Edward
2024 Supporter
It was like usual, the Lord waits until the last minute to help me, but is never late. 
There's a definite pattern here. Self employed, money tight, everything due, need the Lords help. About three weeks ago, I had placed an ad on Craigslist to do furnace installs (retrofits) for 500 dollars, if they buy all of the equipment, materials, and cover related job costs, (like the permit and so for forth.)
I haven't had one single phone call about it, though I had sort of expected for my phone to ring off the hook about it because it is a smokin' deal. But I need money. I was thinking about changing the ad, that I had made it sound too cheap and presented myself as a fly by night. Night before last though the phone rang about it, and a man has a rental property that he needs the furnace changed in, fast because the tenant has no heat.
He told me up front that I better give him my best price at first because he had two other companies coming to give bids and that he will not waste his time haggling over prices, he's simply going to take the low bid. But of course he wants an upgrade brand and not one of the cheap brands also. Luckily, I am a Trane dealer and the supply house will actually sell me Trane units for cheaper than the cheap brand of furnace! I told him this and this got his attention and made him happy. Score one brownie point.
He asked if I was licensed & insured. Of course. Then he asked if I know John somebodyorother. I said no. He asked if I knew Bob Croft. (He used to be the chief Mechanical inspector at the regional building department.) I said, Well, he's my boss! Or rather used to be before he retired. He laughed and said good, because if I hadn't known him, I had no chance to get the job because He wanted someone who actually knew these people and not someone who merely got a license and that was all. Score second brownie point.
He was scared of the deal of 500 dollar deal where he was responsible for all the other costs because he didn't know how much it would be and he wanted to know total cost before the job began, so give him a flat rate price. I told him I would and that the terms are 1/2 down, then 1/2 on completion. He said he doesn't give any money out until we show up on the job site with the equipment and material, and he can see that the job is going to happen. (Scared of Craigslist! Reasonable caution). I told him matter of factly then I wont do the job. I don't buy equipment for customers because I've been stuck before, am a small outfit, and times are hard, period. That there is no way that I'd jeopardize my license over a measly 2 or 3 thousand bucks by ripping someone off. But I have been in business long enough to know not to stick my neck out either. So I wont do it then.
He said, I can understand that, and will give you money down if you get the job then. Scored a third brownie point there if you can understand what happened there in that exchange! (This is probably where I got the job right here)
So I go out there yesterday to the tenants house to look the job over and ran into one of the other contractors there estimating it. He was almost done and was on the porch talking to the tenant. He was nice enough to accidentally be holding his clipboard under his arm facing me so I could easily look down on it and see his bid, lol! 3 grand. I look the job over and measure it up for replacement and go home to call the owner with my bid. I gave it to him and he asked me if that was bottom dollar and I said that's a smokin' deal right there. (which it was)
He calls me back in 10 minutes and says I was 100 bucks higher than the next lower bid. But I get the job because he likes how I talk. Blessing? Sure it's work, praise the Lord, but not anything extraordinary because I know how to sell furnaces and relate to people and gain their confidence. The real blessing came when he brought me the 1/2 down and laid it on me out of the blue that he's a General Contractor which specializes in commercial remodels and tenant finishes, can I do that work? Ohhh, I can eat that work up! There's the blessing! Praise the Lord!!!
Commercial work is high dollar, low fuss, get in, get out, collect good money. Just what I need. This guy likes me too. He trusts me already and I will deliver. He asked if we can do this and that aspect of commercial jobs (everything he can't and was hoping we could do!) Plans and heat load calcs and air balancing and so forth. Bingo. Praise the Lord Praise the Lord Praise the LORD!!!
There's a definite pattern here. Self employed, money tight, everything due, need the Lords help. About three weeks ago, I had placed an ad on Craigslist to do furnace installs (retrofits) for 500 dollars, if they buy all of the equipment, materials, and cover related job costs, (like the permit and so for forth.)I haven't had one single phone call about it, though I had sort of expected for my phone to ring off the hook about it because it is a smokin' deal. But I need money. I was thinking about changing the ad, that I had made it sound too cheap and presented myself as a fly by night. Night before last though the phone rang about it, and a man has a rental property that he needs the furnace changed in, fast because the tenant has no heat.
He told me up front that I better give him my best price at first because he had two other companies coming to give bids and that he will not waste his time haggling over prices, he's simply going to take the low bid. But of course he wants an upgrade brand and not one of the cheap brands also. Luckily, I am a Trane dealer and the supply house will actually sell me Trane units for cheaper than the cheap brand of furnace! I told him this and this got his attention and made him happy. Score one brownie point.
He asked if I was licensed & insured. Of course. Then he asked if I know John somebodyorother. I said no. He asked if I knew Bob Croft. (He used to be the chief Mechanical inspector at the regional building department.) I said, Well, he's my boss! Or rather used to be before he retired. He laughed and said good, because if I hadn't known him, I had no chance to get the job because He wanted someone who actually knew these people and not someone who merely got a license and that was all. Score second brownie point.
He was scared of the deal of 500 dollar deal where he was responsible for all the other costs because he didn't know how much it would be and he wanted to know total cost before the job began, so give him a flat rate price. I told him I would and that the terms are 1/2 down, then 1/2 on completion. He said he doesn't give any money out until we show up on the job site with the equipment and material, and he can see that the job is going to happen. (Scared of Craigslist! Reasonable caution). I told him matter of factly then I wont do the job. I don't buy equipment for customers because I've been stuck before, am a small outfit, and times are hard, period. That there is no way that I'd jeopardize my license over a measly 2 or 3 thousand bucks by ripping someone off. But I have been in business long enough to know not to stick my neck out either. So I wont do it then.
He said, I can understand that, and will give you money down if you get the job then. Scored a third brownie point there if you can understand what happened there in that exchange! (This is probably where I got the job right here)
So I go out there yesterday to the tenants house to look the job over and ran into one of the other contractors there estimating it. He was almost done and was on the porch talking to the tenant. He was nice enough to accidentally be holding his clipboard under his arm facing me so I could easily look down on it and see his bid, lol! 3 grand. I look the job over and measure it up for replacement and go home to call the owner with my bid. I gave it to him and he asked me if that was bottom dollar and I said that's a smokin' deal right there. (which it was)
He calls me back in 10 minutes and says I was 100 bucks higher than the next lower bid. But I get the job because he likes how I talk. Blessing? Sure it's work, praise the Lord, but not anything extraordinary because I know how to sell furnaces and relate to people and gain their confidence. The real blessing came when he brought me the 1/2 down and laid it on me out of the blue that he's a General Contractor which specializes in commercial remodels and tenant finishes, can I do that work? Ohhh, I can eat that work up! There's the blessing! Praise the Lord!!!
Commercial work is high dollar, low fuss, get in, get out, collect good money. Just what I need. This guy likes me too. He trusts me already and I will deliver. He asked if we can do this and that aspect of commercial jobs (everything he can't and was hoping we could do!) Plans and heat load calcs and air balancing and so forth. Bingo. Praise the Lord Praise the Lord Praise the LORD!!!
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) it was the absolute easiest one that I have ever done. Praise the Lord for that.