Learned a lesson

[Sigarms]

Had an old "friend" stop by work earlier this week (his father is a customer of mine who rarely talks with him and let him go from his business some time ago).

Long story, but drugs runined his life, no drivers license, and an immediate family of his that he sincerely seemed to be trying to take care of (one reason why he needed work).

I told him to be honest with me, charge me labor and I'll cover the materials.

I'm lucky, the job got done, but it was such a pain in the butt that I'll never do it again. Funny, I told him to be honest with me and he's still a con artist. One big soap opera for the week that I don't care to re live.

 

[EddieWalker]

We have two like that on my wifes side of the family. For whatever reason, some of them are always believing their stories of how they have changed and are wanting to straighten out their lives. Every time, it's just a scam to see what they can get. It's sad for the family to have to deal with them, but also sad to see how they have destroyed their lives and everything that they do is based on the latest lie that they tell. It's never their fault, or they are just so pathetic that they don't even off up an excuse.

Glad to hear the job got done. With allot of the guys in the trades, you have to dangle money in front of them to do anything, but as soon as you pay them, they are gone. Many of my clients have been burned by these guys by giving them up front money to go buy materials, only to never see them again. I'm always astonished by how common this is.

Eddie

 

[rox]

Makes you thnkfull for your own family doesn't it? I am so thankfull we got both our kids successfully through to adulthood without any drug or alcohol issues. Some kids jsut turn out bad is all. They come from a good home and they just take the wrong path. I never judge the family when kids turn out bad, well unless they all do then that is a different story.

With the sotry you jsut told us the only thing I would be worried about is the looser coming back after my tools/propery one day in the future when they are really desperate.

 

[Sigarms]

Three kickers to the story.

I told him to give me a price on labor, he told me $200. I told him it would be worth $300 to me. He got ticked at me when I took $50 off for the rental post hole digger I picked up from a box store that he mentioned about to make his work easier (he got $50 more than he asked for but was ticked that he didn't get the "full" amount of the "extra" that I added).

He told me there was an extra charge for two extra posts he had to pick up, I asked for the bill and he told me he couldn't find it (picked up that day).

The guy he had working with him (who had his own truck/trailer and could drive him) was actually more pleasant to deal with and if he came back to my office looking for work, I'd probably give him something to do.

you have to dangle money in front of them to do anything, but as soon as you pay them, they are gone.

I was stupid enough to pay him for the materials up front (because I knew him personally). Smart enough however to make it in a check. His ex wife works in the Sheriff's department and she would of helped me if need be.

Been around long enough that if a guy is working out of his pick up truck but can't afford the materials to start a job, you have to watch closely. Only one time in my life I didn't pay the full amount of a bill, but I was willing to go to court over it but the guy who did the work wasn't (mechanic, quoted price was double what he told me and he didn't tell me until I picked the car up, and it was a horror story after that).

We have two like that on my wifes side of the family.

Funny. If I were out of work and you were related to me, I'd be begging to be at your side learning as much as possible. Put a hammer in my hands, and I'm dangerous.

With the sotry you jsut told us the only thing I would be worried about is the looser coming back after my tools/propery one day in the future when they are really desperate

I'd like to think he knows me better than that.

 

[chh]

Unfortunately I know how you feel on this one. My wife has a family member we tried to help get his life together. Same old song and dance and a different drama line every week. Funny how he forgotten how to call us every now and again to tell us how he is doing after the money stopped We didn't take very long to catch on though.
I've hired these guys before to do remodeling and small jobs around the place. I always get the materials myself and won't pay anything until the job is done no matter how much they whine. Generally any more I will try do just about anything myself to keep from having to hire that kind of help.