Expectations Vs Reality

We recently priced some Japanese knotweed removal works for a main contractor at £38K. We were then told that we’d lost the works to another contractor who’d given them a price of just £5K.

We knew this price was ridiculous and told our client that there would be problems – but they awarded the works to the lower priced company.

Low and behold, a few weeks later we were informed that the company had told our client that they had too much work on and couldn’t fulfill their obligations. We were then asked if we could do the works ….for £5K.

Obviously we couldn’t.

Unfortunately, whilst we knew the lower priced company hadn’t looked at the job, they hadn’t priced it properly and they hadn’t given it any thought….our client hadn’t picked up on this.

Then when awarded the works …they realised they’d f**ked up …and pulled out.

The downside of this crap (that we regularly have to deal with) is that the clients expectation is set – that these stupidly low prices can actually be achieved – and the price the project is left being undervalued.

We often find earthworks contractors think they can price for Knotweed removal and throw a low price in with their ‘package’ of works – again underpriced, undervalued and not achievable.

We recently surveyed and priced works for a client who then asked us to attend a ‘pre-start’ meeting, only to then be told some two weeks later – that they had awarded the works to the groundwork’s contractor.

Of course, once reality had kicked in and the groundwork’s contractor realised that they had chucked a nominal figure of £25K in, against £69K plus of works – they backed out ….leaving their client to re-approach us and ask us back to the table.

Now I’m a businessman and I hate turning work away – but wouldn’t it just be nice every once in a while to say to people …

You know what …just f**k off.

Mike C