[Grumpy]

We've been working for this GC for the past 2 years. I sent them an e-mail one slow day and it turned into some work and some headaches. One very odd project we have been working on, the GC's personal home, is huge and has had every design change you can think of. Our roof was cut into on a daily basis. I have never seen a roof with so many vent pipes for ac plumbing etc...

Anyways we completed the secondary roofing to the tune of $7,000. This was just repairs and changes. The payment was due 3 months ago and I had been getting the run around since. All other jobs were paid on time in full no questions. FInally yesterday their assistant, who is a very nice girl, convinced her boss to pay. She said come on in and sign a waiver and I'll give you the check. Well... the numbers didnt match. Actually their check was for my original numbers but minus the 3 months of late fees.

Their accountant was standing near by helping another sub figure out his check and he asked me "Are those for late fees?" I responded "yes". His response was "Our company policy is not to pay late fees."

You can imagine what I told him.

 

[Floorwizard]

No I can't imagine, fill us in on what you told him...

this will be good....

 

[Grumpy]

Ya know... in another forum I go to, they actually sided with the GC claiming I shoulda done him the favor. I stated that I would have done him the favor had they been forthcoming and honest. Instead I got lies and the run-around. This I can't tolerate.

I'm going to spare everyone what I said since I am in some kinda bad mood today and cant figure out why.

 

[Floorwizard]

GC's tend to feel they can get away with stuff like that, and when companies drop their shorts it proves they can.
I don't know enough about it to figure when you should or should not let some things go.

 

[HCI]

Just add the amount the gc subtracted from your invoice to his next job. Don't get mad get even.

 

[Grumpy]

WHy should there be a next job? I can then chase that sum of money for a few months and add those late fees from that job to the 3rd job and so on and so forth. Eventually my price would be so high from hidden late fees from previous jobs I would lose the upcoming job and the late fees. I stopped the deadly cycle before it started.

Bottom line: I dont want a customer that doesnt want to pay. My time is better spent servicing paying customers rather than chasing down those that don't pay. For every minute I spend chasing my money from him I am losing that minute selling a roof to a new customer... SO if you do the math I really lost more than the late fees. I also lost the money from the sale that didn't exist becuase I was begging for my money from the guy who didn't want to pay.

 

[tncontractor]

GC's tend to feel they can get away with stuff like that, and when companies drop their shorts it proves they can.
I don't know enough about it to figure when you should or should not let some things go.

Some of us GC's started out as subs and treat everyone with the respect they deserve.

 

[Grumpy]

How come your not in my area!? Your right though. The GC's that were or are once subs usually pay ontime and don't have 60 page idemnification clauses.

 

[Glasshousebltr]

GC here, and find myself falling back to sub once in a while because some customers pay like GC's, day late and dollar short. I always try to pay my subs and help on time, unfortunatly it's a tough biz, and it's easy to get pinched if you don't watch your A$$. anyhow never had to make someone wait 3MONTHS! sounds intentional. Bob

 

[Grumpy]

Too many GC's use their subs to finance their jobs. Glass many very large GC's make their subs wait 90 days before payment becomes due. That's pretty typical actually. Especially in roofing since we are the first trade in after the rough carpenters.

In this case I think it was intentional though.

 

[hatchet]

90 days? If we go longer than 30 we get a serious a** chewing.

 

[Grumpy]

It's very very common to have a 60 or 90 day written into the contract. Sometimes trades don't get paid until substantial completion. That sucks for the framers and roofers and rouch electricians etc... Were the first trades in and have to wait till the very end of the project to get paid.

It can be good money, it usually isn't worth the headache and this is why I'm moving away from the new construction and stick with the remodeling.

 

[Driftwood]

sorry, but you,re part of the problem, you have to change the way you think ,and do bussiness. you,re leaving your money out there way to long! i,m a remodeling con.t in n. ca. [40years in the trade] my work is strictaly for homeowners because of generals like this . my t+m is billed weekley. paid weekley or they have a big irishman in there kitchen at dinner time. my visit is never anounced. forget his minions viset his home or lien it and move on, your family and supply house will thank you . you deserv better! good luck driftwood p.s. do you know bruno? 5ft. 6. 240 with a 40 inch neck

 

[Grumpy]

Yoru right I am changing the way I do business, but it's a common practice in big construction business, govt work, industrial work etc...
If it's residential and you don't get paid within a few weeks the GC is a scum bag. On large govt or industrial projects it's very common for the subs to not see a penny for months. This is not beause theya re not paying, they tell you up front in their contract their payment terms.

 

[hatchet]

That's where I disagree.. that 30 days I mentioned is typical for the company I work for. We get a monthly bill on the 20th and I have them paid by the 25th of the following month. Invoices we pay weekly. This isn't residential either - that's on a 150 million dollar hotel.

 

[Grumpy]

I don't see how you can disagree since I've seen the contracts many many times and have talked with many many people who've seen the same. If I were talking out my butt, that'd be different.

Your company must be different. Your how it should be.