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Mar 5, 2011

RE: proposal wording

Roof Cleaning Raleigh NC · Mar 6, 2011

In 20 years I have never given a written proposal.

aaron61 · Guest

WOW! I am shocked at how many of you don't have signed agreements. I guess that this just kinda proves my point,that their really isn't much to include in the work description for roof cleaning.
I like to have detailed work requirements with signatures so that things don't go south when the customers says,"you said you were going to .........." I'll have a signature verifying to what work is to be done.

aaron61 · Guest

Another reason to have a signed agreement is for warranty & or liabilty...Mrs' smith calls you in 3 years,said you gave her a 2 year guarantee.you tell her it's been 3 years! without a signature on a dated proposal or contract who wins this battle? Also mrs Smith calls you said you cleaned her roof and all her plants are dead??? She has you confused with Jimmy's roof cleaning. You tell her you did not do her roof! (she's an older lady & a little confused) She swears you did!! If you are not someone who always has a written agreement how does this pan out.
Just laying out some what ifs??

Mar 6, 2011

aaron61 wrote:

WOW! I am shocked at how many of you don't have signed agreements. I guess that this just kinda proves my point,that their really isn't much to include in the work description for roof cleaning.
I like to have detailed work requirements with signatures so that things don't go south when the customers says,"you said you were going to .........." I'll have a signature verifying to what work is to be done.

Well, if all you are doing is roof cleaning, you don't have much to tell them except, "I'll clean your roof for $400.00 and protect your plants" ??
You can write up a 2000 word document, but if the roof ain't clean when your done, you won't get paid. If a plant dies, you will have to replace it etc and all the "signed on paper" stuff in the world won't change it. That's why I like to keep it simple and my customers like that simple to the point wording too.
That's just how I feel about it with individual homeowners.
I have done a number of condo developments [like 28 buildings at Camden apartments in Sarasota] etc and with those, they want signed agreements both ways ,so I do it.
I think trying to make a potential customer sign a document, makes them nervous about you? I think they like something on paper, even as simple as the one fella said "On the back of a business card" that they feel they can point to later, if needed, but "THEM SIGNING A CONTRACT" may scare them?
Just my opinion though? confuse

-- Edited by Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 on Sunday 6th of March 2011 08:59:10 AM

-- Edited by Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 on Sunday 6th of March 2011 09:25:52 AM

Mar 6, 2011

aaron61 wrote:

Another reason to have a signed agreement is for warranty & or liabilty...Mrs' smith calls you in 3 years,said you gave her a 2 year guarantee.you tell her it's been 3 years! without a signature on a dated proposal or contract who wins this battle? Also mrs Smith calls you said you cleaned her roof and all her plants are dead??? She has you confused with Jimmy's roof cleaning. You tell her you did not do her roof! (she's an older lady & a little confused) She swears you did!! If you are not someone who always has a written agreement how does this pan out.
Just laying out some what ifs??

I'll let someone else address this, because I pressure cleaned roofs from 1978 to 1991 and softwashed them from 1991 until now and in all 33 years, never ran into anything like that. There are way to many odd things like this to cover, even with a signed contract. IE People can say "Yes, that's what was on paper, but later you told me "yada yada yada" and I took your word for it. It can become endless?
Chuck

-- Edited by Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 on Sunday 6th of March 2011 09:32:36 AM

Roof Cleaning Little Rock Arkansas · Guest

aaron61 wrote:

WOW! I am shocked at how many of you don't have signed agreements. I guess that this just kinda proves my point,that their really isn't much to include in the work description for roof cleaning.
I like to have detailed work requirements with signatures so that things don't go south when the customers says,"you said you were going to .........." I'll have a signature verifying to what work is to be done.

Im not saying your way is wrong. We just havent worried about that.

By showing people that I trust them it helps them trust me.

My estimate gives them a description of what we are going to do.

So far I have only been stiffed $400.

And If a customer wants a little extra that wasnt originally agreed on theres no point in ruining their entire experience with you over $50.

If someone trys giving you the run around you just have to be calm, firm, smile and tell them to have a nice day!

Mar 6, 2011

Roof Cleaning Little Rock Arkansas wrote:

aaron61 wrote:

WOW! I am shocked at how many of you don't have signed agreements. I guess that this just kinda proves my point,that their really isn't much to include in the work description for roof cleaning.
I like to have detailed work requirements with signatures so that things don't go south when the customers says,"you said you were going to .........." I'll have a signature verifying to what work is to be done.

Im not saying your way is wrong. We just havent worried about that.

By showing people that I trust them it helps them trust me.

My estimate gives them a description of what we are going to do.

So far I have only been stiffed $400.

And If a customer wants a little extra that wasnt originally agreed on theres no point in ruining their entire experience with you over $50.

If someone trys giving you the run around you just have to be calm, firm, smile and tell them to have a nice day!

I agree. I have only been cheated out of $35.00 so far in my life! biggrin

That was a woman who said we poked a hole in a screen, which anyone with a trained eye would recognize as an old hole. I showed her how worn and frayed the screen around the hole was. To no avail.

She refused to pay and said she was calling the contractor licensing dept. emote.img?ID=8424

I said OK and left. She did call them, the official went out and checked it and told her it was not a new hole, that I was right. He called me and said that he had told her it wasn't us, but she demanded that I reduce my price by $35.00 anyway, because she had another bidder who would have done it $35.00 cheaper. yawn

He said, I think that's the only way you will get paid. confuse

I said fine and he actually got my $150.00 check right then from her. I picked it up at his office! biggrin

It was a house for $100.00 and a cage & Deck for $85.00 - so I lost $35.00 and in my computer records it says "NEVER WORK FOR AGAIN" furious

The things a "FEW" people will go through to save 35 bucks!

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"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"