Has This Ever Happened To You ..

charles_tx

Has this ever happened to you, you get a great project to do, the HO's are super nice, the job is going well despite it's thunderstorming on and off the entire time, you are photo documenting it, then you are a day and in a half away from completion and the HO says, uhhh, well I am out of money and I can't afford to finished it !


http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/charle...=/2efa&.src=ph


Charles

Cole

Charles, sorry about that.

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IHI

I've had homeowners that wanted to go with a lil bit better this or that or make an improvement in design/layout while we were at a certain stage where it was do or die when I suggested it and they were at least honest enough to tell me, "we'd love to do that but we just dont have the extra money right now to go that route unless you could wait a week or two for us to pay you back"

Now going with my gut and having good relations with most all of my customers I (I know most here would freak out at this fact) but I will say no problem, typically if they are that honest and not trying to hide the fact budget is stretched but could pay you in X amount of time they will...least that's been my luck to date, and typically they've all found ways to come up with the money sooner than our previously talked about date. I know "giving credit" is not our place but gut feeling has always prevailed in these few circumstances.

BUT...I do have freinds that are currently in the middle of a bad situation. A good freind of theirs contacted them for a total home gut, new layout, addition added on, new deck, all new interior. They had it worked out they'd measure everything so the homie could go purchase what he wanted that would fit, he took out a home equity loan to do this. Well, half way through when home was gutted and new layout was in place the homie was out buying everything under the sun, camper, boat, 4 wheeler, all kinds of other misc BS. Gave my freinds X amount for what they had done and said he did'nt know if he'd be able to afford to finish the house (which is still a skeleton) So he applies for a bunch of credit cards, maxes them out on cash advances, renigs another personal loan to buy the stuff to get the home to the 3/4 finished line, and then admitted to my friends he has no money to pay them for the stages that got to this point.

So I was talking with them this morning and the homie wanted to get the deck completed since appraiser was coming over tonight so the homie could hopefully get an extension (this started out as a flip house idea) and my freind was telling me "you gotta come over and see this" after he filled me in. Junk was all over the front/back yard, driveway was full of junk, garage was packed full of junk (junk meaning old non running machinery, lumber, car parts, etc...) I walked through the house and there were more flied inside that you see in africa on TV-the entire house was buzzing-literally. no outlet/light switch covers, doors not painted or stained 100% yet, only half the base molding down, no railing on downstairs steps, new carpet that had big stains already, dirty dishes in the bathroom sink....just a sheeot house like he had before only newer surroundings...did'nt even have a new house smell at all. The homie is hoping it's appraise for $175,000 it's only 1092 sq ft and similar home sizes in that neighborhood are only fetching $80-110K at best with finished up/down...his basement is unfinished.

Moral of the story, if your case is like this one....slap a lein and leave since most likely you wont get paid

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charles_tx

Thanks Cole,

but that's cool, I had a really great time doing it !!
And it was just two of us and (I think) we got a lot built in just a few days !

The part that depresses me the most is that I won't have the completed photos to use as a portfolio.

IHI

Oh man ! I knew people like that ! They took out this big loan to do some work on their house to buy a car and wound up spending the money on new stereo's and stuff they didn't really need and then the only car they could find with what was left of the money was a real piece of crap !


Charles

rino1494

Did you get paid for all of your materials and time put in so far ???

I would make sure that you at least get paid for that stuff.

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jmic

cdelape,
How long is a few days? Two guys, personally I think you should have been further along if you're talking about just framing. If you did the foundation work also then I retract the second sentence.

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Joe

joasis

At least the HO is telling you he can't afford to go further, rather then telling you he can't pay you after you have way more time and materials in.

This happened to me...Ho's getting an equity loan to complete an add on, and then going over budget...and after the final payment was due, telling me I had made mistakes with the bid and therefor, I am beat....well, my lawyer sends them a letter with a copy of the statute about labor will be paid or a lien will be filed...solved that problem.

charles_tx

Rino..

oh yeah, it was a kit they bought, I just gave the ho a hourly rate to put it together.


Joe..

no the concrete pad was there and it wasn't very level either, but under the circumstances that was a lot in 3 partial days, it would of been easier cutting the pieces myself, instead of digging for them in a big pile that was dumped in his yard. we tried to organize it as we went along. we also had to refrain every so often from hammering and sawing ect ..when they tried to put their newborn down for a nap.

so between torrential thunderstorms, the hour and 1/2 drive to get there, the materials scattered all over, the plans being very poorly written, their 2 dogs getting in the way constantly and having to stop building for the baby's nap, hell we did pretty damn good lol !

Charles

RYANINMICHIGAN

Wow dogs in the way, sleeping babys, a kit they bought? I hope you added a PITA charge. All you need now is for them to "help"

A+Carpenter

Must be a texas thing yall. I have had this happen one time and the last time. I now have envoked strict payment terms.

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A+Carpenter

Framed,Decked,Siding 5 hours home with check 2 guys if that. I dont even think I could offer 5 hours. More like 4

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charles_tx

Yes it was a pre-cut kit, and yes at first the HO tried to help,
and my helper who is a painter and has no carpentry
knowledge at all, my patience was being tried lol



Are you saying it would of only took you 4 hours to do the whole thing?

snapper21

HO may have noticed he could take the job on from the point you left off.
Sorry to hear about it.

Kristina

It took My Builder 2 days to finish a 20x40 deck.

One day to dig and pour the fittings, one day to frame the deck, by himself.

Were you charging him hourly when you were taking breaks for the baby sleeping etc?

This is why it's just MUCH easier to charge by the job rather than by the hour.

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charles_tx

No he was pretty bummed and said several times while he was helping that he "didn't know what he was doing" and "there was no way he could do it himself" and I noticed that too, several things he put together I had to take apart and redo.

It also didn't help when he was budgeting it, that he didn't realize til the kit arrived which was the day before we came out that the door or roofing materials (paper, shingles and nails) weren't included and he had to buy them items separately along with extra nails and screws.
He could of bought enough materials for 2 sheds that size with how much he paid for the kit and extras that weren't included. They are really nice people too, I feel bad for them. If I am not doing anything on Saturday, I may just go and help him for a few beers.

We were digging thru the pile of materials looking for parts we needed and dry fitting the trusses for the roof and stuff together sometimes or we would take lunch around one of the naps.

Yes it would of been easier to charge by the job, it actually started out by the day, but I changed it to the hour cause the first day I had trouble finding the place and got their late, cause I am not familar with Dallas at all, and it was pouring on and off most of the time.

IHI

So long as you had work to occupy your time when the lil one needed a nap that is fine, but as accomidating as I try to be that would be one area I would make a point to say either take the lil one to a freinds or grandparents of even to the basement since we got's to keep movin LOL!!

I found a great way to keep dogs away due to irresponsible homeowners allowing them near work area is to fire nails at them or spoke them in other ways when homie aint around....I got's no patience for that kind of crap at all and lack of common sense, same with lil kids...minus firing nails at them, that just usually results in a talk with the owners about keeping them away.

Kinda like bidding windows and telling the homie I need all the heavy stuff out of the way before we get there and it's not. I used to move it just to get the job done, now I show up, tell them to call me when everything is moved and leave....I had to replace a lamp once that tipped on us moving a dresser so at that point I vowed never again to be in that position....same way with window shades...homie bought and installed so they can chance screwing them up taking them down, not us anymore

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A+Carpenter

yes thats what I am saying 4-5 hours complete frame and cornice. My guys are super fast and super clean.

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Gordo

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Looks like some pros were here.

charles_tx

I am sure your guys are fast but I seriously doubt if they would be able to build a shed floor, level it on unleveled concrete pad, frame the walls with 3 windows and one door, construct 8 roof trusses, then install them and the ridge support beams, build 2 half trusses and then the dormer, then deck and paper the roof, then shingle the roof, side the building, then install all the windows, the door, the gable vents, do all the cornice work and trim, then grab the check and be home before lunch, no offence but that is totally IMPOSSIBLE !!


Charles

A+Carpenter

Id like to be next to you in a build off with your crew. Nothing is impossible bro. Dude you forget I cut in roofs all day long and frame for a living and so do my guys. Im sure Id be at the bank cashing the check by lunch not at home.

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