Am I off base?

[John C.]

I think CM1995 hit the mark square. A lien on the county books is the first step for a law suit anyway.

 

[Welder Dave]

I suggested a lien but spelt it wrong. LoL Years ago I did a mowing job on about a $1,000,000 acreage that was for sale. The woman met me and showed me the 3' tall pasture she wanted cut. I said it would take about 3 -3 1/2hrs. with the flail mower. She had some running around to do but said she'd be back in a couple hours. I finished and 4 1/2hrs later she still wasn't back. I tried calling after I got home and never got an answer or a return to my messages. Here's a tip if you want to try and get out of paying someone, don't have a realtors for sale sign on the property with their name and phone number. A friendly call to the realtor and within 20 minutes I had an apology from her and a cheque in the mail. I don't believe for a second she had planned to pay but I'm sure the realtor knew he wouldn't be getting any commission either. A lot of times it's people with money that try to weasel out of paying.

 

[carken1]

Material and machine time and labor cost

I suggested a lien but spelt it wrong. LoL Years ago I did a mowing job on about a $1,000,000 acreage that was for sale. The woman met me and showed me the 3' tall pasture she wanted cut. I said it would take about 3 -3 1/2hrs. with the flail mower. She had some running around to do but said she'd be back in a couple hours. I finished and 4 1/2hrs later she still wasn't back. I tried calling after I got home and never got an answer or a return to my messages. Here's a tip if you want to try and get out of paying someone, don't have a realtors for sale sign on the property with their name and phone number. A friendly call to the realtor and within 20 minutes I had an apology from her and a cheque in the mail. I don't believe for a second she had planned to pay but I'm sure the realtor knew he wouldn't be getting any commission either. A lot of times it's people with money that try to weasel out of paying.

If possible go to him and show him all your cost. Your material cost had to be big %. If he doesn't understand I would take some kind of
course to get yourself protected. Been through that and this has worked when I explained time and material. Q? Is he in finical trouble? Check
that out also!

 

[rossaroni]

Managed to settle on what I'll call a mutually acceptable price, but it's still crap in my book. I covered my costs and labor, but not much in profit. In all honesty, the difference wasn't worth the time I would have spent to hire a lawyer, go to court for a judgement, the time to file the lien, and pissing off the customers that are waiting right now because I'm chasing back pay, not when I can be out working on another job for someone else that pays as well or better, especially through the winter.
It's not so much the money, but the fact that this is a company that I worked WITH (not FOR) for years. Helping with preliminary budgets, meeting costs through modification of scopes, drive 2 hours to look at this property that we MIGHT be doing something at, etc. IMHO, what they saved was not worth damaging a relationship. I'll get over the financials, but now they have to find someone else who would treat them like I did. 95% of their jobs for them were profitable, but not hugely. Never before have I ever been hurt, and never before has an invoice been questioned. Totally changes the dynamic of any, if any, future dealings.
And on top of it all, they called me today to ask if I could get out to backfill a Bilco door. No, gentlemen, I'm busy on another job. For a paying customer. Recouping my losses from your job. Maybe the other guy can come out? No, He's too far away. You're not mad about that whole bill thing still, are you?...
Some people amaze me.
But I guess I need to look at the lessons here...
Trust takes years to build, and seconds to break.
Treat others as you would want to be treated.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
And last, but not least,
It is impossible to pick up a turd from the clean end

 

[thepumpguysc]

I feel your pain brother.. I too had a long time customer who I would "help out"..
He called me up and needed my help figuring out a Cummins motor.. it would just smoke.. hit once like it wanted to start and that was it..
I was still getting over back surgery at the time..
Long story short>> I billed him 500.00 for all my labor and 2 trips out to his site.. with a broken back,!!
He says, I cant pay you that much.. that's how much I'm charging the customer..
I say, the engine is running.. I timed the pump, I rebuilt the injectors and I had the special tools to do it all.. you owe me 500.00.!!!
He says, I'll give you 200.00 and I'll take 300.00.
I say, give me 300.00 and DONT EVER CALL ME AGAIN.. and that's how it went.. its been about a year now and not 1 peep from him..
I'm glad you got your situation under control..

 

[kshansen]

Well glad you got away with out a major loss. Hope you can stay busy with other jobs every time this guy come begging!

 

[CM1995]

I'll get over the financials, but now they have to find someone else who would treat them like I did.

I know exactly what you mean. It wasn't so much the money as the treatment and questioning of the bill which was very reasonable from the work you described in addition to the history.

Sometimes "you gotta let the dog catch the car", it's the only way for some people to learn. Now they can get bubba and a backhoe to do the next foundation and see how that turns out as far as quality and schedule goes. Let them go through several jack legs with cheap prices, they'll come back around and appreciate a craftsman and be willing to pay the going rate.

Many, many times I've told owners and GC's to take the other guy's money when presented with a quote that is ridiculously low for the job. Of course it never works out in the end - they either get crappy work, change orders, schedule delays or the guy walks off the job and leaves them with a mess because he realizes he's not making any money. Seen it time and time again.

Sometimes the best customers you have are the ones that went the cheap route before and appreciate quality work on a timely schedule. Others are just out to make a buck at whatever cost, those I stay away from but it takes experience doing business with them to know them.

 

[Welder Dave]

I wouldn't even consider working for this place again even if they paid you what they rightfully owe you. I probably wouldn't even return their phone calls. You can have a million positive reviews but it only takes 1 bad one to throw them all out the window. They will be kicking themselves because no other contractor will treat them as good as you did. Their loss.

 

[carken1]

Settlement

Glad you settled with him. Be nice and talk to him and always say hi. But when the phone rings I'd really be busy . He'll get the
hint and maybe you can go back and really make some money off him. Next go around quote him a really good number "like take it
or leave it"! Hang in there .

Managed to settle on what I'll call a mutually acceptable price, but it's still crap in my book. I covered my costs and labor, but not much in profit. In all honesty, the difference wasn't worth the time I would have spent to hire a lawyer, go to court for a judgement, the time to file the lien, and pissing off the customers that are waiting right now because I'm chasing back pay, not when I can be out working on another job for someone else that pays as well or better, especially through the winter.
It's not so much the money, but the fact that this is a company that I worked WITH (not FOR) for years. Helping with preliminary budgets, meeting costs through modification of scopes, drive 2 hours to look at this property that we MIGHT be doing something at, etc. IMHO, what they saved was not worth damaging a relationship. I'll get over the financials, but now they have to find someone else who would treat them like I did. 95% of their jobs for them were profitable, but not hugely. Never before have I ever been hurt, and never before has an invoice been questioned. Totally changes the dynamic of any, if any, future dealings.
And on top of it all, they called me today to ask if I could get out to backfill a Bilco door. No, gentlemen, I'm busy on another job. For a paying customer. Recouping my losses from your job. Maybe the other guy can come out? No, He's too far away. You're not mad about that whole bill thing still, are you?...
Some people amaze me.
But I guess I need to look at the lessons here...
Trust takes years to build, and seconds to break.
Treat others as you would want to be treated.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
And last, but not least,
It is impossible to pick up a turd from the clean end

 

[oarwhat]

I hate customers like that. I started working for a factory that was a real ****hole. They loved my pricing and work. Their center roadway was shot so I gave them a price to replace it in concrete. They put a foreman in charge of overseeing my work. He says I'm way too cheap!! So it's a big concrete pour like 200' and it was hot like upper 80's. My concrete guys know it's going to shrink and saw cut it first thing in the AM. Well 4 cracks appear from the corners of the catch basin before they cut it. The foreman says there just shrink cracks don't worry. Bosses say what if that was my house I wouldn't accept that. Well it's not your house it's a dirty,crappy factory. Besides there's old concrete under my concrete so it's not going anywhere!!

They say if my concrete guy epoxies the cracks they'll pay in full. So we do it. Not good enough their expert will do it for $350 and then I'll get paid.

So this has been going on for a month. Boss calls me and says the work is done and they're very happy. But since it's not there fault they paid late they are deducting the 3% they would have saved if the paid early. I'm like WTF are you serious. To this day this guy can't understand why that's the last time I worked for him.

 

[Todd v.]

Sometimes you have to fire a customer... It's almost satisfying saying no or that your too busy after they've treated you like dirt.

 

[Axle]

Future bids with this guy on the business side, have a built in PIA adjustment to recoup what was lost this time. Personal bids for this guy, no more hand shake deals, just double them. I don't like working on the side/after hours, so if somebody asks me how much, they get a ridiculous price and a 'it'll cost more if...' and payment before work begins. I like my free time.

Alex.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I know what you mean Axle..
I had a "diesel mechanic" that wanted me to "teach him" how to do a particular kind of pump.. All the ins and outs..
I made thousands of dollars off this guy.. in the course of a year..
I told him.. OK.. its 100.00 an hour and it takes about 10 hrs to learn it..
I only work 6.. and you need to buy an **sload of special tools..
I NEVER heard that question again.. Lol