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[ChoppyChoppy]

I get $$ before I leave.

I had one customer try the "oh... I'll get the money to you later...., no big deal right?"

For someone that I knew well I wouldn't have worried, but this was a brand new customer. I backed the truck to the pile of wood and started loading it back up.
Funny how he came up with the cash pretty quickly. :msp_biggrin:

 

[ShneaSIG]

A hassle though they may be, a mechanic' lien is always an option. Most state's mechanic's lien statutes have a strict regimen of dates, deadlines, and notices that must be complied with, so for the lien to be enforceable, those hoops must be carefully jumped through.

There can be other requirements to be mindful of, too, to make a mechanic's lien stick. For instance, when it comes to work on a residential property in Missouri, a contract for services between the property owner and the contractor must contain statutory mandated notice language, or else no mechanic's lien may be enforced against that property.

I've handled a few situations where a subcontractor got stiffed by the general contractor, but when the landowner got notice of my sub's mechanic's lien, they either blew up the general, and the general made payment, or made payment directly to my client and then (I presume) offset the amount of the final disbursement to the general by the value of the payment to my sub (an option available in Illinois and Missouri, and I suspect most other states as well).

 

[brokenbudget]

I get $$ before I leave.

I had one customer try the "oh... I'll get the money to you later...., no big deal right?"

For someone that I knew well I wouldn't have worried, but this was a brand new customer. I backed the truck to the pile of wood and started loading it back up.
Funny how he came up with the cash pretty quickly. :msp_biggrin:

been there done that many times.
what gets me is when you're on the phone with these people, and clearly agree that they will pay you when you show up and they inspect the wood. and want cash, only cash, they either try the i'll give you a check or can i come by and pay you tomorrow routine.

 

[Single_Shooter]

Never seen that end of it yet. Hope I never do. But right now most of my customers are lawn services and other tree services.

So far, if the customer or homeowner can't be present when I am doing the work I have had them calling me asking when I can come get my money.

I also own and operate a carpet and upholstery cleaning service for over 10 years now and have never had a customer try to stiff me or even bounce a check. Guess I have been fortunate.

My biggest issue right now isn't getting paid...it's all the extra work with all the little old ladies who are full of "while yer at it's"...and my favorite..."that looks so nice now, since you're already here, can you do this one too?"...and can you trim my shrubs while you are right there by them with your saw?.....and clean out my gutters while you are up there trimming that tree off the roof??....and....and...LOL

 

[ShermanC]

While you're here would you do...?

I am a lot like Single_Shooter. I am prepared to add to the bill when this request surfaces. Often my new customers don't realize how equipped we are when we arrive and the capability we have. We just have to make sure we add to the bill and goth get pity-partied out of what is just deserved.

 

[blrobison]

I would get at least something in advance just to secure some sort of way to cover expenses. I usually ask for 1/3 of the estimate before working and depending on the amount, 2/3 just after completion for smaller projects or 1/3 just after and 1/3 a month later for larger projects. I've seen that clients really go for the latter payment plan and request larger projects so that they can have that 3 payment plan.

What I'm basically saying is figure out what it would take to break even on your expenses (gas, equipment, supplies) so that you're not in the red very long. Then if the client happens to be late on payments, you won't be stressing out like crazy.

 

[Single_Shooter]

I have considered going to a 3 tier pay plan on bigger jobs that are multiple days. 1/3 up front....1/3 when the tree is down and 1/3 at the end.

But most of the jobs we undertake we can accomplish in a day so there really is no need for that as far as I can see for 80% of our work.

 

[blrobison]

I have considered going to a 3 tier pay plan on bigger jobs that are multiple days. 1/3 up front....1/3 when the tree is down and 1/3 at the end.

But most of the jobs we undertake we can accomplish in a day so there really is no need for that as far as I can see for 80% of our work.

In that case then, I would just do a single payment right after the job. If they don't pay then, just set up a tent and camp out

 

[h20predator]

only 3 weeks???

I have run a couple of companies now for the last 15 years. One is my landscaping company that I raised all three of my sons working in with both residential and commercial clients My receivables( $1500-2500.) are often 30-45 days out for the landscaping. My crating and packaging company receivables will make you drink at over the seven figure mark and regularly 90 days out before we get a check. Almost all contracts have some type of terms section on them if yours don't go by Staples and get a generic one that does.
If it was killing you to go three weeks without the money then 1st get a contract in the future and 2nd develop supplemental income streams as well as designated collection times so youcan keep a list of who owes you money and can sit down and call them every day.

Never do business without a contract, and never ship overseas without "Cash In Fist"

 

[ShermanC]

Seek out a person's integrity before granting them your trust to pay you on time.

This thread has generated some good opinions from a variety of folks around the country. Much of what has been said reminds me of my dad's assignment to me in 1958 at age 18 to collect bad checks written to our restaurant for meals. Man alive it's like trying to pull teeth out of a mean tiger. I got callouses and learned so much so fast about prompt accurate payment. If a book we're to be written about my experience of collection, especially bad debts, it might be a best seller. In college days working at Sears Roebuck credit department one of my classmates had to do collections for non payment. He went to a farm to take back an implement. On the way back to town (Denver) it disconnected or rolled off the flatbed trailer and crashed into a bridge abutment on I-25. Oh boy...what a mess he had to answer for.
Last month I went to estimate a tree job in town. The customer asked me twice to give him an estimate for pruning this silver maple that was topped several years ago. His problem was that suckered limbs had grown everywhere and thus blocked him from riding the mower under the tree. I got to the front door and he yelled "come in"! His TV was blaring loud and he never got off the sofa to shake hands. He starts right in on the conversation saying that Entergy would split the bill with me. I said "no, I get paid in full when I am done and you settle up with Entergy yourself". He said "you don't really want to work that tree, do you? I replied no and left. I'll keep an eye on that one as I pass by there on my way to town. Like my subject title says, find the integrity before trusting the customer. Not all customers are ones you want to serve.

 

[treecutterjr]

This thread has generated some good opinions from a variety of folks around the country. Much of what has been said reminds me of my dad's assignment to me in 1958 at age 18 to collect bad checks written to our restaurant for meals. Man alive it's like trying to pull teeth out of a mean tiger. I got callouses and learned so much so fast about prompt accurate payment. If a book we're to be written about my experience of collection, especially bad debts, it might be a best seller. In college days working at Sears Roebuck credit department one of my classmates had to do collections for non payment. He went to a farm to take back an implement. On the way back to town (Denver) it disconnected or rolled off the flatbed trailer and crashed into a bridge abutment on I-25. Oh boy...what a mess he had to answer for.
Last month I went to estimate a tree job in town. The customer asked me twice to give him an estimate for pruning this silver maple that was topped several years ago. His problem was that suckered limbs had grown everywhere and thus blocked him from riding the mower under the tree. I got to the front door and he yelled "come in"! His TV was blaring loud and he never got off the sofa to shake hands. He starts right in on the conversation saying that Entergy would split the bill with me. I said "no, I get paid in full when I am done and you settle up with Entergy yourself". He said "you don't really want to work that tree, do you? I replied no and left. I'll keep an eye on that one as I pass by there on my way to town. Like my subject title says, find the integrity before trusting the customer. Not all customers are ones you want to serve.

you are so right! I did a job last month for a real estate guy, regular customer (through-out the years)! He's got big money: shopping centers,apartment buildings and complexes. I finish up and call him and it's "oh, i'm heading out of the country today. give the bill to my guy & I'll get you paid."

gave the invoice for $4900.00 & now its been a month & nobody is answering / returning my calls. I guess I'll have to stop by the office later this week.

but it's just part of the job. when he finally pays me he is definitely added to the "DoUBLE THE pRICE" LIST if I ever bid anything for him again.

 

[LuckosTreeCare]

protip: landscraping

don't do business with landscapers. mind you not all companies are bad, there are good ones out there but I've just heard all the stories, like the one you've told. they take a while to pay/not pay at all. why could they just not pas the job off to you and you pay them commission? you make money either way and so do they. you get your name out there and people will know YOU do the stumps, not them.
just a heads up for next time