Fencing contractors don't turn up for quotations

[Cecile]

We need to have both side fences done. Moondog rang four or five contractors, all of whom said they would call round to give us estimates last week. Of course, no one showed up. The lady on one side is in a public housing residence, and she has obviously asked them to replace fences...the housing authority is giving us the choice of who to use. On the other side, I am fairly sure she is going to crack the poos and tell us she can't afford it, but I am tired of her suburban "barnyard", the constantly falling-down fence and her junk. At least we keep our junk in our own yard, not leaning up against joint fence (Moondog, take note honey! :p )

It's frustrating, trying to get anything done these days. Do folks really not need the work, or are they all so busy they don't have time to scratch themselves?

Does anyone have any recommendation for fencing contractors in the Geelong area? Thanks

[Black Cat]

Had a similar problem. I decided to get 'best of three' quotes. Well I did. I got one quote out of four fencing contractors. He was great, did a wonderful job, coped really well with Ms Congeniality's shennanigans and charged less than it should have been because he accidentally gave me a lapped fence when he had quoted for a butt-joined one. Nice man. Recommend him to anyone. But not in Geelong, sorry.

[Godzilla73]

G'day,

Seems to be the norm with fencing these days, i'm sure they're busy but a phone call would be good. We had or attempted to get a few quotes for our place, only 1 bloke turned up from a bigger mob, he was just the check measure/quote guy, all he did was point out all the things that were going to add to the cost...

Shed to close $300, plants to close $160x2, firewood in the way $100 and so it went on to the point that 19mtr of fence cost $1500, hence i got a price for the timber $675 delivered which the neighbours paid and i supplied labour, done in a day...

Sorry can't help with anybody down your way, but you're not alone...:doh: Oh and my neighbours were all broke as well, they have a nice new 8 person spa to relax in tho and get over there money woes...

[Black Cat]

Ms Congeniality thought it would be agreat idea for me to pay for both sections so she could pay me back. Not that silly. Boundary fences are unfortunately the cause of many a neighbourhood dispute. I guess it depends on how strongly you feel about things if it comes down to a debate ...

[stevoh741]

currently not on the tools but when I was, fencing jobs were easy to get. I'm a carpenter and can't compete pricewise with some (usually dodgy) fence contractors but whenever I was asked to quote I did it the same day whenever possible. Plenty of times I would be trimming the palings and cleaning up before anyone else bothered getting quotes back so while they were wondering why they didn't get the job I'd be sipping scotch and telling myself what another job well done......

[m6sports]

I called around a couple of people to get a quote but one day
Fencing blokes were across the road doing a job, I went over and asked them when they finish to come and give me a quote. They said not a problem, 1 hour later I see they are packing up, it wouldn't have been more then 10min when a looked out the window there car was gone and so were they

[Black Cat]

We must be paying them too much I reckon if they are that hard to pin down.

[m6sports]

I called at least 6 landscapes on the central coast as we needed some work done at work
Left a voice mail one everyone of the calls, not one called back, the funny thing was one of the contractors I called promised to be prompt and always on time on his website. I don't like the chances if he didn't even bother calling me back

I get that when your flat out with work the last thing you want Is to spend your time doing quotes knowing someone is wasting your time but it comes with the job, I get my fair share of B.S in my business but you take it and move on.

I think they are to spoilt with work at the moment and don't want to do smaller jobs even though the one at work wasn't a small job, but they will get a name for themselves and the work will dry up

I ended up doing the landscaping myself over 2 weekends but next time I will look at getting someone for Sydney instead
Most trades don't mind the travel to the coast as they are always against the traffic

[Gaza]

I get that when your flat out with work the last thing you want Is to spend your time doing quotes knowing someone is wasting your time but it comes with the job, I get my fair share of B.S in my business but you take it and move on.



WTF do you do quotes for dental work, i always joke about getting a quote from the dentist.

[ringtail]

currently not on the tools but when I was, fencing jobs were easy to get. I'm a carpenter and can't compete pricewise with some (usually dodgy) fence contractors but whenever I was asked to quote I did it the same day whenever possible. Plenty of times I would be trimming the palings and cleaning up before anyone else bothered getting quotes back so while they were wondering why they didn't get the job I'd be sipping scotch and telling myself what another job well done......

I'm the same. I cant compete with fencing contractors, so I normally tell my clients that I will quote, but you wont like it. Some go with the cheapy option and regret it and others get what they pay for.

[Gaza]

I'm the same. I cant compete with fencing contractors, so I normally tell my clients that I will quote, but you wont like it. Some go with the cheapy option and regret it and others get what they pay for.

i think the subby rate is around $16plm in sydney for labour for lapncap, bugger if i know how you can make a fair pay from that

[m6sports]

WTF do you do quotes for dental work, i always joke about getting a quote from the dentist.

I'm not a dentist but a dental prosthetist so my majority of my work is dentures ( false teeth )

Our first appointment with a patient is mainly to assess the job and to give the patient a Quote on how much it's going to cost. We as every field of work get people that just want the cheapest price and don't care about the quality of work done

Only difference is we don't call it a Quote but a Treatment Plan, but every dentist is ment to let you know how much it's going to cost before the treatment is started :)

[ringtail]

I'm not a dentist but a dental prosthetist so my majority of my work is dentures ( false teeth )

Our first appointment with a patient is mainly to assess the job and to give the patient a Quote on how much it's going to cost. We as every field of work get people that just want the cheapest price and don't care about the quality of work done

Only difference is we don't call it a Quote but a Treatment Plan, but every dentist is ment to let you know how much it's going to cost before the treatment is started :)


Treatment plan is just code for "better redraw on the mortage" or "your first born will do as a deposit":D

[ringtail]

i think the subby rate is around $16plm in sydney for labour for lapncap, bugger if i know how you can make a fair pay from that

I never estimate per l/m. I use hourly/daily rate. I dont give a bugger how long or short the fence is, its gets done in how ever many hours/days it takes to get done right. The client gets my estimate and converts it to a LM price and needless to say I dont do much fencing work.

[SlowMick]

do people who get cheapest possible false teeth have "bargain" tattoos as well?

[SlowMick]

On the subject of fencing contractors, i had to get all new fences when i bought my house. the previous owner could not affored them so the neighbours were keen.

we went with one of largest local contractors for one side and the back fence. The subby managed to skew the side fence so that it was a foot and half off the boundary at each end. He wouldn't agree that something was wrong even when i showed him the back corner. I told him the fences should meet in a cross as surveyors are lazy and just draw up boxes in the suburbs. he cracked it and left. a week later the two biggest guys i have ever seen turned up. They trenched next to the fence post holes and levered the fence back into line. I wasn't going to tell them i wasn't going to pay. funnily enough the fence is now falling down 7 years later. :doh:

[Gaza]

when i was a kid my dad had a fenceing company, that he owed as part of his other business.

i used to go around with him on saturdays to do the quotes, used to be lots of maccas every saturday while driving around.

they used to do some big jobs, he has told me stories you dont wont to belive about fencers,

[ringtail]

Even if you only believe 10% of them I bet its still scary.

[Black Cat]

I just don't understand why they can't say - look, I am flat out at present so can not give you a quote right now. If you can wait, I will be over in x weeks/months. If the client is serious, they will wait. If they get impatient they will call you again.

If you call before your delayed trip you will find out if they have waited. Communication is the simplest thing and seems to be beyond so many people these days ...

I will bad mouth a failed tradey, but one who frankly tells me he won't be able to do the job for me gets praised to the rafters. Think about it next time you are tempted to just give that phonecall a miss.

[stevoh741]

fencers aren't tradies....don't confuse the 2. A bit like security screen installers, think because they can screw a screen to a door frame they know how to hang an entry door....yeah right!

[m6sports]

do people who get cheapest possible false teeth have "bargain" tattoos as well?
No they must have a payment plan to pay off both sleeves and are saving to cover the rest of there body :)
one guy ( covered in tattoos ) had me in stitches when I referred him to a dentist to have some teeth filled due to cavities before I started, didn't want to go as he was scared of Needles

[m6sports]

Treatment plan is just code for "better redraw on the mortage" or "your first born will do as a deposit":D lets say a denture costs $1000 and you wear them 24hours a day to make you smile and help you eat for the next 10 years, that's $100 a year my last car service ( Mazda ) was $750 and the one before that was $450 that means I spent more money this year to service my car,then a denture costs

I'm not saying all dental treatment is cheap but you make in appointment to see me.
I don't charge for the consultation and treatment plan and if you choose not to have anything done its my bad luck not yours.
Best still if your booked in for 1pm I'm there, I'm not a no show like alot of places that have ment to come to quote me
And before you add, its rare for me to be running late remember im not a dentist :)

Please any tradies out there that are doing the right thing don't take what I say to heart , your out there I know because I have also had good experiences but it's the shonkies including dental that give everyone a bad name

[r3nov8or]

We need to have both side fences done. Moondog rang four or five contractors, all of whom said they would call round to give us estimates last week. Of course, no one showed up. The lady on one side is in a public housing residence, and she has obviously asked them to replace fences...the housing authority is giving us the choice of who to use. On the other side, I am fairly sure she is going to crack the poos and tell us she can't afford it, but I am tired of her suburban "barnyard", the constantly falling-down fence and her junk. At least we keep our junk in our own yard, not leaning up against joint fence (Moondog, take note honey! :p )

It's frustrating, trying to get anything done these days. Do folks really not need the work, or are they all so busy they don't have time to scratch themselves?

Does anyone have any recommendation for fencing contractors in the Geelong area? Thanks

Cecile, it's been a long time, but I've used Geelong Fencing is the past. IME most of the fencers in Geelong will only quote timber fences by the linear metre and only over the phone. There simply isn't enough dough in it to spend a day a week going around quoting.

[r3nov8or]

totally forgot my Mum recently got some fences! (she is in Geelong too). They used Stanley Fences and seem to have done a very good job on a sloping block.

[Ken-67]

I've been many years in the building trade, and this hs been a constant story across all trades, good times and bad times. My policy has always been, on first contact say if I can or can't do the job, make an appointment, get there when I say, send quote within a week, on acceptance give an honest answer for start date, start when I said I would, stay till the job is finished. It's surprising how many jobs I've got just by turning up in the first place, and I've never understood other tradies' casual attitude to it.

[ringtail]

lets say a denture costs $1000 and you wear them 24hours a day to make you smile and help you eat for the next 10 years, that's $100 a year my last car service ( Mazda ) was $750 and the one before that was $450 that means I spent more money this year to service my car,then a denture costs

I'm not saying all dental treatment is cheap but you make in appointment to see me.
I don't charge for the consultation and treatment plan and if you choose not to have anything done its my bad luck not yours.
Best still if your booked in for 1pm I'm there, I'm not a no show like alot of places that have ment to come to quote me
And before you add, its rare for me to be running late remember im not a dentist :)

Please any tradies out there that are doing the right thing don't take what I say to heart , your out there I know because I have also had good experiences but it's the shonkies including dental that give everyone a bad name


$ 1000 for dentures is very cheap, or is that one denture - eg 1 tooth ?

[Ken-67]

$ 1000 for dentures is very cheap, or is that one denture - eg 1 tooth ?
I guess that depends on what timber he used.:D

[m6sports]

$ 1000 for dentures is very cheap, or is that one denture - eg 1 tooth ?
Ringtail sounds like you have been ripped off in the past
A denture can be as little as $700 all the way up to $1900 but for a standard full top denture most dental prosthetists will charge around $1000

I wasn't trying to get into a conversation on how much dentures cost but most businesses are happy to give quotes
Beside alot of tradies who think that they can show up or not as they please

Better still when they do come and quote and you ask them to start, all of a sudden become to busy

I must agree with ken-67 I have accepted quotes for work before just because they showed up and the price seamed reasonable didn't even ask if they could do it cheaper, those tradies I'm going to hold on for dear life

But trying to get someone to do some landscaping and a fence has been a joke

[ringtail]

Ringtail sounds like you have been ripped off in the past
A denture can be as little as $700 all the way up to $1900 but for a standard full top denture most dental prosthetists will charge around $1000

I wasn't trying to get into a conversation on how much dentures cost but most businesses are happy to give quotes
Beside alot of tradies who think that they can show up or not as they please

Better still when they do come and quote and you ask them to start, all of a sudden become to busy

I must agree with ken-67 I have accepted quotes for work before just because they showed up and the price seamed reasonable didn't even ask if they could do it cheaper, those tradies I'm going to hold on for dear life

But trying to get someone to do some landscaping and a fence has been a joke

No not at all. I'm very fortunate to have a top dentist that is a business associate to a former employer. For 13 years I paid nothing more than a few bottles of wine for anything myself or my missus had done. Now I'm on mates rates 20% discount and you really get to see how much money dentists charge, which is a real eye opener when you have be insulated from the cost for so long. Like any specialist, dentists charge $ 400 per hour or there abouts. Ouch.

[Handyjack]

So how much should I charge a dentist for work?
Dentist A ask me to look at his curtain track that had fallen down. Very hard to say no as I was in his chair.
Dentist B is having me do some tiling repairs in his bathroom. Will require 3 or 4 visits. I have not given a price.
Both jobs entail working in confined space which can make using tools difficult. I am sure they would be use to this.

As for fence quotes, some contractors must have too much money (or work) if they could not be bothered to show up or call.

[ringtail]

So how much should I charge a dentist for work?
Dentist A ask me to look at his curtain track that had fallen down. Very hard to say no as I was in his chair.
Dentist B is having me do some tiling repairs in his bathroom. Will require 3 or 4 visits. I have not given a price.
Both jobs entail working in confined space which can make using tools difficult. I am sure they would be use to this.

As for fence quotes, some contractors must have too much money (or work) if they could not be bothered to show up or call.

Guess it depends on how much pain you can handle when next in the chair :D

[Godzilla73]

My my bro had 2 wisdom teeth pulled in the chair for $80 15 years ago, 10 mins work a box of Panadol right as rain. :)(Friend a few weeks ago, was a night in hospital, knocked out, job done, that'll be $1700 thanks... I offered the DIY option for a slab but ehh, gift horse and all that...

[Handyjack]

I used to go to a dentist (now deceased) that was always running late by half an hour plus in the afternoon. I made a time to be the first patient in the morning.
He was still late! Could not get into his own surgery on time. No apologies either.
That was the last appointment I made with him as I changed dentist.

[Cecile]

Well, in spite of the thread hijack, thanks for the replies. We got one estimate in the mail. The guy obviously came and had a look, but never rang to make sure someone was home, he did not speak with Moondog. He automatically assumed we wanted to replace what was already there, which we don't...the eastern boundary fence needs to be extended to the front of the property. He also assumed we wanted single layer paling, and he has no idea that the concrete posts on one boundary are intact and in good condition. I don't work on assumptions, there are too many opportunities for problems, and I'd prefer someone actually ASK us what we want, write a contract and cost it accordingly. We'll have to keep on looking.

I know the lady next door won't be happy, and I'm sure she'll cry poor. Due to her abundance of sheds and other crap on the boundary, we get the palings on BOTH boundaries.