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Are you getting a Holiday Bonus this year?

stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
dan-o said:
Residential painting and carpentry contractor in coastal MA. I don't do new construction or work for GCs so I've been spared a lot of the hardship felt by others.
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Nice, it seems like a lot of homeowners around here are spending cash on their houses instead of taking our loans. The HVAC guys I know are doing a lot of business and painting in coastal MA must be a never ending business. :)

The GC's around here are giving away construction costs right now.
 
dan-o

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
stosh said:
painting in coastal MA must be a never ending business. :)

The GC's around here are giving away construction costs right now.
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So true. I have one customer whose house needs a $15k paint job every 3 years. We put the ladders in the ocean at low-tide to paint it. Of course, that also means we need to do top-quality work since the weather exploits any shortcuts.

Prices here sucked too, especially in the fall. Lots of desperate contractors working for free.

I personally don't discount my pricing. If they want a lower price we can modify the scope of work but my cost structure is fixed. Frankly, I don't want the business if price is the main consideration.
 
drkenan

drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
dan-o said:
I personally don't discount my pricing. If they want a lower price we can modify the scope of work but my cost structure is fixed. Frankly, I don't want the business if price is the main consideration.
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If you lower your prices, consumers often associate that with lower quality. If people are complaining about your prices (which it doesn't sound like they are) then your company should work on creating more value for the customer. That's actually something that I'm struggling with in my company right now. :banghead:
 
drkenan

drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
I was actually planning on giving myself a bonus and I even bought a new bike based on the thought. But now it doesn't look like I can justify it and I'm sure as hell not selling the bike.
 
dan-o

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
drkenan said:
If you lower your prices, consumers often associate that with lower quality. If people are complaining about your prices (which it doesn't sound like they are) then your company should work on creating more value for the customer. That's actually something that I'm struggling with in my company right now. :banghead:
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What gets me are the people who say things like: "we love the quality of work you guys do and your references (10+ pages, single spaced) are great but some no-name guy who sleeps in his car offered us a lower price. Can you match it?"

Some people aren't interested in value, only price. Those people can F themselves.
 
Da Peach

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,683
4,912
North Van
I'm thinkin' no. Although that was one of the things they alluded to when I was offered the job. We'll see.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
dan-o said:
So true. I have one customer whose house needs a $15k paint job every 3 years. We put the ladders in the ocean at low-tide to paint it. Of course, that also means we need to do top-quality work since the weather exploits any shortcuts.

Prices here sucked too, especially in the fall. Lots of desperate contractors working for free.

I personally don't discount my pricing. If they want a lower price we can modify the scope of work but my cost structure is fixed. Frankly, I don't want the business if price is the main consideration.
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There are a few contracts who I've used on jobs in the past who are like this. By far they have done the best job's and in the end cost equal or less than the cheaper contractors.

Sometimes it's hard to convince homeowners of this value though.
What type of carpentry work do you do?
 
Zark

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
no bonus. company has a profit sharing system....it kinda breaks down when you don't pull a profit...
 
KavuRider

KavuRider

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2006
2,565
4
CT
Nope, nothing that I'm aware of. I'd be more concerned if I did get something, I know the company is hurting.

Yeah, just thankful to have a job. Although there are days where you really, really don't care if you get fired and it all goes to $hit.
 
Rockland

Rockland

Turbo Monkey
Apr 24, 2003
1,871
265
Left hand path
stosh said:
No bonuses this year and they used to be sweeeeet!!!

However our office has been really slow and since we haven't had any overtime I got a second job. Well my company found out because I told them... :) and they were upset that times were so bad that I had to be away from my family and possibly wouldn't be giving this place 100% so they offered me a car. The idea is that I would be selling my xterra (which is on the market) and get rid of the monthly payment and they would provide me with a car. So I'm currently driving around a 2009 Corolla which is totally awesome, then they get some tax benefits since it's a company car, I save money on a vehicle payment/insurance and gas with this nice little rice burner. All in all it probably works out to the same as if I was to get my yearly bonus however neither of us get taxed like we would on a cash payout.
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That's great. You gonna still hold down the second job?
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
Rockland said:
That's great. You gonna still hold down the second job?
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It was an unspoken agreement that I wouldn't. If the guy needs me in a pinch every now and then I'll probably give him a hand. The best part is I hadn't worked a day at the second job. I was supposed to start but he just never had the work load for a 2nd shift so I never ended up working a day for him.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,080
5,999
borcester rhymes
I'm gettin fired.

Actually, my "contract" is "running out". Looks like it's waking up at 11 and internet pr0nz all over again for me! So my xmas bonus is lots of free time.
 
Prettym1k3

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
2,864
0
In your pants
Update: Yep. Got a good sized bonus.

Gonna' put a little in the bank, and the rest is going to pick up a new DH frame.

The wife is happy because all of my money from my second job goes straight into our savings account, so the bonus is mine. :D
 
Prettym1k3

Prettym1k3

Turbo Monkey
Aug 21, 2006
2,864
0
In your pants
Zark said:
no bonus. company has a profit sharing system....it kinda breaks down when you don't pull a profit...
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All of our profit sharing account was based in Washington Mutual. Hence, the few thousand I had in profit sharing went to sh*t, and is pretty much all completely gone now.

:(

On a side note, I really feel for all of you who have lost your jobs, or are hurting.

Unfortunately, the office I work for is on the up-and-up. We do evictions, so we've been quite busy. Unfortunate for all the people we've been evicting, but fortunately I've been busy and keeping a solid paycheck.
 
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Knuckleslammer

Knuckleslammer

took the red pill
Jan 30, 2003
1,868
4
Inside your mind, interrupting synapses
$7500 :D

Most going towards cc bills. From now on, nobody is getting a F'N cent out of me for anything, especially interest. F'N greedy ASSHOLES. Well, I'm the asshole, I know how they work and I fell into the trap when I was hurting. But no emergency is worth using a CC.

Cut them up and pay them off folks and let these ASSHOLES suffer.
 
stosh

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
Knuckleslammer said:
$7500 :D

Most going towards cc bills. From now on, nobody is getting a F'N cent out of me for anything, especially interest. F'N greedy ASSHOLES. Well, I'm the asshole, I know how they work and I fell into the trap when I was hurting. But no emergency is worth using a CC.

Cut them up and pay them off folks and let these ASSHOLES suffer.
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Before of after taxes?
 
kingbee

kingbee

Monkey
Mar 29, 2004
902
0
Ohio
We are having a pizza party lunch and probably leaving after that. No cash in pocket but I'm just glad I have a job.
 
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