Fed up! - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Bone Saw · 09-09-2009, 07:07 AM

I am ****ing fed up with idiot ho's and their blatent disregard of the obvious. If they don't give a **** about thier own safety that's fine, BUT when they don't give a **** about the liability they put me in by using a work in progress however they deem fit, now we got a problem!!! I leave jobsite on friday picked up and secure with all my precut rail sections in their respective spots, red danger tape xing out the patio door ( high level deck) and tools blocking the stair approach with more red danger tape. come back yesterday to find all my rail sections moved, tools moved, tape removed, and TWO screened gazebo's set up on the deck. Aside from these ****ing gazebo's hindering my completion of the railing, I'll not be lifting a finger to move them or take them down, they are now on the "down time" clock. Anybody have a clause specifically addresing this in their contracts, I need to put one in, I am just sick of these retarded jackoff customers!!!

J F · 09-09-2009, 07:47 AM

so....how do you really feel about it?

deckman22 · 09-09-2009, 08:03 AM

Take a chill pill Bone or you'll blow a gasket. Don't talk to your customer in your current mood either.

One thing I can suggest is throw away the red danger tape, use scrap lumber to block off doors & stairways, screwed in place so it's not so easy to take down.

John Hyatt · 09-09-2009, 08:03 AM

Bone Mon, you defentley need to add a Harley to your get away time. Works for me, twisting that power around 90 or so a couple hours on the interstate keeps it all away from ya. J.

Meetre · 09-09-2009, 08:08 AM

You could modify a site access clause to include not using under construction space. Sorry about the Id10t's.

strathd · 09-09-2009, 08:12 AM

Works for me. If it's a really bad day I kick my wife's cat.

Bone Saw · 09-09-2009, 08:27 AM

in over 8 years in biz, this has been the year of the idiot customer without a doubt, I'm ****ing sick of it, I want the cool savvy customers from days of yore. Now I got 2 ****ing pos gazebos in my ****ing way, 16 precut/staged rail sections that I gotta REfiggure out where they go. just needed to vent, but definitely need to put in a clause SPELLING this out, as I'm done screwing around back peddling around this retarded ****. as far as the stress relief, it kitesurfing and sailing for me.

weekend with my son a phone call from the ho in the middle of the holiday weekend telling me there was a death onsite would have just been perfect. some might remember a few years ago I took a nasty fall, composite router dust and an unfinished deck is a deadly mix, feel like taking those ******* gazebos and just heaving them right out of my ******* way

Higgs · 09-09-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Works for me. If it's a really bad day I kick my wife's cat.

dude my wife has three of them. you could borow one or two if things get really really bad.

Higgs · 09-09-2009, 10:50 AM

i had similar problums while i was deployed. people would come to the building and go for a walk through even though my upper management had blasted out to the base to stay out or schedule something. didn't keep people from comming by. i had floor tiles open and stuff strune all over the place. did i mention there was over head welding going on. i kicked a bunch of chiefs and SMSgts out of the place one day. The very next day i had to deal with some high ranking officers.

**Leo G** · 09-09-2009, 11:17 AM

Come on Bone, let your feelings out. No reason to keep them all bottled up.

Sounds like it is time to add to the contract again. Have a sheet specifically for off limits areas and have them initial it.

strathd · 09-09-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Higgs

dude my wife has three of them. you could borow one or two if things get really really bad.

Thanks but my daughter has one too ! HEHEHE

BreyerConstruct · 09-09-2009, 11:25 AM

Hey Chris,

My old contract had a great line... new contract under the new regs... not as well tuned yet.

I explain that it's for their safety, and it politely puts the liability on them if they interfere.

email me if I can help...
~Matt

redwood · 09-09-2009, 11:49 AM

Bones, sorry to hear about your problems. I haven't had that issue come up yet, but HO's seem to be a different breed now.

It used to be, I would visit a HO once, maybe twice to secure a project, now I can't get a job without meeting with them 5 or 6 times.

The internet has caused problems, as well. Customers think they know so much more.

It's a different world now.

Bone Saw · 09-09-2009, 02:02 PM

thanx gents for the vent sesh, matt we'll have to catch up soon and do some contract tune-age bein's pa folk and all. Back to the contract, my 3day right to rescind page has atty generals 800 number on it as well as lic #, as for clauses, I have no intention of arbitration if a customer breeches or I get ****ed, so font doesn't pertain, now the tricky part, collections costs, court costs, atty's fees, as it reads in the bill, the mere wording voids the contract, however I am certainly not kosher with the balance of risk in the HO's favor with triple damages, felony charges etc, and we can't even collect our costs of collection. Exactly how do you enter into a positive productive working agreement without first disclosing that I'm not about to put up with any crap, and if you are going to be a problem take a hike cause I don't need it. is this what things are coming to

Higgs · 09-09-2009, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Bones, sorry to hear about your problems. I haven't had that issue come up yet, but HO's seem to be a different breed now.

It used to be, I would visit a HO once, maybe twice to secure a project, now I can't get a job without meeting with them 5 or 6 times.

The internet has caused problems, as well. Customers think they know so much more.

It's a different world now.

Personally i think one could give credit to all of the do it your self shows that are on TV. Growing up i can remember three: This Old House, Bob Vila, and the New Yankee Workshop; for the most part good solid shows. now anybody with a tool belt and a camra can get on tv and "show people how its done". It makes great TV but screwes the rest of us.

John Hyatt · 09-09-2009, 05:38 PM

There is most likely only two ways to deal with sheeeeola like that.

Smile and wave like a prom queen.

Kick Ass.

As the Great Contractor that Broke me in usta say " Coment on their sexual nature with their mother when your leaving the Bank Not when your going to the Bank " Warren Ove, sigh..one good Dude. JonMon

crazyson2001 · 09-09-2009, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Higgs

Personally i think one could give credit to all of the do it your self shows that are on TV. Growing up i can remember three: This Old House, Bob Vila, and the New Yankee Workshop; for the most part good solid shows. now anybody with a tool belt and a camra can get on tv and "show people how its done". It makes great TV but screwes the rest of us.

You know....I never thought of it like that but you're right. TOH, New Yankee, etc showed actual craftsman who were there to do a quality job. Yes, sometimes they made it look easier than it was, but there was emphasis on doing it right (and sometimes "right" meant spending more $$$ to fix a problem than most have). But still, there were times when they would come across a problem and their fix for it made you think "damn that was a lot of work".

Now, so many of these shows have "celebrity" carpenters that only emphasize the fun and easy, and grossly over simplify most tasks.

RobertCDF · 09-09-2009, 10:52 PM

I have a clause that they are not allowed around the following: project, materials, tools, trailers, dumpsters, etc, etc. And that CDF is not liable for any person or animal that is nearby the previous.

I 2nd the comment about a different breed and having to meet more than 1-2 times. I have found that 3-5 meetings are not unusual and then sometimes meetings during the project are also needed.

Winchester · 09-10-2009, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwood

Customers think they know so much more.

key word right there.

they get just enough information to make them think they know what's goin' on. way too common

AJAX · 09-17-2009, 04:00 PM

I had a situation like that where the kids would want to come on the deck, summer ya know, schools out. Well I cut up the old trusses and screwed them right to the door so they couldn't get by. I didn't have the rails done and the liability is mine, not HO. So, you just have to do what you have to do to keep them off and usually I tell them that too, STAY OFF!

I'm sure this job is finished but I would have asked them "Are you assuming the project is finished?" No. "Then why are you moving furnishings into the workspace? I need this space in order to finish so, the sooner you move the gazebos the sooner I can finish. If you would like me to move them I'd be glad to help but, there will be an extra charge for this." Then back charge them. It's what I like to call "Aggravation pricing".

If you are going to aggravate me then I will price it to where I'm not aggravated anymore.