Right in my hood!

[Slvrmple72]

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/lo...e-guy'-accused-of-scamming-elderly-homeowners

I have told my customers for years to not pay me or anyone until the work that has been agreed upon is done PER CONTRACT!

 

[tree MDS]

I'm sure they will find his ass eventually. I don't know what makes people think that they're gonna get away with this stuff! Maybe they just dont care and are on the downward spiral or something..

I never take deposits either. I figure, with my luck, every piece of equipment I own would simultaneously break down, and then I'll look like the ass when they start calling and nagging me.

 

[arbor pro]

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/lo...e-guy'-accused-of-scamming-elderly-homeowners

I have told my customers for years to not pay me or anyone until the work that has been agreed upon is done PER CONTRACT!

If materials (cabling/bracing, new plant materials, etc) are involved, then a down payment is sometimes necessary but, if all one is doing is providing a service, I see no reason for down payments unless people are always canceling on jobs. If that was the case, I'd maybe ask for a small non-refundable contract fee of maybe 10-15% of the job but, then I'd guarantee a start/finish date if that was the case.

Luckily, for me, losing one or two contracts every now and then is no big deal as I'm usually backlogged anyways. Perhaps, it's more of a problem in other areas.

Too bad a few bad eggs have to stink up the rest of our profession. Always going to be scammers in any service profession that doesn't require some kind of certification or licensing...

 

[Blakesmaster]

Too bad a few bad eggs have to stink up the rest of our profession. Always going to be scammers in any service profession....

You probably could have ended your sentence right there and still had a fine point. There's bad eggs all over. Not just our industry.

My mind is still boggled that people ask how much I need down all the time. I never take a dime. In trades where the majority of the job cost is wrapped up in materials I can understand but for what we do? Never. Even when it comes to me purchasing cabling materials or plants I just go ahead and do it. On a big project I guess I could see it but I don't think I've ever been at a point where a few hundred bucks in materials would make or break my bank account.

 

[pdqdl]

:agree2:

No need for pre-pay or deposit. If you are worried about getting paid, ask the customer to produce a cashiers check or money order with your name on it to start the job, then let them keep it 'till you are done.

You could always do credit checks, too.

 

[treeclimber101]

I don't need the deposit at all , even if there is material , I may ask for one depending on the customer and there vibe , but if you run a reputable business then there is always a way to get material or at least have some capital to maintain for a month or so .. This job to job crap will sink the scumbags thats why there are fewer guys out there now this recession has really thinned the herd ...

 

[fishercat]

i get offered down payments all the time as well.

If I think I need money down from someone,I don't want the job.this scam has been going on around here for years from what I hear.no one has done anything about it obviously.I have had to go finish jobs other guys didn't finish.supposedly they didn't have a saw big enough to get the stalk down.

I have to agree with MDS,if I took a deposit,everything would go wrong and I wouldn't ever be able to get the job even started.

 

[treeclimber101]

Most of the work we do is at least 15 day pay sometimes 30/60 , the private work pays immediate but I don't knock on the door when were done , if your home than I will take my pay but some people pay me that week , I have people from JULY that still owe me money , its like money in the bank for me ...

 

[pdqdl]

Most of the work we do is at least 15 day pay sometimes 30/60 , the private work pays immediate but I don't knock on the door when were done , if your home than I will take my pay but some people pay me that week , I have people from JULY that still owe me money , its like money in the bank for me ...

That sounds like poor money management, with cash flow problems. I should know, that's exactly how I do business.

Although I've got a lot of jobs older than July that haven't been paid for.

 

[jefflovstrom]

If materials (cabling/bracing, new plant materials, etc) are involved, then a down payment is sometimes necessary.

I disagree, the materials are bid in but you should have the capital to obtain all material needs for the job.
Jeff

 

[treeclimber101]

That sounds like poor money management, with cash flow problems. I should know, that's exactly how I do business.

Although I've got a lot of jobs older than July that haven't been paid for.

The people that owe me money are my customers not some smoe off the street they know they owe it too me so when I call its ready , but sometimes its nice to leave a little floating it removes temptation when your broke in the "RIGHT NOW" impulse buys ..

 

[treeclimber101]

If materials (cabling/bracing, new plant materials, etc) are involved, then a down payment is sometimes necessary.

I disagree, the materials are bid in but you should have the capital to obtain all material needs for the job.
Jeff

I agree completely even if I needed tomorrow to go buy material replant 200 trees I could . And by the time I get payed from the last job then I pay for the one I am on now , the trick is keeping that wheel turning in the winter or your spring can be a little trying to say the least ..

 

[jefflovstrom]

Ah, I bet you are OK!
Jeff

 

[sgreanbeans]

Sorry guys, but I strongly disagree, I take a deposit, not because I need the money, to protect my self from non payers, I have a deep backlog, and try to maintain a schedule, several times I have signed, showed up on the day agreed and the work has already been done, "well this guy stopped buy and said he would do it for 200 compared to your 2000" I have had to go to court several times to collect money from Insurance jobs, people get the check and go buy a LCD instead of paying me, no way. Unfortunately, I have a become very stringent on these practices, you don't give me a check, you don't get me, plain and simple. I am 6 months out and adding more everyday. If you are a repeat client no deposit is necessary. If I don't know you, pay me. If you have a big huge house and I'm sure you have the money, dont matter , pay me, if you live in a trailer and look like you cant afford food, dont matter, pay me. It sucks that it has to be that way, but NO MORE will I chase money that I have so brutally earned. No more will I spend time and labor to move my operation 20 miles to get to a job only to find a methhead did it for a fraction. Until my area has some order and regulation , that's the way it continues. I am very well known by the citys, by the general public and I am considered "hard to get" as compared to someone who has time in his schedule....NOW. Although that guy was a turd by doing that, that is a individual problem, not a business practice problem. I have way to much to loose to do someone like that. The deposit, mainly for me, is peace of mind, that when I do the work, I (which is more important than YOU) get paid. There is nothing worse than doing a good job for someone, with a Contract, only for them to have no intentions or ability to pay, you cant recover your loss buy reposing any tangible asset. WE GET PAID FOR WHAT IS IN OUR HEAD.Cant return a tree. The local news is doing a story on hacks due to the storms, They have contacted me to produce a "buyer beware" check list, then want me to get on camera to explain what to look for when hiring a Arborist.
THAT GUY IS JUST ANOTHER ONE.
a methhead hack who took money to buy drugs.
It is my area, the reason I have to operate this way, lots of job loss at the factory's, and I feel bad for people, and DO do charity work, but not at the expense of my kid's well being, other area's are better, when in cali, didn't need to do it, here, it is a must. JPS has been here and seen the work of the "others" Sorry for the rant, just the way I feel about the subject. Last week I was told by a first time client, that he could not pay yet me because he has spent his insurance money on his fish tank that needed repairs! How would you respond? I had a deposit, I told him, no problem, I will leave all the wood in his driveway until I get the check, Some how, he miraculously came up with the money. Integrity check. I then reported it to the insurance company. If you sign a contract, that has the payment requirements fully detailed, and explained to you in detail, you have no excuse.

 

[JCONN]

I have to say when doing tree work I usually don't get deposit unless I get a bad feeling about the customer and then it better really worth my wild to take the job any how. I have been getting deposit on landscape jobs, I get the material cost the day I purchase plants, stone or whatever material. My philosophy is that this way if the people decide to change their mind or find someone cheaper its fine, they payed for the materials they own them and if I have to pick things up to deliver them I add on 20%. Our last two jobs I have had the people approve the plans then go to the nursery to have them see the actual plants and they pick the one out they want. Then after it gets planted and mulched they don't like that tree and want one the neighbor has. With out getting payed for a $300 tree up front they expect me to eat the tree and take it out but I simply tell them that this is what you wanted and picked out it can be changed but it is your tree and the nursery isn't' taking it back.

 

[arbor pro]

If materials (cabling/bracing, new plant materials, etc) are involved, then a down payment is sometimes necessary.

I disagree, the materials are bid in but you should have the capital to obtain all material needs for the job.
Jeff

I'm talking about jobs that involve thousands of dollars in plant or other materials which may be non-returnable. I don't worry about a down-payment for a few hundred dollars in plant materials but if I'm doing a landscape project for a new client that involves a few grand in trees and shrubs, I'm going to get a down payment from the client to make sure they don't try to back out and stick me with materials that I may not be able to use on another job.

The way I look at it is, regardless of whether or not they hire me to install the plant material, once they sign the contract and authorize me to place the order or make the purchase, they've purchased the material. It's theirs. In cases of large plant purchases, I'm not going to sit on the entire cost of that purchase without some kind of down payment to make sure they don't just say, 'well, we found someone cheaper' or 'we changed our mind'. If your business has never placed a plant material order for $20k, then you may not understand where I'm coming from. No way I'm going to order in two semi truck loads of trees and shrubs without some kind of monetary commitment.

Now, someone signs a contract for $20k in tree removal or pruning with no or few materials involved - then I get no down payment. Signed contract, yes. But that's just to clarify what is to be done and the $ so when the job is done there is no problem in settling the bill. Anyone who runs a service business that involves lots and lots of materials (landscaper, house remodeler/builder, etc) is going to get a down payment on large jobs. Little jobs - maybe not. But certainly, they would not be wise businessmen if they relied on their own capital to make large material purchases with no money down from the client. It doesn't matter if you have the bankroll to handle the purchase - it's about making sure you don't get stuck with non-returnable materials that might be job-specific and just sit around in your shop collecting dust - or, if they're plants, sitting around in the sun and costing you money to keep watered and maintained until you find another job to use them on.

 

[Scottscape]

this just brings the price of tree work up when it happens enough. people will pay not to get screwed. there are so many hacks in my area doing this

 

[sgreanbeans]

It doesn't matter if you have the bankroll to handle the purchase - it's about making sure you don't get stuck with non-returnable materials that might be job-specific and just sit around in your shop collecting dust - or, if they're plants, sitting around in the sun and costing you money to keep watered and maintained until you find another job to use them on.

:agree2:

I have also had a situation, where I did a land clearing, 10k job, for a builder. Home owner and builder get into argument over who pays me, not my problem, both singed the contract. Had to do the lien thing to get payed, ridiculous!

 

[pdqdl]

... Home owner and builder get into argument over who pays me, not my problem,...

I have never had that problem, fortunately. I am always rather cautious as to which single individual or company is paying for the work. Despite having both persons sign the contract, why didn't you ask which of them was getting the bill?

I can see how you would get ambushed that way. You would think that if they both signed it, then they would have worked out the problem for themselves.

I am especially cautious with renters. They will hire you to do a job, and then think that it's ok to send the bill to the landlord. Not on my watch!

 

[arbor pro]

I get it all the time..."I want this tree removed or I want these branches overhanging my property pruned back to the lot line. It's right on the lot line so, I'll pay half and the neighbor will pay half."

When I tell them I need to get written authorization from the neighbor before proceeding, I get the same line, "Oh, ok, I'll talk to him again and get back to you on that.

Surprising how often one neighbor is trying to pull crap on another neighbor and get me, the arborist, caught up in the middle of it. I don't let it happen.