How to tell a customer they're wasting their money

[Forestboy1978]

Basically a customer wants her patio grouted. HUGE patio, god knows >200 m2 ish. Terribly laid, 450 x 450s in rows and columns, weeds growing up through nearly every joint.

No idea what I'll charge I just know it'll be A LOT. I said look, are you sure you want it done, it's a big job... I nearly said you're patio is s**t, just kill the weeds regularly. She said the last guy didn't take too long doing it. I said... yeah, well his work was as poor as it could possibly be and that's why you're needing it done again. She said, OK, well come round and give me a quote.

I don't want to do it....

Rip out weeds, apply kiln dried sand and recommend weed killer in the future??

Can't think what else really. She has no intention of ever cleaning it so why not?

[michaelthegardener]

I just tell them straight if I don't think I can do a proper job im not putting my name to it your reputation is priceless and you wont lose it by turning work down even though I hate to turn work down and some people don't like to take no for an answer

[Dave_L]

Just put a stupid price in. Job done.

[Forestboy1978]

I just tell them straight if I don't think I can do a proper job im not putting my name to it your reputation is priceless and you wont lose it by turning work down even though I hate to turn work down and some people don't like to take no for an answer

I can do but it'll cost a lot of money for a shit patio.

[exoticpete]

I unfortunately look at a few of these every year my standard answer is its cheaper to rip it up and start again I've yet to do a re-point nasty

[lutonlagerlout]

in point of fact as all the blokes on here know
repointing other people's patios is fraught with problems

I have done a couple and it is a night mare
if it is dot and dabbed as you rake the pointing out the whole lot becomes even more loose
or as I found out to my cost (7 300mm blades) if the patio is laid directly onto wet concrete (i.e with stones in the mix) and the mix has pushed up between the flags,its an absolute ballbreaker to rake out

its so costly to repoint properly its a beter job to rip out and relay,at least you can put your name to it
LLL

[Pablo]

Personally, I politely decline work like this. Apart from being an unpleasant and nasty job, I've found that you end up with the client assuming you have ownership of the inevitable future problems.

[Forestboy1978]

I've not properly inspected it but I've seen it a few months back when doing other work. Most likely dotted and dabbed, maybe unbound base. It's probably doable she just wont want to pay for it cos it's just a shit patio. It's old and it's not level. It's basically a giant chessboard of 450s.

I'm not doing it on the basis I just hate the job generally. No, just say no.... that's all I've got to do lol.