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Brandon · Guest

Low ballers really grind my gears

Roof Cleaning Bradenton FL 941-822-2454 · Guest

Brandon wrote:

I swear, I try not to pay them much mind but this guy just gets under my skin. His pitch.......$30 gutter cleaning! I've seen lowballers but this guy takes the cake. I couldn't get my yardwork done that cheap, and this A hole is getting on roofs for $30. I actually sent him an email and told him he should be ashamed of himself, and he had the nerve to respond and tell me I ought to "rethink my business strategy"???!!! What is his strategy? Operate in the red with zero profit? I can't stand guys like this. It's people like that, that mess this industry up. Just like the estimate I did earlier this week, a 3 story monster, about 4500 sq ft, and the lady balked at my estimate of $140 to clean her gutters. It's close to a 2 hour, 2 man job. She is used to paying $50....and wonders why that guy won't do it anymore. People kill me. Don't act like you live in a small 1,500 sq ft ranch and expect to pay the same prices those homeowners would!!!! So when this A hole goes out of business within a year or 2, all of his customers are going to get sticker shock at whatever poor soul comes along to bid.

Sorry, had to vent.

PS - I am not a newbie, I just created a new account under my new business name. I am formerly Clancy'sGutterCleaning

Ditto!

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

No they won't. There always lowballers to step in. They do us a service by weeding how the price shoppers quickly.

As for your bid of $140 for a 2 hour 2 man job, I would consider you a lowballer based on my model.

I would charge $30 for a gutter cleaning to though if I thought I could upsell the house drive amnd roof. Think about it.

Brandon · Guest

Scott, I'm with you on that. This is all this guy does though....cleans gutters. He's not upselling anything, other than $20 extra to remove all of your gutter guards, clean underneath them, and put them back on. LOL

Oh Lord, I just discovered his facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/30-Gutter-Cleaning/162121120494029

As far as me being a lowballer, I exaggerated the size of that house a little. It's just over 3,000 square feet...but the landscape drops off in the back and the gutters are not reachable with a 32 foot ladder on over half of the back, where the deck stops. And it's more like an hour and a half job. Am I still a lowballer?

Fixed Link

-- Edited because the original posters link was too long and wasn't working. It stretched the forum.

-- Edited by Matthew on Monday 7th of March 2011 04:54:15 PM

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

Well no, not now that you put up accurate numbers. I wasn't even saying that your price was low for your area or business model because I have no idea.

Where that job may take you an hour and a half it may take hom 45 minutes.

My wife has her own pool company. On average she charges $39 a week. One of her competitors charges $30 a week, we couldn't figure out how he was charging so little. Then we saw of of his trucks pull up and 4 guys jumped out, they were done with a fullservice in 10 minutes. It takes our guys an hour to do the same. Just a perspective.

Guest

I've seen this guy you are talking about advertising all over craigslist. At least you do not have a low baller roof cleaner in your area, yet. I had one steal all my signs a couple of weeks ago and he's advertising $200 roof cleanings! I guess he will have to work twice as hard as I do to make what I make on one.

Brandon · Guest

Greg I'm not looking forward to dealing with that. I heard of this guy Mildew Magic out of Raleigh who is doing partial roofs for under $200. Yeah, that $30 guy abuses Craigslist. He posts way too many ads. It's annoying.

dollarspa · Guest

you can always flag and remove his ads on craiglist should'nt be that hard to do

Brandon · Guest

Oh I do, but he posts so many and so often it's like a full-time job trying to keep up with his spamming

Guy B · Guest

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX wrote:

No they won't. There always lowballers to step in. They do us a service by weeding how the price shoppers quickly.

I agree Scott, the people that use these guys are not my Customers.

They Come, They Go.......... But They Will Always Be Here.

Step Up Your Game..... Just Keep Selling Quality Not Price.

gutterdog · Mar 6, 2011

I sold 2 houses yesterday. Both houses regular price, Roof wash slight discount, half price gutter cleaning, and both sidewalks for free. Hey almost a grand each for 3-4 hours work aint bad, and both customers are real happy!

crystalclean · Guest

yes i feel your pain. we have lots of un licensed un insured pressure washers here in naples. im new to the buisness. im finding it very diffucult to get my buisness up on plane. i've tried flyers, door to door, mailers, and property man. companies i find it a little hard to get people to try us out but were goin to try service majic today we'll see what happens. back to the low ballers they love the price of 250.00 for just about any roof

i did a job a couple weeks ago and the neighbor came out when we where leaving and asked for a price on cleaning his property roof,driveway,house,porch, screen enclosure. he also wanted the driveways and porch pavers sealed i gave him a price for like 750 for the complete job of course he said no and that theres these guys in there community that do it for 325. i told him to give them a call. i could'nt beleive it
the cost i priced out was about 250 and thats was for good products. i dont see how these people stay in buisness. but the people i did clean they where very happy when i left so. i guess you just cant let these people bother you.

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

I hope when they say no and that someone else will do it for $350, that you dont just give up and move on?

Mar 7, 2011

Guy B wrote:

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX wrote:

No they won't. There always lowballers to step in. They do us a service by weeding how the price shoppers quickly.

I agree Scott, the people that use these guys are not my Customers.

They Come, They Go.......... But They Will Always Be Here.

Step Up Your Game..... Just Keep Selling Quality Not Price.

Hello Guy & Scott, I know this thinking is common and makes us feel better. However, most customers don't know what a roof cleaning etc will cost, until they get 2 or 3 bids. Unfortunately, many people are gonna go with the cheapest or near cheapest. So, I do think lowballers hurt us. I know they do in my area!
I know of 2 whole housing developments that "had" a guy doing roofs for a flat &90.00 in one and $150 in the other. BOTH OF THOSE GUYS ARE GONE-But, the people still think $90- $150 is the price range now.
I bid a roof at $350 or $450 and they think I'm a crook! They always say "The last guy did it for $90.00 or $150.00
I say, why aren't you hiring him?" They say "He went out of business" I say, that's why my prices are where they are and where they should be, so that I can do the job right and by RCIA and ARMA standards, maintain a million $ insurance policy and a licence for all 3 counties I work. { Charlotte, Sarasota and in Lee I just do Boca Grande }
Anyway, those lowballers have been gone for a few years, but their price damaging continues!
Chuck
I BETTER GO TO WORK NOW!!! biggrin

Guy B · Guest

Chuck, I see what you're saying, but understand what I posted. Customers that go for the lowest price "Are Not My Customers" I don't want them, the lowballers can have them.

I have talked Many Customers out of using these people (And Using Our Company) through education. You're right "Customers Don't Know What It Cost" But by educating them on the "Do's & Don'ts" they will have a clearer picture.

I didn't write anything to make me feel better, I don't need to...It's the truth. Lowballers are no problem to me, they even make me money. They are a part of life that business owners have to accept and not worry about...I don't.

Just like the Customer today. Quoted a price of $400.00 for house & driveway cleaning, took 1.5 hrs (By Myself). She said the price was "To Low" that the "Other Guy" charged her 700.00. I told her my price was Firm & Fair. Now I have the whole HOA to wash.

These are my customers...Forever.

Fla. is a whole different animal.

Matthew · Guest

In Florida $200 IS the going price for a shingle roof.

A lowballer in Fla is charging below $100.

I envy you guys who get $500+ for 2,000 to 2,500 sqft homes.

Mar 7, 2011

Guy B wrote:

Chuck, I see what you're saying, but understand what I posted. Customers that go for the lowest price "Are Not My Customers" I don't want them, the lowballers can have them.

I have talked Many Customers out of using these people (And Using Our Company) through education. You're right "Customers Don't Know What It Cost" But by educating them on the "Do's & Don'ts" they will have a clearer picture.

I didn't write anything to make me feel better, I don't need to...It's the truth. Lowballers are no problem to me, they even make me money. They are a part of life that business owners have to accept and not worry about...I don't.

Just like the Customer today. Quoted a price of $400.00 for house & driveway cleaning, took 1.5 hrs (By Myself). She said the price was "To Low" that the "Other Guy" charged her 700.00. I told her my price was Firm & Fair. Now I have the whole HOA to wash.

These are my customers...Forever.

Fla. is a whole different animal.

I understand completely what you are saying Guy and 95% agree. But I do think they do harm. Mainly because of what I said "those lowballers have been gone for a few years, but their price damaging continues! People in those developments still have those $90.00 & $150.00 rates in mind as what roof cleaning costs.
Chuck"

Guy B · Guest

Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 wrote:

People in those developments still have those $90.00 & $150.00 rates in mind as what roof cleaning costs.
Chuck"

Then it should only take a few minutes to "Educate" them on why these are not feasible or correct numbers. If they don't understand after that, well they're just....Stupid.

Lowballers sell price because they can't sell anything else. We as Professionals sell quality work & guaranteed results backed by a "Real Company" not "Bubba's Roof Blasting Service" where the only insurance they have is "Car Insurance". If a Customer doesn't understand that, I don't want them...period.

We won't "Win Them All" but I refuse to get hung up on lowballers like some do, I won't lower myself to their level.

They may hurt guys in Fla., they don't hurt or worry me. Our Company provides (And Sells) a higher quality of service that our Customers demand and receive. They're smart enough to know what happens when you trust your "Largest Investment" to these "Fly By Night" people.

If you read this post correctly, I just gave you all the tools to repell a Lowballer. It works for me.

Mar 7, 2011

Guy B wrote:

Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 wrote:

People in those developments still have those $90.00 & $150.00 rates in mind as what roof cleaning costs.
Chuck"

Then it should only take a few minutes to "Educate" them on why these are not feasible or correct numbers. If they don't understand after that, well they're just....Stupid.

Lowballers sell price because they can't sell anything else. We as Professionals sell quality work & guaranteed results backed by a "Real Company" not "Bubba's Roof Blasting Service" where the only insurance they have is "Car Insurance". If a Customer doesn't understand that, I don't want them...period.

We won't "Win Them All" but I refuse to get hung up on lowballers like some do, I won't lower myself to their level.

They may hurt guys in Fla., they don't hurt or worry me. Our Company provides (And Sells) a higher quality of service that our Customers demand and receive. They're smart enough to know what happens when you trust your "Largest Investment" to these "Fly By Night" people.

If you read this post correctly, I just gave you all the tools to repell a Lowballer. It works for me.

I don't disagree with you at all.
Florida is different.
Most of these communities are 90% over 65 years old and more. They have shuffleboard, tennis and poolside get togethers and most of them know each other. That is to our advantage, when they hire us and recommend us to their friends at these outings.
On the other hand, if one says "I just got a price from Chuck Bergman to clean my roof and it's $450.00" Then a couple of others say, we just had ours done by "Joe's squirt n' Go Roof Cleaning" and his price was $150.00
Now you have a topic for conversation going and the end result is that these old people, THINKING they are being frugal, look for a price closer to $150.00 and there are so many roof cleaners in my area, there's always someone ready to work a couple of hours for $150.00 Many of the fireman on off days and school teachers during break make extra money doing these cheapo jobs-which further feeds the feeling that the $150 price range is right.
I am not suggesting I join the hackers! My price is my price and I explain in detail the reasons why I don't work at the $150 rate and why the non professionals can.
I always have plenty of work. I am not going to run my butt off at $150 a roof for anybody!

-- Edited by Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 on Monday 7th of March 2011 08:26:21 PM

Mar 7, 2011

Matthew wrote:

In Florida $200 IS the going price for a shingle roof.

A lowballer in Fla is charging below $100.

I envy you guys who get $500+ for 2,000 to 2,500 sqft homes.

This is an unfortunate fact!

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"