Dishonest Homeowner

[blueatlascedar]

Some people are born to try to cheat and exploit honest businessmen. I have gotten everything in writing since 1986 after a couple of issues like described here. Written contracts help a lot, but if the person is a moron and there's certainly is no shortage of them out there, then they still try and reword the writing in the contract to get their way. I could tell you a hundred stories or more in 24+ years of self employed tree care, but not into writing a novel here. Written contracts certainly help but are not bullet proof. Best advice is be as specific as possible in spelling out all details and be prepared to see the district justice when all else fails.

 

[treeslayer]

i quoted a tile job to a teacher at my kids school at 3500 bucks. her hubby chose another guy at 7800 (with a lil extra work on the deck thrown in, about 500 bucks worth).

the guy he used subbed the job to me for 3500. the general had a funny look when i did the job but he kept his mouth shut

 

[boltonranger]

I missed a job the other day. Guy emailed and asked for a quote. I told him to give me an address and I would run by and look at his two stumps. He replied two days later and said he had it done already for $275.

My estimate would have been $150. 2 small stumps. Obviously I am loosing jobs because I am too cheap....lol

Another guy asked me give him a quote for 2 or 3 stumps. lol Which is it? 2 or 3? Probably 5 or 6. lol

I'm sorry that guy tried to cheat you. I hate that. :censored:
Those are the kind that think they should pay next to nothing so they don't feel bad piling on. Terrible if you ask me. Protect yourself with a clipboard.
-br

 

[autobaun70]

This is the sort of thing that just burns my butt. I see it all the time from homeowners that come to the shop where I work to rent equipment. They call (or have their bimbo wife call) and get a price, and we explain our more than generous weekend policy for homeowners. Basically, since we are closed on the weekend, we allow people to return equipment they pick up friday afternoon on monday morning for a 1 day charge, and tell them up front that 1 day charge over the weekend doesn't mean run the snot out of it w/ unlimited hours. Our policy is that for a 1 day rental charge, you have up to 8 hours run time on the meter, and full service and support until 2 hours after dark on saturday. If you break down on Sunday and call in a service call, we can't help you unless you pay an extra day's rent. Still get cursed out about once a month because the machine broke at lunch on sunday, and they didn't get to finish the 2nd days work. Usually a look at the hour meter reveals about 5 or so hours over the limit when it broke.

 

[Dale]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TreeCo
Why would he want hours on his grinder?

im not sure , (this was 7-8 years ago) ,but i remember him saying he basically charges by the hour?, he quoted me for roughly 30 stumps for 3hours, since some were rotted and small he went faster than he quoted so he kept grinding. im not sure if he leased this grinder from a company and they charge by hours? either way i didnt complain,we both were happy with the deal.

I know exactly why. Because the grinder wasn't his, and the person that owned the grinder was actually taking the job percentage and paying the guy an hourly rate to run the grinder.

 

[autobaun70]

I know exactly why. Because the grinder wasn't his, and the person that owned the grinder was actually taking the job percentage and paying the guy an hourly rate to run the grinder.

either that, or perhaps it was a new grinder, and he was looking to get sufficient breakin hours on it before turning it over to his hourly crew.

 

[Little Abner]

Dishonest home owners beware!!!...meet my new partner...

Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz....he is not in the stump grinding business !!!

 

[Sparky8370]

My wife's friend tried pulling some crap with me. Her mom asked how much I was charging her and I said $65/hr per guy. So she calls me and says she thought it was $65/hr and included both guys!! I said wait a minute when you asked if $5000 was enough of a budget for labor I told you no and to count on 2 guys/40 hours each for a total of $5200. That comes out to $65/hr.
I had originally quoted this job and it was in writing. But a bunch of stuff was changed and added, and it was a big rush so I gave her a verbal.