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Had to pick between staying hourly or going flat rate on a big sewer repair
A customer in Portland wanted me to quote a full sewer line replacement, and I had to decide between billing by the hour or giving them a flat $4,500 price. I went with flat rate because I figured it would be simpler for them and guarantee my pay if the job hit a snag. Has anyone else had a flat rate job backfire on them when unexpected problems showed up?
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lilyt2313d ago
Mention in the contract that rot or mold voids the flat rate.
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lilyt2313d ago
Oh man, flat rate is always a gamble! I had a buddy who did a flat rate on a bathroom reno once, quoted a solid number thinking he'd be fine. Then he found out the subfloor was totally rotted under the tile, had to rip up way more than he planned. He was stuck eating the extra labor because he'd already agreed to the price. He said he still made a little money but not nearly what he would've if he'd just gone hourly. I guess you never really know what's hiding behind a pipe until you start digging.
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blair99013d ago
Wait, did they end up finding any surprises in that pipe once they started digging? Honestly flat rate feels like a gamble every time, kinda like when my cousin tried to flip a house on a fixed budget and ended up finding a family of raccoons living in the attic. He had to pay a guy to evict them and patch the roof, which totally blew his profit margin. Ngl though, sometimes the peace of mind of knowing what you'll walk away with is worth the risk, even if you don't hit the jackpot. It's just that hidden problems can really bite you in the ass, same as with that sewer line.
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