The complaint compartment.

[paulsharvey]

So, not to get too far down the rabbit hole on contractors but;
about 15 years ago, I'm a superintendent for a small (I do mean Small) commercial construction company, and PM asks me to go look at a covered storage we were going to bid in Alachua FL.

We walk it, pretty simple, some engineered footers, dry site, and turn the metal building erection sub loose; Until, getting ready to leave, I notice a 48" live oak stump that had about 1-2" of gravel over the top, in the building foot print. I point it out to the PM, cause that's gonna take several thousand to dig out, backfill in lifts, and haul off. He says, if we include that, we lose the bid. I tell him, well, maybe, or we lose that money after the bid, or we fight with client over a change order. We didn't get the job.

 

[WinterDeere]

A LOT of that has gotten worse with the Google earth bidding. "Clearing those trees is going to be higher than bid, they didn't look that big on the aerials" kinda stuff.

In PA, the bid must have a "no higher than" number, unless that's changed in recent years. Prevents that kind of crap, unless you accept a bid with huge headroom.

 

[TractorGunn]

In PA, the bid must have a "no higher than" number, unless that's changed in recent years. Prevents that kind of crap, unless you accept a bid with huge headroom.

I've built and remodeled most of my life.

A flooring contractor here was on a cabin I built, and told me he did some floors for a couple who were attorney's. They told him they liked his work, and wanted him to go ahead and do a couple more rooms, so he did.

When he turned in his bill, they told him he never got it in writing as far as the other rooms, and if he wants to sue them, go ahead, because again, he didn't have it in writing. That right there is dirty.

 

[paulsharvey]

I've built and remodeled most of my life.

A flooring contractor here was on a cabin I built, and told me he did some floors for a couple who were attorney's. They told him they liked his work, and wanted him to go ahead and do a couple more rooms, so he did.

When he turned in his bill, they told him he never got it in writing as far as the other rooms, and if he wants to sue them, go ahead, because again, he didn't have it in writing. That right there is dirty.

If that was me, I'd hit them with a mechanics lien. Because he was personally dealing with the owner, there would not be the obligation to file a notice of intent to lien.

I did some handyman work for a bit, in 08/09 when the world was ending. Did a 3 story beach house interior steps; just replacing the treads. It was around a $900 job, of which $400+ was materials. Get all done, (I was just doing the carpentry part, they wanted to stain after I was done), and at the end, husband said "these need a 3rd stringer down the middle, and I'm not paying the 2nd half of the money till it's installed". Note the existing stairs had one stringer on each side, and I was being paid to replace Treads. I ended up walking off that, having worked like 18 hours over 2 days, to Maybe pay for materials...

As much as I was mad, it wasn't worth filing a lien or anything. I was going to go back and "round-up" a gaint FU in his yard, but wife talked me out of it.

 

[Alan W.]

1. Walmart stopped selling the Mexican melting cheese I like.

2. Ive lost all of my closest friends except one. I fear I may outlive him.

3. Breaking Bad ended before I could figure out his formula.

4. No one realizes how important I think I am.

5. It takes forever to get a white conventional refrigerator.

I feel better thanks.

 

[paulsharvey]

Hmm,
1) the price of energy drinks

2) people not knowing how a 4 way stop works

3) that Facebook market place stores all of the 10,000s of saved items you "star" but never go look at, and doesn't remove them once they sold

 

[TractorGunn]

If that was me, I'd hit them with a mechanics lien. Because he was personally dealing with the owner, there would not be the obligation to file a notice of intent to lien.

I did some handyman work for a bit, in 08/09 when the world was ending. Did a 3 story beach house interior steps; just replacing the treads. It was around a $900 job, of which $400+ was materials. Get all done, (I was just doing the carpentry part, they wanted to stain after I was done), and at the end, husband said "these need a 3rd stringer down the middle, and I'm not paying the 2nd half of the money till it's installed". Note the existing stairs had one stringer on each side, and I was being paid to replace Treads. I ended up walking off that, having worked like 18 hours over 2 days, to Maybe pay for materials...

As much as I was mad, it wasn't worth filing a lien or anything. I was going to go back and "round-up" a gaint FU in his yard, but wife talked me out of it.

Yep, had something similar myself, client told me he was going to short change me when I finished up. Many things I could have done in the flesh, but took the high road.

Another client, on a time and material job told me I charged her a few more hours than I should have, because her alarm told her when I would come and go. I told her that her alarm didn't tell her when I was getting materials at the lumber yard.

So, she paid me in full, lol!

 

[WinterDeere]

I've built and remodeled most of my life.

A flooring contractor here was on a cabin I built, and told me he did some floors for a couple who were attorney's. They told him they liked his work, and wanted him to go ahead and do a couple more rooms, so he did.

When he turned in his bill, they told him he never got it in writing as far as the other rooms, and if he wants to sue them, go ahead, because again, he didn't have it in writing. That right there is dirty.

I was on the flip side of one of those. A contractor who went way above and beyond what I requested, starting work before I had received his written bid, and then putting me off each time I requested it. The bill at the end of the job was more than triple the competing bid (over $15k vs. under $5k), albeit a much nicer end product.

I could've easily and legally shafted the guy on the bill, but he was shady and we just didn't want to deal with the potential retribution, so I paid the guy. In the end, it was a $10k learning experience for me, but a $100k learning experience for him, as this was a relatively small job being done ahead of a much larger one to follow. While he was working so hard to screw us on the small job, he cost himself the opportunity of getting the larger one.

It was fun turning him down on the larger job, as he and I both knew he had screwed around with us.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'm the King of complaining, but this compartment is too small to hold them all.

 

[paulsharvey]

I'm the King of complaining, but this compartment is too small to hold them all.

If I haven't hit a text limit on this app, I dont think there is one. I've been know to type out a dang essay on here.