# I hate homeowners



## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

We did a house for a guy and there were big boulders (as usual) so I set them along the tree line in his back yard. The guy is now living in the house for a few months and he wanted the rocks hauled out. I told him that they are too big to put in our truck but I can bury them. He was fine with that and I told him $600 and he said ok. I figured that it would only take me 1.5 hrs tops, but it would have wasted half a day screwing around.

Anyway, give him the bill and he throws a fit because he says that we couldn't have been there for more than 3 hrs and that we charged him too much. My dad explained to him about the cost of machines, insurances, fuel and that we have a 4 hr minimum and if it took 1 hr or 8 hrs, it was still $600.

So my dad is going to give him $200 back to keep him happy. I threw a fit and told him not to give him anything, but he said that it is his reputation. I am so sick of these people. We bust our humps 6-7 days a week and these desk jockey's are building these big beautiful houses and are too cheap to pay for anything else.


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

rino1494 said:


> We bust our humps 6-7 days a week and these desk jockey's are building these big beautiful houses and are too cheap to pay for anything else.


POST OF THE DAY!!!

This applies to ALL trades.

Back in the day, I gave a customer a line item invoice.
$8000 paint job in a 700k home, and he cries about $30 worth of wallcovering primer. Go figure.


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

These days you can't even do the smallest of jobs for anyone without putting it to paper and having them sign for it, unless of course you're prepared for the possibility that you may never see any money or have to renegotiate and settle for less.:thumbdown


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## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

rino1494 said:


> ...give him the bill and he throws a fit because he says that we couldn't have been there for more than 3 hrs and that we charged him too much. We bust our humps 6-7 days a week and these desk jockey's are building these big beautiful houses and are too cheap to pay for anything else.


I'm getting mad just imagining the scene. I'd tell him if he doesn't want to pay the bill then he can meet someone who really charges too much per hour...my lawyer.


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## DecksEtc (Oct 27, 2004)

ProWallGuy said:


> POST OF THE DAY!!!
> 
> This applies to ALL trades.
> 
> ...



You should have told him that you could go back and remove the primer at NO charge! :laughing:

And, your post is another example of what goes wrong when you're nice enough to line item your invoice for HO's...


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

I wouldn't give anything back.

You did the work and deserved to be paid.


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

DecksEtc said:


> And, your post is another example of what goes wrong when you're nice enough to line item your invoice for HO's...


Not anymore.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

rino1494 said:


> but I can bury them. He was fine with that and I told him $600 and he said ok.


Once he agreed to your terms, he should have followed through and paid up. You did your part, made the boulders disappear, it should not matter to him how long it takes or how you do it. 
Would *he* be willing to pay more if it took you 2 days to get rid of his boulders, I doubt it. That would be my argument. 

He agreed-period, It should not matter if your poured magic water on the rocks and made em disappear like the fricken Witch of the West. You did the job. 
Would you have done it had he said up front "I only want to spend $400?

Sometimes it is best to get money up front from some people, but you usually don't know which ones til it's too late.

People try to pull this crap with me all the time, occasionally I fall for it too, then kick myself for letting 'em get away with it.

Tell 'em to ask their dentist for money off when they are in the chair for 15 minutes and the bill is $200. Won't happen I'm sure.




Sometimes I hate people too..


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

I agree with all of you, but it is my dad's business and he doesn't want to be known as someone to rape's people. We've done some sidework for this guy and he paid no problem. I guess feels that we charged him double for what it should cost. Honestly, I did the job for under $300, but I had to get at least half a day's pay for wasting half a day.


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

jmic said:


> These days you can't even do the smallest of jobs for anyone without putting it to paper and having them sign for it, unless of course you're prepared for the possibility that you may never see any money or have to renegotiate and settle for less.:thumbdown


Unfortunately!


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

rino, is it your intent to take over the family business? i'm not being nosey, but i'm going through preparations to transfer some of the ownership of my company over to my son. from a son's standpoint, you have any suggestions on making an easy transition? right now, my wife and i personally own all of our equipment and our shop. we rent it back to the excavating company. rental income is unearned...no SS/withholding on it. every dollar of income from rent is like a $1.15 dollar in wages. that way i can keep my draw off the company to a minimum. i'm hoping that my son will agree to keep that part of it up. i don't want to "sell" the company to him...i'd rather work for him and take payment for my ownership in the company in the form of an annuity. what's your thoughts on that?


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

Day,
Put everything in writing.:w00t: :laughing: :laughing:


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

I wouldn't have given him anything back. infact, i think i might have started to dig the boulders back up and place them where they were and leave. lol. just to see the look on his face.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Well, my dad went to his house 7:00 AM and offered to give the guy $250. The guy would not accept it and my dad said he isn't leaving till he does. The guy still refused and my dad said if you don't take it then we will be rolling around in the dirt. He said how bout $100 and we'll call it even. My dad refused, but after a bit they agreed upon it. 

My dad told the guy that we do alot of work around here and we try to be fair with people. The guy was happy and appreciated the fact that my dad took the time to make things right. So I guess you can put this one in the conduct thread.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

dayexco said:


> rino, is it your intent to take over the family business? i'm not being nosey, but i'm going through preparations to transfer some of the ownership of my company over to my son. from a son's standpoint, you have any suggestions on making an easy transition? right now, my wife and i personally own all of our equipment and our shop. we rent it back to the excavating company. rental income is unearned...no SS/withholding on it. every dollar of income from rent is like a $1.15 dollar in wages. that way i can keep my draw off the company to a minimum. i'm hoping that my son will agree to keep that part of it up. i don't want to "sell" the company to him...i'd rather work for him and take payment for my ownership in the company in the form of an annuity. what's your thoughts on that?



Well, I went to college and got a 4yr degree in hopes of becomming a state trooper. By the looks of things, I'll be spending the rest of my life in the dirt. Anyway, I will most likey take over the reigns someday. I am hoping that he will give me the business, or at least sell it to me relatively cheap. There would be no way that I could go out and get a loan to buy him out right. As far as him renting the machines, it might be conflicting since you still own them and it is his business. He might want to do something and you chime it with, well it is still my machine. Just making a suggestion, I am not sure how you really run your business. As far as the shop goes, if you pay the taxes and utility bill, then you are entitled to some rent. 

The hardest part for me about the business is the paperwork. I am not too sure on that stuff and never took the time to try to. You might wanna take the time to show him that stuff.

Hope I could help, I am sure that it wasn't much though.


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## ramblemn (Mar 7, 2006)

people pay money for boulders. shame you couldn't throw an advert. for them.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I talked to a fellow contractor last year and he moved the boulders to block the driveway. It made the point!


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