It's only a small trailer load.

[Bluey]

We all get this from potential clients but I had a beauty today. Bloke rang and wanted some palm fronds removed. Said it was only probably a 6x4 trailer load worth. Said he also needed some hedging and lawns done. Told him I would come and have a look and give him a quote.

When I got there I kid you not there was a mound of big fronds that was almost as high as me and about 3m across. I said he obviously did'nt use a trailer much. He was on a big corner block and lots of lawn area with grass higher than my knees. His hedge ran right around the outside of the property and was so overgrown it was more of a tree than a hedge and easily 15 ft high.

Funny thing was he said to me I will make it worth your while. I said how much are you willing to spend as I reckoned there was a good 2 days works there to get it in shape. He replied $200. In the end after I explained to him what was required he settled on me taking away $200 worth of his palm fronds next week. Poor bugger had no idea.

I asked how long was it left like this as he was only in his late 20's and I thought he had just bought the place. Turned out it belonged to his new girlfriend and he had told her he would get it fixed for her without finding out how much it would cost first.

[Andy B]

I know how you feel Bluey, some customers are king when it comes to underestimating... last weekend I was requested a quote for 3 square metres... it was more like 50 all up and it sloped and was separated by a court yard and a set of steps... today 70square metres was more like 250 square metres... lucky I don't give quotes without looking.

[Bluey]

Yep Rule No 1. Never quote sight unseen

[Stripes]

I had a guy ask over the phone how much it would cost to get dripline underneath 'about 20 metres of turf -its just a tiny patch of grass' I went to have a look and it was 90m. I don't know why they do it. Do they think we will stick to the over the phone price -if we gave one, once we realise it is much bigger than they said?

[Andy B]

I think sometimes they actually believe 9mx3m is 3sqm... They just guess and say what they think, we probably get things they would estimate correctly very wrong as it can depend on what your working with. Like you can probably look at a driveway and know you'll need about 3cubic metres to cover it but not know how much material you would need to make the shirt your wearing.

[bb1]

Happened again last week, lady rang and said she does her lawn every 2 weeks and it doesnt take her more than 20 minutes to mow. So of I go to quote, well if it would take under an hour and a half I was a monkeys uncle. I quote her and she looks at me in horror, that I would charge her that for "20 minutes" work. So I just say I will not do it any cheaper and start to leave. She Ahm's and ah's and says she is desperate and gets me to do the job.

1hr and 20mins later I finish, and she pays me. Than as I am chatting to her, I find out she only moved in 2 weeks ago, her lawn mower is broken, and obviously had never mown it. Why do they try it on, they must think we are silly and don't know what we are doing.

[Bluey]

Haggle.........everyone does it

[SouthCoast Walker]

I had 2 beauties this week, first lady called and said can you quote mowing my 2 acre block, I arrived and she had 2 acres with knee high thick grass , she then said she wants extensive garden beds weeded, drive way, paved veranda and carport area poisoned and her retaining wall extended. Then she informed me her budget was $50/month.

Another one wanted a quote to cut front and back yard of their 700-800sqm yard. I said whats the address and I will drop around within the hour and supply a quote. He said no I just want a quote over the phone. After explaining that it depends on length, access, how much snipping etc. He said forget it then I just want a quote over the phone I don't want you looking at it.

[Stripes]

Hahahaha.

People never cease to amaze me! I never realised how much people talk **** and will try to screw people over until I started my business. If I hadn't come across some of these people personally, I wouldn't believe half the stories I hear. I think some of my mates think I am talking **** when I tell them some of my stories.

[ian]

Another one wanted a quote to cut front and back yard of their 700-800sqm yard. I said whats the address and I will drop around within the hour and supply a quote. He said no I just want a quote over the phone. After explaining that it depends on length, access, how much snipping etc. He said forget it then I just want a quote over the phone I don't want you looking at it.

no worries i would have either offered to give them a free no obligation quote asking if it was over grown and with or with out access problems then if they wanted to go ahead i would have gone out to do he job if it was over grown or had any problems at all i would have reminded them that i gave them a free no obligation quote and i feel no obligation to do the work or just laughed and asked if they wanted me to mow it wearing a blind fold as well

[danz]

Mate it is truly amazing some of the bull**** we get told by people who ring up haha

[geoff1969]

dont even bother with them any more when thay ring up and ask i tell them have to view the required work before i can price it if thay insisit thay just want a ballpark figure over the phone i just tell them starts around xx amount on avarage as long as its not above ankle hight but im not interested if i dont view it first , and if that dont suit ring some one else , been stuffed around to many times by those type of people ....

[danz]

To true Geoff.. i did once gave a quote over the phone and without veiwing job haha it was a very cruel lesson as it was a nightmare job it did not happen again...

[geoff1969]

To true Geoff.. i did once gave a quote over the phone and without veiwing job haha it was a very cruel lesson as it was a nightmare job it did not happen again...


i lernt long ago those who dont want you to view it or quote it properly are .. 1/ there either full of **** about how long it is etc ... 2/ there just checking out that other contractor is doing it for a fare price ... 3 / its another contractor keeping basic checks on there compition , ive caught 2 out as thay where that stupid thay actualy rang me on there work phones .....and i have a list of all the local blokes and back yarders around me .....
any new commers to the industry i wellcome if there going to set them selves up correctly and do as i can to assisit them , but first rule is never ever quote with out viewing it first

[courty]

i lernt long ago those who dont want you to view it or quote it properly are .. 1/ there either full of **** about how long it is etc ... 2/ there just checking out that other contractor is doing it for a fare price ... 3 / its another contractor keeping basic checks on there compition , ive caught 2 out as thay where that stupid thay actualy rang me on there work phones .....and i have a list of all the local blokes and back yarders around me .....
any new commers to the industry i wellcome if there going to set them selves up correctly and do as i can to assisit them , but first rule is never ever quote with out viewing it first

Haha,I do this to,I may even have picked up this tip from here.
I missed 2 calls one day,rang the first one back a couple of minutes later and got a female voicemail box,hung up and rang the second number,same female voice answered just as a mower started in the background :p

[geoff1969]

i also do a weekly print out of all my clients in alphabetic order fortnightly , 3 week , monthly , even we will ring you when we need you clients , and i keep that in my diary so when a client rings requesting work to be done as i check for time slot in my diary i check the list for the last time i serviced there property ... so many client say on the phone it was about 3 weeks ago but the list states 5 or 6 weeks ago and when you tell them that thay go quiet and usualy reply ... acutualy you could be right it has been a while ...

[Fred's mowing]

Dont mess with ppl who dont want u to look, but want a quote.
Give them a high hourly rate, if their not interested.............goodbye:wave-hi:

[Andy B]

After not being able to help a fellow, he asked for assistance for how much I thought it might cost... I asked him what it was and how over grown it was, he replied it's a house block and it's very overgrown. Realizing he was after a something to say to the next fella to try and sway them to give a cheaper price, I told him it's going to expensive to start with and there's really no limit to how much it could cost. LOL

[Bluey]

No 1 on the Lawnies 10 Commandments is.

Thou shalt never ever giveth a quote over the phone

[Bluey]

Haha,I do this to,I may even have picked up this tip from here.
I missed 2 calls one day,rang the first one back a couple of minutes later and got a female voicemail box,hung up and rang the second number,same female voice answered just as a mower started in the background :p

This really pisses me off and I don't know why some people on here advocate for new lawnies to get their mates or wife to ring a lawnie for a bogus quote to gauge what the cost is. It is total pain in the arse and if I twig to it I will let fly. Learn the bloody hard way like the rest of us did. It wastes our time and normally costs us money to quote so don't go about telling people to phone up for a false quote.

[Andy B]

No 1 on the Lawnies 10 Commandments is.

Thou shalt never ever giveth a quote over the phone

what's number 2? :D

[Bluey]

Now that is open for debate. I think it should be

Thou shall not buy crap equipment

But if it is I have broken that so maybe

Thou shall not deliberately poach another lawnies client

[geoff1969]

Now that is open for debate. I think it should be

Thou shall not buy crap equipment

But if it is I have broken that so maybe

Thou shall not deliberately poach another lawnies client

or it could be
i shall not operate a unrgestered buisness
i shall have insurance
i shall at all times prove to be profesional and display it with qaulity workman ship

[Cranbourne Lawnmowing]

I shall not put a sign up on a light post that says CHEAP LAWNMOWING

[glassngrass]

Thou shall not fail to declare cash jobs? :FU:law

[Bluey]

Thou shall not fail to declare cash jobs? :FU:law

Throw him to the ground Centurion.

[administrator]

Thou shalt not waste taxpayers money .

[ian]

Thou shalt not waste taxpayers money .

i agree that's what we have a government for

[Mrs HMS]

Throw him to the ground Centurion.

Very roughly sir?

[Bluey]

lol...was waiting for some one to pick up on that. Now where is Brwian

[Andy B]

#9 or 10 checklist for driving off... is the mower ramp up and is the back gate on the trailer shut... or worse is the trailer hooked up... :D

[Bluey]

From the age in my life when i was at sea...are the bungs in??????

[Mrs HMS]

lol...was waiting for some one to pick up on that. Now where is Brwian

Not sure but we have Samson the Sadducee Strangler and Silus the Assyrian Assassin.

Would you like to thpeak to them?

[Cranbourne Lawnmowing]

#9 or 10 checklist for driving off... is the mower ramp up and is the back gate on the trailer shut... :D

:rolleyes::rolleyes::o:o

[Bluey]

Not sure but we have Samson the Sadducee Strangler and Silus the Assyrian Assassin.

Would you like to thpeak to them?

Rewese woger...