Client looking for example of previous work

Frederick Tatum2

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions

I have recently started to quote on some building work. Problem is they all want to see examples of previous work similar to what I'm quoting for. Which I can understand but how can I if I have no previous work to show

I have worked for construction company overseeing jobs for last 6/7 years, extensions, new builds etc basically start to finish but they ran into a bit of financial difficulties recently and I had to leave as they weren't paying me. I worked as a subcontractor so the business side of things is all in place. I have contacts for other trades apart from mine (carpentry/roofing)
I recently was doing an initial visit for a quote and when asked about previous work they could see i explained the situation. She asked if she could ring the company I did work for. I was reluctant because of the way I left but in an effort to try something that might work i told her the name. Turns out they were also quoting on the same job. They are hardly going to reference someone who is now a rival are they

Just wondering if anyone has any helpful suggestions. Thanks

esox28

start small do some work for friends and family, everybody has to start somewhere.

Frederick Tatum2

Thanks.
Not sure anyone needs anything done right now but I guess patience is key.
Just wondering does the fact work is done for family and friends not throw people off it being a reference as they would know me and not be impartial

One job I looked at was break through a non load bearing wall to create double doors. I had seen plenty of those just not in my name. Do they get much smaller than that for a builder?

4Sticks

Frederick Tatum2 wrote: »

Problem is they all want to see examples of previous work similar to what I'm quoting for. Which I can understand but how can I if I have no previous work to show.
Just wondering if anyone has any helpful suggestions. Thanks

Integrity counts in everything we do in business. You cannot show what you don't have to show. You can only continue to be honest - stress the experience that you do have - and someone will back you. In time your problem will solve itself.

Frederick Tatum2

Thanks 4sticks

A friend in the trade suggested the only way is to go in dirt cheap so they can't turn me down but your point about integrity rings true here. If you go in cheap once your kinda stuck with that label and all the warnings you see people stressing that the cheapest quote is not always the best

DOCARCH

Frederick Tatum2 wrote: »

Thanks 4sticks
If you go in cheap once your kinda stuck with that label and all the warnings you see people stressing that the cheapest quote is not always the best

I wouldn't say that, you need to get yourself on the ladder and build a reputation. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey!

Your friend may be right that for the first couple of jobs you may need to price very tightly, even be prepared to take a bit of a loss just simply to get some projects under your belt and build a reputation/track record of past projects.

Once you have a couple of satisfied past clients under your belt you can then afford to bring your prices up to a sustainable level.

From the other side, as an architect who tenders projects all the time, I would quite often have 'new' builders on tender lists, but without a track record of past projects, very often clients simply will not go with the new builder or even consider the new builder unless they have good reason to do so (and usually that reason is price!).

If the new builder has a comparable price to other builders (builders the client can get references for) the client will always go with one of those builders.

If the new builder has a price much lower than others, then maybe the client may take a punt.

Frederick Tatum2

Thanks for detailed response
Forgive me as I haven't been in the loop regarding prices for a while but is everything not tight at the moment anyway? Obviously people will go for builder who has previous work to show if prices are similar and I would be prepared to work for just a basic daily wage on a couple of jobs no profit but aren't alot of builders doing that just to get work?
Thanks for

4Sticks

Frederick Tatum2 wrote: »

Thanks for detailed response
Forgive me as I haven't been in the loop regarding prices for a while but is everything not tight at the moment anyway? Obviously people will go for builder who has previous work to show if prices are similar and I would be prepared to work for just a basic daily wage on a couple of jobs no profit but aren't alot of builders doing that just to get work?
Thanks for

You work to earn money. Never forget that. Do not "buy" work.

DOCARCH

4Sticks wrote: »

You work to earn money. Never forget that. Do not "buy" work.

I don't disagree, but, it's a bit of a Catch 22 to be honest.

Even a professional starting out has to be very competitive starting out to get work and build up a 'back catalogue' of work...there is also an element of luck to it too and getting the right client who will take the risk/give you that break you need.

martinn123

DOCARCH wrote: »

I don't disagree, but, it's a bit of a Catch 22 to be honest.

Even a professional starting out has to be very competitive starting out to get work and build up a 'back catalogue' of work...there is also an element of luck to it too and getting the right client who will take the risk/give you that break you need.

Stick to your pricing strategy, do not '' buy work'' however consider offering an incentive for referrals, and/ or permission to use photo's, arrange visits by new prospects, references.
A Voucher for B&Q or One For All, if you sell a job, on the back of an existing site, helps.

BryanF

martinn123 wrote: »

an incentive for referrals.......
A Voucher for B&Q or One For All, if you sell a job....

who is getting this incentive? a previous client? as a consumer i would not be happy with this:(

Martin if I've taken you out of context please advise thanks

martinn123

BryanF wrote: »

who is getting this incentive? a previous client? as a consumer i would not be happy with this:(

Martin if I've taken you out of context please advise thanks

It's quite common, when a job is completed, to offer an incentive, to that customer, for any referrals, always assuming they are happy with how the Job was done.

Same would go for permission to use photographs of the job, and of course if I want to bring a prospect, to see a completed job, an incentive to the previous client, would compensate in a small way for any inconvenience, and their assistance.

Hope this clears it up for you Bryan, sorry if I was not clear.

Word of mouth, referral, best source of work, in my opinion.

Frederick Tatum2

Would I be correct in saying so that the best way to proceed is keep putting myself out there, keep prices as low as I can afford to and sell myself as best as possible? I wouldn't be the best at having the gift of the gab like a salesman would all I could tell them is the truth.

From a customers point of view are they okay with people coming to visit their house? I would assume they would be okay with photos being used if they were happy.

martinn123

I have worked for construction company overseeing jobs for last 6/7 years, extensions, new builds etc basically start to finish but they ran into a bit of financial difficulties recently and I had to leave as they weren't paying me. I worked as a subcontractor so the business side of things is all in place.

To clarify, were you working as a subbie, or direct for the Company.

If you were a subbie, you have loads of work to show prospective clients, I am assuming the Construction Co are gone, if not were you paid for all work completed.

Approach some of the customers, explain the situation, that the work is yours, ask permission for some photo's, and perhaps some may allow you to bring a prospective client to see your work.

DOCARCH

martinn123 wrote: »

A Voucher for B&Q or One For All, if you sell a job, on the back of an existing site, helps.

I can tell you that if I was a client and I got a (good) reference, from another person, for a builder...and then found out that person received a 'gift' for giving that reference...I would be pretty annoyed!

That, in my opinion, is somewhat devious and would have to cloud/incentivise, to some extent, any reference given.

If a builder does a good job for somebody, they are normally more than happy to give a good reference (...without being incentivised!).

DOCARCH

Frederick Tatum2 wrote: »

Would I be correct in saying so that the best way to proceed is keep putting myself out there, keep prices as low as I can afford to and sell myself as best as possible? I wouldn't be the best at having the gift of the gab like a salesman would all I could tell them is the truth.

Pretty much so. I am not suggesting you buy work (as Martin suggests), you just need to keep plugging away until you get a break.

Frederick Tatum2

martinn123 wrote: »

To clarify, were you working as a subbie, or direct for the Company.

If you were a subbie, you have loads of work to show prospective clients, I am assuming the Construction Co are gone, if not were you paid for all work completed.

Approach some of the customers, explain the situation, that the work is yours, ask permission for some photo's, and perhaps some may allow you to bring a prospective client to see your work.

Hi Martin

I worked as a subbie since the start. They have not gone out of business they said they couldn't pay me at the time as they hadn't been paid themselves (something along those lines anyway) I couldn't continue to work for them if I wasn't being paid so I told them I had to look for paid work.

Anyway some of the work I would have overseen is actually up on company website as previous work and to put it simply the company are the bees knees when it comes to local reputation ( Small enough rural community)

martinn123

DOCARCH wrote: »

I can tell you that if I was a client and I got a (good) reference, from another person, for a builder...and then found out that person received a 'gift' for giving that reference...I would be pretty annoyed!

That, in my opinion, is somewhat devious and would have to cloud/incentivise, to some extent, any reference given.

If a builder does a good job for somebody, they are normally more than happy to give a good reference (...without being incentivised!).

Yes but we all need to keep the work coming in.
To put this in context, and revove the deviousness, when I finish a job, I encourage the householder to invite the neighbours round, to see the completed work, they do this anyway.

So if they have a supply of my Business Cards, and give them out, great.

Similarly I will have done a leaflet drop in the Estate, saying we are working at Mrs Murphy's house ,number 29, do call over if you see me at the house, ( all done with Mrs Murphy's 'permission.

So if a neighbour asks Mrs Murphy's if I did a good job, and shows off my work, and I get a job from that, a voucher is deserved.
People love to talk about the improvements they have made, I just want them to mention it was me.

A visit to a previous customers home with a prospect, is also an imposition, on their property and time, so if I leave them for a few minutes to chat ( about me )
And I get a job, a Gift says thanks for letting me bring someone to your home.

Finally permission to use a photo, on a web-site or brochure, deserves a thank you.

BTW, none of this works if you do a Krap job.

martinn123

DOCARCH wrote: »

Pretty much so. I am not suggesting you buy work (as Martin suggests), you just need to keep plugging away until you get a break.

I suggested no such thing, I was reinforcing 4sticks comment, in the previous post.

martinn123

Frederick Tatum2 wrote: »

Hi Martin

I worked as a subbie since the start. They have not gone out of business they said they couldn't pay me at the time as they hadn't been paid themselves (something along those lines anyway) I couldn't continue to work for them if I wasn't being paid so I told them I had to look for paid work.

Anyway some of the work I would have overseen is actually up on company website as previous work and to put it simply the company are the bees knees when it comes to local reputation ( Small enough rural community)

Hi Frederick,
Lousy situation to be in.

So this Local Bees Knees Co, who could not pay you, have examples of your work on their web-site.
Fine but there must be other work you did not featured.

Find a customer, explain the situation, and get permission to use their home as a reference
You must have built up a rapport with the customer when on site, just ask.

You might be surprised when someone who appreciated your efforts, agrees to help.
Best of luck.

Frederick Tatum2

martinn123 wrote: »

Hi Frederick,
Lousy situation to be in.

So this Local Bees Knees Co, who could not pay you, have examples of your work on their web-site
Fine but there must be other work you did not featured.

Find a customer, explain the situation, and get permission to use their home as a reference
You must have built up a rapport with the customer when on site, just ask.

You might be surprised when someone who appreciated your efforts, agrees to help.
Best of luck.

Thanks. I think it's best to be completely upfront with anyone who asks. Explain my experience etc and if they ask to see ill say I need to ask permission as it was done under guise of another company. I have a few contacts from working with them. Even if they turn me down at least I was honest.