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LCCS

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I got a call today and i am sure some of you will also. The guys name was Bill Samuels. He said that he was starting a internet buisness and would be selling Thomas Aaron pool tables. He is looking for people all over the world to set up cloth and install tables into homes. He wanted a price. I told him i did not give prices over the phone and every install would be different. He said he would not know where the table would be going unless the homeowner told him. He said all installs would pay 350.00. That included dropping at your location,felting it all and moving it to the new location. The GOOD NEWS is, if this happends, there will be alot more work out there for us.This guy must be nuts if he thinks installers will do it for that price.
Hey Glen, looks like you better get those DVD'S ready for sale. Better yet why don't you call him and save us alot of grief. Maybe he will buy some for his new installers. LOL 708-945-1159
 
Is this the guy from Florida? If it is he wanted me to do a bunch of work here in Cali..

1. pool table assembled.

2. assemble 8 chairs.

3. assemble 2 pub tables and a poker table too

4. Cue racks hung

5. some other things

6. 3hr drive each way.

7. upstairs install.

8. pick up at the shipping place not @ the house to heavy for standard delivery drivers drop off..

I told him around $1200 he came back @ me with $575 or he would get someone else so I wished him luck..


He had a large showroom & website just for Thomas Aaron tables.
 
mechanic

I do not know where he was from. I think maybe poorland.LOL It might be him because he did say something about cue racks and chairs. I was going to ask where he was finding mechanics for 350.00, but after i told him to hold on to my number, because he would be needing me eventually. I think he was ready to get off the phone, by then.
He reminded me of a used car sales man. Thats what i love about this site. Alot of laughs and a corvette for 100.00
See Ya, Ron
 
Guys -keep an eye on their websites real close. We were listed as "authorized" installation & service centers on 2 sites with "guaranteed" prices. This was done without our approval, had to get the legal dept. involved. If they had enough info on you to call you up, then they have enough to "associate" you as an installer. BEWARE!!
 
It's kind of funny. I just started reading this thread today, and guess who calls me today....
 
I guess i am underpaid. for 20 years i have been doing tables for other
companies for about the same price. let me do some math. i do two
tables a day. [8 ft leather pocket local] For these two tables i get 700.
I pay a helper 125.00 a day. gas,supllies.misc 75.00. i pay for no store
adv. or much overhead. That gets me 500 a day times 6 days. 3000 a week before taxes. Seriously, is this bad?? as far as driving we only do the tables in our area.We charge 350. for a move, same cloth. i would rather deliver a new table.
 
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scruffy1 said:
I guess i am underpaid. for 20 years i have been doing tables for other
companies for about the same price. let me do some math. i do two
tables a day. [8 ft leather pocket local] For these two tables i get 700.
I pay a helper 125.00 a day. gas,supllies.misc 75.00. i pay for no store
adv. or much overhead. That gets me 500 a day times 6 days. 3000 a week before taxes. Seriously, is this bad?? as far as driving we only do the tables in our area.We charge 350. for a move, same cloth. i would rather deliver a new table.
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12 tables a week in your area?... WOW! I guess the business is not as slow as I thought it was.
 
tables

Scruffy1, If you have been doing this for twenty years, Then you made good money in 1988. It is time to raise your rates. I would charge 250.00 with felt, for a refelt. This guy wanted you to move the table to the location, set it up and cloth it. If you will do that for 350.00. You can come work for me and i will sub you out and not have to lift a finger. No offence, but that is way to cheap.
Thanks, Ron
 
I just woke up, I'm in Winslow, AZ on my way back to Vegas. I looked at AZ and I'm thinking...I woke up to this shit...LOL

Ron, are you sure this company isn't "PoolTablesDirect"....lmao. I went through this one time a while back. Table made in China. I got a call to set the table up for $350.00 so I though what the heck, not busy today. Drove 35 miles down to Puyallup, WA. to meet the table at the guys house. First thing I noticed, was the stairs down into the basement, there was no mention of stairs!!!!!!! Second, the home owner would not help, because he PAID for delivery and set up, and didn't feel he should have to help...ok, fine...I packed everything down stairs myself. Then when assembling the table, I found that the table had one cracked leg, I informed the home owner. He called the company and they said they'd send him a new leg...ok! Well, then I went ahead and assembled the table, knowing I could change out the leg later on. While assembling the table, I discovered the side panels of the table did not fit the slate screw holes, as in...the end slate screw holes went into AIR! The side slate screw holes went into about a 1/4" of the outside edge of the side panels...made of MDF! So, I had to drill new slate holes...inside the playing surface...next to the other slate screw holes!!! So, after setting up the frame and slate, leveled out the 1/2" sag in the frame, filled in ALL the slate screw holes in the playing surface...got ready to install the bed cloth...this was an 8ft table...the bed cloth that came with the table was for a 7ft!!!!!!!!!!! It's Saturday!!! I had already recovered the rails in the camel cloth provided, so not knowing what else to do, I called up my brother to see if he'd trade me an 8ft rip of camel cloth for this 7ft rip...he said OK, no big deal. So, drove 45 miles to his store and back...now I'm into this table another 90 miles, and another day!!!! Finished the table on Sunday, home owner was happy, so I was happy. Tried calling the company on Monday...couldn't get a hold of anyone. Tuesday the home owner calls me to tell me that the replacement leg has arrived, so...ok, I drive 70 miles round trip just to exchange the split leg. Called the company again...nothing. Wednesday the company called me, to tell me my check for $350.00 would be mailed out...I said hold on, wait a minute...what about this, and what about that...I want paid for all the extra BS that I had to go through in order for them to have a happy customer...as I feel that it would only be fair! Their reply was...we ONLY pay $350.00 and that's it! I asked them...so in other words...you don't pay ANYTHING for your FU*# UPS????????? They said they were not aware of any problems and that they were not going to bill the customer any additional costs related to the install!!!

I said, ok...send me my check, take me off your list...and if you ever mention my name again as an authorized installer again...I'd sue them for faults representation without my approval.

Never again will I accept a blind install for a set price, and no compensation for screw ups. So...to me, $350.00 is a good starting point, meaning I'm starting to listen...I'm just not moving yet!!! Before I do anything...I want ALL the details of the install...then I'll tell YOU what the end price will be...YOU are not going to tell me what I'm going to charge...unless...YOU are at the other end of the slate packing it in!!!


So, now...what were we talking about again????????...LMAO

Glen
 
scruffy1 said:
I guess i am underpaid. for 20 years i have been doing tables for other
companies for about the same price. let me do some math. i do two
tables a day. [8 ft leather pocket local] For these two tables i get 700.
I pay a helper 125.00 a day. gas,supllies.misc 75.00. i pay for no store
adv. or much overhead. That gets me 500 a day times 6 days. 3000 a week before taxes. Seriously, is this bad?? as far as driving we only do the tables in our area.We charge 350. for a move, same cloth. i would rather deliver a new table.
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scruffy...I want to move to your area, you have way to much work to keep up buddy...LOL Wow, you must have the most pool table installs of anyone in the country! At 12 tables a week, 52 weeks a year...you almost install as many tables as I do...and you're HOME at night...getting some once in a while I hope!!!! ;) :D

Glen

PS. Do you take time off for the holidays, or work through them like I do? I have it figured out, now I just have Thanksgiving and Christmas with different familys every year...saves me from having to cook, or wrap presents...LOL
 
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Glen - I installed one of those about a month ago and although didn't have near the problems you did, there were still a few that just added to install time. The feather strips on them were shit and I had to sand them down because they were so rough. They would barely come out of the dado cut which I also had to file out quite a few areas in them where the feather strip would have snapped or cut the felt or both. They shorted me hardware, didn't clean out the bolt holes for pocket irons, nor the holes for rail bolts. Just all around sloppy quality control issues! I will not install another unless it's agreed to that anything extra is compensated. Live and learn right?!?!

Robin
 
TheTablePro said:
Glen - I installed one of those about a month ago and although didn't have near the problems you did, there were still a few that just added to install time. The feather strips on them were shit and I had to sand them down because they were so rough. They would barely come out of the dado cut which I also had to file out quite a few areas in them where the feather strip would have snapped or cut the felt or both. They shorted me hardware, didn't clean out the bolt holes for pocket irons, nor the holes for rail bolts. Just all around sloppy quality control issues! I will not install another unless it's agreed to that anything extra is compensated. Live and learn right?!?!

Robin
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I agree...I need to make a "Living to, and they need to LEARN that one price does NOT fit all"...LOL
 
I guess they could learn something from the new car industry price sheets posted in the windows of all new cars and trucks...LOL and understand that $350.00 is a "BASE" price that can and more than likely will be added to, unless everything falls into that "BASE" price install and setup, which might be 2 out of 10 tables!

Glen
 
tables

I think he said he was from poor tables direct. No he said, he did not have a website yet and they were getting installers for areas, first.I thought that was a little odd. Personally, it reminded me of a scam. I just have not figured it out yet. Neither do i want to. I here you about that table you installed. You should have known better. LOL Anyway, i just wanted to let a few people know and see what they had to say. It was 56 below here last night with the windshield and is 9 below now. My truck moned at me this morning. How is the weather in Arizona?
See Ya, Ron
 
LCCS said:
I think he said he was from poor tables direct. No he said, he did not have a website yet and they were getting installers for areas, first.I
I spoke with him yesterday. He told me he was with Thomas Aaron. That they were going to be selling off a bunch of "discontinued 8 footers". That he was looking for installers who would recieve the crated tables unload them from the semi truck load them into my truck deliver them, unload and set them up for a flat rate of 350.00. I told him I wasn't interested. Not at that price and not on a flat rate basis.
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Click to expand...
 
lccs,

did you say you charge 250.00 w/felt? if so and you use titan at 75.00
that is a 175 profit. this guy is offering 350. They supply cloth. a assemble is no better then a recover. With a recover i am going to usually tear it apart and do it right so what is the difference. we actually charge 375.00
for a recover using titan. With a recover i have to drive to the guys house any way, so what if i just happen to have the table with me! I have the chance to cover my rails after work so the next day i am ready to go.
 
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Glen,

Thank you! I have been very fortunate to be in one of the busiest areas of the country. you are not going to believe me but i actually employ another crew who does the same! Now they are not 4 new tables every day, but close. but there is 4 jobs 6 days a week. As for the holidays. i think i might of missed xmas!lol. Most of our business is home table sales from
small companies that do o.k but not enough to warrant full time mechanics.
We are 7 days right now, we had thanksgiving,xmas and new years off and that has been it since nov. going to need some of those new rails soon!Will call you!
 
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Lccs.The key is volume you could not possibly pay me 156k as your installer.
i can under stand if you are doing only a couple tables here and there but i need income every day.Am i still underpriced??? If you have two tables at your shop and you will pay someone 700 to deliver and set up locally i think you might get some calls!
 
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table work

Scruffy1, You mean to tell me, you are willing to deliver,cloth and set up a table for 350.00. If so, you got the number. Give the guy a call. And if you are tearing down tables and setting them up and recovering them for 375.00, more power to you. All i am saying is, i would not touch these tables for that price. I think Glen did the math on the table that was messed up and came out short. I would not even think of doing this for 350.00. What area are you in?
Thanks, Ron
 
lccs, you are misunderstanding me. we do not do tables for this co. but we
have reputable dealers that we install for. Here is a question guy says i have 8ft olhausen drakes to install, within 50 mile radius i will guarantee you four tables a day, every day how much do you charge to pup and install. cust suppl cloth??
 
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