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> I've never understood why anyone would think this would matter. Like they're camping in our neighborhood for the week and this saves everyone money somehow?

> I've never understood why anyone would think this would matter. Like they're camping in our neighborhood for the week and this saves everyone money somehow? This seems obvious to me. My neighbours were getting their gutters cleaned and needed to come in to our garden, I asked the guys if they'd do ours as well. We didn't negotiate too hard on price, but I'm sure if pushed they would have taken something less than they'd charge to drive out and set up their equipment from scratch.

nemo44x 2y ago
Maybe but probably not since they likely have jobs lined up for the next few months and aren’t about to work for less than they know they can get. It’s not like these guys are taking a horse and carriage 50 miles to a town to setup camp and try and sell out of whatever they’re peddling. They drive like 15 minutes. And they aren’t desperate for work.
- dylan604 2y ago
  Like a contractor like this wouldn't be willing to call up the customer they have scheduled next to say they were delayed for a reason other than what it actually was. However, on the flip side the expectation that they would drop everything just to service this one random request does seem a bit entitled.
  - nemo44x 2y ago
    What they would do is quote a much higher price since they’re aware the prospect isn’t price comparing and probably thinks they’re getting a deal because “they’re already here”. Why on Earth would they risk a higher priced job cancelling so they can do a lower priced job instead? lol! No. They will always do the better paying job first. If your contractor delays you it’s because another person is paying better.
    - tsimionescu 2y ago
      I think you're assuming people are much more rational then they are in practice. Sure, if it were a company calculating all of those things, you'd be right. But I think it's not at all unlikely that a contractor would feel better doing an extra job close by, even for slightly lower pay, and even if they are delaying a slightly higher paying job farther away. Just like consumers have all sorts of biases that mean they don't always act in the most rational way, producers do to - especially individuals and small businesses.

nemo44x 2y ago

Maybe but probably not since they likely have jobs lined up for the next few months and aren’t about to work for less than they know they can get. It’s not like these guys are taking a horse and carriage 50 miles to a town to setup camp and try and sell out of whatever they’re peddling. They drive like 15 minutes. And they aren’t desperate for work.

dylan604 2y ago
Like a contractor like this wouldn't be willing to call up the customer they have scheduled next to say they were delayed for a reason other than what it actually was. However, on the flip side the expectation that they would drop everything just to service this one random request does seem a bit entitled.
- nemo44x 2y ago
  What they would do is quote a much higher price since they’re aware the prospect isn’t price comparing and probably thinks they’re getting a deal because “they’re already here”. Why on Earth would they risk a higher priced job cancelling so they can do a lower priced job instead? lol! No. They will always do the better paying job first. If your contractor delays you it’s because another person is paying better.
  - tsimionescu 2y ago
    I think you're assuming people are much more rational then they are in practice. Sure, if it were a company calculating all of those things, you'd be right. But I think it's not at all unlikely that a contractor would feel better doing an extra job close by, even for slightly lower pay, and even if they are delaying a slightly higher paying job farther away. Just like consumers have all sorts of biases that mean they don't always act in the most rational way, producers do to - especially individuals and small businesses.