"Quotes"

I discuss a "budget" for what the client talks about and throw a number their way explaining everything involved.
I always include letting them know that the bottom line will decide itself.

When I worked for myself, I used to get the basic info and tell them I'd call back. Then I'd do about 5-10 min of online research to come up with a rough ballpark estimate, call them back, and ask them to get back to me if they're still interested. If they got back to me, then I'd come up with the real estimate/proposal.

This usually weeded out the ones who thought they'd be paying $100 for what I'd charge $1000 or more.

I can't see being able to charge for estimates, especially when so many others do it for free. It's really the cost of doing business.

I am unwilling to pay others for estimates to provide services to me so I'm not about to charge for estimates for my services.

It's a part of doing business and fits into the category of overhead.

The norm for me is to get as much information as possible then throw out a pretty big ballpark figure or range to them while explaining how they may be able to reduce the top number. Some who call simply cannot afford our services. Some merely love to haggle and want to have some number that they can attempt to force you to reduce. Some are simply curious and don't even have a real job they need done. Some are hardcore business people who will not deal with you at all unless you provide them with a firm number or rate or not-to-exceed figure because they are going to demand the same thing from the other potential vendors. Every call is a bit different from any other. BTW, people don't like being told the truth when they think all we do is show up, wave some sort of witching stick, find an existing marker at every point they want to see and give them a bill that they might pay in a couple of months, if they like the results.

About a week ago I reported on here about giving a woman a very low estimate for her job based on my personal knowledge of her specific block from past work yet she reacted as though I was requesting her to fornicate with a frog. An offer of $50 to do the job is too high in the minds of those who think it should be free.

For me cost proposals are just part of business development. If I'm too busy or not interested I'm the project I simply won't respond to the first voice message. If they call again or happen to catch me at my desk (rare) I'll throw out a likely cost range; if that doesn't scare them off I'll follow up with a hard number if I can, or an estimate if I can't. These are sent in the form of a contract.

The amount of time and money I'll spend developing a proposal depends on the value of the project to me, some combination of monetary return and professional interest. This can range from minutes and pennies to days and hundreds of dollars. It all works out I'm the end.

If we started charging people around here for quotes, we wouldn't get any work.

I provide an estimate of what my fee will be. I explain that to do so entails research from the comfort of my chair where I develop the strategy by which I will accomplish the task. After which I convert that strategy into time, which is refined into dollars; and then we will talk again. It is at the second conversation when we discuss who is better suited for the work and why, and further define the scope. If the potential client still insists that I am their guy, I prepare an agreement for services which further weeds out the shoppers.
I agree that this time could be better used, but sometimes this is the more interesting aspect of my job.

not my real name, post: 429291, member: 8199 wrote: I am thinking of asking my prospective clients to arrange an appointment at the office to discuss their project, and then bill them for my time.

Asking potential clients to come to your office, then charge them. I suspect you're going to make this guy look like the life of the party.

There was a rumor of a surveyor that had a fellow call his office for a survey. After spending about 15 minutes discussing the property, the surveyor told the fellow that he wouldn't be able to get to it for 4 or 5 months. The fellow explained that he needed it sooner than that. The surveyor told him to call someone else to see if they could do it faster. He did. Apparently the first surveyor then sent the fellow a bill for $50. To say the fellow was unhappy with the bill would be a massive understatement.

[USER=136]@James Fleming[/USER]

I recognize that fellow. He is an alumnus of an excellent university that turns out nothing but geniuses (genii?). BTW, his name is not Mr. Carlson.

I think "free" quotes are a part of the game. With that in mind, you may look at ways to roll a portion of your research into your office costs to the client.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Had a plumber charge me for an estimate years ago on my first house. He said he had to come over to tell me the cost of replacing the water heater. It was high, so I ended up doing it myself.

The guy sent me a $30 bill for his estimate. I wasn't too happy, but paid it. Later when I put an addition on, guess who I didn't call to do the plumbing? The best part is that guy became one of the inspectors in town, so he got to come by and see all the work he missed out on.

Holy Cow, post: 429516, member: 50 wrote: [USER=136]@James Fleming[/USER]

I recognize that fellow. He is an alumnus of an excellent university that turns out nothing but geniuses (genii?). BTW, his name is not Mr. Carlson.

He was hired to replace Jesse White.