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Hot take: Should you ALWAYS quote an extra 30 minutes for unexpected repairs?
Last Tuesday I was doing a simple dryer repair in a basement in Portland. Told the customer it would take about an hour to replace the belt. Then I found the idler pulley was seized AND the drum glide had melted from friction. I had to call my supplier and wait 45 minutes for delivery. Cost me my next job because I was late. Do you guys pad your quotes with extra time or stick to what you think the job should be? I'm leaning towards always adding a buffer now.
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terrywilson10d agoMost Upvoted
Ask how often does that buffer actually cover the real problem versus just making you look slow when the job goes smooth. Because I've found that adding 30 minutes for a belt replacement just means the customer watches the clock and wonders why you're done in 45 minutes. Had a similar issue with a washing machine where I quoted 2 hours and finished in 90, and the guy got suspicious I was cutting corners.
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