Customer’s Reaction…$1000/day As a Mobile Welder? Real Job Quote & Interacting With My Customer
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- In this video, I will be sharing how much I actually quoted a customer for a welding job. The customer wanted an overhead entrance fabricated onto the existing heavy-duty gate because it was sagging. I will show you the text message I sent the customer with the different options I pitched to him. Overall, if you are starting your mobile welding business I recommend focusing on getting lots of experience over focusing on how much to charge.
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I spent an hour welding barbed wire posts on a gate this past Sunday. 300 bucks in my pocket.I charge according to how much I don't want to do it!
I think that’s a good way to charge. There’s obviously the actual cost per material and labor but if you don’t want to do it that extra charge makes it worth it.
That only works if you don't enjoy your job😂
300$ on a Sunday is definitely not enough
@@thatwelderlife3554 why does the day change the price?
@@troycarpenter3675 you’ve never had a job you didn’t want to do? That’s what he’s talking about, a job he didn’t want but took because it made good money.
I’ve been at this type of work for 40 years and you are never going to get every job you bid . But you have to quote these jobs and you will end up with some and you will have happy customers and other customers that you can’t make happy. But I truly believe the worst thing that you can do is take a job too cheap and a good job come along and you’re stuck finishing a loser. Hang in there, treat people right and you will do good and enjoy your life .
True unless it's a quick job that doesn't take too much time, you would have this in addition to the more profitable job that comes along.
In 1978 I was 24yo and started my own welding shop. Thought I was 10’ tall and bulletproof. Knew quite a bit about welding but nothing about pricing out time and materials. Back then I jumped in with both feet and tried to fight my way out. Lost everything in the gas embargo of 81. I appreciate you putting together these types courses.
My old man was a trim carpenter by trade. A true craftsman. Whenever a customer balked or tried to haggle over his price he had a standard one line response.
“If you think the price of a true professional is high, just wait until you see what it costs you to hire an amateur”
I'm retired now, but years ago back in the 70's and 80's I did lots of rig welding for farmers, ranchers and loggers. A surprising number would want you to use the "metal they had" instead of buying "new metal". Well the "metal they had" would often turn out to be in a junk pile, all twisted and bent, covered in vines and rusting and rotting in the dirt. They would expect you to clean up, straighten up, and cut apart that junk to save them the cost of "new metal". For some reason they thought it would be cheaper to pay me to clean and straighten that junk so it could be used than it would be to buy new steel. I never figured that out! LOL
lmao I dont even take on jobs from customers like that. You'll be struggling to get a paycheck at the end of it too LOL
Interesting
I've been welding from age 4 , back in the 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's 10's. And these idiots do the same here in Florida. Then they only want to pay 25 and hour. Because a fabrication company won't charge them.
My full time job is a estimator for welding ,fabrication and precision sheet, Dont forget to mark up material any where from 15% to 45% also the way i look at hourly rate is like taxes higher taxes usually generates less revenue.
Austin you are so correct about gaining experience 10,000 hours or 5 years so when you go out on your own you can talk the talk and walk the walk. A lot of contractors have no time to train rookies
Pretty darned smart. Lot's of people out there don't realize how intelligent blue collar/tradesmen are. My Dad was an industrial blacksmith for 34 years at an American Smelting and Refining smelter in Montana. He was a quick study. Very quick mind, empathetic, could think several steps ahead in all sorts of situations. A man like that is worth more than most employers are willing to pay.
Austin, One thing I learned from having my own shop , and I wish I learned this earlier in my career is you can not run a business on a thin profit margin, I say this not out of greed but there have been more than a few times when things went wrong or the job took way longer than expected , I always completed the job but I realized you have to charge for the unexpected expensive. I feel if these jobs were easy and Stright forward the customer would not need us they would do the job them self's....
I think most potential customers have no idea how much steel costs these days. Add to that the cost of transportation and fuel costs, they equate the cost of a project by what they think they could build it for using 2x4's and nails that they could pickup at Home Depot or Lowe's. When you give them a quote, reality sets in especially if they get several bids that are all in the same ballpark. I really enjoy the great content in your channel.
Proposal should also include " does not include section" for when you think your going to run into additional work but are unsure until you get into the work, or the customer starts adding more work. Love your videos & passion for welding
Great video loco!! I cannot stress enough from my experience in the contracting world, how much of a pain bidding can be. The jobs you expect to get you sometimes don't. The ones you sometimes don't want, are willing to pay more to get started sooner. And never never never assume you'll get every job. And DO NOT start assuming you know why...... With that said, take the ones you get, do the best you can, and try to make everyone happy and before you know it, you'll be busier than you expected or maybe busier than Austin.....🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Really glad you've shared your actual experience with this customer. I usually now, after talking with a potential customer, ask them if they are wanting an estimate, or an actual bid. There is a big difference, in my thinking of these terms, but many think they are interchangeable, so I try to ask this upfront. I have had similar experiences, and even got some of the jobs after many months of not hearing anything. But also glad that some never contacted me, if you know what I mean. Looking forward to seeing the completed welding bed too. 👍
I have had people get fighting mad with me, me explaining that an estimate and quote were two different things. Was glad to hear you lay out the difference as well.
Great that you share , pricing is one of the trickiest parts of any welding job .
A price that works for one may not work for another.
Don't fall for " the other guy is $1,000 lower, can you meet/beat his price "
@@norman7179 try this as an answer.....
you may as well sit at home for nothing , as work for nothing .
U get customers like that…. Than when they find someone cheaper that welder ends up doing a crappy job than they will call u back but than…. The price has gone up 😁
Fixing some one else's sloppy work isn't a fun job. Sometimes it's better to start over with all new materials.
@@norman7179 it’s never fun… so what I was implying was that I’d have to tear it all down and redo it my way
You explained this perfectly. I get annoyed with the customers that think jobs should cost x amount even though they have no clue what it takes to complete it.
Go buy a 50 lb box of rod or refill an AC 5 😱😱
The cost of materials & consumables can change quite a bit in a week or a month anymore. Best to stay on top of it.
Just a danged ol gate come on! In all seriousness I am suprised it was not more. Only because the logistics of placing the steel and the span would much better with at least one hand. Austin I have always enjoyed your videos. One thing most folks dont touch on with many channels is insurance......not medical the other big expense. Liability. It has taken me years to figure out charging. Or lets say confidence. Dont forget to remind people your also trying to make rainy day money. When you get on toward 50 like me you really start being concerned about when you can't money let alone expenses and the equipment you have had 20 years wearing out. Gotta factor that in too or your fighting uphill in your later years........ask me how I know.😅
Thank you for the video. I’ve been doing this for others for a while but recently started my own mobile welding. I’ve been hustling trying to get customers and it’s paid off. Thank you for validating my pricing and my reasons for pricing. It’s good to hear you’re in the right mind frame when it comes to charging the customer. Some are ok with the higher hourly rate and others aren’t. I always adjust to the customer and the project. I find it keeps me making some money vs not making any. I’d rather make 200 for a smaller job rather than not making any money for a day. Just my thinking. 🤷🏼♂️
Thank you! Sharing this information is the best information you can share with people!
Thanks for sharing with us Austin. People sometimes forget wheather they want something right or something cheap. Stay safe and keep up your standards. OLD DAWG DREAMING Fred.
Your absolutely correct in your advice about charging for services rendered. It’s doesn’t really matter what type of service your providing it depends on the demand of the service your providing and situation and time required. I believe a person must establish and hourly rate that their time is valued at. The material supplied must have a percentage of mark up due to time, traveling or mileage involved. Service providers should never take a job that they cannot do. Professionalism is a must in a service business.
What cool gate!
Take pictures of your work to share with potential customers, it’s simple and shows the customer your work.
Been out on my own. For 3 years Nw. What I learned in business. Don’t ever sell ur self. Short. Never ever.! I mark up the materials 20%. There paying for ur experience. An time you’re a problem solver, and the things you go through are nuts
Great information and video.
I don't charge near enough. I'll quote a hourly rate like a 100.00 an HR. And they usually high tail out of there. Or like you said crickets. Glad I don't make a living out of my shop. I'd be broke. I work millwright and rotation shift work. So most of these jobs are side work. I've got a guy now wanting me too build and fab a tube bumper and a overland roof rack system for his can am. Haven't figured the material yet. Anyway good information on this subject.
Having been the third generation in a welding fab shop a lot of the knowledge was handed down to me, yet one has to be flexible and open to new ideas, For us it was what the market bore, how specialized the job was ect. we did a lot of exotic welding for industry so we priced according. Fabrication was based on what was out there in the market, I couldn't build a 25 yard dump box cheaper than one of the big box manufacturers could. but custom work where few if any made such an item you could charge time and material for the most part., in the building boom of the 60's we built literally thousands and thousands of feet of iron railing for apartment buildings, all custom to spec. nobody in a 100 miles could compete because of our fab setup and the ability to mass produce twisted bar, ornimental scrolling ect. You are correct sir, experience is most important, not pricing yourself out of the job also important And most of all know when it is time to walk away from a job because you might lose your ass on it, do that to many times and bills don't get payed and you go bankrupt.
Any trade you can do this. Im a jorneyman painter and run my own company. I consistently make $500-1200 a day and im booked months in advance. 1 key piece of advice is always first impressions, 2nd do what you're going to say you are going to do with no hidden extras added on at the end (unless they add stuff). if you quote and the price changes at the end it makes it look like you dont know what you're doing. also dont go to quotes or work hung over or smelling like ciggs.
Same no response thing happens to me all the time on quotes for a farmer, home owner or general contractor. They usually think any type of welding job is at most gonna be $500 because they don’t understand the complexity and consumable cost of metal work. Every quote I’ve given on commercial, heavy industrial or heavy equipment jobs always gets a response and it’s usually me getting the job.
End of the day I avoid all work from farmers, homeowners and general contractors. There’s way more heavy industry and mining in my area so I stick to that because it much more profitable for me.
thank you so much Austin......best wishes from Florida.....Paul
100$ to 150$ a hour 5$ per foot of bead depending on metal welded on 20$ for arriving 2$ per mile after 10 miles of travel Depending on the job you can charge 300 to 500$ for the job itself then you add your hours bead foot Arrival fee Mile/Gas fee
There is one golden rule, never take a job you’ll loose money on. Don’t subsidize someone else’s hobby or company by working on the cheap, all that does is set the basis for a customer to screw you over on every future job.
thanks for share your knowledges, best regards
Writing proposals (I prefer that term versus "Quote, Bid, etc") is an art and a very skilled profession. It can make your company or bankrupt your company. You need to learn to spell out everything you will perform, what is supplied and, most importantly, what is excluded.
Too many contractors, especially young and inexperienced, will skip the step of providing a written proposal, fail to describe the work, materials, pay schedule, etc. 99% of customers fail to require the same.
It's just good business to have everything in writing, be extremely detailed and thorough and follow-up. If you lose jobs over providing a detailed, written description, etc., to people that don't provide that and also give a lower price, you're not losing. I guarantee the customer is losing.
Bids are like court documents write them very carefully, the "Wanna-Bees" as I call them can mess up pricing for honest jobs..
Then hire a secretary to write all that shlt out. I don't have time for that shlt. They ask I say how much take it or leave it pure and simple and move on to something else. Productivity is profitability
Very good Video 👍 👍
Honestly, coming from experience in numerous professions / bidding stuff, your price still seems low to me, especially when you consider markup / hauling of materials. Granted, I have no idea of the cost-of-living in Oklahoma (I'm in the eastern panhandle of WV). ALSO keep in mind that you'll be losing 10-37% to Uncle Sam depending on your business structure.
Agreed
I was thinkin. I haven't done a welding job in a while. Next call i got was to install a 10point roll cage.
Be adaptable and a productive problem solver and you charge what you want. Under sale and over deliver
Great video, thank you
Not at all surprised that you have never heard back from the customer. Most, not all, have NO respect for your time and very little for you as well. I also think your quote was a little on the low side based on the logistics of the job. And another thing, why doesn’t the customer just contact whoever made that mess in the first place?
Iam going to starting my own welding company mobile .
on BIDS.... you should win 3 out of 5. less than 3, you're higher than the rest; more than 3, you're too low (from
steven lavimoniere, RUclips, HVAC/plumbing)
Sad part is, most customers have absolutely NO IDEA how much things like this cost, they convince themselves that it should cost X, with little to no basis and then are somehow floored when it never comes in at what they were expecting. Secondly, customers are unprofessional...no easy way to say it, they ask for a quote or whatever, you spend time putting together a quote and then as you stated, CRICKETS.
I wish people would just speak up and have a conversation about what their expectations are and then listen and learn how it will really go to actually complete the job.
I have a son who does landscaping and mowing, power washing, etc. He is told all too often, he is too high, but when you ask compared to what, its crickets with usually a dumbfounded look, because most customers have little to no idea how much work goes into things and how much it costs to be able to offer your services to do a job. What they are really saying, is they can't really afford to have someone do the work for them.
I've been in sales for over 32 years, and I have learned many things, but the most glaring thing is if you win business on price, you will lose it on price, secondly, ask a customer if they want the cheapest or the best, because these things will never be the same! At the end of the day for most customers, you get what you pay for.
Go buy a 50 lb box of rod or refill an AC 5
@@SegoMan 100% agree
Can you do a video over all different types of rods and rod sizes and what they are used for?
I am more than happy to have equipment sit idle than let people lowball my prices. I know what my cost of being in business is. Am I going broke taking money losing jobs. Yup, and a whole lot quicker than twiddling my thumbs.
Awesome tips.
Great Video
Sounds about right man. $1,000.00 a day.
Write up a proposal number one change orders cost money don’t let customers push you around confuse you or discourage you keep your head up there’s green grass on the other side. Trust me and nobody is your friend look up for yourself and your family.
Good info
It sounds funny that you can buy welding machine and gears by half day fee to welder
Hello! How Much Does an Electric Welder Make in the US?
I had a guy wanting me to put a hitch on his truck to pull a horse trailer i told him 300 hundred and he said i didn't know i was going to charge him gimmie a break
Sometimes the guy just needs something fixed, they don/t need the very best job done, its the same with mechanic repairs.
How can I work u're company sir.
I’ve had some call me and ask me for the price cause to me it seems like they already investigated elsewhere. Never hear from them again usually I feel like I’m cheap locally
Let’s see that soap stone holder
www.arosswelding.com/shop/soapstone
I’m at like 400 a day 350 ruffly I want to get to 500 then 1 k a day would be great
When, if at all, do you recommend carrying welding certifications when you're getting started out on your own? I have taken tests for employers but never taken an aws welding certification test
Its not easy to work for your self!!
It is to bad people do not understand that if you are not charged for the estimate the company that provided it still has to cover the cost of producing it. If you had 8 hours into creating an accurate bid and do not get the job that is 8 hours of potential lost income. I have seen people charge for equipment audits that take 3 or 4 days to complete but back out a portion of those charges if they get the job. Giving time away is one thing but putting a hundred miles on a vehicle to do it is another. I am guessing your welding rig costs about $0.25 a mile just for fuel. While it may be "the cost of doing business" those costs have to be considered when setting an hourly rate. It is just common courtesy to inform the company that bid the job of the status of their bid. A simple text message would work. As a customer you don't have to give a detailed explanation. If it is cost you could say I really didn't realize the cost. I will have to delay that project or rethink what I want to do or get a competitive bid.
OLD VIDEO?...
Alright Ricky bobby
WHATS WITH THE SPIKE GATES?.. THIS DUDE EXPECTIN A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE I DONT KNOW ABOUT??
Well the problem is steel prices are elevated $150 pre- covid tube is now $500 homeowner was complaining about the cost and I asked her if she vote for Biden and she just kind of look at me and was like will you voted for it prices on everything started going up as soon as they took office within his first 30 days in office fuel was already up $0.60 and they told y'all that was going to happen and you voted for him anyway
I try to over quote some that i dont want and still get most of them , best just to say no thanks
👍
If you're going to start your own business you better have a good work ethic and be self motivated. You can't be one of those people who has to be told to go back to work after breaks and lunches or the beginning of the day.
Why would you make a video explaining your billing process? Personally I would be more likely to watch you welding cool stuff. You seem like a good guy, best of luck
$100hr…..good luck with that, you priced yourself out of a job. But if you can get someone to pay that much then good for you.
Don’t know where you’re at, welders in my area are $140-$180 an hour
Lol. You need to make money off the material, minimum 10 percent, also you need to charge for the tax man, also charging by the hour is ridiculous. You should charge by the job, if one thing goes wrong on your side your gonna eat that job quickly.
Hell I looked at the picture and said off the top of my head 5
I’m not near the level you are but I tell people that I am not cheap at the start so if they are they’ll move on.
Just because you aren’t cheap doesn’t mean you don’t do shit work.
Yeah I do the same thing.
Problem is cheap to one person is expensive to another!
@@KA-om9ozwhy do you think that his statement says he does shit work? Everyone does things different. He may bust a pipe test but knock equipment repair out if the park. He may only have an sa200 and does that for repair and someone else may have a feeder and run dual shield. One person will call another’s work shit because of differences in how they do it. There is an excellent welder near me that talks shit about every other welder near me. It’s just his arrogance and insecurities. We are all at different levels of experience, instead of bashing others. Teach them.
@@Bodie2020 huh? Are you his boyfriend?
The biggest issue with bidding work, I find, is unrealistic expectations. 9 times out of 10 the customer has thought about the material and that's all. Not the labor, experience, and equipment involved on the projects. Also we live in a weird time where the standard of living is so inflated where your hourly rate has to be higher to support your family let alone a business. Good info brother. Glad to see your doing good. Keep killing it!
When I bid I add for "what if's" vs T&M jobs where you just Get-R-Done. The bidding process itself takes time and time is money..
Charge for the bid and the inspection upfront at deduct it from the price if you get the job.
Your laundry person is top notch. Clothes always look nice !
Thanks !
instead of confusing the customer with the several options - why not just find out what he wanted first instead of guessing- a confused customer no matter how little, will never ever make a decision- hell it takes me weeks to buy stuff off amazon- nevermind a hunk of steel that is a gate. i just bought an item i regret-- as i rushed i thought i cleared my confusion- then found out i was just being optimistic... and rushing this confusion issue you can look up in most sales gurus books-- no matter the philosophy they spew..
To hit on your point about working for someone else in a shop to gain experience while you're young, that is also a great way to start your adult life cash flow positive and with a known income. Working for yourself at the beginning of your career is a good way to be $100k in debt without a steady paycheck and not having the experience of anyone else to lean on when you need to.
Austin I have a question for you. How old is to old to become a welders helper.
Never can be to old man. I’ve seen a couple helpers that were in there 70’s and 60’s. Get out there!
We got called out to quote a job yesterday. Haven’t heard from customer yet. Wanted us to fix every single weld on their structure that is not passing inspection. Unfortunately it isn’t cheap. Specially on thin purlins metal. They had a welder that could build it cheap with a Chicago welding machine. 😅
Coming back on this comment. We got the job awarded. But as an LLC company we have a contract we have to agree too describing what type of welding material is needed, abrasives, and labor cost. We are in Texas and the client wanted certifications. 😂😂😂 I showed them butt and branch test certs, UA test certs, and even Oklahoma licensing requirement tests. I told them we could get a fresh set of papers for this particular job, but I would need to redo the quote. I’d need an extra day for testing per welder, plus the time the welder is testing. Haven’t heard from them again. 😂 cheaper isn’t always better, and that’s what people need to understand.
As a business owner myself, an arborist specializing in tree health and pruning via rope access, I can only say that all of the things you state are relevant in nearly any skilled trade. This whole statement is beautiful. I tuned in because I have been teaching myself how to weld and found your channel. Your knowledge and discussion has been heavily appreciated.
T&M …… I charge my labor rate + materials, I add 45% to material, and give my quote, i no longer reply to “ I have material “ it’s usually some crusty painted garbage that I have to spend 3 hours cleaning, i also send full
Breakdown of rate and materials,
I like when a quote ranges from one amount to twice as much as original amount
Heck, a welder need experience in the different types of steel their is and where to purchase it . I see some welder jury rig up some make shift crapy device that will work but look bad because they didn't know where to get the correct items from.
Dad sold his welder and oxy torch and lathe and blast cabinet and parts washer. Shop seems roomy.
To your point of working for a shop prior to breaking out, remember if you don’t know much yet a shop is a not only a great place to learn but it’s a great place to fail. You most likely won’t get fired if you’re new and learning and make a mistake in a shop but if your bidding work and you make mistakes your dinner table is going to suffer. You don’t want a bad reputation because you were to eager to get in the field before you’re ready
The music junked another video 👎👎👎👎💩💩💩😬
afyer 53 years welding I do not believe this.
Thank you for the intel sir..
2024 add another grand
Always need more coffee
Down here trades persons will actually charge money yo give a quote. If they have to go out to the jobsite they will charge an evaluation fee up front then deduct if they get hired.
I charge as much as I can, enough I'm happy with free time to $$$ ratio. When to busy charge more.
That sounds like a good deal for mobile work. Company i work for has a after hour rate of 268.50 an hour to hit 1000 a day sounds like the right price for quality work
I have a personal belief that if we have to go out to visit a site and do engeering then we should charge for our time.
I do mobile and in house welding and fab. If its anew customer, I prefer to get the customer on the phone or in person and give them the cost. Then you can read the situation and possible make adjustments. Email or text is bad, sometimes there just showing prices.
Always watched your vids for advice, keep on keeping on brother respect to you
I try to charge enough that I'd be happy to be asked to do the job again.
God bless brother you are a true inspiration 🙏 I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story and lots of people look up to you including myself.
this is the reason you take a welding class at the local community college as I have. I don't do it for a living, but it sure comes in handy at times.
There is no point in buying work (working too cheaply ),and you can sit at home and earn nothing without wearing out the equipment 😉
I call that working yourself out of a job..
I’m not too scientific with my pricing. Number one thing I don’t do is let another company price my work.
Here’s my formula for pricing anything…
How much money will it take for me to keep coming back with a smile on my face until it’s finished. Then I just use that number.