I Want To Get Paid.

mike stanislaw

Did a deck for a guy who now after I completed his job, claims I said I would discount the price If I built the deck in the off season. I did tell him that, but i also told him my off season starts after thanksgiving and ends after St. Patties day. He's keeping $700 dollars that he owes me. How can i collect it.
OUCH!

deckman22

You're saying he deducted 700.00 off your contract? If that discount wasn't in writing then he owes it to you. Tell him he still owes the 700.00 cause it's not the "off season" yet. If he doesn't pay take him to small claims court. No judge would let that stand if it's not in writing.

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Deckman
www.alscustomdecks.com

HallisseyDesign

Go grab 4 bags of 80 pound concrete form them up and pour them at your house. Go to his house with them the next morning ( I perfer saturday mornings round 6:30-7am) Put the block of concrete you made next to his deck(near a post) Take jack hammer and go to town. When he walks out tell him your taking your 700 dollars out of his deck that he owes you and I bet he pays nice and fast with cash!

UMM this is based off of a fiction novel I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE

curapa

First off, did you have him sign a contract? If not, consider it a lesson learned and write one up for your upcoming jobs, if so, explain to him that it does not state that his price was discounted in your contract and let him know that you have every intention to lein his home and sue for the remainder.

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mike stanislaw

He's just trying to see if I'll go away, or maybe settle for less. I really don't make threats, that i wont carry out. I don't want to spend money on a lawyer for 700 bucks. small claims ahhhh, I guess will work but is there magic way one of you guys have found short of slashing his tiers. remember i have to sell decks in his development. mike

curapa

Its pretty cheap and easy to put a lein on his home.

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house bldr

Tell him you are going to file a lein on his property,that usually loosens up the wallet.

whaler

that's the best way i know of how to not get a check!

Driftwood

Tight pants and Big Balls

hailey

I agree with the lein on the property.Most places you can do it yourself with a little guidance from the clerk's office (city or county) and a small fee.You're probably right about him wanting you to cave and go away.
Put it to him honestly and fairly and if he doesn't give it up tell him you are going to file the lein...have it written up and show it to him.If that doesn't persuade him ... file it and move on.No shame or bad reflection on your business for following legal channels with a dead-beat.

One thing to keep in mind ...I know around here there is a time limit after job completion to file.

j_builder

How about just some simple bargaining,for ex sample...You'll give a seasonal or senior discount of $100.00 now before you lien his property!

Or Loose pants and a little Heat.

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T. D. G.

Mike, I hope you have enough brains that you know that tuff guy stuff is the worst. personally I don't take legal action on my customers unless its really worth it.
If you didn't get your final inspection yet you may want to look at this. Tell the Inspector about your problem with your customer. I did this once and the inspector told me If you don't have a final no one has a right to be on this deck without a C. O. If his office finds out about the owner using the uninspected deck he will have to do his duty and run him off of it. NO CO NO GO on deck. I informed the the person who by the way owed me over 2000. and he agreed that we set up an inspection with me the twp inspector my client and 2000 in CASH. once I went over the final with the twp I handed him the CO with my left hand as he handed over my cash in my right. Worked for me.

Snobnd

T.D.G Good advice!
I will use that one (lol)

Joe Carola

You've been asked already about a signed contract, why aren't you answering the question?

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Joe Carola

curapa

What do you consider tough guy stuff? Filing a lien is not "ethically" very different from what you stated. I would not expect the inspectors in my area to be very efficient in "running the HO off the deck" especially considering he is probably only going to be on it after work hours. In the end YOU are the contractor and YOU have a deck out there that has not passed final inspection and YOU are liable for what ever happens on that deck as it still is a construction site.

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curapa

I would imagine there wasn't one or this would not be an issue. The contract would clearly state what is owed.

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T. D. G.

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mike stanislaw

Hi Joe I always have an agreement. Not a real long of one Don't like to make my customers nervous at the CLOSE. certainly don't need to put signing it till some lawyer reviews and changes it to justify his $300 fee. Don't need that one. If you want to get real specific in your agreement I sometimes give my customer after I have my agreement signed and commitment fee in hand, what I call My site and work ex claimer. In this document you can go over every thing you expect from them and them from you, such as use of there electric with no compensation due, wear and tear on there grass due to normal work traffic, and stuff like that.

curapa

A VERY detailed contract is what you need. The contract should not only state what you expect of the customer but what they should expect from you. A very informed and detailed contract should be a selling point for you, it should show how you are willing to leagaly state your intentions on the job at the risk of not getting paid.

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KES

Well you could do what a guy did around here the other day. I saw a nice new ford f350 dually parked outside of the local walmart with huge scrathes and a dent on the drivers side rear panel with a nice sign that read "Fid ax backed into my truck and will not fix it!!!" In your case you could put a 4ft x 6ft sign in your truckbed that read the something like "Mr. _____ owes me $700.00 for a deck I built and he will not pay!!" Park your truck in front of his job/ office and wait outside. The money will probally come quickly. Then add the price of the sign on top of the $700.00.

I would try the lien way though less bullets and cussing!!

Peter