It takes all kinds

[ropensaddle]

I wouldn't have hit that and I'm not that particular.

Which is why your buddy did right:hmm3grin2orange: it was a joke on him bro

 

[sgreanbeans]

Some years ago, we had a F1 come thru, carnage everywhere.
I was out making rounds for the Insurance Co's, went to a address that had a large soft maple on the house, gave her a price and she starts yelling at me that im ripping her off, I said good bye. The next day, me and my crew are convoying around the hood doing jobs, drove by this lady as this really big fat guy is at the base of the tree with a brand new Poulan, THE BOX WAS IN THE YARD!, He has this guy who is smaller than me, Im 135lb, holding the tree at the top point that it is resting on the house, it lets go, little guy goes airborne, big guy runs, tree spins around and takes of the front of here little house! No joke, watched this happen right in front of me. Little guy go goes to Emergency room with serious injuries, big guy bails, lady with her head buried in her hands, I had to do it. So I honk to get her attention, she looks up and sees me, more upset now, I wave and say " they did a nice job"
Turns out, she hired them against the insurance company's wish, they wanted me, they were gonna pay for everything, but she thought I was gouging, I wasn't, she paid them 250 for a 2500, insurance co told her "your canceled" :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[straight6jeff]

flip side of the coin

As a HO, I hired a large outfit to remove three trees last week. Crew was great...prompt, knowledgeable, safe. Was told at the end of the Job that the log truck will we here within 48 hrs to remove logs. Sounds good. Paid the job in full...I held up my end of the contract.

A week later, the logs are still there. I have been told twice..."the log truck will get them tomorrow..." Yep, logs still there. Last night, the excuses started and was told "now that you have complained, you are on the radar". I replied "so let me get this straight, by paying my bill and upholding my end of the contract, I am not on the radar for your company to uphold your end of the contract? I have to complain?"

As a homeower, former contractor, I do not care what excuses or story the company has about their log truck, driver, or anyone else. I do not think they would have been understanding if at the end of the job (which is still not complete), I told them "sorry, I can't pay the entire bill, I have to take my dog for it's rabies shot..."

If last week I had been told straight up that they are swamped, and it would take a week to get the logs out, I would have been fine with that. Realistic timelines and keep the cutsomer informed when a deadline will not be met.

Having been on the contracting side of things, it takes all kinds on both sides of the fence.

 

[RVALUE]

I was in the middle of a fairly good sized lawsuit over a piece of property, and thinking I was in the right, I had spent more than I had fighting it. I had a customer (after the work was done) say:

"You're having some financial difficulty, aren't you? I don't think I should pay you."

NO YOU DUMMY, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE HIRED ME, but you should pay me. :stupid:

 

[tree md]

As a HO, I hired a large outfit to remove three trees last week. Crew was great...prompt, knowledgeable, safe. Was told at the end of the Job that the log truck will we here within 48 hrs to remove logs. Sounds good. Paid the job in full...I held up my end of the contract.

A week later, the logs are still there. I have been told twice..."the log truck will get them tomorrow..." Yep, logs still there. Last night, the excuses started and was told "now that you have complained, you are on the radar". I replied "so let me get this straight, by paying my bill and upholding my end of the contract, I am not on the radar for your company to uphold your end of the contract? I have to complain?"

As a homeower, former contractor, I do not care what excuses or story the company has about their log truck, driver, or anyone else. I do not think they would have been understanding if at the end of the job (which is still not complete), I told them "sorry, I can't pay the entire bill, I have to take my dog for it's rabies shot..."

If last week I had been told straight up that they are swamped, and it would take a week to get the logs out, I would have been fine with that. Realistic timelines and keep the cutsomer informed when a deadline will not be met.

Having been on the contracting side of things, it takes all kinds on both sides of the fence.

They may be having problems with the log truck or something. It's still no excuse. I have had to leave jobs incomplete for a week or so before due to mechanical problems and sometimes weather (can't get in there with the big truck because it is too soft). I have also left stumps before and came back for them later because I used to do all of my stumps in one day and would leave them until that designated day. In every case I have let the HO know in advance what was going on and left a deposit with them. If I leave logs or stumps then I don't except complete payment. I'll leave $200 up to a third of the payment depending on what task I have to complete. I think that's the best way to do business and it doesn't leave the HO with a bad feeling.

 

[ropensaddle]

They may be having problems with the log truck or something. It's still no excuse. I have had to leave jobs incomplete for a week or so before due to mechanical problems and sometimes weather (can't get in there with the big truck because it is too soft). I have also left stumps before and came back for them later because I used to do all of my stumps in one day and would leave them until that designated day. In every case I have let the HO know in advance what was going on and left a deposit with them. If I leave logs or stumps then I don't except complete payment. I'll leave $200 up to a third of the payment depending on what task I have to complete. I think that's the best way to do business and it doesn't leave the HO with a bad feeling.

Yup and if my account is fat I get paid when done it depends sometimes on size of job at hand. I on large jobs try to get paid in thirds as completed!

 

[tree md]

Yup and if my account is fat I get paid when done it depends sometimes on size of job at hand. I on large jobs try to get paid in thirds as completed!

Yeah, I pretty much always will not accept payment til the job is complete. If it is a large job or I have to rent equipment like a crane or something I will require a deposit (learned my lesson on that one). On a large job I like to get three draws usually so I can make payroll and whatnot. On this last one the guy tried to pay me in full on the first day when I got the first large tree down. I told him to just pay me a third. He then offered to pay me half and I told him he could pay me a third on the one I had already taken down, a third when I got the other one down and the last third when the stumps were completed. Glad I did that too because the job got strung out due to my medical problems and weather. I'd hate to have accepted payment and had him sitting around worrying if I was going to show back up or not. LOL, I'm having to wait for a fax to come in this morning, he's probably wondering where I am now...

 

[outofmytree]

I prefer to be paid when all work is done. Ther ehave been times when money was tight and a progress payment on a long job was agreed on, but bottom line for me is do the work then get paid. I like being able to sleep at night.

 

[RVALUE]

I prefer to be paid before the work is done.

So far the trend is for satisfied customers, who profusely thank me for being a man of my word. And going the extra mile.

However, I have more customers who don't pay, than anyone else I know.

 

[B-Edwards]

Was in the middle of a job and the owner says I need a price on seven more trees as we are going to build a garage. I look at the trees and figure the price and even knock off some because I am already there. The guys starts in about how expensive I am and surely I can do it cheaper? I am already pricing it to cheap in my mind (my fault). I try to tell him that he will not beat the deal and he makes a comment that I am known for costing the most . You guys would laugh at me if you knew how cheap I priced it. He keeps on and finally hits a nerve with me and ( I know I shouldn't have said this it is not like me) I say f you (his name) I am not coming here and working for you for nothing . The guys starts laughing and shaking his head , he says just do the damn job. He has never asked me for a price again he just calls and says I need such and such done, do it. We are actually good friends now it is just the way he has done business and it usually works. The guy is super wealthy.

 

[ropensaddle]

I prefer to be paid when all work is done. Ther ehave been times when money was tight and a progress payment on a long job was agreed on, but bottom line for me is do the work then get paid. I like being able to sleep at night.

Yup I have several accounts that get paid two weeks or so after completion sometimes stinks depending on timing !

 

[tree md]

Usually any commercial work you're going to have to wait 2-4 weeks for your money.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Usually any commercial work you're going to have to wait 2-4 weeks for your money.

It is best to ask what the companies payment policy is, i.e net-30, net-60. Then you can write the invoice to comply with that.

With smaller companies, they may have a book keeper that comes in once a week who writes checks every other week. I had one client who did all his checks with the EOM bookwork, so I got in the habit of making sure he got a bill before the 25th, and never did work at the beginning of the month.

My Lil'Sis did AR's for a florist, one time she was making calls to an office that was way past-60. The book keepr got snotty and asked "why are you bugging me with this! You KNOW we allways pay net-90."

 

[tree md]

30 days is the longest I have had to wait and that was through a large, out of state construction company. Had I have known the drill I would have held off til the end of the month like you said.

I quite often work for realtors as well. Most of the time you have to wait until the house closes to get paid on those jobs as the work is required in the contract. The check is mailed to you from the closing company. I wait until close to the closing date before I do the job so I'm not strung out for too long waiting on payment. It can be risky because if the deal falls you could be left holding the bag. I have never had a problem with that and every realtor and seller I have ever dealt with has assured me of payment (and put pen to paper saying so) even if the deal falls. Still, you could be waiting a long time for a house to sell and a deal to close if the original one falls. Like I said, never had it happen before.

I used to have to wait for the HOA board to approve my proposal and then three people to sign off on my checks at the condo complex I take care of. Now they go ahead and cut the check for me when they approve my work order so I don't have to wait. The Manager often has my check ready the same day my job is completed.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

It can be risky because if the deal falls you could be left holding the bag. I have never had a problem with that and every Realtor and seller I have ever dealt with has assured me of payment (and put pen to paper saying so) even if the deal falls.

When dealing with a home sale, I first ask who is paying me, the Realtor, or the property owner. Sometimes the Realtor will do it because they want it to get done with.

If I am doing it with the property owner, then I require payment in full before signing the waver of lean, it becomes a contract clause. If the Realtor signs the contract, then I will include the waiver with the contract.

You can often get the Realtor to pop for small jobs that will bump up curb-appeal. $400 light thin and raise in the front yard with a good spring/fall cleanup...

 

[tree md]

When dealing with a home sale, I first ask who is paying me, the Realtor, or the property owner. Sometimes the Realtor will do it because they want it to get done with.

If I am doing it with the property owner, then I require payment in full before signing the waver of lean, it becomes a contract clause. If the Realtor signs the contract, then I will include the waiver with the contract.

You can often get the Realtor to pop for small jobs that will bump up curb-appeal. $400 light thin and raise in the front yard with a good spring/fall cleanup...

John, what is a waver of lean? And I do the same when the HO is footing the bill (which they always do in the end anyway) but I am usually working for the realtor. A lot of the time I don't even meet the HO at all. When it is work to spruce up for curb appeal I am usually paid directly by the HO and do not have to wait for closing. It is only when the buyer has required the seller to remove a tree (usually hazard work) that I have to wait until closing and receive a check from the closing company. I have just been having the Realtor sign off on the invoice and my attorney has assured me that is binding. Is there something else I should be having the realtor and or HO sign?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

John, what is a waver of lean?

The waiver is a document that you give the HO stating that you have have been satisfied with all payments and that you will not put a lean on the property, or do not have one pending.

quite often a buyers agent will require the waiver from every company that has worked on the property in the last six months. I've worked for builders that require one be signed before you start a job, ue you trust them to pay you and are not going to go after the propery owner.

http://www.free-legal-document.com/lien-waiver.html

 

[tree md]

Thanks! Good info!

 

[outofmytree]

I think you mean lien JPS. Over here we refer to that as an encumbrance. It is simply a document lodged in the Land Titles Office which holds 1 of the 2 original deeds of title to a property. The property cannot be legally sold untill all liens or encumbraces are met. Should a sale proceed without this being done it is not valid and will certainly be overturned upon appeal.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I did mean lien, and I thought I had corrected it.