Whats the longest wait after giving an estimate.

[Mike]

Jan 2008 i gota lead at the bost show for a compete
New canvas front and rear camper back on a 20+ searay i got a call back from him a. Couple  month ago.
I had tossed my notes.so i had to remeasure this time it was $1000 more. Well vot the job and it sas just  o pleted today.  Had to be the longest  wait on a job ive had I

[SHHR]

It's not uncommon for me to get calls and give estimates on boats starting about now through October. I'll get a "I'll think about it" then about May the next year the call for work will come in. I veru seldom will honor my original quote and many times don't have a copy to go by anyway.

The strangest one I've encountered along these lines was an insurance estimate for a very elderly couples boat. The husband was obviously a severe alzheimers patient and his wife handled everything. The boat was a 1974 model and very original with no updates. Brown vinyl seats, fake fur hull liner in the cabin, a regular 'shaggin wagon on water! They loaned it to their grandson who hauled it to South Carolina for a trip and somehow through a storm or something he let it fill up with water and partially sink. 
 
Through their insurance he had it raised, hauled it back here to Indiana, had a local marina do the mechanical repairs on the engine and outdrive, then they called me for an estimate to do the upholstery and cover that was torn up.

I looked it over, wrote the estimate and hand delivered it to their agent as a courtesy. That was the last I ever heard about it again. About a year later, a very upset lady called and wanted to know when I was going to bring her cover and upholstery by and install it. I guess the insurance company accepted my estimate, made the check out to the owners, but no one bothered to tell me about it.

  I tried to explain that I had no idea about the payoff and that it was to be done by me. I told her that I would need the boat anyway at my shop to do the upholstery on it. She just didn't seen to comprehend that and got very frustrated and hung up on me. I still don't know how that one turned out for them.

Kyle   

[byhammerandhand]

Every written estimate I send out has a disclaimer at the bottom:
Quotation is good for 60 days from issue date
or
Quotation is good for 30 days from issue date

There's just too much additional damage / work that can accumulate over time.

[JDUpholstery]

so far 3 months and counting....this estimate was given in late may, customer had me purchase the material, and fix 1 seat cushion...then he said his wife did not want to lose use of the boat during the summer...so told me we would do late august...now its tentative for mid september....I am trying to be very patient with this particular customer as he is very influential and well known on our local lakes, and has already sent me some business, I am sure when I finally get his pontoon done it will be a good job to generate even more.

Another job that took a long time was a paint job on a boat, the guy called me weekly to ask questions, I guess he was calling multiple places to find whose answers suited him best lol, took almost 2 months before he committed.

I treat every call as a potential lead and try to keep records of each, although sometimes I go back thru my list and cannot for the life of me remember the call!

[Mike]

With every job i look st jd i takes note in a black notebook i have name up top phone adrees then thebjob at hand. And price.  If they want to go for it ill give them a contract  form. If there just shopping i uave learned to keep every note. As sombody inevitibly calls back monthe later to go ahead if the price has to vo up
It doese as did this job from 3 years earlier.

[scarab29]

Last summer I quoted a cover for a bow rider. Called me in the fall , last fall , asked him to stop by and give me a deposit for material and pick out color. Said he would be right in as he lives 3 blocks away. Called again this spring and twice since , still a no show but is calling more frequently so maybe soon !!