not geeting payed for a job

[ewoolsey]

how long do you wait ? its been over 2 weeks now, that we finished the job , i have called him 2 times and he tells me the check will be in the mail the next day, its about 1 hour drive there but i may have to pay him a visit ?:msp_angry:

 

[justme23005]

I would mail him a bill with a deadline, before interest is added.

 

[dh1984]

This is why i don't do a job unless they show me the cash first. i had 2 guys try that and I said the only way i could do that is hold something untill i get my money like their car title or something.

 

[superjunior]

I just send an invoice after the work is done. We do way too many jobs per month to try tracking people down for $. Saise on the invoice if we're not paid within 30 days (which they signed on already) they'll be paying interest and re-billing fee. In the last 8 years I been in business only had two people try to stiff the bill, took em to small claims and won both times.

 

[treeclimber101]

I just send an invoice after the work is done. We do way too many jobs per month to try tracking people down for $. Saise on the invoice if we're not paid within 30 days (which they signed on already) they'll be paying interest and re-billing fee. In the last 8 years I been in business only had two people try to stiff the bill, took em to small claims and won both times.

I did a job in 2003 taking out 2 decent sized weeping willows , got a signed estimate did the work left a bill and never heard from them again wouldn't answer the phone .. Nothing, went down to there clerks office filled out the paper work costs me 100 which I can tack ontop the bill and I get 1 percent a month til they and the best is the day they sell they have to settle up with me first , so @ this point I hope they never pay and when they sell the house in 30 or so years that 1400 may be triple , good old mechanics lien only had to ever ever do that once ...my old partner did however once take the logs back to a house and dumped them in the drive , but when he did the garage door got kissed by a big piece of knotty white pine and that turned into a huge fiasco, but not my doing

 

[H 2 H]

All my photog work is done by 1/2 payment down and the other 30 days with a signed siggy on a invoice

I'll stihl get burned once or twice a year this way but with my 1/2 down method I will cover my cost of doing the job

 

[the Aerialist]

All my photog work ...

Collecting for Photography is easy, I'd get paid when I delivered the DVD with all the shots burned on it. But that's the trouble with the Digital Age, people are reluctant to pay a pro when the "easy" button on cameras today delivers excellent technical results in most cases. By the same token, today's photo software makes darkroom tricks available to everyone. More people are willing to pay premium rates for expert tree work than are willing to pay for expert and artistic photo and video coverage of their wedding.

I've got thousands of dollars worth of studio grade tripods and a wide assortment of specialized heads for them that have been rendered pretty much obsolete by Nikon's Nikkor "VR" lenses. Even point and shot cameras and phones have movement sensors to steady your hand held shots. Tripods are nearly obsolete, I still like 'um tho, just bought two more, a carbon fiber Manfrotto and it's aluminum twin.

I've never had a late payment or collection issue with tree work. I do the work, they pay me, then we leave. I make the terms quite clear in the initial evaluation. If they have trouble paying at that time, no problem, just make up the guest room and tell us what's for dinner.

 

[H 2 H]

Collecting for Photography is easy, I'd get paid when I delivered the DVD with all the shots burned on it. But that's the trouble with the Digital Age, people are reluctant to pay a pro when the "easy" button on cameras today delivers excellent technical results in most cases. By the same token, today's photo software makes darkroom tricks available to everyone. More people are willing to pay premium rates for expert tree work than are willing to pay for expert and artistic photo and video coverage of their wedding.

I've got thousands of dollars worth of studio grade tripods and a wide assortment of specialized heads for them that have been rendered pretty much obsolete by Nikon's Nikkor "VR" lenses. Even point and shot cameras and phones have movement sensors to steady your hand held shots. Tripods are nearly obsolete, I still like 'um tho, just bought two more, a carbon fiber Manfrotto and it's aluminum twin.

I've never had a late payment or collection issue with tree work. I do the work, they pay me, then we leave. I make the terms quite clear in the initial evaluation. If they have trouble paying at that time, no problem, just make up the guest room and tell us what's for dinner.

That's why I don't sell cd/dvd/s with pictures on them; people buy the hard copy from me or they don't get the picture

When you (I) have 20K + in equipment that you carry around to different tracks/events (three bodies and a host of "VR" lens 2.8 a number of flash units I don't carry all my equipment) and you see and hear of people giving pic's away it plan sucks

I've been a track photog for a number of years at two different tracks and I have learned the hard way and learned the people you can trust and who you can’t trust I've traveled across the country taking pictures at different race tracks

 

[formationrx]

####....

before you lift a ####### finger....
always tell them the payment is due when the job is complete or payment is due upon receipt....
look them in the eye and read into them....
if they squirm or you smell a burnt diaper.... turn around and walk....
I'd call that ###### up and tell him I got bills to pay and i am coming over to get my ####### $.....

 

[justme23005]

I just send an invoice after the work is done. We do way too many jobs per month to try tracking people down for $. Saise on the invoice if we're not paid within 30 days (which they signed on already) they'll be paying interest and re-billing fee. In the last 8 years I been in business only had two people try to stiff the bill, took em to small claims and won both times.

A re-billing fee? Thats a great idea.. :biggrin: I'm gonna borrow that idea..

 

[arborjockey]

formationrx I agree. 90% of my jobs I tell them " My grandfather did work and a handshake and so did my father." Then I look them right in the eye and tell them " If your hand shake isnt worth anything neither is your signature" Im at 100% with people paying on completion using that tactic. Yet the big business with all their back grounding and proof of insurance and blah blah blah. Sell them the job 5 times. Talking and jerking about a job that your not even going to make $ on. Then they dont pay for three months. Thats the problem with state and government work. I'm about done with Colleges, hotels, and condos the big places just dont pay as well or on time. venting a little while waiting on checks in the mail

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I dont take a deposit and give people 30 days. If they are having a tough time I give them longer. A few of my clients pay me over a few months. They keep coming back and tell their friends. If I had to worry about payment after a couple weeks I think it would drive me around the bend.

 

[a_lopa]

"Äccounts not paid by 30 days are forwarded to debt collection and fees will be added"

 

[ronnyb]

On the bottom of our invoices in big letters is says "All outstanding bills over 30 days subject to a 15% surcharge compounded monthly" Check with your state what the law says you can charge. Here it is legal to charge upto 20% monthly. Plus there are time limits to file a simple lien, and different time limits to proceed through small claims.

 

[ewoolsey]

how long do you wait ? its been over 2 weeks now, that we finished the job , i have called him 2 times and he tells me the check will be in the mail the next day, its about 1 hour drive there but i may have to pay him a visit ?:msp_angry:

well i got his check in the mail to day and he shorted me 5 dollars , what a ### HOLE, i know i did get payed ? if it goes threw ? were do you get them contract invoice per printed with all the above ? or do you have them made up and were ? and what did they cost ? thanks

 

[BC WetCoast]

well i got his check in the mail to day and he shorted me 5 dollars , what a ### HOLE, i know i did get payed ? if it goes threw ? were do you get them contract invoice per printed with all the above ? or do you have them made up and were ? and what did they cost ? thanks

I would suggest you get some quote sheets made up. Design them yourself and then go to a local printer. Use the carbonless copies, then after you do the quote, if they want to go ahead then they can sign the quote, which is the contract.

If you are leaving the quote in the mailbox, the have them email/fax an authorization to you. That way you will have a written contract.

 

[fishercat]

I get paid when the job is finished. No exceptions.

If you don't have the money to pay now, save up or win the Lotto. Call me when you have it.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Yeah, don't mess with ma money. I do take a deposit on anything over a G. There is nothing tangible for us to recover our cost if they don't pay, so the deposit covers my cost and lets me know that they have good intent. If they don't want to give me a deposit, I don't do the work. Then, I am paid in full when I am done, there are some sits that I will agree to wait on, but not many. ITS MY MONEY AND I WANT IT NOW. We risk our lives for them, to not pay us...........well, yall know.

 

[Pelorus]

If you suspect that you have been paid with a cheque that might bounce, ask your bank teller to verify that there are enough funds in the customer's acct to cover the cheque before it is deposited. My bank will make the phone call for free, and it can save some aggravation and service charges.

I still get a deadbeat customer once every two years or so. It is a game for some people, and they are usually the ones with money to burn. I have used a collection agency before to hassle a deadbeat, and it worked out with no further effort on my part. The collection hassler kept something like 30% of the money owed to me, but I figured I was never gonna see a cent of it otherwise, so it was a happy ending.

Also tried the small claims court thing once. Filled out paperwork, paid the $ 65 or whatever it was at the time, and mailed the document to the scofflaw by registered mail. Mistake #1. He refused to sign for it, so it got returned to me. Delivered it in person to his house next. In the end, he settled up, (his marriage broke up, and his lawyer mailed me the cheque) but I doubt I'd ever go the small claims route again.

 

[ewoolsey]

thanks guys and have a good safe friday the 13.