They Just Don't Get It.

3206 Views 22 Replies 17 Participants Last post by A+ Texture, Oct 8, 2009

mics_54

Discussion Starter · Oct 8, 2009

So I was perusing Cl in my locality which is fairly dead. I saw an ad for some one to bid on building this 3 sided barn loafing shed for this guys horses. It had a photo and it was built solid with metal roof , treated 6x6 posts, pole barn style, board batt siding and about 5 courses of treated 2x around the bottom.

I shoot the guy a bid and got no answer. Couple of weeks go by and I'm seeing the same ad. SO...

I call the number in the ad. He says the bid was more than he wanted to pay and says the materials are only 1200 bucks. I ask how that was possible. 6x6s and treated lumber and ect added up to about 1800...he said "oh i'm not building it like the picture..I'm just laying 4x4s on the ground and framing the walls with 2x4s and sheathing it with osb."

I told him how that won't work for horses and why and he says ok...give me a bid on how you couold don it an acceptable way without breaking the bank. (my original bid was 4500.00 for 10x20)

I worked on a bid WITH drawings and called him later that evening at which point he said he found some one to do it for 500 dollars. I said ok thanks and hung up.

That was 10 days ago... today the phone rings...it's the same guy..."hey can you build my barn/shed...the guy I hired didn't show up."

I said..You told me you found some guy to build it for between 3 and 5 hundred dollars (@ $20/hr) that said it wouldn't take but a few hours to "knock it out" I told him I don't work for peanuts and there was a long silence on the phone.

He told me he works for an oil company on the inlet offshore and they only pay him 20 bucks and hour and he figured that was enough. I explained that even though he might be paid 20 dollars...he also get benefits and it costs his employer about 42 dollars/hr to employ him. (another long silence)

I said anyway...thanks for calling but you didn't even bother to hear my bid or view the drawings that you asked me to give you the second time I bid it and I discarded it. Think I'll pass.

NOW...here is my question. My wife..thinks I should call him back and see if he will hire me by the HOUR to build the barn to HIS specs with HIS material...in the rain...at 40 degrees...because his horsey is cold and because it's slow right now. I can't get excited about it.

comments?

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1 - 20 of 23 Posts

Tscarborough

· #2 · Oct 8, 2009

Tell your wife to do it for 20 bucks an hour.

Reactions: 3

Rockhound

· #3 · Oct 8, 2009

I think if you do it his way there will be problems and you'll get the blame.

Reactions: 1

Cdat

· #4 · Oct 8, 2009

Give your wife his address and kick her arse out the door, Change the locks while she is gone.

Leo G

· #5 · Oct 8, 2009

Your wife doesn't get it either. Tell her you will do it if she is your helper and make sure she gets the sh!t end of the stick. Then she will understand a lot better. Not nice, but most lessons aren't.

Bone Saw

· #6 · Oct 8, 2009

trying to rationalize with my GF about not persuing unprofitable/problem/redflag "customers" has been an exersize in futility, to her I'm just lazy with a $h!t work ethic

Reactions: 1

mics_54

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 8, 2009

Your wife doesn't get it either. Tell her you will do it if she is your helper and make sure she gets the sh!t end of the stick. Then she will understand a lot better. Not nice, but most lessons aren't.

We won't go there.:whistling

Gus Dering

· #8 · Oct 8, 2009

Do you have a problem offering your time at the same $42 an hr you explained to him? Using your latest drawing as a starting point.

I feel ya on the cold rain thing though.:no:

SelfContract

· #9 · Oct 8, 2009

Yep, men can not reason with women too much because :

1. Men from Mars (heat of moment, like sexual urge, etc.), women from Venus (passions of love, like romantic moments, etc.);

2. Men prefer/use their heads (for logical reasoning) while women prefer their hearts for understanding (passion, compassion for other hearts, instant spur, example like impulse shopping, etc.)

So, it takes two 2 tangle under 1 roof.. but ONLY ONE controller rules (in da house)!! :whistling:jester:

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MichaelWCI

· #10 · Oct 8, 2009

I would run. You can't please people like this and you will run into problems BIG TIME.

The Coastal Craftsman

· #11 · Oct 8, 2009

Like mic above says. He sounds like he could be trouble. If you was gonna do that i would make sure you get as much of the cash upfront as possible. He sounds tight. I remoel houses for my bro in law and he asked me to drop my price to $75 a day. I told him where to go and get someone else to do it for wat i was chargeing. If i am going to work my arse of and add value to someones house and i not make anything from it then they got another thing comeing.

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mics_54

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 8, 2009

Do you have a problem offering your time at the same $42 an hr you explained to him? Using your latest drawing as a starting point.

I can work for 42.00 in slow times. He said he has the materials there but I'm not sure what materials it is. He mentioned something over the phone that they had some "adjustable foundation blocks" they were setting in some manner for something . I didn't ask for details.

I wanted to precut everything as much as possible in the shop, rake walls, rafters etc. but that's not happenin now.

It just baffles me how people develope such silly plans of action. He had told me the guy he hired to do it for less than 500 dollars had to drive 2 hours to get there.

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Meetre

· #13 · Oct 8, 2009

I always tell people like this that I can go broke sitting on the couch playing video games, why would I want to go broke working my butt off?!? If that doesn't work, ask them the difference between a slut and a whore. :whistling

Bone Saw

· #14 · Oct 8, 2009

Meetre said:
If that doesn't work, ask them the difference between a slut and a whore. :whistling

now that's gold, thanx for that:thumbup:

TempestV

· #15 · Oct 8, 2009

mics_54 said:
It just baffles me how people develope such silly plans of action. He had told me the guy he hired to do it for less than 500 dollars had to drive 2 hours to get there.

so that works out to $11 an hour when you figure drive time, less if (or, should I say when) it takes longer than expected. Sounds Grand!!

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Gus Dering

· #16 · Oct 8, 2009

mics_54 said:
I can work for 42.00 in slow times. He said he has the materials there but I'm not sure what materials it is. He mentioned something over the phone that they had some "adjustable foundation blocks" they were setting in some manner for something . I didn't ask for details.

I wanted to precut everything as much as possible in the shop, rake walls, rafters etc. but that's not happenin now.

It just baffles me how people develope such silly plans of action. He had told me the guy he hired to do it for less than 500 dollars had to drive 2 hours to get there.

What if we all pony up a few bucks to pay you to video your first site visit with this guy?

Your wife can do the camera. We need good sound.

She'll have to zoom in on his face when you point out all his short comings while you are on the clock.

I'll kick in $20. There has to be others.:laughing:

Just bringing some humor to your dilemma. You'll finger it out.

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CookeCarpentry

· #17 · Oct 8, 2009

I'm with gus - here's my $20. :laughing:

mics_54

Discussion Starter · #18 · Oct 8, 2009

I'm sorry...did I give you the impression I was trying to figure it out?

<--- this is always the look on my wifes face when I am on the phone talking to people like this guy. She says I sound "harsh". Do I come across as "harsh" to you all?

Gus Dering

· #19 · Oct 8, 2009

mics_54 said:
I'm sorry...did I give you the impression I was trying to figure it out?

<--- this is always the look on my wifes face when I am on the phone talking to people like this guy. She says I sound "harsh". Do I come across as "harsh" to you all?

Sounds like a great day in the great white north.:clap:

Is it possible she gets "direct" mixed up with "harsh"?

I want a picture of her face with that wtf look on it though.:whistling

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WarnerConstInc.

· #20 · Oct 8, 2009

Leo G said:
Your wife doesn't get it either. Tell her you will do it if she is your helper and make sure she gets the sh!t end of the stick. Then she will understand a lot better. Not nice, but most lessons aren't.

I like Leo's way of thinking.

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