Offering discount

And the next time, what if it takes 15 hours? Do you ask the customer for extra? Provided the customer is happy with the quote and you always stick to a price for a job there is nothing ethically wrong.

However, I do have experience where quotes are not always fixed price and there will be claims and arbitration between customer and contractor to settle lower/higher costs but these are normally extremely large contracts.

 

Speaking as a customer, not a tradesperson...
If I'm given a "quote" I expect to pay that, regardless of how long it takes... subject to any conditions/issues mentioned/discussed in the quote.

That's what makes a "quote" different from an "estimate"

Regards,

Cando

 

Speaking as a customer, I concur with CDBOMS...for a quote I expect a certain price for a certain job, if the job changes then I expect the price to change (normally upwards), otherwise I expect pay what was quoted.

As a tradesperson, I would expect you to commit to the price - some you win on, some you will lose, so things should even out.

The other way of quoting would be to quote based on time, but then the customer doesn't know how much its going to cost.

 

Agree, if you price a job, and they accept, then the price is accepted too, regardless if it takes you more or less time

 

I would add that if you're doing regular jobs for a client, then you may offer a reduced rate on future jobs, should you see fit to do so. My tree chappy is coming back to do some stump grinding, he's offered a reduced daily/hourly rate on the basis I'm a regular and it is more likely to keep me as a regular customer (and dare I say it, an easy one at that).

 

From a self employed trade perspective if I quote for a job thinking it'll take all day but against the odds I complete it by one o clock, then that's my good fortune for a change. The price was set and accepted, if it took me two days I wouldn't ask for more money as that's my cock up not theirs and I'm quite sure the customer wouldn't be impressed at my shifting of the goalposts.

Have had customers in the past try the old "you weren't here as long as I thought you'd be" trick to half try it on for money off, and I kindly respond that as I'm a thoughtful builder and I know how disruptive work on one's home can be, that's why I stepped it up a notch to get it done as fast as possible, for them, the customer. Aren't I nice?

Yet these are the type of people that happily throw fifty quid at the washing machine repair man or the gutter cleaning man, for forty five minutes work (not that I begrudge them earning that mind, good luck to them) yet you've physically slogged most of the day on their home to make it how they want it and they seem to think you're not worthy of hassle free payment in full...?

So no, unless they're five foot four, size ten, blonde hair, brown eyes and an hourglass figure (and female), no discount.