# $300.00 recuts?



## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

We have been losing work lately on the private side. There are companies springing up who are charging 1/4 of what HUD rates are. I've seen "junk buddy" "bubba's hauling" "Adam's Handyman Service" and these guys are terrible but when the realtor, asset manager, or home owner get bids and these guys are 75% less they give them a shot. 

So we have been working on making the little bit of national work we do more profitable. In doing this I have found that the $300.00 recut (which I thought was a unicorn) is surprisingly common. We in fact have several of them. Now we need more of them. The key to getting them is making sure the client is aware of the size of the entire property. 

I really thought perimeter cuts had ruined grass cutting but I'm starting to see some potential again.


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

Trying to sell our house. 

I'm a bit jaded on realtors right now. Going with the low cost hack doesn't improve that any.


On the same note folks will haul junk off for a fraction of what it should cost.
Last night on a local FB page some one posted pics of a pile of junk that would probably take AT LEAST 2 hrs to load and go to the dump. Maybe 3.
They were offering $100 all in and folks were fighting over being the first to the trough. 
Disposal was probably close to $40 by itself.


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

The thing is, depending on the bank or management company, even when working thru some brokers, payment on an invoice can be 30 days +.
One of the biggest reasons I have seen that the fly by nights don't last very long on the private end is that they 1) don't have enough working capitol to float jobs that long 2) can't manage money period.

If you have brokers that want to give "Bubbajunk" a try, it is likely you will be getting a call from them again soon. And BTW, when the lowballers take those $100 debris jobs there are no dump fees, only dumping.


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

I just had a client yesterday call me. I bid a trashout on a single family house for them about a month ago. I thought it was a good price. He wants a new bid without hauling the trash to the dump. "How much if you just move everything into the garage?" So I rebid at the same rate minus one dumping fee and this bid is valid for 15 days. The guy is nice enough, just never worked a job without a suit and a calculator. We'll get the job, either before or after the city cites him for debris in the yard.


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

BPWY said:


> Trying to sell our house.
> 
> I'm a bit jaded on realtors right now. Going with the low cost hack doesn't improve that any.


I found out that a good realtor for selling your home and a good realtor for buying and selling investment property are two different animals. The big thing for you out in that wide open state is to get your house on the MLS. When it comes to buying houses to live in, I don't even think of calling my realtor until I've scrubbed the websites and researched every property I am interested in. The only thing I want my guy for when selling is to list it on the mls and be the go between, but I try to use the same people, depending on the state/area.
Then again, I have a few guys that work for me that have sold their homes on craigslist. Go figure.


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## ezdayman (Jan 7, 2014)

*yup...*

I had someone call to remove a hot-tub. told the lady 250-350 depending on size etc. great she says.. calls back the next day.. can you do for 120? um no? a guy stopped over and said he will do for 130.. I told her good luck as the dump fee will be nearly 75-80. not sure how someone can work for pennies. I know this wasnta high paying job but all it required is me to use my 30inch chain saw blade and cut in 4 sections and clean up mess and haul away. no heavy lifting etc.. i call her to see how it went he was there for 3 hours with a sludge hammer and didnt even take the cover or steps. another douche that thinks cause he got a customer he is on a roll to being a millionaire:thumbsup:

This industry sucks.. to many idiots making our prices lower and lower..

I had a tree removal that i lost cause someone said they will do it for 265$ How????? i would charge close to 400. 
Also my snow plowing last year i lost my big account cause i was doing 45-65 per store upto 2"
a douche comes in and says he will do them for upto 3.5" for 35 per store. where the hell is the money making?


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

ezdayman said:


> I had someone call to remove a hot-tub. told the lady 250-350 depending on size etc. great she says.. calls back the next day.. can you do for 120? um no? a guy stopped over and said he will do for 130.. I told her good luck as the dump fee will be nearly 75-80. not sure how someone can work for pennies. I know this wasnta high paying job but all it required is me to use my 30inch chain saw blade and cut in 4 sections and clean up mess and haul away. no heavy lifting etc.. i call her to see how it went he was there for 3 hours with a sludge hammer and didnt even take the cover or steps. another douche that thinks cause he got a customer he is on a roll to being a millionaire:thumbsup:
> 
> This industry sucks.. to many idiots making our prices lower and lower..
> 
> ...





I've been lucky in that I was able to find and keep loyal lawn/snow customers. 
The problem is that I'm totally burnt out on seasonal work and the stress the uncertain income stream causes is doing my health no favors.
We're buying a food distribution route once the house sells.


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

GTX63 said:


> The thing is, depending on the bank or management company, even when working thru some brokers, payment on an invoice can be 30 days +.
> One of the biggest reasons I have seen that the fly by nights don't last very long on the private end is that they 1) don't have enough working capitol to float jobs that long 2) can't manage money period.
> 
> If you have brokers that want to give "Bubbajunk" a try, it is likely you will be getting a call from them again soon. And BTW, when the lowballers take those $100 debris jobs there are no dump fees, only dumping.


One particular job we lost they were selling the stuff right out of the property on Craigslist. I guess that beats a dump fee and makes you some money while you wait for payment. 

I'm not going to compete with these kinds of guys and we are not going to Apologize for our price. It's just frustrating when some guy does a 40 cyd trash out for $500.00 and my bid was $2,000.00. 

Anyway like I said the $300.00 grass cuts are becoming more and more common and if we can keep the mowers running we will just close the summer out that way.


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

Had one not too long ago. My foreman was on site to look at a trashout, 2 acre mow and interior paint and carpet. Another guy in a beat to death truck is already there hauling out a tv, pulling the stainless stove out to cut the gas line and his truck is half full of items for resale.
My guy says "WTH are you doing?" He says he is there to do a trashout. Well, a quick phone call confirmed he was supposed to be doing a 2nd bid only. The broker called him and ordered him off the property. His bid could have been half of mine and he wouldn't have got the job.
A client tries to save a little money and it ends up costing them more when the job is poorly done and/or the vendor is a thief.

I've had a few bad guys work for me over the years, and it is stunning to see how many of them go to work for the competition. That says a lot.


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## ezdayman (Jan 7, 2014)

*Funny*

There was a house in downtown had the sub zero fridge, and jennair washer and dryer and double decker dishwasher.. go back next week all replaced with old white appliance someone got nearly 7 grand worth of stuff for free.. 

also there was a guy was using a scrap guy.. every home was broken into and all copper stolen. .it was funny that ****guard couldnt put 2 and 2 together... the brokers still use him on alot of side jobs cause he is "cheap"

I would be cheap too if i used a snowmobile trailer with fence walls 9ft tall..


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## ezdayman (Jan 7, 2014)

*Like this guy*

Come on.. my trailer is 17 times bigger.. can you image this going down the highway..?


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## idaho (Oct 20, 2012)

I haven't really came down on my prices, bid a tree the other day 40 ft high but based on location between houses 2700.00. I do less work obviously and have less headaches less subs and I am ok with that. 

They have decided to come down on de-wints so much I sent off a memo (poorly written and mis-spelt words) any water heater older then 5 years we will bid to replace and not attempt to dewint, Since we are responsible I just decided to make that up and now I get no more de-wints. I also opted out of doing winterization except for wells on the pp side. Those BATF for wells are nice! billed out and payed no issues.

I honestly don't understand who agrees to the mileage thing they offer, like it was a sweet deal I fill out a form and they give me 30 cents a mile ???? I wasn't sure but since I am filling out a form aren't they writing off 52 cents a mile for taxes or whatever it is ?

(My truck pulling trailer gets about 12 miles to the gallon so 12 miles they give me 3.60, how much is a gallon of gas again ? Yeah I know but I own truck and like the radio)

I am not burnt out of this work by no means but I can slow it down and be ok so I will just stick around for the reo side to destroys all the nationals and see what is left.

Oh and why are they so surprised when I tell them cost of doing biz and chargebacks get passed back to em on bids ?? I mean they have to be recoup somewhere right ?


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

idaho said:


> l I fill out a form and they give me 30 cents a mile ???? I wasn't sure but since I am filling out a form aren't they writing off 52 cents a mile for taxes or whatever it is ?


Sounds like you paid them so you could drive your truck.


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## RServant (Jul 13, 2013)

ezdayman said:


> Come on.. my trailer is 17 times bigger.. can you image this going down the highway..?
> View attachment 1713


I had tears coming out while going through that site lol


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## Zuse (Nov 17, 2012)

Craigslist Hack said:


> We have been losing work lately on the private side. There are companies springing up who are charging 1/4 of what HUD rates are. I've seen "junk buddy" "bubba's hauling" "Adam's Handyman Service" and these guys are terrible but when the realtor, asset manager, or home owner get bids and these guys are 75% less they give them a shot.
> 
> So we have been working on making the little bit of national work we do more profitable. In doing this I have found that the $300.00 recut (which I thought was a unicorn) is surprisingly common. We in fact have several of them. Now we need more of them. The key to getting them is making sure the client is aware of the size of the entire property.
> 
> I really thought perimeter cuts had ruined grass cutting but I'm starting to see some potential again.


DUH, i could have told you that, him as many 300.00 recuts. :icon_rolleyes: and your can trim the shrubs and trees on every recut for wells..thunderous Ooraahh!!! :yes:


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

Zuse said:


> DUH, i could have told you that, him as many 300.00 recuts. :icon_rolleyes: and your can trim the shrubs and trees on every recut for wells..thunderous Ooraahh!!! :yes:


Maybe I should become a better listener?


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