Message for all the engineers and architects

structuralguy65

I am finding that this mandatory "$0/on-site estimate" thing is confusing the customer. People are expecting a free consultation. I had three just in the first three days this week. "The app said this was supposed to be free."

Nobody works for free. No engineer or architect that I know of will walk through a property and consult about a project and its budget without setting up an agreement first. I had one customer plead with me "but I just need to know an estimate of how much the repair work will cost so I can decide whether to buy the property or not, and the app says that's supposed to be free."

I can give you a free estimate of what I will charge, but no way will I drive to your property, unpack your problem, come up with a solution, provide you with a budgetary estimate, and walk out of there without getting paid.

To protect yourselves, never agree to go out to a property without making the client acutely aware that your service is not free.

Another troubling new feature is the instant booking requirement. I leave a small smidgen of time open each day, then when we connect, I steer them to other options. I live in a long, thin state, and in no way shape or form will I ever let Thumbtack mess with my route planning.

Thumbtack didn't think these things through. That, or they simply don't care.

Matt

@DustiO I think this one could be a part of the greater discussion on Instant Booking

DustiO

@structuralguy65 You'll need to set your price for estimates. First, go to your services tab, then click on "Structural Engineering Services", then you'll see this — click on "What customers pay". Then, fill in whatever price you charge for estimates and check or uncheck the box about whether or not the fee is waived if hired. It looks like you just haven't set this yet, so it is at $0. Hope this helps!

structuralguy65

@DustiO I don't think I was clear. The fees vary from one issue to another. Engineers don't charge a flat fee for everything, because you could be there for 25 minutes, or four hours, or six visits over the course of the next 8 months. Thumbtack is treating this like it's a single-event home inspection, and it's not. Engineering projects a lot of times involve several visits, which either get paid through a hard number proposal, or a retainer. Outside of Thumbtack, this sort of thing unfolds as follows: have conversation with client to iron out scope, write up scope and agreement, send to client for approval, then schedule the visit. Nothing gets done without an approved scope of work.

DustiO

Ah I see, sorry I misunderstood. I would recommend sending your category specific feedback to support@thumbtack.com as well, so that it gets logged (and I am sharing feedback directly with teams). In the meantime do you think it would still make sense to put a price there that would cover your minimum for your time (like maybe what you would charge for a one hour consult) and then be very clear in your intro about what goes into estimates and how price may vary? It would be at least better than setting the expectation of a free estimate. Trying to think of ways to make this work for you as is, but please keep sending feedback as teams work to improve these features.

I know they are vastly different categories, but I used to run a bakery business and specialized in high end wedding cakes. It was always difficult to share a price up front, because people want such different things. I would always set up a consult to meet with potential clients and design the cake with them. But, in my initial messaging and in my intro on my profile I was super clear about how the process would work, what went in to pricing, etc so that they were prepared before we met. You probably already do this, but worth suggesting in case you don't!

We have a home inspector on our Pro Advisory Board who is giving us a lot of great feedback specific to that category too (no engineers though, unfortunately, so please keep giving us feedback).

DustiO

@Ashish_Architect do you have any insight on this particular issue as an architect/engineer?

Ashish_Architect

Thanks @DustiO for including me here. As an architect (similar to a structural engineer) I have been dealing with this very issue from the start of my Thumbtack (TT) experience. In the beginning, I figured it was cost of doing business on TT, but then realized that I can atleast cover some of my expenses by setting a higher value for on-site estimate. So, now I have put $350 as an on-site number, just to set some expectation.

But to @structuralguy65 point, our profession (architect and engineer) is very different than a standard repeatable trade job (say install washer or paint a room). Our fees are very much dependent on the complexity of the job, client's requirements and the state of existing building. So, the idea of a "on-site estimate" is not really relevant. I would much prefer to have a category for "on site visit" vs "on-site estimate" for architects and engineers. I would put a $ value for "on-site visit" and hide the "on-site estimate" for architects/engineers.

@structuralguy65 , till TT finds a solution, I suggest you put a number to cover some of your expenses. I personally have put $350 there, and if someone asks me about it, I tell them that I will charge them $500 to come out, and if they hire me, I will waive $200 of that fee, in effect getting paid $300 for the time and energy spent in making the site visit. Not ideal, but atleast takes a bite out of the bite. :)

structuralguy65

Still getting pushback on this. People expect me to work for free. "But this app says this is free."

structuralguy65

@DustiO I think Thumbtack needs to change this "free on site estimate" advertising. Angi Leads and Home Advisor got in trouble over something similar, and are currently under a 10 year consent order with the Federal Trade Commission for "misrepresenting products as free."

It should be changed to "free estimate for services prior to engagement," or something all of the trades can agree to.

Matt

@structuralguy65 or, just let us decide what we want to offer all together. Have a drop down of “free virtual estimate”, “free consultation”, “free virtual consultation”, “free on-site estimate” etc.

TT seems to want to just force things without choice on individual industries, there is no one size fits all in this!

structuralguy65

Just got another one. "This isn't free?"

structuralguy65

@DustiO @Ashish_Architect

Here's the latest:

"I reached out for consultation for a review on specific concern and it was published as $0 onsite - estimate. If your visit has a charge, I'll get back."

And I get charged for the lead.

This must change, or I'm lodging a complaint with the FTC. (And I know DustiO and Ashish are not at fault in any way. My comment is directed at ThumbTack.)