|
| Friday, July 20, 2007 |
| Confession |
Ata hates getting quotes. Hates it, hates it, hates it.
She doesn't mind shopping around a little. She doesn't like making phone calls, but even that's not too bad. What she really hates is having to get people to come out & quote on a job.
It takes so long. It has to be booked in ahead by at least a day or two, or possibly a week or two. Then one has to explain the job, wait for the tradies to do the measuring and muttering and then wait for them to get back to one with the quote. That alone can take a couple more days. And of course, one can't get just a single quote - one must get two or three. Or, if one is Mr Ata, ten. This creates friction in the Atahome. Ata has two quotes for new gates - one $1300, the other $1350. Ata wants to book the job in. Mr Ata wants her to get more quotes. Ata went to Stratco and got a quote for the materials needed to do the job - about $900, fully assembled (of course, if we actually attempted the installation ourselves, it would no doubt cost more - bolts and nuts and the occasional tool would need purchasing, plus it would likely take four days to do the work).
Ata says, materials would be $900, and we have two near-identical quotes for supply & installation. Can I book it in?
Mr Ata says, get three more quotes.
Ata says, no.
Mr Ata says, fine then, I can't make you.
And Ata says, alright then, I'm booking it.
So the job is booked for next week.
Sigh. Someone is coming next Friday to quote on a shower screen. Ata tried to get a rough price over the phone but couldn't make head or tail of what the girl was asking her. "A door and a full panel and a half return? What? There's only two sides that need a shower screen! How do we need a door and a full panel and a half return? What even IS a half return?".
Ata HATES getting quotes. |
posted by Ata @ 1:45 pm  |
|
|
|
|
|
