Define Lowballer

What is your definition of a lowballer?

Should all legit roofers be expected to stay in a certain price range?

If a contractor works to reduce his costs but still offers a good roof, but at a markedly lower price than you, is he a lowballer?

When in a>>>

IMO a lowballer is a contractor who intentionally excludes necessary expenses to get the contract price low, but sneaks expenses in at the back end as extra expenses.>>>

........... or lists those items in his spec, but excludes them to the unknowing of the customer. This was the intention when the job was bid, thereby enabling the impossible low price.>>>

Answers 1 and 2 nailed it! What's their prizes?:cheer:>>>

Hi,

If a contractor legally reduces his costs, then he is not a lowballer.

This is the rare case for a contractor to markedly lower his price to consistently be low bidder.>>>

All of the above......>>>

I'm surprised at the answers, and I think I disagree with all of them. What you've described isn't a lowballer, it's a crook (jackleg)!

Usually when everyone disagrees with me, I'm the one who's wrong, so I guess I need to adjust what I thought wa>>>

Hi Roofguy,

There are jobs that we know we can not do efficiently enough to give a competive price.

This is because of labor issues mostly. Size of the job because of how long it will tie us up. If we have to turn work away that we are geared for we pa>>>

To me, the scabs, the jack legs and those just bidding ignorant are all just those things. A lowballer is the guy that thinks he may make less by underbidding, but thinks he can make it up with VOLLUME, VOLLUME,VOLLUME, to quote Letterman. A few actuall>>>

Lefty wrote: [quote]Hi Roofguy,

There are jobs that we know we can not do efficiently enough to give a competive price.

This is because of labor issues mostly. Size of the job because of how long it will tie us up. If we have to turn work away t>>>

Hi,

What he said was true.

The lowballers were the ones who lowered their price to match yours. Without being able to lower their price and stay in business.>>>

I wonder if Joe's Five & Dime said Woolworth was a lowballer. Or if Woolworth thought Krege was a lowballer. Or if Kresge though Sam Walton was a lowballer.>>>

A few of my contractor friends have the where-with-all to purchase by the semi load and bypass all suppliers. I and others can't compete with them on price. I do not consider them lowballers. They're not. But, I have gotten many of their jobs because t>>>

tinner666 wrote: [quote]

I know others that if I see them at a supplier, I can, and have!, tell them I bidded such and such address at $x,xxx. They would run over and bid $200. to 300. less. (I do this on purpose if i don't want the job or don't>>>

so people talk about lowering costs: most low ballers do lower their costs on jobs by doing things illegally such as avoiding certian taxes, payroll and others by doing all in cash(resd). i know guys around here who on a 50 sq steep 1 layer tear off that>>>

Ditto. Well put.>>>