Quotes that survive the first week
Line items for adhesive, wastage and travel time, worked out from real refits in Midrand and Pinetown. You see where a quote quietly loses money before the client even signs.
Next step
A damp wall you cannot trace, a quote that keeps coming back short, a drill that died on a cold morning in Boksburg. Photograph it, describe what you already tried, and mail it to the editor. Reader jobs are the backbone of the next round of posts, and the honest ones with the messy details are the most useful to everyone else on site.
Not sure where your situation fits? Browse the solutions overview or start from the latest field notes.
Every post starts from a job that happened, not a topic someone thought would rank. Here is what that means when you sit down with your own quote book or tool bag.
Line items for adhesive, wastage and travel time, worked out from real refits in Midrand and Pinetown. You see where a quote quietly loses money before the client even signs.
Batteries left overnight in a cold bakkie, chucks full of grit, brushes worn down by roof sheet fixing. Teardowns say which 18V drill still earns its place on the bakkie.
Hose tests, moisture readings and the difference between rising damp and a leaking downpipe. Knowing the source first saves you from redoing the same wall twice.
How to check an aluminium or timber supplier on lead times, cut accuracy and whether they answer the phone in December. Notes from orders that went well and a few that did not.
Invoicing routines for clients who pay late: deposit terms, progress claims and the wording that keeps a small workshop from carrying a big job on its own cash.
Electricians, plumbers and cabinetmakers write in with what they see on site. Reader questions get answered straight, including the ones where the honest answer is "call an engineer".
New to the site? Start with how these notes are put together, or see the working methods behind each post.