Pay me for my materials and Im out of here!
 

Is it even worth it sometimes to sit and to finish a job thats nothing but a pain in the ass?

HO hires me to build him 2 walls wih pocket door in his condo. Me and my guy go to do the work and the guy is all over our heads telling us how to even build it.

Fast forward to today. Install all trim excpet shoe mould cause beed to get it from different supplier. On the pocket door he wanted me to not put doorstop on the header by a 2x2 instead. Now hes complain he doesn't like it etx. Like everything is an issue and I just cant handle it anymore I feel like either jumping off his balcony or throwing him off it lol.

Thanks fir listed to my rant. I need advicd what to do? Im in 600 in materials and job is quoted at 1500. Amandon ship? Stay and finish?

You aren't that far from wrapping it up. Finish it the way YOU want to then bill for full amount.

Well thats the thing Im so close to completion but I also want to finish it the way I want to finish it not the way some idiot wants it. He made a big issue about me miter corners for the trim becauzw its square flat mdf. Now he doesnt even like that.

It's hard but you have to make things like this clear up front.....something along the lines of "if you're going to be an asshole, I would just prefer you find someone else" seriously you have to somehow indicate up front that you are intolerant of problem customers who are looking to grift something for free

Learn to recognize the problem customer up front....and walk away....here are some helpful clues

Someone who is not sure what they want

They all ask questions...but at some point they should be satisfied with the answers you've given them.....there should be a limit here recognize what it is and once it's exceeded you're better off with the view from your house....walk away

Someone who hangs around.....and hangs around....and hangs around.....often this is a big one......and if the questions persist in a condescending manner....you've got problems........I don't mind them watching me work I'm confident in what I'm doing but if you are annoying....that's different

Your best bet is to listen and listen closely at the first meeting....you will learn to recognize assholes....your survival depends on it

If you think back there had to be some intuition with this guy....there usually but not always is....something was amiss....but you needed the work so you threw caution in the wind

I agree with the above.....finish....invoice...move on....and learn to recognize assholes....you won't be right every time cause some are real good at it...but it's an art and it's all in the way you handle it

Hope that helps

I hope you have a contract for that $1500...
Not all jobs are winners. Walking off a job is a major decision with lasting consequences for your reputation.
Get it done and move on. Consider yourself lucky this is a small job.

Each and every job with new clients always have contracts. If Ive known the people for years and are repeat clients I sometime dont give contracts as I know there is never problems lol

Quit your whining and finish that piss-ant job

Start collecting money.
Don't get too far ahead on that one.

It's a 1500 dollar job...I can't see there being a complex payment schedule.

He says he's in $600 in materials alone. I have a few customers I'd front that much for... a few.

Ouch.....i dont start without 10% AND material money for jobs under a couple grand.....

I start fifty thousand dollar jobs all time without anything down. I have to. I could legally take a thousand bucks but I haven't taken a deposit in 14 years.

Lemme do some quick math.

Job quote : $1500
Materials : $600

1500-600 = $900.

So this should be a 2-day job, at most, even if you take your time, dilly-dally around, take some extra coffin-nail breaks, extended lunches, excess poop breaks.

Go back tomorrow morning, finish the job by 9:00, and call it good. Submit bill, demand payment.

If I don't know you.......I'm not financing one hinge......I can't get away with material mark up much any way...so you get the list....my list....it get's delivered....you write the check....that way it's your skin in the game............my bid is for labor only....then I might hear "most contractors don't operate that way".....well I'm not most contractors

Let's face it you have to maintain an office, computer, phone, you have truck gas and planning and logistics time in before you pick up one screwdriver.....this stuff all costs money.....you can't approach it like it costs you nothing to look....because it does

Sounds like you are a bit green and under bid.

Check this one of in the loss column, but finish it. You can't buy integrity or character. In the face of adversity did you run away or turn into the wind and face the storm?

Well said.

Yeah, I agree. Finish it. Don't let people like that take money from you.

Depends if it's a sh*t storm... :whistling :laughing:


Finish it, then you can complain about it all you want...

Wouldn't you rather walk away with job finished, your word intact with some underbid cash, than walk away, job unfinished, and no cash that you then have to fight for?...

Learning to deal with the bad/PITA customers builds your ability to deal with ALL customers...

Just use it as motivation to get done, get paid and get out...

Best of luck... 8^)

.

OP, please do come back and let us know how you did.

Not to mention .. When you walk ! Word gets around ..No matter who's at fault or what the real story Is . You walked! And that's all people are going to hear .

It's a two way street though. After the job is done I can make a few phone calls and spread the word. If They want to bring on the pain? I'll play. That PITA will need other subs after I leave.