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Post pics when you get back with the new rig!

I've always done things on a handshake and always will. If a customer wants to stiff you their going to do it regardless of a piece of paper. The point is if you screw it up its your name and you better fix it regardless! Or figure you won't be in business long anyway. The power of negative buzz seems to travel much farther than good news you can count on that. Just my thoughts. Oh and Ted I'm kind of proud of my hillbilly side too, seems to work pretty well in these backwoods until you upset one of em', and believe me here they don't sue you they just take you out back behind the woodshed and stomp ya!

kse1221 wrote:

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i hear you guys talking about getting your customers to sign a contract..  and i have heard one reason is that it is easy to clean a roof but hard to sell.. and if you get a customer to agree to clean there roof with no contract, you give them a chance to shop around and get a better price.. there is always going to be someone cheaper.. 

my question is, do you really want to work for these people who are looking for a bargain roof cleaning? 

even if you get them to sign a contract, they have 3 days to back out..  so why have them sign it?...  why pressure them in to a sale they don't want?  why cant you just inform them that you can clean their roof and if they agree, just do it on a handshake? 

if your doing a quality job then why is there a need for a contract?? 

is there anyone doing business on a handshake? 

this is just a question..  as a home owner i don't like people showing up and knocking on my door and pressuring me in to buying something i don't want..  and then making me sign a contract.. even though i have three days to cancel.. 

i would rather have someone show up at my door and tell me i have a dirty roof and that they can help me if i want it.  home owners know if they have a dirty roof..  hell i had a really dirty roof at my last home..  i moved before i even knew that it could be cleaned..  i wish someone would have informed me back then.. my new home doesn't need it yet..

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This residential thing no agreements might be ok. I would never do a commercial Job without a signed agreement detailing what is expected of us. People love taking advantage, this also provides them with assurance.

Here's another one for ya, your salesmen takes a hand shake. your done with the job and the people inform you that your not finished. They honestly misunderstood your salesmen. They said he would wash a bunch of other stuff and they are not paying till your completed.

Its just easier to have a Signature for the work, by no means pressure anyone that might have buyers remorse.

Its just my opionion, I hate residential and dont have patients for this LOW-baller night mare.

I love High profit Commercial Jobs working at 100's per hour over and over again and again.

 

I plan to implement a very simple service agreement shortly. It's purpose will be to simply keep both sides honest. And, yes, I believe it will make homeowner's feel obligated to not price shop once they've signed it. But that's really not a concern of mine. If they want to price shop, I deserve it because I didn't do my job.

I have a contract but rarely use it. I ask most of the homeowners if they want the estimates on paper, 99% say no don't need it, then I shake their hand and I know I have the job. Never been stiffed. I do leave an invoice, in a self adressed stamped envelope, in their door after the job is done. They send a check later. Some I have worked with pay partial payments each month.

Very professional "Agreement" there Bob, +1

What software do you use it with? Are they pre printed, or does it all come off the printer?

-- Edited by OSM-Jo on Monday 1st of November 2010 07:22:51 AM

Bob Jr wrote:

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I will be the first to admit how important a contract is and after being in business for many years our contract is on legal paper front and back full. However we did a lot of work this year and never signed a single contract and we collected from every job... (((Knock on wood))) 

In the time it takes to sell & sign someone up you could of sprayed a roof.

If you end up in court you could be 100% correct and still loose what's the point, more wasted time and money. Is it worth the $395.00 you charged? Just send Vinny to collect!

Sell and sign up took you 2 hours + gas ? What is a 1/2 day in court worth these days? 

I say shoot a lot of pictures and give them 100% ...collect ....move on! If you damage something fix it.

Now if you KILLED the whole yard you might want to call your Insurance Company and schedule a deposition or you could get some green spray paint.

I have 2 Company's one Incorporated and the other LLC. and I do not knock on doors!

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do!

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so did you kill the grass that is getting painted in those pics

 

so did you kill the grass that is getting painted in those pics

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Kevin,
No way the only thing we kill is Mold-Moss-Algae and Lichen... you would have to be a real bad shot, which reminds me...

Chris fell off a roof one time with the ball valve open and did some major over spraying but the King of spray still did not kill anything.

http://roof-cleaning-institute.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=123190&p=3&topicID=38788476

PA Roof Cleaning Pros wrote:

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To anyone that thinks they don't need a contract I recommend taking one whole day and spending it sitting in a small claims court listening to cases. I can respect the days of old when a handshake was a contract, but those days are long gone. Customers expect to sign something (except maybe in the mountains or some backwoods rural area). Contracts spell out expectations and are a put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is assurance.

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 +1 Ken. You got me learning over in TGS.