@maxilinko This has been my experience with critical home repairs too. Having contractors answer back or show is pretty hard across the board.
Am I Crazy?
- Thread starter maxilinko
- Start date
@maxilinko Try it, No seriously, try opening up a business in general contracting if you think its that easy and you'll see exactly why some contractors don't "show up".
I'll tell you from first hand experience that about 90% of "clients" are a waste of time. They want a Kitchen for 10,000$ Because they saw some stupid instagram post and think its possible without knowing why its even 10,000$.
Seriously, open up a business and take your time to go to every lead, you'll soon gain experience and realize which client to spend your time with, and which you shouldn't get near with a 10-foot pole.
You will never get an answer off reddit, Most redditors are employees, they never managed a thing besides which socks to wear to work that day. Gain the experience for yourself then you'll soon realize that all of these anti-work and anti-contractors are absolute rubbish and have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. Most of these people that never managed or had real responsibilities in their lives think that their bosses kick their feet up while they do all the work.
TLDR; Its not the job thats hard, its the people (employees & clients). PEOPLE are hard, people are the hardest in every single business. people are the most complex, with ups and downs. Employees blame bosses for lack of wages when the government spikes inflation and interest rates and devalue their wages. Clients blame employers because they don't show up, without failing to realize that the job we quoted 6 months ago, is actually 20% higher due to the higher cost of labor and materials. Employers are at the shit end of the stick no matter where the economy is, try it and then message me how it goes, you will finally realize and be able to tell the experience level of people in this thread just by the 2 or 3 sentences they write.
I'll tell you from first hand experience that about 90% of "clients" are a waste of time. They want a Kitchen for 10,000$ Because they saw some stupid instagram post and think its possible without knowing why its even 10,000$.
Seriously, open up a business and take your time to go to every lead, you'll soon gain experience and realize which client to spend your time with, and which you shouldn't get near with a 10-foot pole.
You will never get an answer off reddit, Most redditors are employees, they never managed a thing besides which socks to wear to work that day. Gain the experience for yourself then you'll soon realize that all of these anti-work and anti-contractors are absolute rubbish and have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. Most of these people that never managed or had real responsibilities in their lives think that their bosses kick their feet up while they do all the work.
TLDR; Its not the job thats hard, its the people (employees & clients). PEOPLE are hard, people are the hardest in every single business. people are the most complex, with ups and downs. Employees blame bosses for lack of wages when the government spikes inflation and interest rates and devalue their wages. Clients blame employers because they don't show up, without failing to realize that the job we quoted 6 months ago, is actually 20% higher due to the higher cost of labor and materials. Employers are at the shit end of the stick no matter where the economy is, try it and then message me how it goes, you will finally realize and be able to tell the experience level of people in this thread just by the 2 or 3 sentences they write.
mikearther
New member
@maxilinko As someone who works professionally in the commercial contracting business, I can tell you that this is neither uncommon nor unreasonable.
Quoting jobs costs contractors money; even a small job quote takes an estimator 1/2 a day to a day to travel to your site, review the scope, calculate the cost, generate the quote and submit it. There's also inherent financial risk to every contracting job; if it's lump sum work and not T&M and something happens to bump their costs up (delays, another trade getting in their way or damaging their work, underestimated job) they could be losing money.
If you aren't giving them business and have called multiple times, they might just write you off as a waste of time. Contractors primarily work off of reputation and building relationships with repeat clients or referrals, not by pounding the pavement.
Quoting jobs costs contractors money; even a small job quote takes an estimator 1/2 a day to a day to travel to your site, review the scope, calculate the cost, generate the quote and submit it. There's also inherent financial risk to every contracting job; if it's lump sum work and not T&M and something happens to bump their costs up (delays, another trade getting in their way or damaging their work, underestimated job) they could be losing money.
If you aren't giving them business and have called multiple times, they might just write you off as a waste of time. Contractors primarily work off of reputation and building relationships with repeat clients or referrals, not by pounding the pavement.
@mikearther Yeah it sounds like OP needs to find 1 or 2 good contractors and stick with them.
jesussaves777
New member
@maxilinko Not at all. It's been like this for years, even pre covid.
@maxilinko You have to find really good guys that are experienced in what they are doing. You have to make sure that they feel like they are working with you and not for you. Treat them with respect and love and they'll run the business for you.
anonymous777
New member
@maxilinko Lots of quality workers don't have there personal life together. No drivers license or car etc. Sometimes you could be forced to pickup and drop off employees.
chocolatebunny
New member
@maxilinko We all are crazy? Welcome to the world!
piglet7976
New member
@maxilinko My husband and I own a residential services company. There is a ton of competition from local businesses and national companies who do the same thing. It is true that there are many people that just don't show up. It is equally true that clients book us for jobs, but the jobs are not at all related to what the customer described. Some customers just turn out to be crazy. We now know that anyone who asks for a discount isn't someone we want to do business with. (I own an small HR business. This sont true generally in my business.)
Another issue for us is that customers call and want service that day. We do build a little time into the schedule for emergencies, but we charge a fee for that.
It has been terrible trying to hire employees. We just aren't big enough to pay enough. We have great empathy for battling addiction issues, but it's been difficult to find potential employees who will work drug free/sober. I'm not judging them. I can't send them to someone's home impaired or give them a company vehicle to drive. When we are bigger and pay more, then we can attract different applicants. For us it's a process of growing the business.
This is a very rewarding business. It is a good feeling to know that someone has a problem, you fix it, and they are happy. My husband is an engineer, so he likes coming up with creative solutions. We have a very high customer return rate of 92 percent.
Best of luck in your decision!
Another issue for us is that customers call and want service that day. We do build a little time into the schedule for emergencies, but we charge a fee for that.
It has been terrible trying to hire employees. We just aren't big enough to pay enough. We have great empathy for battling addiction issues, but it's been difficult to find potential employees who will work drug free/sober. I'm not judging them. I can't send them to someone's home impaired or give them a company vehicle to drive. When we are bigger and pay more, then we can attract different applicants. For us it's a process of growing the business.
This is a very rewarding business. It is a good feeling to know that someone has a problem, you fix it, and they are happy. My husband is an engineer, so he likes coming up with creative solutions. We have a very high customer return rate of 92 percent.
Best of luck in your decision!
@maxilinko Who is going to show up to do the job?
irieladycathy
New member
@maxilinko That piece of the puzzle is missing in the current economy. I haven’t met any business not struggling with finding the right people, not impossible but challenging enough that I halted ant plans to start a business since COVID.
@maxilinko
For most businesses like this, just getting staff to show up and put in a half ass job is difficult.
For most businesses like this, just getting staff to show up and put in a half ass job is difficult.
lol@maxilinko This video says very well the pitfalls
@maxilinko sure, just hand out at the home depot and pick up random ppl to do the work /s
the labor part is the hardest part tbh. sales can be a smidge difficult depending on industry but not that bad. it's really just the labor force. and how often they fuck up and cost you money....
the labor part is the hardest part tbh. sales can be a smidge difficult depending on industry but not that bad. it's really just the labor force. and how often they fuck up and cost you money....
@maxilinko
I regularly post a Reddit AMA. [AMA] We are two 22 year olds who own a multi-million dollar Online Headshop (Smoke Cartel). Check out the top comment for the 'astonishing secret to business success.'
Online folk here enjoy magical thinking. I shall try: If given a magic wand, I imagine to use it making my competitors blundering imbeciles.
No good. Reality beat me to it. Plenty advocate you should launch something cringeworthy you're ashamed of. I am not kidding, that is actual, common, popular advice ladled out right here.
Building A Minimum Viable Product Is Like Serving Burnt Pizza ... don't serve burnt pizza. Thanks internet.
People who didn't like this post will actively hate Should company care about its reputation?
I regularly post a Reddit AMA. [AMA] We are two 22 year olds who own a multi-million dollar Online Headshop (Smoke Cartel). Check out the top comment for the 'astonishing secret to business success.'
Online folk here enjoy magical thinking. I shall try: If given a magic wand, I imagine to use it making my competitors blundering imbeciles.
No good. Reality beat me to it. Plenty advocate you should launch something cringeworthy you're ashamed of. I am not kidding, that is actual, common, popular advice ladled out right here.
Building A Minimum Viable Product Is Like Serving Burnt Pizza ... don't serve burnt pizza. Thanks internet.
People who didn't like this post will actively hate Should company care about its reputation?
@maxilinko In my experience alot of people get work because it's the devil you know versus the devil you don't know. And it was convenient to talk/bill to the same contractor repeatedly. With that said, they answered my calls and/or emails. Especially if they wanted to maintain a rapport of being paid on time. I think I kinda had an athletic mindset; you get preferential treatment if you're consistently performing. But no one's spot on the squad is guaranteed.
Specifically with what you're saying, I don't think it's crazy. I think it might be wise to "establish" your clientele up front and make sure you don't set something up to only find out, you're jumping off a cliff... And even then, I would expect 60-70% of people to keep their word and enlist your services over the devils you/they currently know. I think you have a fighting chance.
Specifically with what you're saying, I don't think it's crazy. I think it might be wise to "establish" your clientele up front and make sure you don't set something up to only find out, you're jumping off a cliff... And even then, I would expect 60-70% of people to keep their word and enlist your services over the devils you/they currently know. I think you have a fighting chance.