write them an email today, save it then edit it tomorrow stating your concerns about access. I am very clear with clients that we work during business hours only and its their project at their house so they need to make time to be around for tile layout etc....
Customer trust
Hi to all hope your staying warm!
I have a situation I wonder how you all might handle. we are installing granite counter tops at a customers house yesterday all was going great I removed existing Formica tops at 8:00 am. done by 9:00. Granite subs arrive shortly after and are done installation in an hour or so. Plumber was scheduled for the afternoon to install faucet & drain that afternoon life is good!
About 2:00 pm. my plumber texts me and explains he cant make it due to emergency and will be on site at 8:00 am next day. I text back thanks for the heads up and forward message to my customer.
Customer text me back saying that is not acceptable! She has to work tomorrow and took the day off to have this work done today and nobody will be home. So I calmly say no problem get me a key to leave in our lock box for the plumber but she says No Way, can plumber come later in the evening or can I arrange another plumber?
I calmly explain our 30 year track record, plumber is the only plumber im using, business hours, How they found us from neighbors referral etc. But nothings getting threw.
I eventually worked it out for the plumber to come on Saturday but now im fuming inside feeling distrusted. I have more work to be done and cant/wont be waiting any more for customers to take time off to make sure im not ripping them off.
Im ready to ask them to settle up for the counter top portion and part company but maybe cooler heads will prevail.
How would you handle this?
Thanks Mike
I have a situation I wonder how you all might handle. we are installing granite counter tops at a customers house yesterday all was going great I removed existing Formica tops at 8:00 am. done by 9:00. Granite subs arrive shortly after and are done installation in an hour or so. Plumber was scheduled for the afternoon to install faucet & drain that afternoon life is good!
About 2:00 pm. my plumber texts me and explains he cant make it due to emergency and will be on site at 8:00 am next day. I text back thanks for the heads up and forward message to my customer.
Customer text me back saying that is not acceptable! She has to work tomorrow and took the day off to have this work done today and nobody will be home. So I calmly say no problem get me a key to leave in our lock box for the plumber but she says No Way, can plumber come later in the evening or can I arrange another plumber?
I calmly explain our 30 year track record, plumber is the only plumber im using, business hours, How they found us from neighbors referral etc. But nothings getting threw.
I eventually worked it out for the plumber to come on Saturday but now im fuming inside feeling distrusted. I have more work to be done and cant/wont be waiting any more for customers to take time off to make sure im not ripping them off.
Im ready to ask them to settle up for the counter top portion and part company but maybe cooler heads will prevail.
How would you handle this?
Thanks Mike
1 - 20 of 52 Posts
Roll up your sleeves. Install the faucet. Hook up the drain. Collect check. Go to dinner. Life is good.
If she can trust you to work in her home while she's not there[you had to text her] Then Why can't she trust your plumber? H/Os can be a pita sometimes!
In most municipalities, you don't need a license or permit for a disconnect/reconnect unless it is moving more than 4-6" in either direction... You disconnected it right?
Any reason why you just didn't do it yourself? Would've been extra money in your pocket for the day...
While we tell customers we need access, I can totally understand why she would be upset about taking another day off just for the plumber to come
People's day's off are the same as money to them... not to mention now she has to wait until Saturday...
IMHO, the plumber had the emergency that affected the pre-determined time arranged with the customer, he should have adjusted and worked a little late to wrap that up... he should have to work around her, not the other way around... who is paying whom?
Now customer has to wait until Saturday.... I'd rather work an hour late during the week than on a Saturday anytime...
What are you going to do if the plumber hits you with an upcharge for weekend work?
EDIT: BTW, bad news is never a good thing to text... always call...
Any reason why you just didn't do it yourself? Would've been extra money in your pocket for the day...
While we tell customers we need access, I can totally understand why she would be upset about taking another day off just for the plumber to come
People's day's off are the same as money to them... not to mention now she has to wait until Saturday...
IMHO, the plumber had the emergency that affected the pre-determined time arranged with the customer, he should have adjusted and worked a little late to wrap that up... he should have to work around her, not the other way around... who is paying whom?
Now customer has to wait until Saturday.... I'd rather work an hour late during the week than on a Saturday anytime...
What are you going to do if the plumber hits you with an upcharge for weekend work?
EDIT: BTW, bad news is never a good thing to text... always call...
You made the change, so in this case you have to be flexible. The customer planned and expected the job to be completed in one day. It is not outrageous for a customer to want to be home when people are there, it sounds like she took off for it. She did not ask you originally to work around her schedule, only after you changed it. Legitimate change or not you made the change work with her.
May be brutal, but I'd use your example of why a customer should choose me over you.
I get to charge a profit over wages, because its my job to make it happen first time, every time.
And I'd make damn sure every trade under me understands how important that quality is to me. Believe me, I've learned a whole lot of trades to make up for no shows.
It's all on you, not the customer.
I get to charge a profit over wages, because its my job to make it happen first time, every time.
And I'd make damn sure every trade under me understands how important that quality is to me. Believe me, I've learned a whole lot of trades to make up for no shows.
It's all on you, not the customer.
You may think your plumber is the best thing since dirt was shiny, but you should have already planned for this. Either do it yourself or you should have another trusted turdherder in your Rolodex.
The customer bought from him – not his plumber! The customer has his insurance info – not his plumber’s! The customer writes him a check – not his plumber!If she can trust you to work in her home while she's not there[you had to text her] Then Why can't she trust your plumber?
Life would be so much easier without them... They should be done away with!H/Os can be a pita sometimes!
Leave the plumber a key! ...... The plumber's not Insured ? :blink:The customer bought from him – not his plumber! The customer has his insurance info – not his plumber’s! The customer writes him a check – not his plumber!
Life would be so much easier without them... They should be done away with!
In a perfect world things would have gone as planned ...They did not!
H/Os should/need to understand that the good ones stay busy ,and sometimes there's a hickup . Get over It ...Leave the plumber a key!
I don’t know… Is he? :blink:The plumber's not Insured ? :blink:
Sometimes there is a hiccup… but as the GC it’s my responsibility to fix it – Not the H/O’s.sometimes there's a hickup.
Never in an occupied home – Not on my watch!Get over It ...Leave the plumber a key!
If I was your plumber I would be offended!Never in an occupied home – Not on my watch!
But...I Get how some trades are sitting,, waiting for the phone to ring so they can jump!!..I get That!
The "Access" section of my contract specifies that I be provided a code/key for the duration of the project but specifies that it is up to the homeowner whether the sub trades may work inside the home alone. If the HO won't provide a key then they are responsible for paying for work time lost due to an inaccessible work site.
The "Force Majeure" section provides for sub-trades rescheduling for personal emergencies.
In your situation, with a little plumbing to do, or even some electrical, I'd say "Legally I shouldn't, but I'll do what I can."
The "Force Majeure" section provides for sub-trades rescheduling for personal emergencies.
In your situation, with a little plumbing to do, or even some electrical, I'd say "Legally I shouldn't, but I'll do what I can."
Thank you! It's common sense !The "Access" section of my contract specifies that I be provided a code/key for the duration of the project but specifies that it is up to the homeowner whether the sub trades may work inside the home alone. If the HO won't provide a key then they are responsible for paying for work time lost due to an inaccessible work site.
"
IN our state that's a no no unless your a cpc,Roll up your sleeves. Install the faucet. Hook up the drain. Collect check. Go to dinner. Life is good.
I'm still wondering whose going to pay for the weekend hours?... :whistling
As a GC, you contracted the job with the conditions set forth... it's all on you...
If it was contracted as a same-day install, whatever needs to be done, needs to be done...
I don't get how the plumbers emergency is the HO's problem... hopefully, the OP will learn from this to have more than one tradeperson in the stable for each discipline...
I still don't understand why he just didn't connect it himself and avoid all this... now he has, at best, an inconvenienced customer, has to work on Saturday to go pick up a check, possibly pay weekend hours, and the last thing the customer gets to remember is a Saturday install...
If you disconnected it, you couldn't re-connect it?...
Eh, could all just blow over... would be nice to hear from the OP though... we see you luriking Mcabbage.... :whistling:
As a GC, you contracted the job with the conditions set forth... it's all on you...
If it was contracted as a same-day install, whatever needs to be done, needs to be done...
I don't get how the plumbers emergency is the HO's problem... hopefully, the OP will learn from this to have more than one tradeperson in the stable for each discipline...
I still don't understand why he just didn't connect it himself and avoid all this... now he has, at best, an inconvenienced customer, has to work on Saturday to go pick up a check, possibly pay weekend hours, and the last thing the customer gets to remember is a Saturday install...
If you disconnected it, you couldn't re-connect it?...
Eh, could all just blow over... would be nice to hear from the OP though... we see you luriking Mcabbage.... :whistling:
Apparently it's not in his, since he disconnected it... :whistlingIN our state that's a no no unless your a cpc,
He must live in a normal state... :laughing:
Sundays pay more than Mondays???:blink: ...FCK ME ????:laughing:whose going to pay for the weekend hours?... :
My plumber, electrician, painter, drywaller, tile setter, etc., etc. are not offended in any way. They appreciate the fact that I am on the job every day. They understand that the customer hired me (not them) to manage their project. They understand that they have not built the “trust” that I have with the customer. They understand that it is the customer’s home and they are not permitted to come and go as they please.If I was your plumber I would be offended!
But...I Get how some trades are sitting,, waiting for the phone to ring so they can jump!!..I get That!
They are not sitting waiting for the phone to ring. This has been planned for weeks – if not months - in advance. If they don’t want the job, they’re free to say so. I have a list 5 – 6 deep of trades that want a chance to get on my phone list. There are also lots that don’t want anything to do with me. They’re ok with that and so am I.
I don’t understand what makes contractors think they can do as they please or come and go as they please and then be “offended” when someone says they can’t.
1 - 20 of 52 Posts
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