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08-01-2009, 11:54 AM
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#1
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Pro
Trade:
Home Theater
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Hartford CT
Posts: 128
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How much money do you make off other contractor screwups?
If you make good money off other contractors screwing up then does this beg the question of why are there so many bad ones? What is our duty to resolve those who are giving us a bad name? Of course, one should also ask how much are others making off of work you did poorly?
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08-01-2009, 12:23 PM
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#2
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Pro
Trade:
Framing
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SI, NY
Posts: 435
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duckdown
If you make good money off other contractors screwing up then does this beg the question of why are there so many bad ones? What is our duty to resolve those who are giving us a bad name? Of course, one should also ask how much are others making off of work you did poorly?
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we need bad contractors to make good contractors look good.
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08-01-2009, 01:30 PM
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#3
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demo master
Trade:
Remodeling General Contractor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Denver Colorado
Posts: 1,459
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Alot of times contruction is a last resort all else failed, no schooling, no drug tests, no reading and writing comprehension so it is easy for everyone to believe they can do what we are doing it's easy I hear and also " you guys just drive around and pick up checks, or All you do is supervise and line up subs I could do that".
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08-01-2009, 03:29 PM
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#4
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Plausible Deniability
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Lakewood CA.
Posts: 2,235
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I don't know how often it is a contractor screw up as opposed to a HO or "handyman" that we sometimes fix.
I like to give the benefit of the doubt to a actual licensed contractor and assume that most do fine work.
Maybe I 'm a bit naive.I dunno'....
__________________
"The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."
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08-01-2009, 03:46 PM
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#5
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Pro
Trade:
Framing
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SI, NY
Posts: 435
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JumboJack
I don't know how often it is a contractor screw up as opposed to a HO or "handyman" that we sometimes fix.
I like to give the benefit of the doubt to a actual licensed contractor and assume that most do fine work.
Maybe I 'm a bit naive.I dunno'....
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i am not a licensed contractor.
in the city of new york you don't need to know anything about construction to be a licensed contractor. same goes for nassau & suffolk counties where i do most of my work. a license is basically your serial number, not unlike your driver's license, by which you can be identified and punished if need be
i am a sub-contractor so i am spared the paper-shuffle.
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08-01-2009, 07:50 PM
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#6
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Pro
Trade:
interior trim
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Kane Co. Illinois
Posts: 328
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Twice
Once about 12 years ago. Newbie contractor called me. He was building an addition for a lawyer and in BIG trouble.
His only skill was selling,first contract he landed. His concrete guy miss read the blue prints and cast the foundation wrong. Also took aver a month to pour. Son of cement guy electrocuted because the didn't call JULIE before digging.(He survived ) Lost the weather due to delays.
I took over job .Customer turned out to be great! I finished the project,Then remodeled the whole first floor. Landed a fair bit of work from friends also.
I also did three second floor additions for the "contractor " .
The last one was out of state,just last month,. Remodeling "contractor" had little if any skill. My local customer owned an investment house.
She bounced the guy and called me. NICE
MIKE
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08-01-2009, 08:02 PM
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#7
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Maker of fine kindleing
Trade:
cabinet maker
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Santa Rosa CA
Posts: 2,199
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On the occasions where something goes wrong on one of my jobs and I get a call alerting me to some kind of trouble, I turn it into an opportunity on the spot.
I drop what ever it is I'm doing and drive to the job and make what ever is wrong, right. Often within the hour that I got the call.
Usually it's a contractor that called me and they can't even believe that I'm there so fast. I tell them that there is no way I'm going to let this hiccup fester into a sore. I want you to know how much I want you to be happy.
That turns it into an opportunity rather than a liability.
I have a great relationship with the GC's I work with and it takes effort to keep it that way. I try to never feel complacent, I'm only as good as my last job. I need there to be a next .
That doesn't address the OP's question directly but this is how I avoid another shop capitalizing on my mishap.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by WarnerConstInc.
Gus is right. 
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08-01-2009, 09:18 PM
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#8
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Pro
Trade:
Finish carpentry
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Littleton , CO
Posts: 271
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I used to get a lot of work repairing one "contractors" work. After about 10 repairs, he figured out it was more cost effective to sub me the trim work instead of paying me to fix his work.
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08-01-2009, 09:21 PM
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#9
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Pro
Trade:
Framing
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SI, NY
Posts: 435
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trim40
I used to get a lot of work repairing one "contractors" work. After about 10 repairs, he figured out it was more cost effective to sub me the trim work instead of paying me to fix his work.
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how can you muck up trim work? besides just doing a lousy job?
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08-01-2009, 10:00 PM
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#10
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Pro
Trade:
Finish carpentry
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Littleton , CO
Posts: 271
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ClemS
how can you muck up trim work? besides just doing a lousy job?
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That's what he did.
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08-02-2009, 04:40 PM
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#11
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Pro
Trade:
Carpentry & Remodeling
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: N.Y. State
Posts: 537
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Not Enough
__________________
Do what you would do, as if i won't Do anything after you Did It!
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08-02-2009, 04:53 PM
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#12
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Pro
Trade:
Masonry
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Shohola, PA
Posts: 265
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We've been called to fix work done by one guy 3-4 times. All block work I think. I don't think he owns a level....or maybe he can't see the little bubble in it or something.
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08-02-2009, 06:11 PM
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#13
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Pro
Trade:
Painting - Restoration
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 245
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PA nails all fly-byes to the wall now...
Contracts are the law now in PA. You cannot do any residential work in PA without a contracts, period
If you flop a job your done.
If you get caught running a job without registration or a contract, its now a Felony in PA.
[Edited]
Last edited by Double-A; 08-28-2009 at 09:36 PM.
Reason: Posting rules
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08-02-2009, 07:59 PM
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#14
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Pro
Trade:
Framing
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SI, NY
Posts: 435
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[quote=Kuba;736878]PA nails all fly-byes to the wall now...
Contracts are the law now in PA. You cannot do any residential work in PA without a contracts, period
If you flop a job your done.
If you get caught running a job without registration or a contract, its now a Felony in PA.
[Edited]
i take it you disapprove of the current president elect
Last edited by Double-A; 08-28-2009 at 09:37 PM.
Reason: Posting rules
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08-02-2009, 09:01 PM
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#15
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Chief hand holder
Trade:
Residential Remodeling
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 551
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kuba
PA nails all fly-byes to the wall now...
Contracts are the law now in PA. You cannot do any residential work in PA without a contracts, period
If you flop a job your done.
If you get caught running a job without registration or a contract, its now a Felony in PA.
[Edited]
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I got my number but I want to know who is going to do the 'catching'.
Most of these fly-byes aren't going to stop their business as usual. I bet most homeowners don't know about this new law anyway.
I know on the most recent contract I put together, the homeowners were unaware until I went over the wording, specifically the right to recission and contact # to check out I was legit.
The permit office was on the ball though. Asked for my reg before I had a chance to tell them they couldn't collect their registration fee
But who is gonna catch these a$$h0les if they aren't pulling permits anyway?
Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. Rant off.
Last edited by Double-A; 08-28-2009 at 09:37 PM.
Reason: Posting rules
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08-25-2009, 06:33 AM
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#16
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Member
Trade:
Framing and General Construction
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 93
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duckdown
If you make good money off other contractors screwing up then does this beg the question of why are there so many bad ones? What is our duty to resolve those who are giving us a bad name? Of course, one should also ask how much are others making off of work you did poorly?
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I lost a framing job down at wrightsville beach (nc) by about 35k.. (my price included lodging but I was still a bit scared of it) I came in by the hour to fix it and it probably overall costed the builder 25k or so more than if he would have just gave the house to me to start with.  Cool thing is all of my stuff was by the hour so no worries on my end and the builder payed for lodging as well! Worked out good for me in the long run but honestly there were some thing we just couldnt fix without tearing the whole house down. The lesson would be dont worry about 35k on a 6million dollar home if you want it done right. Sadly that is a hard lesson to learn for a lot of these guys around here.
Truthfully I wish it were much harder to do business in NC. I hate to say that because it goes against my beliefs but if it would cut out some of the cats (or el gato's would be a better description) that I have to bid against that dont play by the rules it would make my life easier.. I have had my price cut by 100k before on a frame job! No way they payed taxes or carried proper insurance
Last edited by cbfx3; 08-25-2009 at 06:40 AM.
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08-25-2009, 09:43 AM
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#17
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egotistical prick
Trade:
Wood Inlay
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Swartz Creek, Michigan
Posts: 2,416
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I get a couple jobs a year to fix someone else's screw-up. The one I enjoy the most is when the HO'er don't want to pay my install price so installs it himself and screws it up and then has to pay me more to un-fruck his mistake.  That is karma.
__________________
"Nothing is too good for you guys...and that's exactly what you're gonna get..."
"'Status quo,' as you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in...'"
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08-25-2009, 10:08 AM
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#18
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DavidC
Trade:
Remodeler
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: NNY
Posts: 1,318
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Seems like at least once or twice each year we get called to finish a job where the first contractor either disappeared or got fired. One guy in particular is a prolific producer for us and others in the area. Small city in a rural setting, makes me wonder how he keeps finding new victims.
Good Luck
Dave
__________________
OK, rant if you must. For the love of Pete, use paragraphs and spell check.
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08-25-2009, 06:52 PM
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#19
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chief pencil holder
Trade:
Millwork, Handrail
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: sacramento CA
Posts: 243
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a lot.
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08-28-2009, 01:24 AM
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#20
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Pro
Trade:
General Contractor & Fire Protection
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Moraga, California
Posts: 525
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My recent fire restoration/rebuild job... original price 250k......insurance company had a questionable mexican on their list of vendors...they botched the job, insurance paid again and I was retained... 400k. Travelers Insurance bunch of losers.
I work only with owners, not in bed with insurance companies. I pride myself on quality, when the insurance preferred and guarenteed contractor phucks up...owners often call me thru word of mouth referrals.
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