Bad Job !!

[Shawn George]

Hi All,

Just want to relay a bad experience for all the "new kids" out there.

A friend of ours, trying to do us a favor, called me for an estimate on a small deck wash job. He offered to get all the info for us, so I told him to measure the deck, let me know if there was any existing finish on the wood, and tell me the number of steps and a description of the railing.

I was not specific in the measurement or the importance of the existing finish. Also did not tell the guy to look at the deck in daylight so he could see any existing finish. (he looked at it in low light, and it just looked like weathered wood)

The description I got was for a 10' x 7' deck with no coating or sealer, 5 steps and a railing with spindles.

we quoted the job based on a total of 98 square feet (additional footage to cover the rail and steps)

What we found was a 10' x 7' deck with a semi-transparent deck stain/sealer and a 4 foot high wall around the bottom half of the deck. (where the lattice work would normally be)

Ended up quoting the job way too low !! the total sqare footage ended up being 250 sqare feet plus needed to be stripped.

Lesson learned: Always look at the job yourself !! Do not rely on someone else's information. They will look at the job differently than you will.

(I should have known better)

Shawn @ Pressure-Tek LLC

 

[Dan Flynn]

Hey Shawn

I hope you adjusted it when you saw the deck.

 

[Mike Hughes]

I disagree.......I think he should honor the price he gave, since in reality, it was his fault in the first place...........I think that is the responsible thing to do...............or, you could expain the situation to the customer, that it really should be more, but you will honor your price............sometimes they will pay you more anyway......

Tough lesson to learn..........I generally do no quotes over the phone.........and if they insist, they can find someone else........half the time it is just the competition checking up on you anyway when you get a call like that.

So........was it a tough one to strip??

 

[Dan Flynn]

I agree Mike,

But he did say it was a friend and I figured they would understand. Yet after re-reading it looks like Shawn maybe new and his friend was trying to give him work.

If, which is rare I give an idea and tell them I would have to adjust either way when I see it.

Good lesson.

 

[Shawn George]

Hey Mike and Dan,

I did end up honoring the price that we quoted, and also explained that we were not aware of the existing finish. You are right Mike, this was my fault entirely !

The deck looked great when we got it done. (just took longer)

All I asked of the customer is that he remembers our name when people ask him who made the deck look so good. The sign will stay up in his yard for a couple of extra days too.

Mike-the finish was a semi-transparent brown stain. Ended up not being too bad to take off with stripper.

Dan- yes, we're new at doing decks. We have done truck washing up to this point (mostly commercial work). Residential work is a whole different animal, as I'm finding out.

Live and learn, right?

Thanks for the replys,
Shawn @ Pressure-Tek LLC