Rating Contractors
| March 2010My “A” contractors are on their game. They have adequate power, portable toilets, a good plan, and run a clean and organized site. The A guys are generally better communicators; if there are changes, they are forthcoming and concise. They listen, and they learn. If the Plumbing Code requires that a wall be furred out to accommodate piping, they are willing to make the change.
My “B” guys are okay. They’re a little disorganized; usually about three weeks behind and pushing a little to finish. However, a lot of them are on their way to becoming A’s, and I don’t mind working with them to make it happen.
The “C”s are filler. They’re never ready when they say they’re going to be, so I can show up two weeks late and it’s no big deal. I try to stay away from the Cs as best I can. If an A calls with something that needs attention, I have no problem bumping a C. The Cs usually take on smaller jobs than the As, but I have had occasions when a C has taken on an A job, in which case they automatically become “F”s.
Oh, the glorious “F”s—these guys couldn’t organize a two-car funeral. I won’t refer to them as contractors because, in my opinion, they’re not. One of the problems that we have here in Nova Scotia is that anybody with a Chevette and a hammer can be a builder or renovator. Please don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that everyone should have an eighteen-wheeler full of tools, but, in this day and age, I think there’s a certain amount of gear required to build a quality product. I have worked for bigger outfits who still received an “F” rating. Don’t call me at 7:00am to tell me that there’s a closing at 2:00pm. I have watched popular television shows that show twenty guys trying to finish a house on the “Last Day”. Here in the real world I’ve witnessed that scenario result in fist-fights and damaged property.
The Fs just don’t seem to get how to organize the sub-trades or manage a job. I was called to site to do some plumbing underground and the concrete guys were still putting up the forms. Instant F. I finished the job but I’ll never do another one for this guy. He’s already mad that I’m billing him for my lost three hours.
And that’s my point. Fs are just not worth the aggravation. It’s taken me a while to realize that I do much better sticking with my A and B contractors and letting someone else deal with Fs. I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m cocky but my net profit is up about 25 per cent with no change in my gross earnings. I can’t work any harder so I have to work smarter.
How do I spot the Fs? I use my experience and life skills to interview potential clients and customers. I still get caught on some nightmare jobs, but I’m much better at minimizing the damage. I always go and meet with the builder and their client at the same time, and I ask a lot of questions and really listen to the responses. If the builder says, “I’ve done 20 bathrooms like this and no-one has ever said anything about bringing a vent down from the attic,” well brother, you better get your last plumber back here because I’m not doing this. Fs cut corners everywhere, and don’t accept that you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. The question, “How much if I pay you cash?” is a great indicator of a job that probably isn’t going to end well. I don’t understand why people think there’s difference in cash, cheque or credit card—I have a rate that I have to make and it’s not open to negotiation.
So I’ll apologize in advance if I’ve pissed any of you contractors off. But if I don’t return your phone call or my quote is three times higher than the next guy, it’s nothing personal, it’s just business. CC