Haggling with trades - do you?

Just wondering if it's common to haggle with trades for bigger jobs or do most here not bother? I have only used them previously for small tasks so not sure what is the 'done thing'.

What do you do?

 

No, because we need to reuse them over and over and want to maintain a good relationship. I'm not a fan of burning people, you never know who you might need in the future.

However, after about 3 months of continuous use we do ask if they want to give us a better rate and some of them have.

 

I prefer the term "negotiating".
Haggling customers are always the most difficult to deal with, and only those desperate for work tend to service these types of customers.

 

In the end it can depend what kind of job/finish you want.

With a packaged items, white goods etc you know what your gunna get, with Tradies you could knock them down so they get the job, but in turn they could knock down/short cut, in ways you perhaps you won't realize until long after their paid an gone.

Get what you pay for.

 

I have a panel of trades I know do good work for reasonable rates. I don't ask them to discount.

 

As a tradie I don't 'haggle' when using other trades because I know you get what you pay for.
If you screw people down on their hourly rate there's a good chance they'll take longer or put a bigger margin on materials etc.

That being said when I have received quotes larger than I thought I do ask if there's a cheaper way to do it. I make it clear that I'm not trying to screw them down but ask if we can use cheaper materials/I can make sure they have a clear run at it with no one in there way and no delays etc.

I saved around $5k from a chippys original quote recently by making sure everything was as easy as possible for them (inc me doing some demo and post holes) and he was more than happy because it made it easier for him.

 

I have never asked any professional person for discounts.
If they are charging ridiciulous prices that are not justified for that market, we just don't use them.

 

Thanks for your replies - it's good to get some other feedback as I'm a bit of a newbie with this kind of thing.

Unfortunately, being in Canberra makes 'cheap' anything pretty hard to come by!

 

I always ask if they can negotiate the price down a little- they worst they can say is not.
I dont haggle when Im paying an hourly rate, but if I got quoted 5.5k, Id definitely ask if they could do it for 5. More often than not they move a little bit.

 

Depends on the job - I know what a job is worth based on the prices which have come back during the tender. Once I have apples for apples I can then apply the thumbscrews/blow torch to extract the best price (not necessarily the cheapest).

 

When i was on the tools, my pet hate was the discount for cash caller, discount because XYZ was a cheaper quote etc, i never discounted myself or my service, i was always taught if you discount the price, you ultimately discount the service.

 

2 words:
Cash Economy...

Normally it's just a "any cheaper for cash?",
If not then i normally still go ahead. But the question never hurts. Usually get a valid receipt etc. as well. In that case I'd imagine it's just convenience of getting payment promptly

 

Staying on the right side of the law is usually handy

 

Sorry but I negotiate/ haggle with every quote because I work hard for my money and believe that the first quote is never the best quote. I've received some pretty good discounts over time which pretty much tells me that there was room for a reduction. If they are good of course, they are repeat business from me.

 

Absolutely.
You are also a PM business. Different parameters than when I get my mates dad who happens to be a Brickie to give me a hand on the weekend... etc.

 

From our personal experience my husband usually puts his best price forward. He's had people try to negotiate or offer to pay 'cash' (which they're welcome to do! Doesn't mean we don't claim it as income though and offer an invoice) but he refuses to discount his quotes as he works very hard for his money as well.

On the occasions that people have tried to haggle he's politely said "no thanks" and left it at that. They usually end up getting him to do the work anyway.

Repeat business is one of our biggest sources of income too.

Someone willing to discount a job to me says they're desperate for work then you have to wonder why. You usually get what you pay for.

 

Lol I say Im happy to pay cash, but still ask for an invoice, when they say you said cash, I say yes, cash, but you still need to pay tax on that!

 

Haggling isnt needed if the quote is competitive for comparable work. The specification should be clear as should the timing. Haggling is something a ill informed buyer and seller need to do.

 

Responses for tradies :
1. No discount for cash as I need to bank it
2. I dont charge a card surcharge (a max 2% discount for full payment is not a huge discount)
3. EFT transfer is welcome but must be in my account not just on its way
4. We also welcome paypal

 

Get 3 quotes if you need to, but after this; I go with who seems to be the person who seems like they will be the best to work with and who will do the better job...they may not be the cheapest.
Asking for cash discount jobs means no paper work from them - which means chance of warranty issues being easily settled if they occur might be tough; fraught with danger, imo.