Part Time Mover - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Peladu · 10-03-2006, 09:11 AM

Two weeks ago I went to bid on a job.
Job is for the complete replacement of a 1500sqft acoustical ceiling.
As my feet touch the basement floor, the guy HO says, “All of this furniture, and all of these toys will be out of here before you come, and just a few boxes in the corner will be all that’s down here.”
I tell him how much, he agrees, I go to the office and write up the official Proposal and drop it off later that day, it’s signed and the deposit check is handed over.
Business as usual so far.
I show yesterday with my guys to tell them what they have to demo.
Not ONE thing is moved, not even the McDonalds bag that’s on the floor.
HO was right behind me and says, “Yea, we didn’t have time to move much.”
“So when are you gonna have it all moved like you said so my guys can start?”
“You mean you cant have your guys just move it to the side?” He said this REAL cocky, and it pissed me off.
“I can, but do you really want to pay my guys to move it, or would you like for me to come back later, in a couple weeks, so you can do it? Because this is going to be an extra charge, you have a lot of stuff in the way. Don’t worry about it, I am sure I can make it back in two, could be, three weeks, that should be enough time.”
HO looks around the basement as if he was taking inventory of the garbage he has down there.
“How much?”
“$400, and we will put everything up in the garage for you.”
“You’re kidding, 400? That’s seems like a lot. You are trying to rip me off.” This pissed me off again.
“No not at all, that’s what I have to pay my guys to get it done, but you can do it and we can come back. Honestly, I thought this would have already been done before I showed.”
He pouts for a little while and agrees, then he pouts more when I tell him that I forgot my paperwork and have to come back tomorrow with the Change Order, his pout continues when I tell him that the CO will need to be paid 100% before we start.

The CO I wrote it up so solid, that if we break all of his furniture moving it, too bad for him, he’s signed off on it. When I wrote the CO I was still pissed, and it shows in the verbiage.
So today, my construction company will be a moving company for a couple/few hours.
I stopped giving away my labor years ago, if he would have told me that furniture moving was part of the deal
my contract would have reflected it. But, just another HO that wanted something for nothing.

**ProWallGuy** · 10-03-2006, 09:15 AM

Word. I got tired of that crap too. I put this in my contract:

B) CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Customer will assume responsibility to remove from any and all work areas, all household and personal items (with the exception of large furniture such as sofas and beds), and store those items away from the work area during the duration of the job. Contractor will not be held liable for damage to any items not removed from the work area. Any and all items remaining in the work area will be moved by the Contractor, and the Customer agrees to pay the Contractor a charge of $55.00 per man-hour for moving these items. Contractor will move large furniture at no cost to the owner (unless specified otherwise). Contractor will not be held liable for any damage caused by moving any items.

**Double-A** · 10-03-2006, 09:53 AM

I'm glad you stood your ground, Pel. More folks in the business need to realize that their labor is not free and should not be given away.

I'm sure that guy feels stupid for his laziness, but he learned a valuable lesson. Say what you mean, and mean what you say, or be ready to get "Peladuized".

Mike Finley · 10-03-2006, 10:10 AM

Never a winner in this situation. Most likely after this job is long done the only thing this guy will be telling everybody is how the jack ass contractor charged him $500 (time inflates the real price) to move a few kids toys and some boxes, and how he had no choice and how he was held hostage over it because the contractor threatened he wouldn't be back for a month unless he did it right then.

Not saying you did anything wrong, no doubt you're contractually in the right, it's just one of those things that even though you are right, it just derails an otherwise good customer relationship in the long term.

I would make a lot of effort to buddy up with him during the course of the job in order to take his mind off of the moving charges and save the relationship. Of course he might be such a horse's rear that anybody he did business with was doomed right from the start.

Thewoodman · 10-03-2006, 05:53 PM

I agree with you mike about ticking of the customer. I always worry about the customer relation. But the down side to worrying so much is that I do sometimes give my work away for free. It is a fine line that we have to walk sometimes.

Tom R · 10-03-2006, 08:49 PM

Good advice, - - just don't picture Pil 'buddying-up'.

More like the guy's troubles have just begun . . .

Peladu · 10-04-2006, 08:04 AM

I have no idea how Mr. Poopy didn’t puke yesterday. The 1970’s furniture was most likely never moved and cleaned under since the 70’s. Mouse turds flying all over the place every time a ceiling pad was removed. I went and got respirators out of the truck as soon as I saw the first turds-a-flyen. The remains of at least six furry mouse bodies, but there could have been more disguised as the worlds biggest dust balls.
My guys were not happy at all, and said that they would “really like it if we never ever got a job like this again.” Not only because of the mess but also because of the HO being a total ass. HO refuses us the use of his bathrooms, we are only allowed to come in the back door of the house, which drags mud in, which he complains, he screamed at Leadman because the dog barked at him…there’s more, but I will let it rest. Oh, and he asks, “You trying to make fun of me by wearing masks?” I just told him we are trying to avoid inhaling the fibers from the old breaking ceiling tiles. This guy is either really pissed about the 4-hundo charge, or he is just way “out there”.

What this guy doesn’t understand is that my Change Order only specified bringing furniture/boxes into the garage.
Nowhere does it state, “to be returned to basement after construction work is completed.” Awww, now how did I manage to forget to type that in there??????

A+Carpenter · 10-04-2006, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peladu

Two weeks ago I went to bid on a job.
Job is for the complete replacement of a 1500sqft acoustical ceiling.
As my feet touch the basement floor, the guy HO says, “All of this furniture, and all of these toys will be out of here before you come, and just a few boxes in the corner will be all that’s down here.”
I tell him how much, he agrees, I go to the office and write up the official Proposal and drop it off later that day, it’s signed and the deposit check is handed over.
Business as usual so far.
I show yesterday with my guys to tell them what they have to demo.
Not ONE thing is moved, not even the McDonalds bag that’s on the floor.
HO was right behind me and says, “Yea, we didn’t have time to move much.”
“So when are you gonna have it all moved like you said so my guys can start?”
“You mean you cant have your guys just move it to the side?” He said this REAL cocky, and it pissed me off.
“I can, but do you really want to pay my guys to move it, or would you like for me to come back later, in a couple weeks, so you can do it? Because this is going to be an extra charge, you have a lot of stuff in the way. Don’t worry about it, I am sure I can make it back in two, could be, three weeks, that should be enough time.”
HO looks around the basement as if he was taking inventory of the garbage he has down there.
“How much?”
“$400, and we will put everything up in the garage for you.”
“You’re kidding, 400? That’s seems like a lot. You are trying to rip me off.” This pissed me off again.
“No not at all, that’s what I have to pay my guys to get it done, but you can do it and we can come back. Honestly, I thought this would have already been done before I showed.”
He pouts for a little while and agrees, then he pouts more when I tell him that I forgot my paperwork and have to come back tomorrow with the Change Order, his pout continues when I tell him that the CO will need to be paid 100% before we start.

The CO I wrote it up so solid, that if we break all of his furniture moving it, too bad for him, he’s signed off on it. When I wrote the CO I was still pissed, and it shows in the verbiage.
So today, my construction company will be a moving company for a couple/few hours.
I stopped giving away my labor years ago, if he would have told me that furniture moving was part of the deal
my contract would have reflected it. But, just another HO that wanted something for nothing.

And thats the way it needs to be +1 on your post

MarkNoV · 10-05-2006, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thewoodman

I agree with you mike about ticking of the customer. I always worry about the customer relation. But the down side to worrying so much is that I do sometimes give my work away for free. It is a fine line that we have to walk sometimes.

I will probably get slammed for this, but I feel that money is more important that the relationship. IMO, Peladu is better off collecting the $400 and advertizing to find new customers, than keeping this customer happy.

I have been working in the trades for eight years. At first I followed the "keep them happy" rule. Then I decided to focus on margins instead of volume. I turn down most referals, refuse to work for repeat customers if the numbers are not right and I am no worse off for it.

Most of the businesses in my part of town that have been around for 20+ years, be it retail or contracting, follow the same rule.

**slickshift** · 10-05-2006, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peladu

.... just another HO that wanted something for nothing.

He kept looking at it, and decided once again to put it off once again because "Well, why should I do it, if Peladu and his crew want to work, they'll have to move it"

I swear I get calls for jobs where people don't clean, they just call a painter every few decades
And I have told more than a few the place must be professionally cleaned before I show-up/come-back
I don't mind factoring in the work (done a few mouses feces jobs myself)
Just don't like the surprises when "it'll be ready for ya"

Great sticking to your guns Peladu

**joasis** · 10-05-2006, 07:03 AM

I met with a customer yeasterday that had his garage roof blown off a few weeks back. My wife and his wife are pals, he is head of the little league in out area, and we work on projects for thr school tegether. He got bids from a few guys, and asked me to bid also. I told him we are short handed and way behind, but if he can have everything ready to go, I would get a crew in between jobs....anyway...the garage hasn't seen a car since it was built, but rather it is a dump for all the HO crap imaginable...and this guy asks if we can't just work around it, since he doesn't have anywhere to put it. And since we are so "tight" (friends), can I hold the cost way down, since is insurance is paying only half of the estimated repairs.....geez......

Mike Finley · 10-05-2006, 10:16 AM

P.O.D.S. for your friend

camaroman2125 · 10-05-2006, 10:37 AM

This is the main reason I hate doing repaints. There is nothing worse than having to work around crap that the HO has collected over the years.

Actually when we had our basement waterproofed they came in and wanted 2,000 to move all the crap we have collected over 20 years. I told them I would do it. Got me a big dumpster and cleaned out the whole basement in 2 days.

Kinda glad I did it cause it gave me a reason to clean out the stuff my mom collected over the years. And saved me a bunch of money. When I say I'll have something done for someone I have it done.

A worker shouldn't have to pay for someone's laziness.