to bid or not to bid?

[billbenson]

Sounds like as you already decided, its not business you want. It would be interesting to know why he goes out to bid after having a 25 year relationship with a plumber. Maybe he thinks his current plumber is screwing him; testing the market; some quality issue?

[Spider]

It would appear that you don't know what is going on with that 25 year relationship, so why second-guess it and likely guess wrong.

1. Perhaps, after 25 years, the plumber is retiring and the builder is looking for someone to start another 25 year relationship with.

2. Perhaps, after 25 years, and all those bad referals, the plumber is seeing the error of his ways and beginning to bid for doing quality work. The builder wants to see if he can get a quality plumber at less than the old plumber wants to charge for quality work.

3. Perhaps the contractor has come to realize that the home building economy has changed and that high volume/low quality won't cut it in the future. Maybe the contractor has decided to adapt to a high quality/low volume narketplace.

4. Perhaps the plumber is ill and someone else is taking over, who is even less quality conscious.

5. Perhaps these 25 years has seen a steady decline in the plumber's standard and the contractor is not prepared to go any lower and is considering producing a better quality product.

My Goodness, there are a zillion possible scenarios. All of the above would suit you handsomely, Dave, if you are ready to negotiate. You never know - and you never will know if you drop out before the game begins!

[handprop]

You need to sit down and define your business. "Who is Waukesha Plumbing?"

Do this and the answer is obvious

[huggytree]

were talking 25 years....not 2 or 5....after 25 years they know what they are getting...a low end plumber

this plumber is one of the largest shops in town..so no one is retiring.


Its still on my mind...i was considering yesterday to get it out of the garbage can and thow a 30 minute bid on it...id just take the last house i did and add a bit for the differences....but then i thought of how i feel when i submit the bid and then get insulted because im $1,500 more...its happened over and over when competing with this plumber

i dont compete to be the low priced....if someone uses a plumber for 25 years its obvious what his expectations are..

yes its possible he's realized after 25 years that he's used the worst/cheapest plumber in town....but from what ive gathered he's just looking for someone worse/cheaper yet.

i threw the plan into the dumpster today...no turning back..

I had a good new prospect call me today 2x w/ questions on a 1 month old bid...its gotten my mind off this guy....the new prospect IS my type of customer. the low end builder IS NOT.