Vent: A client asked why I charge more for chain link than wood panels

I was setting up a quote for a backyard in Newark last Tuesday, and the homeowner saw the line item for chain link and said, 'Isn't that the cheap stuff though?' I had to explain that between the posts, the tension bands, the wire ties, and all the hardware, chain link actually adds up fast with labor. Plus you have to stretch it right or it sags within a year. Wood panels come in pre-made sections and go up quicker if the ground is level. Has anyone else had customers assume chain link is always the bargain option?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah24811d ago

Hearing that must have been frustrating, especially after the time you spend making sure everything is right. I've had a couple customers give me the same look when they see chain link on the invoice. They don't realize the posts need to be set deeper and the whole thing takes more trips back and forth to the truck. Did you explain the tensioning part to them or just show the math on the materials?

victor_carter5111d ago

Putting the materials cost breakdown on paper usually does the trick for me. I used to just talk through it, but seeing the numbers side by side made more sense to them. The tensioning part is where they really get hung up, so I started adding a line item for turnbuckles and wire and showed how much time just that step takes. Most folks calm down once they realize you're not padding anything, just covering the actual work.