How can they do this?

Unknown

...every time one of these SOBs wants to try and save a few bucks they start assaulting everybody's character. I friggin' HATE that!

Unknown

And why?

I know pricing is verboten so if this steps over the line feel free to delete.

Looked at a job, quoted $XX,XXX, got approval and started, set the first piece of equipment yesterday, ran the lineset and drains. Last night I get a call from the guy who's subbing the mechanicals to me. He says Ms Homeowner called an oil company today and they would do the job for what amounts to our cost of materials. So now she thinks we are robbing her and wants us to stop so she can hire the cheaper company to take over. How the hell can this company get by without gaining any reasonable profit from what amounts to a fair sized project? They are obviously trying to cut our throats but aren't they cutting their own as well? Meanwhile I have an expensive A/C system half installed and suddenly find myself worrying if I'm going to get paid for it, or if I have to pull The equipment back out and sit on it till I have another opportunity to use it.This business REALLY drives me up the wall sometimes...

don_185

I would

I would not removed my equipment.If they sign the contract then they will honor the contract.

Someone going to pay.It will either be the guy who sub the work to me or the ho.

You do know that a lawyer can be your friend as well.

Unknown

Yea, I've been that whole route,,,

it just ends up being more trouble than it's worth and you never recoup the full amount owed. She used the phrase "run around" in reference to my conversations with her. I'm the type of guy that would be most happy going there today and pulling that thing out of there just to see the look on her face. I'll sell it somewhere some day.

This is the problem when the homeowner thinks that between themselves and the internet they can oversee a house build or major reno. Their inexperience comes shining through and usually the jobsite becomes a nightmare because nobody is happy. Everybody is ripping them off and they make a whole lot of non friends over what amounts to a few paltry dollars. I'm not sure where this is going to go but as soon as I start to question getting paid or they're getting "funny with the money", I want out. Contracts are as worthless as the paper they are written on if you ask me.

Unknown

Point of reference...

A certain mall based leather apparel company ran up ~ a $60,000 bill for service from a certain Philly based HVAC company. Didn't pay. The HVAC company takes them to court and wins. $0.10 on the dollar. Yes, that's $6000 for a $60,000 very legitimate bill. That's the reality of the situation. If I leave it there and sue, the you know what will get it for next to nothing.

Jeff Lawrence_25

maybe in reverse?

A remodeler was telling me of something that happened to him.

Around here, the natural gas company used to sell water heaters and subbed out the install. Most of the people that had this done were less fortunate but did it because they could finance it on their gas bill at no interest for a set term. The major problem with this was the prices were ridiculously high. None the less, they got a few sales.

This remodeler quoted a replacement water heater in the total cost of the job. After some discussion with the homeowner, the price of the WH change out was removed (not a huge amount, as I recall). The very next day, the homeowner received her bill from the gas company and saw the high price for the water heater that was quoted in the enclosed flyer. She immediately called the remodeler and demanded to 'get the full amount removed from the bid or the entire contract would be canceled, as she didn't want to be ripped off.'

It took the remodeler nearly 2 hours to convince the homeowner what exactly was going on. He completed the job and both were happy, but there were still some hard feelings, I'm sure.

Unknown

It makes my head hurt...

just thinking about it. LOL...

It's been slow around here, my guess is maybe the guy just wants to get some cash in his hand and he'll worry about paying and making up for the job later? Probably will take a while to pay his supplier. Sad way to do business. She'll get what she pays for if she goes that route.

[Deleted User]

Make the call...

It might be considered ballsy, but I've called my competition before to let them know what they are leaving on the table. Sometimes it is well received, and sometimes its not. Can't hurt to ask the general manager if he's aware that his estimators are selling jobs for less than cost...

Keep us posted.

ME

Unknown

Good suggestion,

I'm only the sub though and must stay out of it. Unfortunate because my friend is a much better S/M guy than he is a salesman/negotiator which is how this all got off in this direction in the first place. I already offered to talk to her but was told noooo. He'll cover my costs if it comes down to it but I'm feeling pretty insulted by her comment and I'd just as soon yank it (the unit) and flip her the bird on the way out the door. So that would be on my ticket I guess if I did. Can you tell I'm Italian/Irish?

Unknown

Update...

Apparently she made some horrible mistake and is now quite apologetic. yeesh...

Thanks for the input!

Paul Pollets

The contract???

Didn't you have a signed contract authorizing the work at a certain price? If you did, you're entitled to recovery.

There will always be someone who can do the work for less. That's why a signed contract and a deposit prevents these glitches.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Paul Fredricks_6

Weeeeee!!!!

Having fun on the roller coaster?

Unknown

Wooohoooo!!

No not really... LOL...

Unknown

I'm only the sub...

and I have dealt with this particular S/M guy for years and we have never had a written contract between us. I bill him for work, that's the contract. I'm not privy to the details of his job but he was talking about suing last night so I imagine he does have something in writing. Like I said, if worse came to worse he WOULD have covered me, he said so himself. He bought it from me to sell to her so he is the one that I would be billing. I was more incensed that the woman brought my character into question over the price. I have low overhead and I'm not out there trying to make a killing so my prices are fair. I can't stand it when someone tries to tell me they're not and that I'm a crook.

[Deleted User]

Wow

Wow! I thought being in a crawl space all day was bad. Glad things are working out.

Unknown

Crawl space...

I'm going into a good one tomorrow, I promise to show pix!

realolman

Hey

Lotsa people make mistakes and lotsa people wouldn't apologize if their lives depended on it. Seems like they feel it makes them less of a person some how.

Give her credit for that much at least.


I can think of two guys who irritated me so much I wanted to strangle them with their own intestines.. After I got to know them I liked both of them very much.


Weird how life is sometimes.

A.J.

Hang in there brother !

Rocky_3

It could be worse...

she could have mistaken your tool bucket for a "slop bucket" as happened to me once. No matter what the situation, things could ALWAYS be worse!

rocky

Unknown

Yuck...

Now that's one I've never heard before.

Unknown

The \"horrible mistake\"?

They quoted her what it would take to take over and finish what we started, we have it mostly roughed in, no condenser yet. She thought they meant the whole job. My buddy gets the number and asks her, "Does that include the rough?" She says, "Rough??" Funny stuff! (You can't see it but I'm rolling my eyes)