My buddy Jake warned me about the 'I know a guy' client

He said if a new customer starts the conversation by saying they have a friend who can do it cheaper, just walk away. I ignored him on a kitchen tile job in Tempe, quoting $4,500. The guy kept texting me pictures from his 'friend's' work asking why my price was higher. After two weeks of back and forth, he ghosted. Has anyone else had a client use that line as a negotiation tactic from the start?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_sage1mo ago

Yeah, the "I know a guy" opener is a huge red flag. I read a whole thread on a contractor forum about this exact thing. The general take was that it's not a real negotiation tactic, it's just a client telling you they plan to make you justify your entire quote against a ghost. It means they've already decided your price is too high and they want you to work for free during the bidding process. You were smart to walk away, even if it took two weeks to see it. That time spent on texts and pictures is time you could have given to a serious customer.

sarahr111mo ago

See your point, but sometimes the "I know a guy" is just a clumsy way of asking for a price check. I've had clients say that, then hire me after I explain my process and warranty. The real red flag @the_sage mentioned is when they keep pushing for free detailed plans to beat that mystery price. That's the ghost bidding. If they drop the "guy" after a clear explanation, they might be okay. If they keep coming back to it, that's when you're just working for free.

carr.luna1mo ago

Wait, but what if the guy actually does know a guy? I mean sometimes people are just trying to figure out why prices are different, right? Maybe they're not trying to be difficult, they're just confused. Idk, I feel like walking away right off the bat could lose you a real job. Maybe you just gotta explain your value better from the start.