Items priced wrong - do you argue ?
toomuchglass
16 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (51)
beckyb
16 years agoJonesy
16 years agoRelated Discussions
How do you decide on pricing an item?
Comments (5)Thanks for the input, greatly appreciated! (Sorry just getting back on this have had pc problems) Valson your items above look marvelous-great looking stuff! I'm now thinking my pricing will start at $3-5 for small painted leaves on up to $15 for larger and leaf shaped bowls, bird bath $25-$30; the painting is what takes the time on these items and I have many different leaves I could sell. Cracked egg spheres with hole in back for fogger(not included)$45, these are large and takes lots of time and fine tuning, Asian Lantern $35. these items are unpainted concrete items. Have a few smallish tufa bowls thinking $20 Never thought I would want to sell any of my creations, but when the crete stuff starts to accumulate...lol even after giving many items away, friends in UK and Aussie have taken a leaf or 2 home also gone to relatives in other states so figure now is the time to sell and hopefully make space for new ideas and items-Wendy...See MoreBuilders, pricing, contracts - what do you all think?
Comments (28)Mightyanvil, Thank you for the contract breakdowns, I really appreciate that. That is definately part of what I was looking for, ways to create a win/win for us and our eventual builder. We have someone we are interested in using but have not talked specific contracts yet. There seems to be some perception that 1. I am not interested in quality and 2. that I don't realize the potential costs of quality and the unforseen. I appreciate that you are trying to warn me -thanks. I do understand these things and am trying to be prepared for them. What I was trying to get at is that somewhere out there there is a good contractor who will look at a project and take into account our site, our materials choices, our plan, etc. and come up with a bid or projected budget and a price to build our home based on all those things plus whatever he/she needs to make it work, do the job and continue to run a business successfully. Fine with that. There is also someone out there who will do all the same things and will take opportunities to increase the profit he/she takes from the job without offering any additional quality or service to the owners. My whole point is that from my point of view the second scenario is not okay with me and I was wondering what others had done and how they felt about their experiences. I would like to guard against scenario #2 if I possibly can. I know if I choose more expensive materials I will also have to increase the labor portion because it will take more skill from the tradesperson required to do the job. We do want a well built home and know that we will have to make choices and potentially sacrifices to get the things that matter most to us. When I was projecting our budget I took the averages from about 5 different sources of information and then depending on my ability to verify how that would apply to the home we are building I would either use the highest number if I didn't know or the amount that seemed to fit best with our project. There were some items that I was able to verify by actually going out and getting real numbers others by saying 'we are building a home next year it will be (description)if I am looking for 'x' and I budget 'y' is that reasonable? In the 'unknown' areas I spoke to a friend who owns his own concrete flatwork company, he has built several of his own homes. One of his sites was in our neighborhood and similar to ours, so in my basic labor and materials budget I took the amount he paid for excavation and tripled it for safety. I compared that to the prices others have paid in 'hairy situations' and my number was always the highest. We have already dug some on the property as we put in the septic and the excavator at that time did not feel we would have a problem *from what he could see and had experienced on our site* digging the hole for the house. I took the highest foundation cost and added 50%. We have city water, septic is in and we have electrical ready to go. This home will replace a manufactured home so our permits are inexpensive-about 1/3 of what it would be otherwise. When I got my budget together I looked at the overall total and added 10% to the entire thing. I did find that some numbers varied more than others and were harder to pin down. Other times the same number kept popping up so I felt I must be close and the 10% on top of that should cover it. I actually showed this budget and the plan to the builder we are considering and she gave me the feedback that most of my numbers are 'conservative'- in her terms which meant 'high' and we should be fine. Even if our budget goes over another 10% from that we are ok -including the fee amounts she quoted us for her services. At the time the plan we had been considering was built as a spec house nearby and we had gone through it several times. When I contacted the builder I explained that we really liked his house and were considering building that home ourselves. We shared with him information about our property and our time frame and we talked about the finishes in the house and the different things he was including. When he gave me the price for the home as built but on our site it was about 16% higher than our highest number and it did not include everything. Based on comments some have made, maybe it was still a 'fair' number but then again maybe not...in our county you can look up valuations on permits and the price he quoted for house only was $100k over that amount and it was $200k over what he told the county his cost was. In talking with my concrete contractor friend who has built his own homes he told me that builders usually underestimate their expenses for the county but that the county gets very close and they include approximately a 10% 'contractor markup' in their valuation. Enter builder #3, nice guy, only builds turnkey, fixed price. Not sure why he was interested in us as we were very up front that we did not think we would go that way. He was trying to convince us why we should I think. He was very helpful and actually wanted to see our site. He has just finished carving half a hillside out for a huge custom home which we toured so he knows about 'hairy excavation' and he looked at our site and said it was about average for our area and he didn't see a problem. Famous last words I know... anyway he ballparked a price about 10% less than the higher guy and about 9% above our 'cost plus' budget. This makes sense as he does need that 'coverage' in there, but...we had already added that to our numbers so...either we are still way off or...make of it all what you will. The highest number is out of our budget, the middle number is doable and the low number means new furniture, nice landscape etc. Guess which one I am planning on? Guess which one I am HOPING for?! :) So perhaps some will say this all bears no relevance to an actual project and maybe it doesn't. I am not trying to control every aspect, just educate myself and be prepard so that hopefully we make a good choice when we do finally sign that contract. I just wanted to know what everyone else was thinking about builders, pricing and contracts and how to best go about building a home for a 'fair' price. We are committed to building a house, it will be interesting to see what it will actually cost. Thanks all....See MoreWorst price hike item, for you besides gas?
Comments (37)I'm changing some of my buying habits. I shop mostly at Krogers, so I check their ads before I shop, and also I shop on Tuesdays to get the Senior discount. Last week my "bargains" were: Lipton tea bags (100) $3/reg $3.99 Fresh Bartlett pears 89¢lb/reg $1.79 Kroger Sliced Cheese $2.99 rather than Kraft $4.29 Kroger Cream Cheese $2.66 rather than Kraft $3.65 LandOLakes margarine (My preferred brand) 10 for $10.00 so I Stock up the freezer Kroger Calcium BOGO This week I will buy: Private Selection Ice Cream (56 oz.) 2 for $5.00 These are 10for$10 buys: Rotisserie Chicken Breasts Chicken of the Sea Albacore Tuna Hamburger buns The best buy this week is Eggs (18ct.) 3 for $5.00. I feel for Sheryl in Oregon and others with large familys, but there are ways to minimize when it is necessary. Two weeks ago at Sharp Shopper I got 5 lbs white potatoes for $2.89. It helps that I am not a big eater, but I do have to have ice cream and some cookies and I've given up chips. Sue...See MoreScammers!!!!....sent entirely wrong item .Wrong item sent...cheap sub
Comments (0)Sent..wrong cheap item..then refund $16.00 from $32.00....partial refund when you were to only deduct..$12.00...Customers...DO NOT ORDER FROM THESE THIEVES!.......See Morecynic
16 years agoAdella Bedella
16 years agoninos
16 years agobudster
16 years agolexi7
16 years agoJonesy
16 years agojtl1596
16 years agojoyfulguy
16 years agocraftfetish
16 years agoDora Vann Snider
16 years agovegangirl
16 years agomikie_gw
16 years agoloralee_2007
16 years agojannie
16 years agojoyfulguy
16 years agochrisk327
16 years agojannie
16 years agopkguy
16 years agograywritingdog
16 years agodreamgarden
16 years agojannie
16 years agodockside_gw
16 years agopkguy
16 years agojmzms
16 years agoCheryl Henderson
8 years agoElmer J Fudd
8 years agoacadiafun1
8 years agonewgardenelf newgardenelf
8 years agojoyfulguy
8 years agoAnne
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoamandabolan
8 years agoc t
7 years agoDanielle Crowley
7 years agoazmom
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agodollface121817
6 years agoToronto Veterinarian
6 years agobleusblue2
6 years agoSaltiDawg
6 years agomaifleur01
6 years agobleusblue2
6 years agoSaltiDawg
6 years agobleusblue2
6 years agoUser
6 years agoUser
6 years agobadabing2
5 years agoSaltiDawg
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoLucy Rindara
5 years ago
Related Stories
REMODELING GUIDESWhy Marble Might Be Wrong for Your Bathroom
You love its beauty and instant high-quality appeal, but bathroom marble has its drawbacks. Here's what to know before you buy
Full StoryLIFEYou Said It: ‘The Wrong Sink Can Make You Hate Your Kitchen’
Design advice, inspiration and observations that struck a chord this week
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDES10 Retro Items Ripe for a Revival
Take a trip down memory lane through a world of innovative items from the past
Full StoryLIFEThe Moving-Day Survival Kit: Lifesaving Items and Niceties
Gather these must-haves in advance for a smooth move and more comfortable first days in your new home
Full StoryEVENTSDon't Throw Away Another Household Item Before Reading This
Repair Cafe events around the world enlist savvy volunteers to fix broken lamps, bicycles, electronics, small appliances, clothing and more
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGN18 Dream Items to Punch Up a Master-Bath Wish List
A designer shared features she'd love to include in her own bathroom remodel. Houzz readers responded with their top amenities. Take a look
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESHow to Commission Custom Upholstered Furniture
Learn the questions to ask, the details to discuss and the easiest thing to get wrong on a custom piece
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESIs an Online Decorator Right for You?
For a professional look at a lower price and from the convenience of home, e-decorating may be the perfect solution
Full StoryKITCHEN WORKBOOKWhen to Pick Kitchen Fixtures and Finishes
Is it faucets first and sinks second, or should cabinets lead the way? Here is a timeline for your kitchen remodel
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Sinks: Stainless Steel Shines for Affordability and Strength
Look to a stainless steel sink for durability and sleek aesthetics at a budget-minded price
Full StoryAward Winning Countertop Fabricator & Installer in Northern Virginia
SaltiDawg