Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 9:47 pm
OK so basically I've done a lot of work over the years for this customer and as a result when they asked me to do some work for them recently just clearing over grown areas and a bit of hedge work I gave them a day rate. I hate doing that cos I feel under pressure. I much prefer to agree a price for A,B and C and then complete to customers satisfaction. On this ocassion I figured they had such a lot of work to be done I said I would have thought 3 guys can get the bulk of it done in a day and that will cost blah blah. I did it this way cos I thought there's a chance it could get done in a day but if I'd have commited to a quote I would have covered my ass and billed it as 2 days and probably been out in 1 - 1 +/34
They said OK. No quote given. Just verbal.
Did the days work, was not our best effort. Couple of machines weren't on their best behaviour and it was 30 degrees. Hey ho, we did get the bulk done. Roughly 60%.
Sent invoice. Got a reply saying I thought you were going to do this and that and t'other. I said er no, I specifically said we'd get what could be done done.
In the end I said ok look I don't want to argue about it. My mistake, I'll never not provide a formal quote again. Lesson learn't I'll send the guys over to finish the top of the large hedge. Asked guys to make sure they are happy before they left. They did, they said they're happy. They also said the woman said she had no problem with them but was annoyed with me blah blah blah. Anyway, emailed them for payment of invoice. No response. They aint gonna pay it's patently clear.
Soo... I'm in a bind. On principle I want to declare war. I've not done anything wrong as far as I can ascertain, I've even acquiesced to their demand which effectively meant that I ended up doing a days labour for free in the blistering heat. So I am pretty damn *issed.
I'm on checkatrade though a google etcetera and have yet not got a bad review out of 110 reviews so far. I can take the financial hit but the principle gets me. Don't want the review though which if I force them to pay by bugging the crap out of them till they buckle I'll certainly get that bad review. Also, again rarely, I did not take photos. Don't really advertise for hedge work any more as it aggravates my shoulder arthritis something chronic, hence why I don't bother taking photos of hedge work.
They said OK. No quote given. Just verbal.
Did the days work, was not our best effort. Couple of machines weren't on their best behaviour and it was 30 degrees. Hey ho, we did get the bulk done. Roughly 60%.
Sent invoice. Got a reply saying I thought you were going to do this and that and t'other. I said er no, I specifically said we'd get what could be done done.
In the end I said ok look I don't want to argue about it. My mistake, I'll never not provide a formal quote again. Lesson learn't I'll send the guys over to finish the top of the large hedge. Asked guys to make sure they are happy before they left. They did, they said they're happy. They also said the woman said she had no problem with them but was annoyed with me blah blah blah. Anyway, emailed them for payment of invoice. No response. They aint gonna pay it's patently clear.
Soo... I'm in a bind. On principle I want to declare war. I've not done anything wrong as far as I can ascertain, I've even acquiesced to their demand which effectively meant that I ended up doing a days labour for free in the blistering heat. So I am pretty damn *issed.
I'm on checkatrade though a google etcetera and have yet not got a bad review out of 110 reviews so far. I can take the financial hit but the principle gets me. Don't want the review though which if I force them to pay by bugging the crap out of them till they buckle I'll certainly get that bad review. Also, again rarely, I did not take photos. Don't really advertise for hedge work any more as it aggravates my shoulder arthritis something chronic, hence why I don't bother taking photos of hedge work.