posted
Here is a copy of emails from a guy wanting some router work done.
Him * We are moving toward having you make a wooden sign that says: "Sierra Mojada Ranch". We would attach the wooden sign to two pressure treated poles at the entrance to our 1640 acre Ranch...... A white border and white letters on a dark green background would look nice.
* What do you need from us to generate a cost estimate?
Him Follow up email. Here is an image of the signage from the Maytag Mountain Ranch.... Imagine the sign is 10 foot long by 10" wide and four inches thick...... Like the Maytag sign I would have a pipe and bracket fabricated by C-C welding in Westcliffe as a hanger..... I might even provide you the beam made of pine beetle killed wood fabricated by Greeleaf Forestry in Westcliffe so that your job would be to carve the letters using a router the font on the Maytag stuff looks like Times New Roman. I would have the letters white and the beam brown like the Maytag stuff.
Him Again.. I would like a firm estimate of the cost of routing the letters: "SIERRA MOJADA RANCH" into a 10 foot long by 10 inch wide by 4 inch thick of pine beetle killed pine that I provide. The letters will be as large in proportion to the piece of wood as possible as shown in the Maytag Mountain Ranch example.
Reply Arthur Attached is a Proof and quote for your sign using the Dimensions you sent me. ($250 He supplies the Board. I missed the second email.)
(In between this he calls 4 times on Friday while I was at my sons Graduation)
Him This is not what I asked for..... In additon, I do not see the quote you mention.... Yikes!
Reply. Sorry Your Fist email Speced Green and White.. And the Quote is attached to this one for some reason the Quote did not attach to the last one.
Him * Would you consider performing the work for $200 to reflect the poor economic conditions here in Westcliffe? This would be a 20% discount.
Reply. I think I will pass on the project Thank you anyway. I only offer quality and charge accordingly.
Him. * Things are changing and the blue collar workers like you need to adjust to the new shape of the land..... I am a Phd in Engineering and a multi-millionaire. In 2010 my wife Marty and I have not made a single penny so far in our commercial endeavors..... Yikes! My wife Marty is one of the top RE/MAX agents in the world and like I said she has not made a single penny in 2010..... Look here:
* The food chain starts with people like my wife Marty and I..... How about making 20% less than you hoped for rather than zero and providing us with some signage?
* As a Phd in Engineering I can learn how to carve some letters in a piece of wood in a couple of days..... Can you Learn how to be a Phd in Engineering in the same amount of time?
My Final Reply. 5 Years MIT and ASU. $95,000
CnC Router, Software, Building to house all equipment and 20 Years learning my Trade. $300,000 (Give or take.)
Being able to turn down your Job.... PRICELESS.
(Not very Professional but I had it with these "Millionaires" coming to Colorado and trying to dictate to us Poor Backwood folks.) So much for your PhD.
B
[ May 16, 2010, 08:07 PM: Message edited by: William DeBekker ]
posted
I thought your price of $250 was about 1/4 of the value of the job.
And you were much more patient than I would have managed - by far. One of those type folks was here yesterday asking me to paint his concrete water fountain he had dragged home from somewhere. He didn't want to spend 'much' and suggested I do it quick to =save money. I suggested he contact a local high school teacher and get the name of one of their star students.
He pressed me for a price. I smiled my very best smile and suggested a starting price of $1,000 - without seeing it. The dust was thick as he beat a hasty retreat down my driveway.
No doubt he will find someone who wants to work that bad.
My lawn needs mowing again...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
If he is so smart, and so competant, why is he not making any money?
If he is so smart why is he demanding you go broke with him?
IF his wife is such a super star why is she without sufficient funds to build an alliance with you as a sole supplier and then negotiate a discount?
Geeses I hate these types. I had so suffer a few of these when I moved here.
"you need the work, you should be willing to work for a lower amount. You really need some income".
Now they are the one's suffering.
Good on ya for passing him along to his land of failure.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5273 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:* As a Phd in Engineering I can learn how to carve some letters in a piece of wood in a couple of days..... Can you Learn how to be a Phd in Engineering in the same amount of time?
Answer: In less time actually.
Post Hole Digger.
[ May 17, 2010, 12:02 AM: Message edited by: Glenn Taylor ]
quote:Originally posted by William DeBekker: Being able to turn down your Job.... PRICELESS.
I really like you Bill.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:I am a Phd in Engineering and a multi-millionaire. In 2010 my wife Marty and I have not made a single penny so far in our commercial endeavors..... Yikes! My wife Marty is one of the top RE/MAX agents in the world and like I said she has not made a single penny in 2010
* The food chain starts with people like my wife Marty and I.....
This is absolutely laughable. Yes, the food chain starts with people who aren't making any money in their chosen professions. They are what I believe to be called - "food" - at the bottom end of the chain, chewed up but sometimes spit out when they leave a bad taste.
I think he missed the boat. Clearly he should have been a comedian. Or perhaps he should have gotten an MBA instead of a PhD.
If he's a millionaire, he shouldn't have any problems spending $250. Surely that 1640 acres wasn't free, or even cheap.
[ May 17, 2010, 12:32 AM: Message edited by: Mike Pipes ]
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
He's a multi-millionaire & he's spent how much time trying to bicker you down on price? Evidently PhD school didn't teach him that time = money. Just chalk this up to 1 more reason I like ya dude!
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Bill, your daddy or momma taught you right!
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well done Bill. Am I allowed mention here that his wife's profession might be one of the main contributors to where the world economy finds itself today. Glorified pyramid selling and now we're all paying the cost, one way or another. Apologies if that's off topic or offensive to anyone
-------------------- Kevin Gaffney Artistik Signs Kinnegad County Westmeath Ireland 044-75187 kevingaffney@eircom.net Posts: 628 | From: Ireland | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
"Ohh anyone wanting a router Job.. I will forward you his email so you can contact him."
Forward it to me. I dont have a PHD in routing, in fact the only routing I've ever done is on a magazine route. But if he'll ship the wood to me in San Francisco and pay the shipping back, I'll do the job for $3.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
The guy sounds so weird I Googled Sierra Mojada Ranch and there's a big load of him there. He"s got to be the most pompous, silly twit I've come across in a long time. He says things like: "virtual open space", "Large rocks excavated during the course of the installation of the utilities became landscape accents at intersections. Native trees were harvested to become the entrance structures." "The Westcliffe community expressed a desire to subdue the impact of the homes on the natural landscape. Good Idea!" He's got a whole page of fotos of horses, with himself and wife Marty on a number of them. He calls the page "Horse Whispering."
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hahahahaha....... from the first page of his website, with the ridiculous music playing...... y'all should have some respect for this guy's status. He actually worked with Al Gore on inventing the internets.
quote: "The Vision
In May of 1994 as Engineers we began to participate in the development of the the Internet. Realizing that we had a chance to be Pioneers in a major cultural shift in the United States we explored Ideas beyond those of the usual Software Engineer. Ideas that went beyond the development of the computer hardware and software that are used by Knowledge workers on the Internet.
Imagination and Vision helped us "See" that there was an opportunity to offer homes to individuals and families interested in pursuing careers in Information Technology. Homes in one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on Earth; the Sangre de Cristo range, where the Beauty of the surroundings would be reflected in their work.
Out of these reflections and through the influence of the enchantment we felt when we looked at the mountains of the Sangre de Cristo range came the Ranch preservation project we call Sierra Mojada."
I'd have told him $2,000.... if for no other reason, for his annoying use of random capital letters.....
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think you made two mistakes. One, sending him a proof which he will now shop around ad infinitum. And Two, not telling him the price would be $2K so that he could come back and haggle you at $1800. Guy sounds like he thinks he's King Sh!t of Turd Mountain. He's probably reading this right now and getting ready to sue us all for libel, global warming, and defamation of character. Love...Jill PS Good for you! PSS There's a plasma cut metal sign on a deer ranch near here which has a backwards M. Probably at the customer's request. PSSS Is Marty a man?
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I applaud your tenacity Bill! Guys like that at the top of the ladder must have a hard time seeing everybody way down here. And they obviously have never had to talk to us before. Isn't it a shame they never taught him how to be polite at da uveeversity.
-------------------- Deri Russell Wildwood Signs Hanover, Ontario
You're just jealous 'cause the little voices only talk to me. Posts: 1904 | From: Hanover, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
* I apologize for insulting you..... Would you please take on the assignment for the fee you proposed of $250.
* Thanks for letting me know about your background..... Wow! We are experiencing a cash flow problem even though we are well educated millionaires on paper so we are pinching pennies on every project including auto repairs, eating out at restaurants and having signs made for the ranch...... Our health insurance as of a month ago went from $9600 to $16,500 per year with no change in the policy itself.
* My wife Marty is offering residential homes at 40% below the asking price and she still has not made a penny in 2010 as there are almost 1100 homes for sale in Custer County. Marty is the great grandaugher of James Watt - Inventor of the Steam Engine and has to hustle real estate for a living thanks to a collapse of the stock market..... Look here:
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
| IP: Logged |
Due to the sudden and extended run of cheap A$#*Holes contacting me lately regarding doing their inane bidding, I find that my billable hours have dropped off at an alarming rate. That being the case My new rates have gone up considerably since our last correspondence.
Please forward your CERTIFIED check in the amount of $2500.00 to secure your position in our waiting list.
The balance due on your sign project will be required prior to delivery of your new sign.
The balance due will include, but not be limited to at least {2} of the prime 75 acre sites in your wonderful subdivision, plus any monetary damages for you and Marty wasting my time.
By current estimates your project will be completed within 3 days of Hell freezing over, so I look forward to receiving your deposit check in the very near future.
P.S. keep in mind any delay in your sending the deposit check MAY alter our delivery schedule accordingly.
Regards, Wm. D
[ May 17, 2010, 12:05 PM: Message edited by: Robert Cole ]
-------------------- Bob Cole American Sign Company 14163 Akron Canfield Rd. Berlin Center, Ohio 44401
A.K.A. Vinylman® Posts: 575 | From: Berlin Center, Ohio, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Dont do the damn thing for $275. He said he cd learn to do your job in 2 days so let the Big Boy do it himself. Or Marty cd do it, since she has no work to do now.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Is this for real? I too would tell him the new price is much higher. He obviously looked around and found out what others charge. The begging for sympathy after being so uppity is incomprehensible. Some people have no dignity. If your wondering what the bit about us blue collar workers changing our attitudes is about, tune in Glenn Beck on Fox News. 1 world, 1 economy, 1 pay rate, except for the brainiacs, and Als pals.
![[Applause]](graemlins/applause.gif)
![[Rolling On The Floor]](graemlins/rolf.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic