HomeOwner Mad At Me, For A Referral That Blew Him Off

AtlanticWBConst

Background:

I had a HO that I went and looked at a roof for.

He also had issues with poor work recently done on 2 sets of masonry stairs (done by someone he hired). I gave him the name of my Masonry Contractor, so that he could go out and look at it (for the HO).

The HO tells me about a week later, that he is so very happy with me giving him my Mason's number. The mason found a lot wrong (crumbling mortar, etc), including incorrect tread and riser depths (per state code). He thanks me so much for referring the Mason. The HO, contacted the local inspector who confirmed that the first job was bad, and not up to code (Which the HO feels will help him pursue a suite against the first mason). The Mason (My referral) gave the HO a proposal to take the bad work all apart and fix it.


Today:

I am super, super busy...and am running multiple jobs, as we ususally do. It's about 8 am.



I get a call from the upset HO, that the Mason has missed two appointments to meet with him this week, and has not called him. Here is the basic dialogue, after he tells me the above:

HO:(after relating that the Mason missed his appts) "What is going on?!...I'd like to know what is going on?!"

Me: ?? "I do not know...."

Next: A Longgg, awkward....silence and pause. (I don't know why he's calling me about this?).

Me: "I have no idea why the Mason has missed his appointments, and why he has not called you" ( ? How the eff am I supposed to know that?)

HO:.....mentions something about his schedule being ruined last night, and that this is the second night this week, the mason didn't show, Monday, Tuesday, etc...

Me: "I'm sorry to hear that. I have no idea why he would do that."

HO: "Well, you recommended him! How can you recommend him, when he does things like that?"

Me: "That's unusual, I've had him forget 1 appointment, and be an hour late for another appointment, but that's it. I've never seen anything like what you're saying. I've used him a lot. I've referred him to other Clients, who love him and his work. I don't know what to tell you."

HO: "I just want to know....what is going on!"

Me: "I really do not know."

HO: "Fine, Thanks, good bye"..."Click".


Now, to top it off:
I get this email, almost immediately after the call (I get emails on my phone).
Here it is, (I've replaced my personal name with "Atlantic", and replaced all other names):


Personally, I could care less. When I got off the phone with him, I said to myself...There is no way I am ever going to do work for that guy. He's got a warped view of everything, if he thinks I responsible for any of that.

Any Comments?

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bert0168

Wow

How do you respond to that. I guess the HO expects you to also babysit your subs even when they aren't on your jobs.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CCCo. Yep, you guessed, sold by a fancy white guy, installed by the brown army.

neolitic

The guy is wound too tight.
I do think that I would e-mail
a "thank you," and mention is passing
that you only sent the mason
as a courtesy, not as a sub.

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AtlanticWBConst

Yeah.

I gave a name out (to the HO). That's it. I never "sent" the mason anywhere.

FWIW - To Clarify: I didn't do any work on this guy's house. I had nothing to do with the Masonry work that this revolved around.

I had nothing financially vested, and nothing to gain from it.

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AtlanticWBConst

I'd like to add this. The Mason did miss another previous appt with the HO about 3-4 weeks prior. I "intervened, and called then". I normally do that as a courtesy. I am not getting involved again. I have no idea what is going on between the HO and the Mason.

I just think this is ridiculous, that he (the HO), feels that he can respond towards me, as if "I" am the one that broke the appointments.

I honestly don't need the roofing work (that I priced very competively), and even if I did, I would back out of it = Lots of Red Flags (unreasonable person, that looks at things ---- WEIRD)

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480sparky

Give the guy ARealplumber's phone number. Man, ARP is a super-genius at every trade out there. He's the best at everything, everywhere, any time.

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Tom R

That's why I never recommend anybody for anything.

Headaches should never come free.

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Anderson

Sounds like he the HO blew it all out of proportion first he said he missed 2 appointments then moments later in the text message he said 4.
You are a lucky man to have found out that the guy is whacked before you where vested in your job.
You should follow up with the mason, maybe he found out before you the guy was a whacko and thats why he didnt show.

mics_54

Quote:

Any Comments?

He's a dumbass that's pissed off at you for helping him. DON'T HELP ANYBODY, EVER!

bmaurice

maby its a good thing you dint get the job, ive done work for some people where, when it was all said and done it really wasnt worth the stress the put me threw with there OCD and talking like their **** dont stink attitude.

AtlanticWBConst

Yeah,

I left the Mason a message about another job.

There's other things that may have happened. Still, it's got nothing to do with me.

I have given this Mason so much work, by referral, that he has (voluntarily) worked on my own home for free.

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WNYcarpenter

exactly...WOW

That's bad news....

I guess the HOer confused you being a GC with just giving a referral.

I think you have the right to call out both the HOer and your Mason for lack of professionalism at your expense.

It would be a totally different situation if YOU actually hired the mason to do the work for the HOer. That sucks....

This should be an interesting thread......

edit: F'n A, Im a slow typer!

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AtlanticWBConst

Tom, no skin off my back. I could care less.

I was just shaking my head in disbelief, over this HO's perception that he can call me, and lay into me over this. People really tend to see things in a warped light.

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AtlanticWBConst

The HO knows that I have nothing to do with any of this. It's as if he wants to blow off his steam on me. People are strange. They have personal issues, that can come to light, in their dealings with other people. That's a big factor in dealing with HO's....

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Metrojoebarbs

Wait a minute here...

You had a potential roof job and lost it because your referall wasn't professional enough to show up to scheduled appointment(s)? Furthermore not have the courtesy to call the HO and reschedule? Or even call you to explain. WTF.

I dont see how you can justify this sh!t. You hook the mason up with work and leads and this is how he re-pays you?

You just lost a customer (maybe more) and payday and all you can say is I'm not getting involved. Well let me tell you something, you are involved... the minute you recommended the mason.

Please tell me I'm missing something here. I'd be one pissed off WOP if my sub did that to me and my company name. :furi ous:

WNYcarpenter

That's ridiculous!

Like my boss needing help and me giving him a # for someone who may be willing to work, then getting fired because my buddy didn't show!

Definately some personal issues!

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angus242

Maybe the mason saw this guy would never be satisfied and just left.

Sounds like you already know what to do with this HO.

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Angus
L+M+O+P=C
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copusbuilder

As mentioned above....he may have had the 6th sense about this joker....He probably did you a big favor. Let the idiot get screwed "again"

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AtlanticWBConst

I lost a potential customer, that showed some personality traits, that I know, I would not want to do work for. We pick and chose who we work for.

I had my doubts to begin with, over some other things (observations) that I noticed about this HO. This just confirmed it.

Never be desperate to take on a "headache", no matter how good the money looks.

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CookeCarpentry

That sums it up - if you were able to get a read on a potential problematic customer BEFORE doing any work, contract signing, etc. then consider it your lucky day - especially if you are in the position to pick and choose who you work for.

Out of sheer curiousity, I'd be interested in knowing what the mason has to say about the alleged missed appointments.