canadiancontractor
What do you do if client demands to see receipts for your purchased items?
That's fine if you are on a T&M basis. But not if you quoted a fixed price. Walk away, one contractor advises.
Last week, an HVAC contractor wrote to us asking for help. His client insisted on seeing receipts for all his purchases. Not a problem if it’s a Time and Materials job, but for a lump sum quote – it’s hardly fair. Especially changing the rules after the fact.
Here’s a suggestion on how to handle such enquiries…
I’ve informed clients that I buy in bulk for many items and also in job lots. Job lots could be many items together – so it’s next to impossible to show them an individual cost. Bulk buys are grouped with other items so, again, hard to show them a cost.
Unless this client is a big part of my business I would consider dropping them. If you quoted the job it should not matter what you paid for anything – but if it’s a T&M job break down the bill to the last couple cents: parts-labour-insurances-truck cost-overhead cost management cost–the list can go on and on.
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So, basically, never show the client because there is always an excuse? Ie it’s too hard to break down and or it’s unfair.. nail techs can price each nail but you can’t be bothered to do the math on your items? Sounds like a scheme. *drop them as a client* LOL shady.
And you sound like exactly the kind of Client we’re talking about