Three contractors were submitting estimates to replace a large amount of fencing in a large country house.
The estate manager got them all together so that he could study their bids.
The first one took out his tape and measured how much fencing would be needed.
He then produced a notebook and pencil and proceeded to do some calculations before turning to the estate manager and telling him, “I reckon that with the materials and labour, I can do it for £900.”
The second contractor did much the same as the first one and after a while he said, “My estimate for the job, including materials and labour, would be £800 all in.”
The estate manager looked at the third contractor and asked him what his estimate would be.
The man didn’t move at all, but said to the manager, “£2800.”
“£2800?” said the manager, “but you haven’t even bothered to measure up. How did you arrive at that figure?”
The man took the manager’s arm and walked him a few paces away from the other contractors and said to him quietly, “That’s a thousand for me, a thousand for you, and you get the second bloke to do the fencing.”