abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

[ovrszd]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

MY brother owns his own Plumbing HVAC business, so I would never say that all contractors are the same. This is a regional issue generally, where a specific type of behavior once unheard of has become the norm. In my area the pole building "crews" are known to overbid jobs to the point of watching them take the stuff from the delivery truck directly to their pickups. I feel for those people who hire a contractor, but work full time and can't see what is going on. In some areas of the country this would be a crime, in others underhanded, and in others it is common.

I don't want to get into one of these TBN thread arguments, but the way I see it is this: if I ask for a bid to do a job, It isn't an invitation for you to increase profit margins by over ordering supplies for your next job. That is lying in my opinion. To be clear, I am not talking about the generally accepted practice of ordering the 10% extra for mistakes. I have met professional contractors who would consider the standard practice of order 10% extra to be wasteful, and it isn't part of their bids. What I am getting at is the guy who intentionally orders way to much and passes it on to the homeowner. Like I said, I am normally at the jobs on my property, and I generally know what would be required. For the uninitiated and uninformed, wow is there abuse.

If you ask me to bid a job for you and we agree on a price, it's non of your business how much material I order, have delivered, and haul away. You agreed to a price. If I had extra material written into the bid maybe you should have shopped around. Nothing unlawful or deceptive about that in any manner.

I don't ask for bids to do anything. I just finished building a new house and shop. No bids asked for. The HVAC guy and the gutter guy both gave me bids anyway. If I need a bid I am hiring the wrong contractor.

 

[ovrszd]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

I get it, and I am not saying that money should be wasted in that regard. I am talking about the contractors who intentionally over order items. I worked construction to pay my way through college. I saw painting contractors over order paint by the skid knowing full well that the extra was going to the next job. I have seen masons have the homeowner pay the brick truck driver for the material, and everyday they left the job site another load of bricks were put into the back of the pickup. I have seen general contractors write up job changes and put the items in their trailer to go down the road. Robbing peter to pay paul. This is what I am getting at. IT is really bad in NJ and NY, no where near that extreme in my area with the exception of the pole building crews. Those crews are more like gypsies.

Were your examples "bid" jobs??? If they were, your stance doesn't float.

 

[Deere Dude]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

I looked, about $1500?
I should be ok using my auger. This $300 one I saw pictures, great condition. I could have used it then sold it for I bet $2K.
I'm thinking what was mentioned here was correct, Bob listed it ...goofed on price...goofed even telling me about it...then felt in a bind someone calling saying they were on the way to get it, 3 hours away and almost here.
If I could go back in time...said let's go RIGHT NOW! I wonder how it would have played out.
It is freaky how much stuff is at this place.

That all may be what happened. But, many folks on TBN vented on how screwed up CL transactions can be by either party and is considered the norm, and if I decided I underpriced a $2300 item down to $300 even if the guy drove a few hours I would have told him, sorry. My mistake.

That is an extreme example. I have already sold a $2000+ car for $1600 because I under-priced it, but they guy was on the way when I had sellers remorse. I sucked it up, but there is a limit on how big a hit a guy should be able to take. So price only after clear considerations.

 

[/pine]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

FWIW (a tangent point)...In many places where contractors are required to be licensed etc...they are required to supply lien wavers to the property owner / developer etc...proving that any materials used in construction on said property has been paid for...
...If materials are not paid for but consumed in a building/structure etc...the material supplier can file a lien against the property owner which can cause a job to be shut down...even in areas where contractors/builders etc. are not regulated a material supplier can still file a lien against a property owner...property owners have every right to have suppliers sign a lien waver stating all materials supplied have been paid for...

In cases where a financing company is involved (mortgage cos, banks etc...) they will almost always require lien waivers from all material suppliers...

 

[Fuddy1952]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

FWIW (a tangent point)...In many places where contractors are required to be licensed etc...they are required to supply lien wavers to the property owner / developer etc...proving that any materials used in construction on said property has been paid for...
...If materials are not paid for but consumed in a building/structure etc...the material supplier can file a lien against the property owner which can cause a job to be shut down...even in areas where contractors/builders etc. are not regulated a material supplier can still file a lien against a property owner...property owners have every right to have suppliers sign a lien waver stating all materials supplied have been paid for...

In cases where a financing company is involved (mortgage cos, banks etc...) they will almost always require lien waivers from all material suppliers...

Interesting point. I have actually heard of a few horror stories where a property owner pays a contractor for something then contractor doesn't pay supplier. Legally that supplier can take back his merchandise. It's still his even though it's on your property.
I'm sure it can get into a convoluted legal mess, but I've heard of it.

 

[DieselBound]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

Karma works!

 

[goeduck]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

The title of this thread is divisive, racist and should be renamed.

 

[the old grind]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

And as usual, the cops take forever to show up. :confused3:

 

[Citydude]

If you ask me to bid a job for you and we agree on a price, it's non of your business how much material I order, have delivered, and haul away. You agreed to a price. If I had extra material written into the bid maybe you should have shopped around. Nothing unlawful or deceptive about that in any manner. I don't ask for bids to do anything. I just finished building a new house and shop. No bids asked for. The HVAC guy and the gutter guy both gave me bids anyway. If I need a bid I am hiring the wrong contractor.

My last flooring contractor ordered 125 square feet of hardwood flooring over what was needed according to the materials list on the bid, which I paid for. I kept it. I've always got a final price on a home build ( cost per square foot) before the construction started. I've hired plumbers mechanics and electricians without bids.

 

[STERLING351]

re: abrogator? Post driver!#%@&

should have instantly run to the bank got cash and made the deal. Unfortunately people now days have no problem backing out of deals. When my neighbor said he would sell me his disc harrow for $300 that still looked brand new I said deal and handed him cash within 30min and had it on my property 10min after that. I usually try to keep cash on hand for those good deals that wont be around in another 30minutes. I love going to a gun range and finding someone who has difficulty with a "rifle that wont shoot", ask if they need help most of the time they say no. Then get even more aggravated and threaten to sell the rifle because it is "junk", next thing you know I just happen to have a pocket full of cash and can usually make a ok deal.