3H Contracting

10/04/2022

CUSTOMER: "How much will it cost to do this job?"
CONTRACTOR: "$2,800 Dollars."

CUSTOMER: "That's WAY too expensive for this job!!"
CONTRACTOR: "How much do YOU think it would cost?"

CUSTOMER: "No more than $800 Dollars - MAX!! It's a simple job!"
CONTRACTOR: "I can't prioritize my time for so little."

CUSTOMER: "People in your line of work are so greedy."
CONTRACTOR: "Sorry you feel that way. Why not do it yourself?"

CUSTOMER: "But... but... I don't know how to do any of this."
CONTRACTOR: "For $900 Dollars, I'll teach you EXACTLY how to get this job done. Then you can spend $800 to do the job and you'll still be saving $1,100 Dollars - PLUS... you'll get the knowledge and experience for the next time you want to do a job yourself."

CUSTOMER: "Deal!! Let's do it."
CONTRACTOR: To get started you'll need tools. So you'll have to buy a welder, a grinder, a chop saw, a drill press, a welding hood, gloves and a few other things."

CUSTOMER: "But I don't have all this equipment and I can't buy all of these for one job."
CONTRACTOR: "Well then for another $300 more I'll let you rent my tools... and you'll still be saving $800 Dollars."

CUSTOMER: "That's cutting into my savings. But I'll rent your tools."
CONTRACTOR: "Okay! I'll be back on Saturday and we can start."

CUSTOMER: "Wait. I can't on Saturday. I only have time today."
CONTRACTOR: "Sorry, I only give lessons on Saturday, because I have to prioritize my time and my tools have to be at other jobs with other customers all week long.

CUSTOMER: "Okay!! I'll sacrifice my family plans on Saturday."
CONTRACTOR: "Yeah... me too. Oh... and I forgot... to do your job yourself, you also have to pay for the materials. Everything is in high demand right now, so your best bet is to get your truck and load up at 6AM before everyone else gets there."

CUSTOMER: "SIX AM??? On a Saturday??? That's way to early for me. And also... I don't have a truck."
"CONTRACTOR: "I guess you'll have to rent one. Do you have a couple of strong men to help you load and unload everything?"

CUSTOMER: "Ummm... ya know... I've been thinking. It's probably best if YOU get this job done. I'd rather pay someone to get it done correctly than go through all the hassle.
CONTRACTOR: "Smart move, sign this and please get out of the way so I can work."

THE REALITY IS THIS...

When you pay for a job, especially handcrafted, you pay not only for the material used, but you are also paying for:
- Knowledge
- Experience
- Tools
- Services
- Time
- Punctuality
- Accountability
- Professionalism
- Accuracy
- Labor
- Sacrifices
- Safety and Security
- Payment of tax obligations

No one should denigrate a professional's work by judging prices - ESPECIALLY when they don't know all the elements or costs necessary for the production of such work.

This was just a remix of an old story I once heard and I am sharing this in support of craftsmen, specialists and entrepreneurs everywhere!

You can't haggle over a service that you don't actually have the skills or knowledge to do yourself. You can't get a high quality gourmet dinner party for the same price as a Happy Meal from McDonald's. And you can't be mad when skilled people actually KNOW their own worth.

Be smart. Trust a reputable professional. And never forget... that you ALWAYS get what you pay for.

02/02/2022

04/13/2021

A CONVERSATION ABOUT PERCEIVED VALUE:

A customer asked a contractor friend of mine how much it would cost to do this project.

My friend gave him a proposal: $4500

The customer responded: That’s seems really high.

My friend asked: What do you think is a reasonable price for this job?

The customer answered: $2500 maximum

My friend responded: Ok, then I invite you to do it yourself.

The customer answered: I don't know how to.

My friend responded: Alright, then how about for $2500 I'll teach you how to. So besides saving you $2000, you'll learn valuable skills that will benefit you in the future.

The customer answered: Sounds good! Let’s do it!

My friend responded: Great! To get started, you are going to need some tools. You will need a chop saw, table saw, cordless drill, bit set, router, skill saw, jig saw, tool belt, hammer, etc..

The customer answered: But I don't have any of those tools and I can't justify buying all of these for one job.

My friend responded: Ok. Well then for an additional $300 I can rent my tools to you to use for this project.

The customer answered: Okay. That’s fair.

My friend responded: Great! We will start the project on Monday.

The customer answered: I work Monday through Friday. I’m only available on the weekends.

My friend responded: If you want to learn from me then you will need to work when I work. This project will take 3 days so you will need to take 3 days off work.

The customer answered: That means I’m going to have to sacrifice my pay for 3 days or use my vacation time!

My friend responded: That’s true. Remember, when you do a job yourself you need to account for unproductive factors.

The customer answered: What do you mean by that?

My friend responded: Doing a job completely from start to finish includes time spent to plan the project, pick up materials, travel time, gas, set up time, clean up, and waste disposal amongst other things. That’s all in addition to the actual project itself. And speaking of materials, that’s where we will start on Monday so I need you to meet me at the lumberyard at 6:00am.

The customer answered: At 6am?!! My work day doesn’t usually start until 8am!

My friend responded: Well then you’re in luck! My plan is to start on the deck build by 8am. But to do so we have to start at 6am to get materials picked up, loaded and delivered to your job site.

The customer answered: You know, I’m realizing that a lot more goes in to a job than what a customer sees in the finished project. Your proposal of $4500 is very reasonable. I would like you to handle the project.

CONCLUSION:

When you pay for a job, especially a custom job, (whether it’s a physical project or digital project) you pay not only for the material and the work to be completed. You also pay for:

✔️ Knowledge
✔️ Experience
✔️ Custom Skills
✔️ Tools
✔️ Time to plan
✔️ Time to prepare
✔️ Professionalism
✔️ Work Ethic
✔️ Excellence
✔️ Discipline
✔️ Commitment
✔️ Integrity
✔️ Taxes
✔️ Licenses
✔️ Sacrifices
✔️ Liabilities
✔️ Insurance

If you request a proposal for custom work to be done, please don’t disrespect a service provider by trying to get them to lower their prices.

If their proposal exceeds your budget, there’s nothing wrong with getting other proposals.

Just remember.. you get what you pay for.

👉🏼 SERVICE PROVIDERS: Know your worth and be confident in it.

👉🏼 CONSUMERS: Recognize their worth and be respectful of it.

Sharing this to support all my friends, family and clients who are Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Tradesman.

03/17/2021

Do you have a dock that needs repaired and painted? Feel free to contact us. 305-393-3324. Big or small. We do it all.

01/27/2021

84 ft of fence for a client on Big Pine Key Florida. Another happy customer!
Big or small. Give us a call 305-393-3324

01/21/2021

Today we removed the old wooden post and put up new Fend-All fenders up on this seawall. Much nicer!

Big or small, we do it all!
Call us for your next project and a free estimate! 305-393-3324

01/10/2021

Custom shiplap over a concrete wall and custom built barn door. This customer has been a customer of mine for years now and this was the last step at finishing her house.

Big or small. Give us a call 305-393-3324

01/02/2021

Some before and after on some stairs I rebuilt. Originally we were just going to replace the treads and call it a day. However, upon inspection I notice the start of rot and water damage on the right side. So we replaced stringers and the handrails. Now the customer can now the steps were done right and are safe.
Big or small. Give us a call. 305-393-3324

01/01/2021

This is what happens when you hire the guy who is cheaper. You get what you paid for

12/17/2020

I had a customer tell me she hired a guy to fix her windows on her home. She mentioned that she was still having water issues around the bedroom window.
Well for starters, they used drywall mud to "finish" the inside. Then told her they fixed the problem. Well this is what happens when you hire cheap labor.
We go over and beyond for every customer we have. I personally want to be sure they are happy and 100 percent satisfied with our finished work.
Always remember, you get what you paid for. Big or small, give us a call. 305-393-3324

12/08/2020

This deck was fun. One of the first jobs I took on here in the Keys. This is on Little Torch Key