Possible scam of $85?

1

So I just completed an estimate for a soft wash for a two-story house. I quoted it at $300. The homeowner told me that the previous person who washed their house did it for $85 with a chemical that was safe for plants. How is this even possible? Is this a scam.?

2

I washed a ton of $85 houses when I started out

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3

I wouldn’t wash a doghouse for 85 dollars

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4

I wouldn’t wash a birdhouse for…

Yes i would.:unamused:

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5

Today, I agreed to wash a man cave that is 800sq ft…for $100 as an add on to their house wash. The wife just smiled and said “Do it!”…I smiled and said “No problem!”

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6

Had a customer try that on me. It was 2 story house I price just the house at $350. He came back said the other guy washed the roof and the house for $250 and that’s what he’d pay me, I told him he better call that guy back. And that was 4 months ago and the house still dirty.

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That’s what I’m saying. If the previous guy did it for $85, then why ask me to give an estimate? Don’t get me wrong, I’m willing to price match, but not that low.

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8

Let me ask you guys this. I test everything on my own house first. My roof is definitely needing to be washed. What kind of mixture would I use? I’m down streaming from a 5 gallon bucket, currently. Is 4 gal SH and 1 gal water too much, too little, or good enough?

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You’ll never clean your roof downstreaming.

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10

I won’t price match if they were happy with the first guy and his price call them back. If he did a good job they would have called him back for the same price. My price is my price for reason I had a another customer call me back just last week after I priced their house at $245 and I was gonna throw in sidewalks for free, said that’s just a lil higher than what we thought it was gonna be. I said I’m sorry to hear that thanks for calling and letting me.

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11

The funny thing about the “last guy” is they didn’t call him back.

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12

Why is that? Is it due to it diluting too much?

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Check out the search button on the upper right hand side of your screen. It will tell you all you need to know about roof cleaning, but the short answer is yes. You can’t get a strong enough mix on the roof to clean it. You need 4% typically.

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14

Ah okay… thanks for the input

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I always ask who the other guy is. After fumbling for a lie they usually get mad at me like I’m insulting them. I throw an extra job in that I would normaly do for free like a porch rinse or a shed. I tell them ill do it for an extra 25 bucks. It gives them an opportunity to save face. Sometimes I can circle back around and get the job…sometimes it backfires…but at least I disarm them enough to have a shot at the sale. It’s a bit manipulative for my taste but I’m all about fighting fire with fire.

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@Sharpe Funny part is I did ask the first customer who the other guy is u know what he told me, he didn’t know who it was it was just some guy that needed money so he let him wash his house for that price. I knew he was lying due to a roof is not gonna get that dirty and black in a yr. He just thought he could pick his price and tell me what I could wash his house for.

But this last one that said I was to high they thought calling me and saying I was to high that I would come down. I already threw in the sidewalk for free thinking that would seal the deal bc one was 20’x3.5’ and other was 25’x3.5’

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I’m a weirdo… When I set a price I don’t budge. I just don’t negotiate with terrorists…,.

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I agree, dont budge… shows weakness and being unsure. If i think a price will end up being higher than they would like, i make a point to highlight what is included other than the house (steps, porch, etc) and will typically throw in a shed. Normally wont throw in and flat work, but will offer it to them for a discounted price.

With that said, i do cut people a small price break with cash payments. Taking a $30~ trip to the ATM seems to hold value with customer

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19

This seems to happen to me a lot …
People are calling because

  1. the 85.00 dollar guy was sick of working like a dog and still having no money so he quit the business and is working at Walmart now
  2. his equipment is broke down and has no cash flow to fix it
  3. he won’t answer his phone or return phone calls

But customers still want you to price match the past service …they expect to get a 20 dollar hamburger for a buck because McDonald’s gave it to them for that price

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I bet the $85 guy knew how to wash a roof though. Just saying

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