Discuss all things Ghostbusters here, unless they would be better suited in one of the few forums below.
By BluesSinger212
#190285
....let's assume that Ghost Busting is real. Okay, okay, Ghost Busting as it appears in the movies (and other media). You see a spook, specter, or ghost or you have feelings of dread in your attic or basement so you don't hesitate a minute more and you call the Paranormal Professionals: "Ghostbusters!" Now this is what I had been wondering:

Are the Ghostbusters like any other exterminators in the sense that they come to your home or place of business assess what you have, tell you you have a class 3 repeater or a roving phantasm, and give you an estimate on cost? Then it's up to you to decide "Do I have the money to do so?" THEN they do their job? Would they give you a quote AFTER the literal and proverbial damage has been done, like what they did at the Sedgwick? Do you really think an average ghost removal would cost $5,000? Personally, I like to think that the Ghostbusters, being that the Sedgwick was their first big bust, managed to squeeze out that number because it was such a fancy, high-brow hotel - like the Plaza - and they needed the funds to keep going. I have a hard time believing that they would charge an average middle-class family $5,000 to eliminate a specter. I am just curious as to what you guys thought about the Busters as a business, just food for thought.
By The Stiff
#190288
I think that after a few months on the job, they would be able to offer quotes on ghost removal based on a description of the spectre from a client. It's good business practice to charge close to your quoted amounts, or the client simply won't pay if they don't have the money.

I agree that they probably overcharged on the Sedgewick job, as they knew that they could get that kind of cash out of the ritzy hotel.

But I do think that Ghostbusting is a costly business. I would expect that even in 1984 dollars, they wouldn't be able to do most jobs for under $1,000.
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By jackdoud
#190311
Well since after the Sedgewick bust Peter looks to Egon for a price idea I'd think $5000 would be average. I'm sure Egon knew about what it "cost" them in terms of equiment wear, consumables, R&D costs and storage. None of the equipment could be cheap to build or maintain so if anything I'd think $5000 would be a bargan, especially considering the ghost that was removed.

As to when they charge people, given the direct nature of the ghosts seen in the movie I'm sure most people were of the opinion "I've seen it and want it gone no matter the cost". Someone who just had a bad feeling could have a sweep done to confirm the presence of a ghost and then decide later what to do about it.
By raggletag
#190387
I also figured they overcharged on the Sedgewick job because it was a ritzy place, and because they were flat broke and needed the extra cashflow. I'd guess that after awhile something like $3000 would be more likely for a standard capture/containment. I can't imagine an average family in 1984 being able to afford much more than that. Though they might be like plumbers where they have different price scales depending if the job is commercial or residential.
By Krenzy
#190460
My thought is that yes they overcharged, but only out of necessity. The last of their petty cash was swallowed, they obviously had electric bills (imagine THOSE bills), mortgage payments, insurance, food, beer...you know, the essentials. So I'm sure the price was inflated to try and balance the checkbook.
By BluesSinger212
#190529
On a side note, wouldn't it have been funny to see the Ghostbusters do at least one "run-of-the-mill" specter removal like in someone's house? I think that closest we see is the fine china store in GBII with the laser trap. i mean can you imagine the Busters in an average 3-4 bedroom house?
By RedVirtue
#190553
I'm sure their prices would fluctuate since their first capture. Once you do a few jobs you can afford to have promotions and deals.

Like coffee mugs... and balloons for the kids.
By BigJon
#190573
Boomerjinks wrote:
BluesSinger212 wrote:....let's assume that Ghost Busting is real.
You lost me.
Not hard...just takes imagination...oh, wait...

I assume that the pricing was still pretty steep for the average American family, at least $1000 or so. I would have loved to have seen a scene in the movie where they had done a bust at someone's house.
By BluesSinger212
#190710
GB: "That'll be....uhh....$3,000."
Wife: "Bu...but...but my house is DESTROYED!!"
GB: (optimistic tone) "Well...nothing that some spakle, a li'l wallpaper and a few paintings can't fix. I know where you can get a great Renaissance painting by one of the Fettuccinniis that will cover up nicely."
Wife: "There's a hole in our ROOF!!!"
Husband: "Well, we DID need to remodel anyway."


Hellooo.....is this thing on? Bueller? Bueller?
By xtrmn8r17
#190715
BluesSinger212 wrote:GB: "That'll be....uhh....$3,000."
Wife: "Bu...but...but my house is DESTROYED!!"
GB: (optimistic tone) "Well...nothing that some spakle, a li'l wallpaper and a few paintings can't fix. I know where you can get a great Renaissance painting by one of the Fettuccinniis that will cover up nicely."
Wife: "There's a hole in our ROOF!!!"
Husband: "Well, we DID need to remodel anyway."


Hellooo.....is this thing on? Bueller? Bueller?

lol... nice! I can totally picture that
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By jafillz
#190721
of course, after a few years or even decades of success i would think the price would come down and like said before, an accurate quote could be issue with a description provided by the customer.

maybe even like terminix, have a yearly program where you buy a contract of regular inspections for infestations.
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By ProtonCharger
#190731
i cant imagine them charging the same amount to a regular joe. and i dont think they over embellished the charge for the sedgwick because it was a ritzy hotel. someone did bring up that they were out of petty cash, but lets also think, this was their first romp at the whole deal. not only have they not tested their equipment, they dont have any experience doing their service, and dont have any idea how to charge for their services either. not to mention, the manager dude was a dick.

think of them like the orkin men or truly nolen, but for ghosts. how much does it usually cost to get rid of termites and rats? there's atleast one truly nolen in every town here, so, i think of the ghostbusters if the franchise thing ever worked out to be like truly nolen. sure they up the prices for larger hotels and businesses, but for someone's house, it depends on how badly the infestation is, right? i dont know, ive never had to deal with termites and rats.
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By TSACaptain
#190751
you gotta remember that they are storing the ghosts in thier containment unit, too. So I lump fee instead of monthly charges for storage....
By Dan Shannon
#191074
What about things such as damages? At one point you'd have to factor in damage-to-cost ratios or at least massive lawsuits against the business for damaged property. Unless you have a team of Louis Tully's to back up financially and legally, the company would be more prone to being sued out of existence (like in GBII). The main hypothetical is if Ghostbusting became a Government sanctioned service like in GB:TVG, would they still be able to charge like that if the insurance companies backing the company had to pay for massive property damages? What if the company went under with a loaded containment unit? Would the ghosts go loose from lack of the electric bill being paid, or would the company default to another interested party to resume the units being paid?
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By Meph
#191108
RedVirtue wrote:
Meph wrote:Silly rabbit. Animals and insects don't have ghosts.
Tell that to the dog in Dana's fridge. :D
That's an interdimensional terror dog, not a ghost. ;)
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By ProtonCharger
#191599
Dan Shannon wrote:What about things such as damages? At one point you'd have to factor in damage-to-cost ratios or at least massive lawsuits against the business for damaged property. Unless you have a team of Louis Tully's to back up financially and legally, the company would be more prone to being sued out of existence (like in GBII). The main hypothetical is if Ghostbusting became a Government sanctioned service like in GB:TVG, would they still be able to charge like that if the insurance companies backing the company had to pay for massive property damages? What if the company went under with a loaded containment unit? Would the ghosts go loose from lack of the electric bill being paid, or would the company default to another interested party to resume the units being paid?
i figure by the time they have franchising figured out they also have a way to minimize damages. do they figure damages into pest control?
By Dan Shannon
#191642
Well, in pest control, if there's pets involved, there's a possibility the dog or cat might lick some of the poison by mistake. I'm sure they have to have insurance for such a thing
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