A note from Dan Foley.

Just got this and am sharing it with Dan's permission:





Hi Dan,



I

just closed a deal on a commercial steam job in DC for $55k.  It is a

boiler replacement/system rehab in an old building in Dupont Circle. 

They got my name from my Find-A-Contractor ad.  They received other bids

but were not comfortable with what they heard.  They did some research

and found my F-A-C ad on your website. 

 On

every steam estimate I go on, I give the potential client a copy of

your book “We Got Steam Heat”.  I want them to educate themselves and

understand their system.  I don’t get every job but it is a cheap

investment and helps to separate me from the pack.



On

this particular job, we were almost $20k higher than the next closest

bid.  The other bidders were not going to do the following:



·         Replace the wet return running across the basement that was rotted out, leaking and full of mud.

·         Replace the 3” header.  The new boiler calls for a 4” header. 

·         Re-pipe

and replace the main vent.  The existing one-pipe system has one #75

main vent for a 450,000 BTU boiler.  We are going back with (3) Gorton

#2’s.

·         Replace

all the radiator vents.  Some are hard to get to but they need to be

replaced.  They appear to have last been replaced during the Eisenhower

administration. 

·         Replace

a leaking radiator that is leaking between two sections.  Again, it is

hard to get to but Base-Hit or Leak-Lock (what another contractor told

them) won’t fix it. 

·         Properly flush, skim, and clean the system.  As you say, do it now and get paid or do it later for free.  I prefer the former.



Dan,

I know you already know this.  Several years ago, I went through my

records and stopped counting when I attributed $1/2 mil. In business

directly to my F-A-C ad.  That figure is closer to $1 M by this point,

maybe more.  I chuckle when I see posts on the Wall complaining about

business conditions or asking about Service Magic or other BS internet

lead sources that cost thousands of dollars.  The answer is right in

front of them and it costs $1 dollar a day!  Buy an ad, do good work, do

what you say you will, show up on time, charge more than it costs you. 

It’s not that hard.



I

still marvel that I am one of only two contractors in the entire DC

metro area with a F-A-C ad (three if you count Steamhead in Baltimore). 



Your friend,

Dan



***********************

Dan Foley

Foley Mechanical, Inc.

8390 Terminal Road Unit ILorton, VA  22079