Page 2 | Would this put your off? Builder quote

LivingDeadGirlUK · 28/04/2023 14:58

I've found most builders/contractors are quite into cars and will have a nice one. I don't drive and have had quite a few nice lifts lol.

A supplier was grumbling to me about one Contractor who was constantly trying to haggle him down on price before jumping into his Maserati :D

MimiSunshine · 28/04/2023 15:00

Nita builder but we regularly use a handy man who drives a swanky car. I joked to my husband that we’re in the wrong business, but the handy man does a great job and I think his prices are very fair.

i once admired his car to him and he told me it was one indulgence to himself and that he enjoys driving it after being in vans for a long time.

so no i wouldn’t judge a builder, I would think he did well for himself

Lifesagamethentheytaketheboardaway · 28/04/2023 15:01

Do you think tradespeople don’t deserve to want a decent profit?
I honestly don’t know what the problem would be from people seeing that he is successful.

GoodChat · 28/04/2023 15:09

It makes sense, to be fair.

I'd think he must be good at what he does to be successful enough to have that car or that he puts it through the business for tax purposes

Original poster

Sparklfairy · 28/04/2023 15:09

Lifesagamethentheytaketheboardaway · 28/04/2023 15:01

Do you think tradespeople don’t deserve to want a decent profit?
I honestly don’t know what the problem would be from people seeing that he is successful.

Don't be silly, I never said anything of the sort. He does do well, and I'm happy for him.

I just think when someone is handing over £££ to a stranger, first impressions count for a lot. I wondered if anyone else's first impression would match mine - i.e. 'flash twat' as opposed to 'professional, reliable builder'. I'm not completely alone!

OP posts:

Madamecastafiore · 28/04/2023 15:11

If he's a good builder he'll have a waiting list and be busy regardless of what he drives.

SchrodingersParrot · 28/04/2023 15:12

It would certainly put me off - for the same reason that I never buy products which have expensive-looking brochures or which are advertised by celebrities. The cost of these must surely be factored into the price of the product.

notangelinajolie · 28/04/2023 15:23

Sparklfairy · 28/04/2023 14:26

I'm neither the builder nor the customer in this scenario. I know the builder.

He told me he never drives one of his branded vans when he goes to give a quote. Instead, he takes his car. A luxury model with a personalised plate. I don't know shit about cars but a quick google tells me in the region of a £75k car.

He said the reason he doesn't take the van is that competitors could see he was at a property and go in after he leaves to undercut him and poach his business Obviously he uses the vans if he actually gets the job.

He'd never listen to me and he'll never know about this thread. But would a builder turning up in a swanky car put you off? I just think my first impression would be he's a bit of a flash twat, and probably charges too much

AIBU?

But would a builder turning up in a swanky car put you off? I just think my first impression would be he's a bit of a flash twat, and probably charges too much

As someone who has just been stung by such a builder I would say this is so true 😑

Can I ask, has he got Turkey teeth?

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 28/04/2023 15:25

My DP is in a trade and he never takes out personal vehicle to do a quote, always his works van

LisaD1 · 28/04/2023 15:40

I’m from a family of trades (builders, plumbers) and I don’t know any of them who wouldn’t take the branded van to quote for a job. Usually they do quotes on the way back from jobs. They have them branded so people know who they are, free advertising. Never heard of a random going in after then to undercut them, the customer would have the quote anyway if they wanted a second quote.

Saniflo · 28/04/2023 15:43

I wouldn't notice. If I did notice I wouldn't care.

ReadersD1gest · 28/04/2023 15:43

Would anyone really have any truck with some door knocker who asked what sort of building work they'd been quoted for so he could furnish a more competitive one? 😂
This doesn't happen.

GoodChat · 28/04/2023 15:49

ReadersD1gest · 28/04/2023 15:43

Would anyone really have any truck with some door knocker who asked what sort of building work they'd been quoted for so he could furnish a more competitive one? 😂
This doesn't happen.

They could easily drop a leaflet through the door if they see someone is getting quotes for work, though.

StephanieErin · 28/04/2023 15:57

I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed what vehicle anyone has shown up in to quote so I don’t think it makes a blind bit of difference

WeWereInParis · 28/04/2023 16:03

I probably wouldn't notice the expensive-ness of the car. If I saw the personalised number plate I'd assume he was a bit of a twat. It wouldn't affect my decision on whether to give him the work though.

JudgeRudy · 28/04/2023 16:03

I would not have noticed his car but this guy went out of his way to tell you then explain all about it. Maybe he's just a bit of a twat and wants to impress you. It hasn't worked. I would not let this influence me either way. You want a job doing, not a date.
I'd be a lot more warey of a random stranger knocking on my door saying they'd like to quote me for a job....then asking exactly what it is I wanted doing. I mean has anyone actually had random workmen trying to undercut others knock on their door because they suspected there was a job going down once they clocked the van? Doubt it

LonelyBones · 28/04/2023 16:05

A builder turned up to my house to quote for some plastering. Just to plaster the hallway and bedroom. He quoted 7k...he drove a brand new audi Q7 with private number plate Think what you will of that.

MrsWojadobakowsky · 28/04/2023 16:10

I would think he was using a leased car, couldn't afford a proper van, or was one of those tradesmen who keep going bust and changing name to continue trading. Builders do lie and that wouldn't make me want to use him.

I have had genuine tradesmen arrive in cars, normal ones, sometimes because it;s the family car and they are doing school runs as well as working, sometimes because they gave up on vans due to them being broken into and tools stolen, and otherwise because they only need ladders which fit on the roof. A 'luxury' car would put me off.

GasPanic · 28/04/2023 16:15

For my sins (I am not a salesperson) I was once sent on a sales course for "business professionals" ie people selling technical equipment that businesses use, not a double glazing get rich quick salesperson type.

One of the pearls of wisdom offered to me by the course leader was something along the lines of "the salesperson should neither drive a skip on wheels, nor be a racing driver".

The idea being if you drove a skip on wheels no-one was buying from you, so why should the current customer you are visiting, but if you were a racing driver (expensive car) then you were clearly making too much money.

Make of that what you will. They did teach me a lot more useful stuff than this about sales psychology.

drpet49 · 28/04/2023 16:19

ejbaxa · 28/04/2023 14:46

A 75 grand car? I'd wonder if he was dealing drugs on the side. That's a fuck of a lot of car!

This. I wouldn’t trust him.

Original poster

Sparklfairy · 28/04/2023 16:20

GasPanic · 28/04/2023 16:15

For my sins (I am not a salesperson) I was once sent on a sales course for "business professionals" ie people selling technical equipment that businesses use, not a double glazing get rich quick salesperson type.

One of the pearls of wisdom offered to me by the course leader was something along the lines of "the salesperson should neither drive a skip on wheels, nor be a racing driver".

The idea being if you drove a skip on wheels no-one was buying from you, so why should the current customer you are visiting, but if you were a racing driver (expensive car) then you were clearly making too much money.

Make of that what you will. They did teach me a lot more useful stuff than this about sales psychology.

I learned similar in sales training. Later in life I was a self employed cleaner for a bit, and I know I would have got absolutely no business if I (somehow) managed to rock up in an expensive car, but apparently it's okay if you're in an expensive line of work

I think part of it is perceived 'value' of a service, maybe. My dad was an estate agent for a bit, a profession pretty much everybody hates, and hates paying for. He had a perfectly nice fiesta. My teen sister said he should get a BMW or something to go and see clients, and he had a similar viewpoint to me - that he shouldn't turn up to a client appointment in a flashy car as it gives the wrong impression.

In some professions it's seen as okay though, according to this thread!

OP posts:

drpet49 · 28/04/2023 16:20

MrsWojadobakowsky · 28/04/2023 16:10

I would think he was using a leased car, couldn't afford a proper van, or was one of those tradesmen who keep going bust and changing name to continue trading. Builders do lie and that wouldn't make me want to use him.

I have had genuine tradesmen arrive in cars, normal ones, sometimes because it;s the family car and they are doing school runs as well as working, sometimes because they gave up on vans due to them being broken into and tools stolen, and otherwise because they only need ladders which fit on the roof. A 'luxury' car would put me off.

This is what I would think too.

Dulra · 28/04/2023 16:20

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Just had a big renovation job done all the builders quoting came in the evening in their own cars. Builder we awarded contract to was the owner so oversaw the jobs his staff were the ones in the branded vans.
No one would ever award someone a contract anyway without checking references, I also often check with trades people what they think of the builder they're the best judge if they've worked with them on jobs. What he drives is completely irrelevant to me

MrsWojadobakowsky · 28/04/2023 16:24

Dulra · 28/04/2023 16:20

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Just had a big renovation job done all the builders quoting came in the evening in their own cars. Builder we awarded contract to was the owner so oversaw the jobs his staff were the ones in the branded vans.
No one would ever award someone a contract anyway without checking references, I also often check with trades people what they think of the builder they're the best judge if they've worked with them on jobs. What he drives is completely irrelevant to me

Own car is fine, flashy, expensive car, no he's a knob or a crook.

Megifer · 28/04/2023 16:39

I'd assume hes either a salesman type face of the business (so might not know a lot of the ins and outs), a dealer, charges too much, or isn't that good. I say isn't that good as IME good builders are always busy so tend to quote jobs in between other jobs so turning up in a car to me would mean hes not particularly busy (main one for me). So it would be a "yea ill get back to you" from me.

If hes that paranoid that builders will actually drive around after him to undercut him maybe he should look at his prices?