Buyer Beware? How About Contractor Beware!

Wolfgang

I just go by gut feeling anymore. I used to take every job that came along, and that meant every type of homeowner. About 5 or 6 years ago I finally figured out it wasnt worth the money.

When I first meet a potential client/customer I talk to them without even starting my bid. While they "interview" me, I interview them. I ask alot of questions pertaining to the bid and make my decision to proceed based on their answers and attitudes. Some of them I just tell "I think you should find another contractor". I dont lie to them or BS them. I dont care if the economy takes a major dump, I have no desire to work for people like that.

And did you ever notice that the people who want to pay next to nothing want everything for nothing? "While you're doing that, can you do this?", at no extra charge of course. And as always they're the ones who are never satisfied. Aint worth it.

Life's a bitch and misery is optional.

Heritage

Amen!

I didn't get into this biz to be a slave.

Case in point
-HO calls me
-4.5 million dollar custom built, 2 years old, built by a large outfit
-House exhibiting major problems, foundation, floors cracking, electrical, mold...list goes on
-She hires me, she needs expert testimony & a contractor to fix
-I supply 300 page report
-Footings too small, water table too high, water infiltration, design problems, contract issues, overall mis-management.
-My quote to fix, around 750k.
-I line up engineers, subs, etc. and get crackin'

Remediation begins
-Week three, I have the mould remediation contractors on site working in the basement.
-Everytime I entered her home (prob. 30 times by this point), she told me to leave shoes/boots on. Even after the 5th/6th time, I would still bend down in the gesture until she stopped me and insisted I leave them on. She told me I have free access to her home at any time.
-I need to speak to her, I wipe boots in basement, walk up stairs, down hallway and knock on kitchen door (where she always is)...I've done this routine many many times.
-She comes to door...
-"You're dragging dust all through my hallway and over my tiles"
-No HI, nothing.
-I look back, no dust.
-"I'm sorry, I don't see any dust"
-"Yes, there's your footprints"
-"I'm sorry, I can mop it"...still seeing no dust.
-I immediately bend over and take my boots off (this is unprecedented), but I was confused.
-I say, in an earnest tone "I'm sorry, I wiped my boots before coming upstairs. From now on I'll walk around to the front door and ring the bell whenever I need you".
-"That's not necessary, I just don't like strange men walking through my house unannounced...what if I was naked in my bedroom?"
------>Then I would probably have to drop acid into my eyes. Was she serious? I put on my best poker face.
-She starts walking away..."You know, you're developing a real attitude lately and I don't like it".
------> Oh no she didnt'!
-Most people would swallow their pride at this point, but I have a very sensitive BS tolerance...I still hold myself back. But she continued...
-"You drag dust onto the tiles then take off your boots with an attitude.."
-"Wait a minute" I say with a gesture of my hand to stop...now to make the situation worse, I'm told I'm a mean looking guy and I don't have much of a humour so it makes me look even meaner...I'm in a kitchen with a nice old lady and the second my hand went up the look on her face went to fear and she shut up...
-"You talk to me in your condescending tone as if I'm an idiot, scorn me today for what I've been doing for the last 3 months on your insistence and you fly off into a lecture as if you're talking to a child after I do everything to accomodate your whim...so don't act as if it's common sense...you're out of line!"
-It was tense, she's a single woman (loaded) and this is her house, and she's the feminist type...let me re-phrase that....extremely feminist, all she talked about was how the 1st contractors took her for a ride because she's a woman...extremely insecure. Bad recipe.

I ended up keeping the job...but I was perfectly willing to walk away from a 3/4 million dollar job.

Life is too short. So if I'm willing to walk away from that job, imagine how I feel about John Smith with a bathroom reno....

Respect is a two way deal and unfortunately I was born with a backbone. So let me hear what John Smith thinks about my prices and how I should be quoting him...if you want it done right, you sign on the line. You want to haggle or play games, google "craigslist" and don't waste my time.

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jamestrd

that is what my wife said after our third date



third? that long?

outlaw

Heritage- Kudos to you brother. Respect is a two-way street. Sometimes people with a lot of money think that it entitles them to repsect No sir. You have to give it to get it.

DetailHandyman

Words to live by!

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The cat box ain't gonna clean itself.