Trying times - Customers!!!

[mickavalon]

??? Just lost an 18.8k job, can't believe how some people behave. Did the quote last year for my Brother-in-laws mate, did drawings, couple of meetings to discuss materials, costs etc, quoted 17k, then they just dropped off the radar. Thought nothing of it, but they re-surfaced about 2 weeks ago and asked me if I was still interested and could we meet. Things being what they are, I shot round as fast as I could and had a meeting, discussed a few changes from last time and worked out another price, 17.5k, not much of an increase for 12 months on, but I was still making enough on it. They then decide to section the job up into 3 stages to fit with other work going on, I said fine, but their will be a slight cost increase in the total amount due to logistics. Ok say they, so I came back with 18.3k which they were happy with, but then decided to change the order of everything, so after spending the best part of Friday on the Phone and last Saturday round their house we reached another agreement, but this time to go ahead, so I booked in my Digger and began to order materials for the Monday. Sunday night i get a call from the Husband saying they needed another meeting as his Wife had changed her mind, so I call off Monday, re-book for Tuesday and off I trot. Everything seems fine but could we excavate a 80m2 raised lawn down another 100mm as she didn't fancy seeing the top of a retaining wall we were building from her new conservatory!!! Ok but it will cost to account for the extra spoil and digger time, 18.8k, they say fine. All ready to go, then monday night, get a call, the price increase is to much and they pulled the job!! B@#$*{£s

[rab1]

the worlds full of arseholes mate

[mickavalon]

I know, but more so it seems these days, I've never known it this bad, for work or people taking the piss. Seems to come mainly from people who look like they ain't short either. I don't mean physically!!

[flowjoe]

We had one last year asking for a pro forma invoice (10K+) so their insurers could close the claim (our estimate was 14 months old), rang to start the job and they said they had got someone else to do the job at the same price.

I suspect the insurers made the cheque out to the home owner and not us, and they will probably sell up and move instead of having the repairs done

Ying & Yang, at least we didnt do the job and then they do one with the dosh

[mickavalon]

Hope they change their mind after I've won the lottery this week.. or the next..

[flowjoe]

Thats it mick, the power of positive thinking.

Dont let the b%st$rds grind you down

[centralcrushers]

and theblues will win on saturday mick - keep your chin up

[lutonlagerlout]

we had an old boy same craic as you mick,back and forward to his house like 25 times getting calcs and drawings redone etc etc
all for a 14k extension
waited 12 weeks for planning,then 2 days before we are due to start,he says "i dont want it now"

LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

been there done that, 80k groundworks job, 300 metre x 3 tier retaining walls clad in dry stone walls, and lawns betwwn and stairs, 200 metre drive and electirc gates and all drainage etc. had 5 visit, plans drawn up and planning through our good planning consultant held his hand all the way through for him to give it to someone else.

had to drive near by the other day so called past and they had just mounded the earth up infront of the house rendering it useless. drive was still as it was no gates no walls....

but then there are the jobs that come off so its worth the effort.

[Suggers]

Feel for you MickAv -
Was gonna make some comment about how the people with less money, are true to their word & trustworthy, understand your situation - whereas the loaded nouveau riche middle class socially upwardly mobile think it's a craic to f**k you about. Have never had a prob with the real aristocracy.
But then, I decided not to. :;):

[Suggers]

ps - as an afterthought, hasn't the building game ever been thus ?

[mickavalon]

thanks everyone, just getting it off me chest....next time I'm gonna see if they want to wrestle for the price!!! And I think you maybe right on the class analysis, worst problems we get are with the management types, it's a definite power struggle with them.

[Tony McC]

That's why I keep pushing everyone to use a contract. Even if it's only a simple "we'll do this amount of work for this much money" letter that's signed by the client, it gives you some protection from these bloody timewasters.

I paid a solicitor 150 quid to draw up a standard 'contract' that we used for all residential works and it is probably the best 150 quid I spent with the legal profession. Customers think long and hard before cancelling a contract, especially one that has a fee of 25% or job value if the work is cancelled within 2 weeks of the proposed start date.

[mickavalon]

Good point, I do have my own terms and conditions but I've never gone the whole hog and spoke to a solicitor, would that be your common or garden high street guy(where all the lads who wear shell suits go) or a more commercial law based firm, I only ask cos I've a feeling it's pretty obvious, but I'm having a plank day today.
One of my lad's who uses our pick-up to commute in had a break down this morning, Oil and water sprayed everywhere inside the engine and bonnet, we all couldn't work out how or why, towed it 15 miles back to yard, paid to steam clean it, all scratching our heads, mechanic to, thought the head had gone, till the spanner jockey asked why the water filler tank was full of engine oil, turns out that was where a 42 year old bloke, driving scince 19, thought the oil went!!! what a week. still nice weather.

[Suggers]

Sorry mate - that just made me larf so out louud & spill me drink - you bastard -
Got 3 youngsters running at Twezeldown on sunday, if anybody knows what I'm on about, I'll see you in the beer tent. :laugh: