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Kleen Roof and Exterior Cleaning · Sep 28, 2009

Bid To high ?

Sep 28, 2009

No, that's a good price Dave.

If he didn't want to spend much money maintaining a house that large then he should have thought about buying a smaller house to begin with.

Makes me sick that people with houses that cost a 1/2 million dollars can't even spend a lousy $1200 bucks on upkeep. That's pocket change for them!

-- Edited by Roof Cleaning Pro Greensboro NC (336)362 7659 on Monday 28th of September 2009 06:28:03 PM

Guest

No you did not bid to high, stick with your guns and let him pay you for what your worth. That is a lot of roof and a lot of love you will have to use. Just like Mike said if he wants that nice of a home than he should pay to have the job done correctly.

Guest

The last large house I bid was almost identical to your in size and price. I didn't get that job either. I have bid quite a few homes that size this year and it is the same story with every one of those people. They think it is too much money. It is not that you are too high, they just don't want to spend that kind of money. Companies using that Roof Rover will bid that job at almost 2.5 times your price. Trust me, I have seen their bids many times!

I just got a job from someone with a 5,000 sq/ft roof and they are only paying me to do 1/2 the roof. They told me that if I didn't agree to do only the front half of the roof, they would get someone who would. Then they tried to convince me that I should do it cheaper and in return they would include me in the home owners association news letter and then everyone would be calling me from their developement. Needless to say, I didn't discount it. That never works out!

I did one earlier this year with the same promises from the customer. That time I did reduce the rate slightly because I wanted to get into that developement. It made no difference! I didn't get one job from that developement and the homeowner gives me great references! The people that own those homes tend to be the most frugal with their money! FRUSTRATING!

Brian

Roof Cleaning Collegeville PA · Guest

Brian is right. I've noticed a disturbing trend that the "rich" are cheap - really cheap!

Remember one thing... "customers lie". Obviously, I'm generalizing when I say this but, it is a stereotype that has been well earned by the wealthy. I've got some great stories about my cheap customers. Keep in mind though, I've ALWAYS stuck to my guns and I've made roughly 50% of those "tight-wads" into customers that are willing to pay despite their claims of getting lower estimates from other companies.

Many customers will try to work you over on price but, the wealthiest of them seem to be the worst. Don't get too excited or intimidated when you come across a huge house that the homeowner gets in your face (so to speak) about price. Many of them are very skilled at pushing contractors around. Don't let em bully you. They probably make $200 per hour. Don't be embarrassed to be making $75 per hour (gross

will do mildew · Guest

The rich get richer they say, it cause they are all cheap In philadelphia region the nice homes start at 1.5 million and they would pay you 100.00 dollars a roof if they could
I have had all kinds of scamers late payers, people that move to another state for five months, People that mail the check 50 dollars short. Thats why there rich!!!!!!!!!!!
leith

Roof Cleaning Collegeville PA · Guest

Gladwyne!? Hey neighbor!

E-A-G-L-E-S - EAGLES!!!

Oh yea, let's not forget about those NL East Champs PHILLIES!!!!

Have you decided on a way to eliminate getting cheated?
For the most part, I ask for the money before I leave the job but, that's not possable all of the time. I have been fortunate so far that I've only been "stiffed" three times over the last 3 years. I want to track em down and do bad things to them. All of the homeowners that skipped out on their bill were in fact, RICH!

Kleen Roof and Exterior Cleaning · Oct 1, 2009

Yeah, I am not going to budge on my price. I have noticed the more expensive of the house, the cheaper the owners are. I have heard through the grapvine, This house is in my area, That he is having his son go on the roof, and clean it with some stuff he bought from the hardware store, and a broom to scrub it with. Well, soon some roofer is going to get a big job.

KP Diamond · Guest

Welcome to michigan...times are tough. You could have had someone just fishing for a ballpark. More and more these days you've got to qualify the customer b4 u waste 2 much time energy and money on them.

Roof Cleaning Collegeville PA · Guest

You bring up a good point about "qualifying" a prospect. Does anyone have a sure fire way to do that albeit, a question or a leading comment? I'm not too creative with that kind of stuff.
If we can learn to spot the tire kickers from over the phone, perhaps we can also learn to convert them into customers using that same cunning sense. Of course, we may just save ourselves some time also.

NJ Roof Cleaner · Guest

hey!! I know how you guys feel . I did a job for some one ( I don't want to say a friend but they show to have a lot of money ) I made the huge mistake that you guys should never do ****even if it is your brother*** you need to have an agreement of payment !!! this people have very expencive cars and cloths and yet they owe me money!! I trusted them so much that I never made them sign a contract!! men... they really got me!! it was my foult I learnd my lesson

KP Diamond · Guest

Ill start a new thread woodytwin on qualifying the prospect so it doesn't get buried here...

Guest

Dave Dykstra wrote:

I gave a homeowner a bid on there roof last week. I did not here back from him so I called him. He said the bid is to high. His house has 5800 sq. ft. of shingles, 6 dormers, is two stories high, huge wood decks front and back. And extensive landscaping. I gave him a price of $1240.
Too much ? This roof cleaning is really new in my area, and I have been doing roofs for .17 sq ft. Just so people can see what can be done. Also, this house is so far back in the woods that nobody from the street will ever see my work.

That price was fine. We had a roof here over an hour away that was over 5500 sqft foot print and with the rediculos pitch had somewhere around 7800+ total square foot of roof. We we piced him with travel time at about 1500 bucks wich is great. This hack company called roof revive did the house for less than half that. The right price for roof cleaning is .18 cent to 23 cents per sqft around here but if you look at the joke operations out here, they are cleaning for 8-10 cents a sqft total destroying the market value of what we do. And the sad thing is that they pay about 4 bucks a gallon for there sh so you can see how broke and desperate they are doing roofs an hour away for that cheap. So set the price where you need it to be but don't work for peanuts and devalue what the rest of us do. Fair price is no less than 18 cents a sqft.

-- Edited by Roof Rejuvenators Roof Cleaning Wilmington, NC (888) 366-3051 on Friday 2nd of October 2009 04:42:39 PM

Roof Cleaning Kissimmee FL 407-452-4526 · Guest

LAtely I have been tempted to relent on my pricing. But ... I believe I am worth every penny and am sticking to my guns. Sometimes it's hard not to take rejection personally but I've found that I have to grow up quickly andmove on too the next potential customer.

Frankie · Guest

I agree with everyone on this..Perhaps another angle might be to compare the price of a new roof to the actual Roof clean and it will sound like pennys on the dollar and it wouldnt help to mention that the dark dirty roof is actually costing them more money since the the roof is absorbing more heat vs the clean brighter roof that is reflecting the heat as to absorbing it.
Frankie

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"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"