How to Do a Painting Estimate For Painting Contractors – Try Something Different
Benjamin Franklin is credited with this quote. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” So why are some painting contractors afraid to try a different approach to their painting estimate? I would say fear is the biggest reason, I guess this is why some painters get upset with my articles. You don’t have to try these ideas just think about them. I am writing about them because each one of these ideas has made me money.
1) I always want to stand out from the crowd. I never want to win a job because I am the lowest bidder. I want to win a paint job when I am the highest bidder. Why? Because they are buying from me because they believe I am the best.
2) When everyone else faxes, emails or mails their estimate, I hand deliver my estimate and only when both buying parties are present. I want them to sign when I am there, I don’t want to come back. When you fax, email or mail your estimate, anything you have said to the customer about your paint job gets forgotten; they spread the estimates on the table and the only thing they see is everyone’s number.
3) They only way that I do an estimate for a paint job is in two parts. The first time I come to look at the job is called the “Measure Call” for the exact reason that it is called that, just to measure.
Well not just to measure, but also to listen. I keep my mouth shut, I don’t sell for the same reason that I don’t fax or email my estimate, because when I walk out the door they may remember what I said but they won’t remember who said it. So if they ask me a question, I tell them I will answer everything when I bring the estimate back to them. This is a natural lead in to the “Sales Call”. If they ask me to mail, email or fax I gently tell them I don’t do my estimates that way.
4) The best place to sit down with them is either the kitchen table or the dining room table; the living room with sofa and arm chairs is the worst place.
5) This is when I answer their questions face to face. This is when I educate them (not sell them) as to the differences in paint jobs.
6) Prior to their signing I offer to take colorization software and show them what their job would look like with different color schemes, but not until they sign.
7) Never give them the paperwork until they agree to hire you. If you do give them the estimate they hire you they will use your estimate to compare other estimates against each others and your. They may even use tour estimate as a guideline and go back to a cheaper painter and ask them to do the same job as you describe in your estimate.
So why did I start this article with a quote from Ben Franklin? Because I know for a fact that 95% of the painters out there do not do these things, and that is why most painters rely on low bidding to get jobs, they are afraid to try something different. I can tell you that I didn’t start out with these ideas. I thought about things a lot. I took classes and I tried new things, not all of my trials worked, but I never stopped trying and learning new things.
Need to know how to estimate? Easy to use Painting Estimator Paint Estimator Want to know how to estimate a paint job? The Professional Painter.
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