I don't eat at McDonald's or shop at WalMart. But, Mom & Pop have had to raise their prices.
Holy Cow, post: 395432, member: 50 wrote: I don't eat at McDonald's or shop at WalMart.....
My shadow has not darkened the door of a Wal Mart in almost twenty years...and yes it's a conscious effort. Hate the place and won't waste my time. Although things have been rectified we lost all the Ace Hardware stores in Norman for about two years. Rather than try to buy small bits at the big-box stores I would drive almost twenty miles round trip to the hardware store south of here in Noble, OK.
They've since reopened an Ace in Norman.
Ron Lang, post: 395412, member: 6445 wrote: Or McDonald's, I have an engineer that does give me a lot of work, however on some projects insists that I break down the scope to specific line item tasks with the associated fee for each item. Down to how much to set the rods in a subdivsion.
He is now asking me to bid a 50 acre subdivision assuming it is going to be 24 lots and "swath" topo 100' wide approximately 2500' and assume an extra 5 acres for outfall ditches and such.
And he wants specific line item tasks and fees. How rediculous. His firm is three engineers all with their own clientele and they provide about 60% of my work. I have trained the other two on how I work and my fees, but he's the big dog and insists on me his projects his way. And his way I have found my self setting rods on a subdivision of 80 lots I did 4 years ago that the owner waited to record for a McDonald's Menu fee I quoted 5 years ago during the great recession.
You need an escalation clause in your contract.
Kent McMillan, post: 395268, member: 3 wrote: My standard answer to the price shoppers is "I'm afraid I have so much work already scheduled right now that I'd be kidding both of us to even think about taking your project on."
If you make a mistake and quote a figure or range that the caller declares is somehow off the scale, "I guess I have the disadvantage of having made surveys in that area over the last XX years and knowing from experience how much time similar projects have taken in the past," is the response I like.
I used that response the other day when I was told I was 3x higher than a surveyor from 20+_miles away. I also tell them to keep my number handy for when they need me to come out and re do the work later.
Dave Karoly, post: 395448, member: 94 wrote: You need an escalation clause in your contract.
Yes I do, at the time of that contract it never occured to me that I would be working on it 3 years later. But from now on there will definitely be some kind of escalation clause.
My main issue though is itemizing my fees. I don't mind itemizing the scope, but not separate fee for each line item.
Oh and I forgot to mention this particular subdivision plat was 15 sheets. It was a pain in the @$$ to draw.
The printing costs alone where about $500, which I did bill separate.
thebionicman, post: 395226, member: 8136 wrote: Lowering your price to beat another is unethical. In some States it's even a violation....
It is in Alabama. Actually we are not allowed to discuss pricing in less we have been selected to perform the work. Qualification Based Selection.
Steve Gilbert, post: 395542, member: 111 wrote: It is in Alabama. Actually we are not allowed to discuss pricing in less we have been selected to perform the work. Qualification Based Selection.
Steve,
Is that for public work projects as well as private??
Andy
In our office, only one person gives quotes. It is not me. When the shoppers try to badger me into a guess, I tell them I am not allowed to give quotes because I always price it way to high. I am frankly amazed at how many folks that are shopping for a price actually act like we are wasting their time when we start asking questions about the survey, because speedy gonzolez survey crew down the road said he could paint any survey for $399.99, no questions. Yet, asking questions doesn't tip them off that maybe, just maybe, the Speedy survey crew should of asked some questions...
Andy J, post: 395572, member: 44 wrote: Steve,
Is that for public work projects as well as private??
Andy
It is.
Steve Gilbert, post: 395697, member: 111 wrote: It is.
That's interesting.. I can't imagine a potential client agreeing to hire me to do work without knowing what I will charge them.
