# contractors's quotes



## ofilha (Mar 22, 2009)

I have a question, out of curiosity. I live in Algarve and i have noticed that often, i will ask someone to come over to give me a quote and they will come over, spend the time to analyse the problem in question and then i won't ever hear from them again. I am a little befuddled by this behavior. I would think that if someone is not interested they would not even bother to show up, but no they spend the gas and time to come to the house but then never bother with the quote. Any ideas? I was thinking that maybe it was not large enough work, but in one instance, the guy said they specialize in small jobs and still no quote.


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## Tryon (Jul 17, 2015)

One thing we have found is that there is a lot happening in the background we foreigners never know about. For one thing areas are tribal. One Portuguese builder told us his firm was working out of area. But literally just a few hundred metres into the next concelho. They had been there on a day or so. Some of their sand spilt into the road and .... the competition called out the Municipal to put a stop to that days work until it was cleared up. With the heavy hint from this different Municipal that 'We are watching everything you do".


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Tryon said:


> One thing we have found is that there is a lot happening in the background we foreigners never know about. For one thing areas are tribal. One Portuguese builder told us his firm was working out of area. But literally just a few hundred metres into the next concelho. They had been there on a day or so. Some of their sand spilt into the road and .... the competition called out the Municipal to put a stop to that days work until it was cleared up. With the heavy hint from this different Municipal that 'We are watching everything you do".


With all due respect, I find that very hard to believe of the builders in my area at least. - I know several in my area quite well & all travel all over the place to work.

I think it's far more likely the people involved are typical Portuguese who couldn't sell a 10 minute liaison in a house of ill repute & who simply haven't the gumption to follow up a business opportunity in a timely manner.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Ich used to access/process/write quotes, the looking round is only part it, the (unpaid time) getting material and delivery prices and estimating labour is a bigger part of it and the timings are a night mare. Customers who know exactly what they want are but don't care when it's done are perfect to quote for, everything else is a PITA. Probably 90% of builders quotes here are not accepted as house buyers use them as leverage, or owners compare possible options or insurance companies want 3 quotes but accept none. The typical mess is quote to supply and fit tiles on a floor, which tiles Sir? Oh quote for those and those and those and those, will sir be paying for the 8 hours needed to get this information and lead times and stock from 5 tile suppliers none of whom supply all the 4 different types, 3 different sand/cement suppliers+delivery. estimate the hours of labour for making mortar and hours for setting tiles. Builders look at a job and decide the "overheads" cannot be covered by the quote and put it in the bin labelled " waste of time"

And if you think you can do better please start your own company and show us how it should be done and we will all go out of business.


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## DREAMWEAVER1 (May 28, 2013)

travelling-man said:


> With all due respect, I find that very hard to believe of the builders in my area at least. - I know several in my area quite well & all travel all over the place to work.
> 
> I think it's far more likely the people involved are typical Portuguese who couldn't sell a 10 minute liaison in a house of ill repute & who simply haven't the gumption to follow up a business opportunity in a timely manner.




I have to agree,I use a builder who lives and is based half an hour away,well out of his "area" so to speak,he travels anywhere where there is work for him.


David


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## ofilha (Mar 22, 2009)

One of the contractors i hired told me that it could be that the work is not big enough or too difficult. In other words, some of the homes may be too old and the contractors are afraid that the work will overwhelm them. I don't know, but it seems like a gamble. And i am portuguese.


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## ofilha (Mar 22, 2009)

i don't buy that. That is the argument that my contractor friends used in the United States where i lived almost most of my life. I am portuguese but in the US, at least you get the quotes even if they once they get you then drag their feet. I sense that maybe the work is not big enough or too difficult or potentially difficult. A quote should include all those things that entail to do the job. It seems what you are describing is a contractor who does not seem to know what he is doing.


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## paramonte (Sep 9, 2007)

When you ask a builder for a quotation normally you may want the work to begin that month, that trimester... So the builder has its own agenda and you are trying to get on its already moving train. So they come up to check you out. Also jobs too big for them, they will check out if there will be any profit any for them if they outsource. Jobs too small, may be is not worth to schedule their man power for small business. At the end of the day no hard feelings each one has its own agenda


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## ofilha (Mar 22, 2009)

paramonte said:


> When you ask a builder for a quotation normally you may want the work to begin that month, that trimester... So the builder has its own agenda and you are trying to get on its already moving train. So they come up to check you out. Also jobs too big for them, they will check out if there will be any profit any for them if they outsource. Jobs too small, may be is not worth to schedule their man power for small business. At the end of the day no hard feelings each one has its own agenda


The situation you describe does not apply to myself. i have indicated many times that there is no urgency. But even so, all contractors are on a moving train, and their job is to let the customer know either way.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Could this be compounded by the fact that small Builders have to work closely with their customers, as usually it is work on/in the customer's home, and if they feel that interpersonal issues may arise between them and the customer they will shy away form supplying a quote. Issues like the customer telling an experienced small Builder/sole trader them how they should do their job or run their business, I believe this is covered by your British expression "once bitten twice shy".


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## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

Very tactfully put Strontium. Are you suggesting some clients wanting work done can come across as such a PITA that Builders, having met them, run a mile ?


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## robc (Jul 17, 2008)

Funny this, I thought that we lived in a capitalist democracy.
if you invite a builder or any other tradesman to quote, it is just that "an invitation" and not an obligation.
They/he/she does not and is not obligated to quote any more than you are obligated to accept.

So someone does not reply, suck it up and move on.

Rob


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