A client's 'friend who knows a guy' is almost always a problem

I'm talking about the client who, before you even start, says 'my buddy's cousin does this stuff and he said it should only cost about $2,500'. That number is never based on your actual scope, just some random guess. It sets you up to fight over every line item because they think they already know the price. I had a kitchen remodel where the client kept bringing up his 'friend's quote' that was half my bid, but that friend was never going to do the job. It took me two extra weeks just to get the deposit because they kept second-guessing. Has anyone else had to deal with this phantom 'expert' friend derailing a project from day one?

4 comments

4 Comments

johnson.nora3mo ago

Half your bid? That's wild lol

nora_webb513mo ago

Yeah I saw a blog post where a guy said he always starts at 40% of his max budget. Leaves room for back and forth without getting screwed.

kevinm173mo ago

Depends on the project honestly. I've had clients walk away if the first number is too low, makes them think you don't get the scope. Starting closer to your real rate can build trust.

kevin_williams14d ago

Had this exact thing happen on a bathroom reno last spring. Guy kept talking about his buddy who could do it for half price, buddy was apparently a handyman who did tile on weekends. Every time I sent an invoice or a change order, he'd pull out that phantom quote again like some kind of trump card. The worst part was he'd already signed the contract and paid the first deposit, but still wouldn't shut up about it. I finally told him straight up to go ahead and call his buddy then, see how long that took. That shut him down real fast. They always forget the buddy doesn't have insurance, doesn't pull permits, and can't get the work done in a reasonable timeframe.