dont you love it. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

stacker · 10-02-2009, 05:33 PM

just finished a job for our local chamber of commerce.they lady i was dealing with left weds for a cruise.

before she left i asked her how i was going to be paid since i would be finished before she returned.she told me to contact the chamber and they would get me my check,or she wold be home on sunday.i told her that i couldnt wait till then because the concrete plant wanted paid,me help wanted paid,the stone supplier wanted paid,i wanted my money.she said it was there and that they would pay me when i was done.
so yesterday i called the chamber manager,got her voice mail.left message that i was done,and that i needed my check today(friday).this morning i stop in and she tells me that she needs and itemized bill.labor,material,ect...i told her i didnt need to give her a bill like that since i bid the job as a turn key job.then she tells me that the money has to come from the city and we have to wait for the council to meet and approve the payment.

i held my tounge and told her someone was lying to me and i didnt like it.after i tild her what my contact told me she tells me she will see what she can do and call me back.at 2:30 i go back and of course she isnt there.the lady there tells me that calls had been made,and it was a matter of finding the other signer of the check.
long story short.i didnt get my money today,looks like it will be monday.pissed me off.
just venting.

L@EConstruction · 10-02-2009, 05:37 PM

Really bad situation there. Surely they can get on the ball and get you paid Monday. Always aggravating working on projects like that where you have to deal with a city council etc....

rselectric1 · 10-02-2009, 05:49 PM

Any time you deal with government entities, you see true ineffeciency, laziness, stupidity, and bad attitude.
Just look at the DMV
Also, if you ever want to see the dregs of society, go to any prison...at shift change!

TimelessQuality · 10-02-2009, 06:54 PM

I know the feelin', especially when it's down to getting one sig

but, on the other hand, that's still pretty quick payment for an 'agency'

jkfox624 · 10-02-2009, 09:44 PM

We do a fair amount of office work in a few factories around here and its always 45 days to get paid. Sucks but wtf can you do. Couple times management has worked with us on smaller stuff and somehow they can bill things out on different months and it doesnt have to go through all the higher ups.

cdkyle · 10-04-2009, 11:03 AM

Some people just hate paying. They are very agreeable before you start the job. But, once you have performed your job, they find what ever reason they can not to pay. Makes you really appreciate a customer that has your check when he says he will.

jgray152 · 10-04-2009, 11:59 AM

This is one of the reasons I will NEVER do work for a city/town. I like my personal customers. They give me tips

CookeCarpentry · 10-04-2009, 12:44 PM

Stacker - by no means am I criticizing how you do business, but asking when payment is to come and then telling them you need it right away comes off desperate - just my opinion.

Very rarely do we finish a job and get paid that day as oftentimes we finish mid day, or before the customer arrives home. My contract allows payment of the final invoice up to 30 day from date before interest penalties.

Also, rework your payment schedule, as at the most you should only be owed 5-10% of the total job upon completion.

stacker · 10-04-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CookeCarpentry

Stacker - by no means am I criticizing how you do business, but asking when payment is to come and then telling them you need it right away comes off desperate - just my opinion.

Very rarely do we finish a job and get paid that day as oftentimes we finish mid day, or before the customer arrives home. My contract allows payment of the final invoice up to 30 day from date before interest penalties.

Also, rework your payment schedule, as at the most you should only be owed 5-10% of the total job upon completion.

my customers almost always pay me when i am finished,if not the same day,then the next.i had it in my bid to get paid 50% after the first two bases were poured.but after i poured them and seen that i would be done in a week with everything i didnt bill them for the 50% payment.had i known we would have to wait for city council approval i would have billed for that.at least then material would have been paid for.yes i might have seemed desperate,but only because,i dont have charge accounts for material.i pay from my pocket.since i didnt have the cash to pay for the concrete i asked the plant manager if i could charge.he said he could do it,but would need to get his money in a week.(thats all he could keep it off the books)
and another thing that gets me,is i never gave anything to the city.it was all thru the chamber.so i dont feel i should have to wait for the city to pay me.the chamber should be the payer and then get their money back from the city.friday night i was talking to a friend about this.he told me he was on the chamber board,and that they had plenty of money to pay my invoice and wait for the city to pay them.
anyway,my contact comes home from her cruise today,i will be at her office in the morning.

mics_54 · 10-04-2009, 01:13 PM

If you don't have the resources or inclination to wait to get paid...get paid in advance to cover your payroll and expenses...if that isn't possible...don't do it.

nlgutters · 10-04-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stacker

my customers almost always pay me when i am finished,if not the same day,then the next.i had it in my bid to get paid 50% after the first two bases were poured.but after i poured them and seen that i would be done in a week with everything i didnt bill them for the 50% payment.had i known we would have to wait for city council approval i would have billed for that.at least then material would have been paid for.yes i might have seemed desperate,but only because,i dont have charge accounts for material.i pay from my pocket.since i didnt have the cash to pay for the concrete i asked the plant manager if i could charge.he said he could do it,but would need to get his money in a week.(thats all he could keep it off the books)
and another thing that gets me,is i never gave anything to the city.it was all thru the chamber.so i dont feel i should have to wait for the city to pay me.the chamber should be the payer and then get their money back from the city.friday night i was talking to a friend about this.he told me he was on the chamber board,and that they had plenty of money to pay my invoice and wait for the city to pay them.
anyway,my contact comes home from her cruise today,i will be at her office in the morning.

Get credit like everyone else. You seem desperate and im sure they will never want to deal with you again.

jgray152 · 10-04-2009, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Get credit like everyone else. You seem desperate and im sure they will never want to deal with you again.

My contracts state to pay me the balance at the end of the job. (The day the job is completed unless otherwise noted in the contract)

Personally, if the customer signs the contract and breaks the contract by not paying when the contract says, you can bring them to court and the customer is the jerk regardless who they are. In this economy, customers try to not pay so demanding the balance at the end of the job, even the hour its completed is not to much to ask. The customer should be ready for it. I let my customers know when the job is about done so they can get the check ready.

AJAX · 10-04-2009, 09:06 PM

If they told you that you where going to get paid at the end of the job then they should have paid. They don't need to know what you circumstances are. If she agreed to pay you then she should pay you, period.

I too try to only work in cash if I can, I just hate having credit out there, but more often than not it's a necessary evil.

Sucks tho, at least you know know who your dealing with now and can decide how to deal with (adjust your prices or contract) in future if more work comes your way.

nEighter · 10-04-2009, 09:25 PM

Chambers of commerce are a joke.

6stringmason · 10-04-2009, 09:49 PM

I dont see why he shouldnt ask to get paid at job completion. I've seen lots and lots of posts from guys here who said they get paid the day they finish the job. Theres no reason you shouldnt be able to unless you have a prior agreement that you will be paid on such and such date.

Who cares if he seems desperate? Many are desperate in this economy and asking for your money for a completed job shouldnt make one seem like a beggar!

jgray152 · 10-04-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Get credit like everyone else.

Credit is the last thing you want to ever do. You give the banks control over your debt after that. Your not making money that way. Personally if I could I would just put everything in a concrete safe and eliminate the banks from my world completely.

stacker · 10-05-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nlgutters

Get credit like everyone else. You seem desperate and im sure they will never want to deal with you again.

i seem desperate.yes i am because i was told i would be paid when i was done,not two weeks from when i was done.so with that in mind,i told my suppliers i would pay them on the day i was to get my check.now i look like a liar.had i been told it would be 2 weeks or so,i would have made other arrangements to pay my suppliers.
and as far as getting credit like everyone else,i dont want it.i would rather pay from my pocket and know things are paid for.if i dont have the cash to buy materials for a job,i will ask for a downpayment for materials.i get a better price for cash,than credit.the lumber yard is always willing to knock off a little more for cash.hell i saved an extra $200.00 on a stone purchase recently by paying cash.
i have dealt with city government,county government,school boards,and others.it is laid out in the contract about payments.with city,county and school boards,i know it will be at least 2 weeks to a month wait for my money.
im just saying if you say you will get a check when you are done,thats what it should mean.not,well we will have to wait to get out money to pay you.when you take your car to the body shop after a wreck,seldom will they start on it unless you have the insurance check in hand.we had a hail storm this past spring here.do you think the roofers came in and put on new roofs and had to wait for the insurance company to cut a check to the homeowners,no,they didnt start until the check was there.

jgray152 · 10-05-2009, 10:25 AM

I agree with you stacker.

mnjconstruction · 10-05-2009, 01:42 PM

Im in agreement. When the job is done you get paid unless other arrangements have been made prior to job starting. I always work this way. I give them 24 hours upon completion. And paying cash is smart. I always charge everything at the local lumber yards but when that bill comes I hate paying it. Sometimes wish I just payed as I go, no bill at the end of the month!!!

Celtic · 10-05-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stacker

.when you take your car to the body shop after a wreck,seldom will they start on it unless you have the insurance check in hand.

we had a hail storm this past spring here.do you think the roofers came in and put on new roofs and had to wait for the insurance company to cut a check to the homeowners,no,they didnt start until the check was there.

???

So why did you start the job w/o a deposit?