want the work done? Are there some times when work will not be permitted? <!----><!---->
<!----> <!---->
Would you be willing to let contractors work without proper permits?<!----><!---->
This question just spurred another:
If the price to do the job properly is more than you want to invest, will you choose to hold off on the project or use a contractor that has a “cheaper†way of doing it?
<!----><!---->Instead, I might ask:<!---->
<!---->If the price of the job exceeds your budget, are you going to increase your budget? Put off the entire project until you can afford the budget? Or will you split the project into different phases and just do a portion of it now?<!---->
<!----><!---->
Do you believe that you know EVERYTHING about house construction?.
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"After the laws of Physics, everything else is opinion" -Neil deGrasse Tyson
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If Pasta and Antipasta meet is it the end of the Universe???
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according to statistical analysis, "for some time now, bears apparently have been going to the bathroom in the woods."
Forget who you are posting to? ;-)
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
That was a suggested screening Q...I'm not as think as you dumb I am....
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"After the laws of Physics, everything else is opinion" -Neil deGrasse Tyson
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If Pasta and Antipasta meet is it the end of the Universe???
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according to statistical analysis, "for some time now, bears apparently have been going to the bathroom in the woods."
Do you believe that you know EVERYTHING about house construction?
NO. I actually have a very limited knowledge about house construction. I know a lot about the framing and "drying-in" but very little about the foundation and mechanical systems.
It is GOOD that you admit that, so you know where you stand when you work for a customer who does...They watch DIY network ya know....
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"After the laws of Physics, everything else is opinion" -Neil deGrasse Tyson
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.
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If Pasta and Antipasta meet is it the end of the Universe???
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according to statistical analysis, "for some time now, bears apparently have been going to the bathroom in the woods."
Don't you mean how much money do you have and how much more can you borrow?For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
And by the way, good to see you back.
How goes the doubledecker bus bar-q stand?
Joe H
The bus is here in Austin and the goal is March 1st for opening. I think that is optimistic and it looks like mid march. There were/are a lot of problems trying to do what we originally intended but we are on plan B now.
I'm gonna have to re-read thru and give it serious thot.
took an 8 hr round trip drive today on too short sleep so I'm not at the top of mys ales game at the moment ... and don't wanna be either!
That said ... I've actually sat thru 2 Zig Ziglar seminars, and have been bored to death in about 10 other copy cat, high dollar sales seminars. The place I sold new cars wasted tons of money to send us.
I learned to sell from a guy who's sell Zig the proverbial ice cube in a Detroit December ... I was never impressed one bit at any of Zig stuff. Guy I learned from was more "street level".
Boiled down ... those guys in thousand dollar suits that talked for hours and hours ended up saying the very same thing my buddy Ron told me ... but in way too many words. I realized they had to dress up and complicate things to "earn" their wages ...
but it all boils down to the basics.
Prequalification questions and a loose phone script are key, just don't over complicate life. People do need to be pressed ... but not confused.
and too many questions ... and/or too many choices ... confuse the average buyer.
what I need to know ... what's the "hoped for" project.
what's the goal of said project.
what's the "hoped for" budget.
and what's the time frame we're shooting for.
the goal, budget and time frame are actually more important than the "hoped for" project. That's the dream ... the rest are reality. Throw enough money at any dream and I can make it happen!
and ya really gotta dress that last part up if U wanna sell it! The truth sounds ugly.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
""...because I'm back selling for myself again.""
What happened to your sales woman?
Market simply get to far down to keep the specialized hand ?
You see the value in his talks, too?
I get his podcasts. What a salesperson!
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
aka!..... aka! .... aka!.....
welcome to cabin-fever central !
you pull out ziz ziggler
i went looking for boogerin- with- blue last week... alas... you had better luck than me
blue,
I see others have said the same thing------ but when I saw those questions-- as a consumer-- they would scream" fly-by-night" at me
I can't fault you for wanting the information---- but I don't see anyway you can use that format
1)---- it comes off like a test----as a consumer I don't want to take a test
2) it really, Rally,REALLY portrays you in a bad light
3)--- you can almost certainley actually GET the answers to most of those questions------- but you are going to have to sift out the answers by means of a more non-confrontational conversation--an actual conversation
BTW-- just wanted to thank you again------ you gave me some pointers on hiring people last year at this time that worked very well for me
I am looking to hire another person here very shortly and intend to use the same techniques basically--as it worked out well last year.
thanks again
stephen
"3)--- you can almost certainley actually GET the answers to most of those questions------- but you are going to have to sift out the answers by means of a more non-confrontational conversation--an actual conversation"
That was my point about getting help re-wording them.
The questions were written rapid style to just get the thoughts on paper.I really haven't refined them yet and I certainly wouldn't just blurt them out rapid style. Most of the questions are aimed at the horrors of remodeling and I'm trying to see how sensitive the clients are to each situation.
For instance, I did ask the client about how they felt about dust. At first, they said that they didn't care and understood that it would be messy. Then, in the same sentence, he indicated that he'd like an "environmental screen" set up at the hall way and arch to the kitchen. That information is exactly what I wanted to hear. In my proposal, I will specifically make a statement about the "environmental screen".
When I asked about specific working times, I found out that he imagined that all the work would be done while he was at work. The conversation led us to decide that starting at 8:30am would work best. Again, I will include that specific information in the proposal.
r.e. your "dust" and "security" questions - on a recent room addition, I did not find out until after work began, that the h.o. would not allow ANY work in the house to be done when he or his wife were not present. Yet she left every day at 7AM, and he left every day at 10 AM, and neither returned until 6 PM. Furthermore, he would not allow the section of exterior wall we were removing to be taken out, until the addition was complete on the outside.
It was a room addition, for crying out loud, how did he think the job would get built without going in the house? I wished I had asked more questions, explained more about the process, in the beginning. The client had been friendly while bidding, but quickly became obnoxious and unreasonable once work began. I was stymied for a couple of weeks, while working on the slab-pour and framing.
I finally solved it by building a temporary demising wall with metal studs. I framed the wall pretty tight, so that no screws were used in framing, eveything just friction fit. I screwed sheetrock to the jobsite side, and osb to the homeowner side, just the bare minimum of screws. I finished and painted the sheetrock side to match, so passers-by, and even most of the subs and their employees, could not tell the wall was temporary. I didn't spend much time on the mud & tape, just a quickie, but adequate for the purpose.
Dust, noise, and security issues were solved. If we had to go in for something, we did it before 10 AM. Took the wall down at the very end. Worked so well, I'd do it again on any job where it might work. Not only kept the house secure, but kept the obnoxious h.o. out of my hair during cons't.View Image "...craftsmanship is first & foremost an expression of the human spirit." - P. Korn
bakersfieldremodel.com
"Do you require all subcontractors to wear pants on site?":>)
Welcome back.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Edited 2/8/2009 9:32 am ET by MSA1
Just ran across this thread
Zig usually talks in terms of questions to "qualify the buyer" -- finding out what the buyer's wants needs are to determine what and how to sell him/her.
INO - The posed questions are deal killers - not builders.
The time to deal with those issues is after the buyer has [emotionally] committed to the deal.
And then, they should be done as part of the "expectation clarification" to reduce the chance of conflict down the road.
Bringing them up at the beginning would be a huge turn off - at te beginning.
"Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
Howard Thurman