Found out from the nanny yesterday.........

Mad Dog

was already done. Ran in to the nanny of a well-to-do customer of ours in the deli. She was raving about what a fine job we did on the new Burnham gas/hot water boiler, where we split the old gravity system in to 3 zones AND set up the mixing valves for 3 "future" radiant zones. We put everything up on Kindorf on a nice painted board. Iwas even going to get a nice plaque made up like I do for our really nice customers. We bid the job at a very favorable price since we were "doing the entire job: i.e., also 2 full baths & 1 luxury 5 piece bath - all with radiant. We did the heat & set up for the radiant in the summer & were told the rest would kick off in the new year. When we were setting up the manifolds, it crossed my mind to just plug off a supply & return port for each radiant zone. Nah - these folks won't screw me - not them!!!! Instead!!!!!! I said, ahhh I'm already here... might as well just be all done,here. So, we set it up so all we had to do was run the radiant tubing and tie in to the pex fittings. I'll never do this again!!!!!!!!!!Between the 3 circ, 3 mixing valves, APOLLO (YES THE MOST EXPENSIVE AMERICAN MADeBALL VALVES) ball valves, thermometers, pex adapters, et cetera, you're looking at $600.00. Now, this was a good customer that pulled this......and some of you wonder why many of us can be bitter, guarded, untrusting??????? As many of you know, I am from the old school, where your word is your bond and a handshake closed the deal and held it! So not only did they cheat me by getting me to give them a "packaged price", and then picking ala carte, but cheated me out of $600.00 - nice huh! We'll this is a new year, I'm not going to flip out and tell them off rip their heads off....no! this is a new year. EVERTHING WILL BE PUT IN WRITING>>>NO FREE EXTRAS.....NO MORE taking a man on his word -= this is what it has come too - sad, but just the way it is. And them???? I'll just wait..................it's not personal.......it's just business!!!!!!!!!hee hee ha hah hahha hah ah . Mad Dog

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steve gates

I feel your pain

Found yesterday from the nanny find out tomorrow from them. If it's done wish them well. I rarely go back if they call. Let there new guy do it.

The contract thing is good. The heart is better yet more dangerous.

So, why do they call you Mad Dog?

Tony_8

been there, done that

Hard, painful lesson in business practice. Use it to your benefit for the rest of your life. People don't leave K-Mart w/o paying on the promise of future purchases, the same applies to us. Leave the bitterness out, use the guarded, untrusting part to take care of yourself. I think all of us have or will learn these lessons of business if we stick with it long enough. Being altruistic and virtuous ourselves won't necessarily make anyone else such.

Tony

kevin coppinger_3

send them ...

a bill! And a note telling them just what you said here...can't hurt...puts everything out on the table.People can really suck sometimes..kpc

joel_14

happy holidays!

Ahhhh Mad Dog doesn't that make for a merry freakin Christmas?! I'm so sick of all these shows on T.V. when they "Sting" contractors . How about a show as to how consumers constantly screw us?!!! Your scenario has happened to us before so we try and be very careful about "package pricing". We have a written contract for everything. Every extra is a change order that they must sign with a price on it and they still try and rip us off. One way that gets me is the people who try and stretch out thier payments for 6 months or a year interest free!!! Even though on the contract they sign it says the rate is 1.5% a month. I get some to pay it but many refuse. Our new years resolution is that unless they have a really good exscuse and a hardship we will take EVERY ONE of them to court for the interest money. I've got 2 right now one for 10k owed for 6 months. They'll begin paying us monthly "after they get back from florida" Another who owed 20k but has whittled it down to 7 we'll get the rest "after he sells one of the planes" I don't understand how these people do these things and sleep at night. Had another guy that owed a couple k and his wife got layed off he called us up right away and explained the problem. Said he could send x per month till it was payed off and if his wife got a job they'd pay the whole thing. First of each month they faithfully sent a check and 3-4 months later he called up said she got a job and they'd send the ballance in a couple weeks, which they did. Now that i can live with. Folks ,we'll help you as much as we can but if i see you driving a new Yukon Denali while owing us$$$ i'm not going to be happy.

jim lockard

Do you

Have Warrant and debt in NY ? In VA if you do not pay you get to go to court, and if you lose the contractor gets to lein the house, the car, the bank account, and all else you hold dear. Currently 9% interest from date of judgement plus lawyers fee if stated on contract if not stated no legal fees allowed but you get the 35.00 filing fee in the award. Quick within 90 days, easy and may take awhile but you will get paid.
Oh one more thing judgement shows up on credit report, mortgage companys tend to get upset as well as I understand a demand for payment (execution of judgement) can put them in 2nd place. Best Wishes J.Lockard

Mad Dog

We'll you asked.................................................

I grew up playing Pop Warner Football with the Lynvets Football Association (One of the oldest Pop Warner programs in the country, started by War Veterans from a Brooklyn Post)in Ozone Park, NY, my Birth place and home to many famous & infamous people: Bernadette Peters, Peggy Fleming, God father John Gotti, Writer Jimmy Breslin, and many other characters. Anyway my father played Lynvets fottball as a kid and went on to All-City fame at the position of Center at John Adams High School. My Big brother Bart played Lynvets, went on to All-City honors at Saint Francis Prep High School (Largest Catholic high school in America) at the position of Defensive Tackle and kicker. He also held the City Shot-put record., and was a regional YMCA Heavyweight Arm Wresting Champion. He then played Middle Linebacker for Saint Johns University, where he was named all-conference for two years. After several years with the Lynvets, I entered High school on Long Island WE had moved). I was going to play football, but my pop got sick and died a few months later. Freshman year was a year of heavy drinking, fighting, and listening to Mr Mojo Risin' (JIm Morrison and the Doors)plod through the end. I was very angry and needed a constructive outlet. I went to one of my schools games one saturday and watched frm the stands. I needed to get back in the game. I went home that day and told my brother, who was very happy. I started on the weights and training to be on next years squad. Through the winter my brother ran the hell outta me and had me doing agility drills and stuff in the snow. I worked on my stance and techniques AND my Growl!!!!!. For those of you who have played the game on an organized level know what I mean. A lot of guys grunt and groan and yell during the battle of a football game, but my family had a tradition that I took to new heights. So, I was on a mission...by next august in double sessions ,I was ripping through my teamates. By the second game of the season I was moved up to Varsity and began starting both ways. Offensive Guard and outside Line backer. Now, I wasn't that big 5'8" 150 lbs, but I was pretty quick for a white boy and the meanest (not dirty though) dude on the field. Halfway through the season, I was made a co-captain of the varsity!!!! Now, some guys can growl...some guys can really hit. I was doing both - and very well. I was making 9-10 solo tackles a game and throwing key blocks on the sweeps. When we would line up at the line of scrimmage, I would start ...it would start at a low nasty, growl and graduate to a ferocious snarling fit that would culminate in either a great tackle or block or any opposing player that was near me, if the play was not nearby. After a hard fought game against NorthShore High School, whichwe narrowly lost. The outstanding fullback/Linebacker that had gone head to head with me all day came up to me at the end of the game. Now, I'm still askinny sophmore and this guy was a 6 foot 200lb highschool bulldozer ala Jim Taylor (Packers), Czonka (Dolphins). I thought we were gonna fight and got ready to get a beating....my teamates stood by waiting to see what would happen.."man! you are the toughest sob I've ever played against...everytime I turned around you were attacking me like a MAD DOG"- everyone laughed and the name stuck. I played my junior and senior years and perfected the growl and my skills. I read about my heroes Ray Nitschke of The Packers, **** Butkus of The Bears, and Mike Curtis of The Baltimore Colts. I would watch NFL films of them where you'd here the masters growl, intimidate and then deliver. Starting junior year, because I had bulked up to 180 and grew to 5 10, I started at Middle Linebacker - I was in my glory. All the pumping Iron and weight gain shakes had paid off. I was benching close to 300, squatting 400, washboard abs, and running a 4.8 "40". I really began to dominate the league and opponents. My mean hits and vicious growls could be heard in the stands and ChantsoF MAD DOG MAD DOG! would spur me on to do it even louder and hit even harder. I kicked off too - not that soccer-style nonsense - old school straight on baby...I was always old school...they called me a throwback I loved it and wore it as a badge of honor. I got a great flat top haircut like Johnny Unitas and butkus. Before some games the other team would taunt me, and make me. I would laugh at them and blow them kisses - just to blow their minds. Then, once the game started I made sure to pay them a personal visit asap - they soon learned that my bite was even worse than my bark....and shut up. Itwas particularly fun kicking off because I made the tackle at least 95% of the time..being the first (because I kicked off) down the field screaming at the top of my lungs and running threw blockers. Twice I ran too fast and the smart ballcarrier put a move on me and I missed the tackle..After that I slowed down a little bit.. anyway The Mad Dog tag stuck and followed me through my rugby years and with some quarters till this day. I wear it as a badge of honor and will back it up when provoked. I will put on a oral demonstration occasionally when asked. Like a pit bull, when you ain't as big or fast as your opponents, you've got to have something in your bag of tricks. Mad Dog

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Mad Dog

Thanks I'll look into it, but as I said

This was a handshake deal - no more! Mad Dog

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steve gates

Thanks for the story.

Wayco Wayne_2

Cool way toget a niame MD

Although it also brings to mind a conversation you and I had at Wetsock I about how our joints ache. I was in a sling after cuff surgery. It sucks about your customer though. I've done the same thing and I trust prople when I shouldn't take the risk. On the other hand your customer may not realyse what's going on so before you despair some communication might be in order. Good Luck WW

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Unknown

There just must be a story about....

a time that Bart had to take a round out of you for some reason or another...

C'mon, MadDog, tell us that story....(grin)

GREAT tale, Matt.

Noel

clammy

p.i.a.

know how you feel changed out 3 oil fired slantfin that tied together like who knows what put in 3 mcleans 6 section boilers re did all the supply and return piping installed cicr on the supplies and set up staging for the boilers it origanal was a gravity conversion with 1 large series 60 on the return for all the units installed system bypass and 8124 on all the units withflow checks and all this for a song and a dance the first day i was there they asked if they would have heat that night the boiler where off for 6 months prior to replacement what a set now it's there 2 winter with the units they still owe more than half the job price and have not had the units cleaned yet either also we did all new flue 14 pipe and a clay thimble so don't feel bad we all do work and sometimes get ripped where still waiting for payments alot of people are dead beats

neilc

cut your losses...and

hire the nanny,
sounds like she / he knows the trade

bob young

deadbeats

in new york city the customer is the enemy. they will screw you every time. if they owe you money they hope you die and you hope that they don't. maybe 5 % are honest the rest will blindside you and most times we are so involved with the mechanical aspects of the project we never even see it coming.if i wasn't deathly afraid of spending my life in jail i would have killed plenty of them. every lic. plumber i know will tell similar stories ---it is a pattern.

Mad Dog

Thanks for listening

md

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Mad Dog

My body hurts everyday

especially my neck, but it was worth it. Md

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ScottMP

Ahhh the old high school days

I used to play linebacker and loved it.

Not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog. In this case the Mad dog.

My old coach told me there was three things a linebacker had to be.

Mobile

Agile

and Hostile.. aarrrrr.

My favorite was playing against one team , I tackled the quaterback as he handed off to the fullback. Took em both down. The quarter back was screaming " Who's got 55 ? ". I loved it.

Scott

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Mad Dog

You and I think alike

Thank God for The Wall though....the vast majority of folks that I do work for that got me hee are gems. MD

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Mad Dog

Dont get me going

Scott Mad Dog

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Mad Dog

Trust Me Wayne...she's very shrewd.................

a Big executive with a major world finance company. I communicate very well, especially, when it comes to being clear about how much money I am owed and when I need to get paid. When we last talked, she said she would call us when she was ready for the renovations. Some people are just plain "cute". Mad Dog

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Mark Wolff

Verbal Agreements

My dad always told me that a verbal agreement is only as good as the paper its written on! Sorry to hear you got burned. We can all learn from that job though.

Mad Dog

I did have a written contract, but

It didn't specifically say: "This price is based upon us doing all the work." and that is what a judge would say. My fault...the party's over, though! MD

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Jeff_18

Every Dog has his Day!!!



Just keep in mind they will need you befor you will need them.Sooner or later it catches up to people like this.

Jeff M.

Mad Dog

Yeah, Big Bart hit me with a gut shot when I was 17

that was not fun. But did he tell you when I put him on the canvass (actually, the driveway)the following year??? He never beat on me after that...I finally got my older brother's respect. My girlfriend at the time was there too - she ran in the house after that, but actually he got up and we got drunk to celebrate. Mad Dog

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Mad Dog

Thanks Jeff

you're right....MD

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Boilerpro_3

Say Mad Dog

When you billed for your work to date, did it say the amount included the manifold installation? If not, I'd definitely bill them. The work was completed with thier knowledge, so they have to pay. I believe the judge would support you on this.

Boilerpro

bob young

change order

yeah, that sounds like a good angle. bill it out as prep. work at t. & m. definetly worth a shot. i would use a change order or additional work authorization form. [ those bright yellow forms give everyone the shakes. ]

JudeNY

You're confused.

You have the customer and contractor reversed.

Mad Dog

Please Clarify!

??????? Mad Dog

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JudeNY

Clarification you asked for

My comment was related to bob young's sweeping indictment of customers in NYC. It is much more common that homeowners pay for work that is shoddy or not performed at all than it is for contractors not to be paid. '5% (of customers) are honest' ? How ridiculous. I appreciate the good information and advice I've received from several posters here but problem solving often turns into generalized customer bashing.

GEO_3

Remember, No good deed ever goes unpunished.