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Thread: Things that make me grumpy

  1. #4681
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Bluey View Post
    Exactly why we have a members section
    It's obvious that's not working as there's enough info out in the open to get people started
    Plus other local forums will find them the answer they need

  2. #4682
    Senior Member Bluey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    $60 have a look at the rounds for sale sections on line and see just how many people out there are trying to sell rounds with the listing saying well priced at $45 p/h I think this is more like the price these people are basing their pricing on or the service websites that advertise people from $30-$35 if they are basing it on anything .Last I heard Jims were at $88 and that was a year or 2 ago and as I have said before I would prefer someone to know i charge $80-90 p/h and undercut me at $60 p/h than think I charge $45p/h and under cut me at $30.
    very true mate
    Cheers

    Bluey
    Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
    http://www.ahgs.com.au


    "Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."

  3. #4683
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    We all have to contend with Air Tasker now also. Which is even worse than the beer bobs

  4. #4684
    Senior Member NLALM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Bluey View Post
    Yeah mate but what truly annoys me is that they condition people into thinking that type of price is OK. I know we dont want those type of customers but it makes it hard to charge reasonable amounts that you need to survive long term when each year we have more and more of them. That the pay of a check out chick not a business operator
    Spot on Mate.. I didn't mind helping new guys out, that were starting up, but now I see new guys every day , they work it out for themselves.
    If I wasn't a contractor and was wanting to get into a business no way on gods earth would I think of mowing lawns, I mean your thoughts would have to be wow it must be pretty cut throat, every second ute has a mower hanging off the back.

    I recently lost a very good lawn I had been looking after for years , for an elderly lady, she used to play bowls at the club I worked at , so she knew my background, I had her blue couch lawn in pristine condition and the hedges trimmed neatly all the time.
    Anyway a phone call one night and I'm sacked because her nephew has got someone else and he is paying for it , wow after all these years and you get the flick just like that, that's why you should only treat them like clients nothing more.

    Went past this ex clients place today and out the front is a shiny new trailer loaded with all the cheap tools and the old push mower , obviously a start up, all the weeds in the lawn didn't give that away, but yeah good luck to him , a lot of these guys are good at talking themselves up , I don't talk it up, just do my work . But it does get you when you lose a good job to a clown like this, sounds harsh but f em

  5. #4685

    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by NLALM View Post
    Spot on Mate.. I didn't mind helping new guys out, that were starting up, but now I see new guys every day , they work it out for themselves.
    If I wasn't a contractor and was wanting to get into a business no way on gods earth would I think of mowing lawns, I mean your thoughts would have to be wow it must be pretty cut throat, every second ute has a mower hanging off the back.

    I recently lost a very good lawn I had been looking after for years , for an elderly lady, she used to play bowls at the club I worked at , so she knew my background, I had her blue couch lawn in pristine condition and the hedges trimmed neatly all the time.
    Anyway a phone call one night and I'm sacked because her nephew has got someone else and he is paying for it , wow after all these years and you get the flick just like that, that's why you should only treat them like clients nothing more.

    Went past this ex clients place today and out the front is a shiny new trailer loaded with all the cheap tools and the old push mower , obviously a start up, all the weeds in the lawn didn't give that away, but yeah good luck to him , a lot of these guys are good at talking themselves up , I don't talk it up, just do my work . But it does get you when you lose a good job to a clown like this, sounds harsh but f em
    Hopefully soon enough we won't have time to get on and complain about them.
    Everything said on previous posts is true enough. It cuts some more deeply than others.
    As someone else has said - nothing a good drought won't fix.

    It does not matter how close you think you are to clients, as said above they should be treated only as "clients".

  6. #4686
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by brett73 View Post
    We all have to contend with Air Tasker now also. Which is even worse than the beer bobs
    Yep. Very true. What has happened to Taxi drivers with UBER will happen to us with whatever App that comes along. How could it not? They are talking about driverless cars. Companies like UBER are allowed to undercut in this country with bugger all regulations and they pay bugger all tax until they wipe all the competitiors out. Their model will be used by others for almost any industry. They are much more dangerous than the beer bobs who eventually put themselves out of business. And both sides of politics stand aside and let it happen cause yep you guessed it the average punter what's the cheapest option possible and couldn't give a stuff what other affect it has on working people or future jobs.

  7. #4687
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    From wiki

    The Airtasker process begins when a user posts a job they need completed, setting a suggested payment as well as any details needed to make a decision. Other users can post their interest in completing the task along with their own suggestion on the payment amount. The user who posted the task can make a decision on whom to award the task based on the applicant's profile, task history and ratings. Once this decision is made, the Airtasker platform allows private communication and payment to be made between the parties.[11] It is free for users and applicants to join Airtasker; however, once a task is successfully completed and paid, there is a 15% commission charged to the applicant per task.[12]




    This is the Gig economy. The smoke and mirror bull**** that is invading modern life. You meet some random dude on the internet who might just happen to be a decent person but almost might be a rapist or a serial killer but hey it was the cheapest price. And when it all goes pear shape, the parasites who take the 15% commission wash their hands of it which is exactly what UBER does. There is also a contract involved when you use these people that they cannot be sued. Will the person doing the job have been vetted to make sure they have the appropriate skill level and insurance and is of a reputable character. Ha ha ha.

  8. #4688
    Member of forum ASTRO's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by steveo View Post
    From wiki

    The Airtasker process begins when a user posts a job they need completed, setting a suggested payment as well as any details needed to make a decision. Other users can post their interest in completing the task along with their own suggestion on the payment amount. The user who posted the task can make a decision on whom to award the task based on the applicant's profile, task history and ratings. Once this decision is made, the Airtasker platform allows private communication and payment to be made between the parties.[11] It is free for users and applicants to join Airtasker; however, once a task is successfully completed and paid, there is a 15% commission charged to the applicant per task.[12]




    This is the Gig economy. The smoke and mirror bull**** that is invading modern life. You meet some random dude on the internet who might just happen to be a decent person but almost might be a rapist or a serial killer but hey it was the cheapest price. And when it all goes pear shape, the parasites who take the 15% commission wash their hands of it which is exactly what UBER does. There is also a contract involved when you use these people that they cannot be sued. Will the person doing the job have been vetted to make sure they have the appropriate skill level and insurance and is of a reputable character. Ha ha ha.
    Reminds of a song by Traffic -Low Spark Heeled Boys.

  9. #4689
    Senior Member Scooby Steve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    I cant see the gardening industry recovering myself. I'm going into my 26th year, my Dad started the business in 1970, i've seen tough periods before but we are taking hits from all angles. The internet has opened this right up and its made it easier for non gardens to up their skill based much quicker than ever before. Only thing that will save it, and yes i know i'm a broken record, is a prolonged dry spell. Far too many players now. Volume players kill the industry.

  10. #4690
    Senior Member Scooby Steve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    Whatever anyone wants to charge it's up to them,there business there choice
    They have a responsibility to the industry though, no one wins if everyone undercuts everyone else. $100 an hr became $80 an hr then $80 become $60 now $60 is fast becoming $45, where does it end. Some of the contractors near me are charging prices i was charging 10 years ago, you can't survive on that.

  11. #4691
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by Scooby Steve View Post
    They have a responsibility to the industry though, no one wins if everyone undercuts everyone else. $100 an hr became $80 an hr then $80 become $60 now $60 is fast becoming $45, where does it end. Some of the contractors near me are charging prices i was charging 10 years ago, you can't survive on that.
    They have a responsibility to the industry though
    Tell them that and they'll laugh at you..You can not control them or the hourly rate and this is in most fields of work being self employed.Too much information freely given out and this is the end result.

  12. #4692
    Senior Member geoff's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    They have a responsibility to the industry though
    Tell them that and they'll laugh at you..You can not control them or the hourly rate and this is in most fields of work being self employed.Too much information freely given out and this is the end result.
    Yep we are at fault as we should have only put prices in the private section as Blue said earlier .
    I know a couple of these that have done just that... undercut the prices of contractors on here .
    So my advertised hourly rate on here shall be 18.50 per hour lol

  13. #4693
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Two independent operators i know who have been doing this for well over 10 years,one does a nature strip for $5.He says it's only two houses from a bigger job.The other guy does this small back lawn for $10,i have said to both of them is it really worth the time effort and fuel.

    I said to both these blokes and to new customers getting a quote looking for a better price than quoted.
    e.g.Can you name any other business who will drive to your home and work for $25 and give you 20 minutes of labor for that money ?.

  14. #4694
    Senior Member Scooby Steve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    They have a responsibility to the industry though
    Tell them that and they'll laugh at you..You can not control them or the hourly rate and this is in most fields of work being self employed.Too much information freely given out and this is the end result.
    I guess they reap what they sow then hey.

  15. #4695
    Senior Member Scooby Steve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Things that make me grumpy

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    Two independent operators i know who have been doing this for well over 10 years,one does a nature strip for $5.He says it's only two houses from a bigger job.The other guy does this small back lawn for $10,i have said to both of them is it really worth the time effort and fuel.

    I said to both these blokes and to new customers getting a quote looking for a better price than quoted.
    e.g.Can you name any other business who will drive to your home and work for $25 and give you 20 minutes of labor for that money ?.
    Crazy hey. And a lot of other trades have call out fees and minimum charges. Pool cleaners even do. Pool cleaners near me are $80 an hr plus chemicals, minimum $80. Sprinkler repairers local to me charge out at $110 for the first hr, $88 an hr after that. Compare that to Mr Gardening man.

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