Hourly sawing

[moosehunter]

So two months ago i stopped to see a potential walnut job about 20 miles from home. Two logs, been down, laying in the weeds for 2 years. I said " hourly, I need your help and you need to mow these weeds". O.K. says the customer. Yesterday after two canceled appointments (him, not me) I show up at the prescribed time. He is still in bed, this is going to be fun!
Weeds are still 4 feet high, logs still laying in the hedge row. Glad I told him hourly 'cause the clock started @ 8 when I got there! We used his Gator to pull the first log out but the second one is too big so I had to use my truck. We got the log lined up at the mill, in the 4 foot grass, then I pull my truck around to the front of my mill. CRUNCH! I ran into the mill fenders that I left in the 4 foot tall weeds. Doh! I would like to blame the customer for not mowing the weeds but I put them there! :-[ I'll bang them back into shape.
Took two and a half hours. If the mowing had been done and the logs staged it would have been less than an hour :

[Peter Drouin]

I would have left. Don't call me :D

[drobertson]

must be a good friend of yours?  I'm not a big fan of those that make appointments only to find out they are still in bed.  At least you got the job done and it's over. 

[rooster 58]

  Some people are so inconsiderate of others

[Magicman]

When the clock is ticking, some things do not matter.  You did good.  Just say to yourself that if he is willing to pay you for his screwups, then bring it on.   

[Alligator]

Attached is my standard quote template. Note the bottom paragraph. It covers the standard issues I run across in the IT business when changing out servers and workstations.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I have said I was gonna saw some logs for myself several times and never show up.
Once I stuck the forks through my mill tire.
Now, I don't even talk to myself anymore.
That'll teach me. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

When the clock is ticking, some things do not matter.  You did good.  Just say to yourself that if he is willing to pay you for his screwups, then bring it on.  smiley_thumbsup

Agreed, this is how to think about it.  You did the work for him and he didn't have to even be ready. Must admit i hate it too when things aren't ready.

[moosehunter]

The funny thing is that when I met this guy this was I expected. That is why I quoted him hourly ;D I am with MM, if he wants to pay me while I wait for him to get dressed and ready, so be it!

[glassman_48]

moosehunter,
So did he pay the bill willingly, or did he complain?  Just curious, I have gotten good at telling which jobs I should steer clear of in my glass business.  One guy got an estimate from me and didnt like my labor price to install insulated units, he got a quote to install himself and he waited a year and told me my year old bid included labor.  I showed him my notes.  I ended up staying away from the job even after he called back and wanted me to do it anyways. 

[Delawhere Jack]

Attached is my standard quote template. Note the bottom paragraph. It covers the standard issues I run across in the IT business when changing out servers and workstations.

Don't ya love the smell of feet in the carpet under the desks?  ;D While working at a bank in desktop support we had to move a whole dept to another area. One lady had spilled soda on her desk and never bothered to clean it up. Her keyboard and monitor were "glued" to the desk. I looked her straight in the face and told her I hope she does a better job cleaning up at home.  >:(

Another one admitted that they had stuck a music CD in the slot between between the two blank bay covers thinking it was a CD player. They asked me to open the case and retrieve it.....

[Magicman]

I have never even once been questioned about my charges, whether bf or hourly.  I have also never "not been paid".   ;D

[Peter Drouin]

I have never even once been questioned about my charges, whether bf or hourly.  I have also never "not been paid".   ;D

Then you have been lucky.

moosehunter,
So did he pay the bill willingly, or did he complain?  Just curious, I have gotten good at telling which jobs I should steer clear of in my glass business.  One guy got an estimate from me and didnt like my labor price to install insulated units, he got a quote to install himself and he waited a year and told me my year old bid included labor.  I showed him my notes.  I ended up staying away from the job even after he called back and wanted me to do it anyways. 

I got so I can read customers well too, And I tell them I have no time for their nonsense. :

The funny thing is that when I met this guy this was I expected. That is why I quoted him hourly ;D I am with MM, if he wants to pay me while I wait for him to get dressed and ready, so be it!

Did he buy you new fenders too?  :D

[drobertson]

"reading a book by the cover aye?"  Peter, and I agree, but have been fooled more times than not.  the bottom line is, He should have been up and ready, secondly, the job got done.  And without more ranting than he did, very professional in my book.

[Peter Drouin]

"reading a book by the cover aye?"  Peter,




Yup, can see a phony a mile away. :D :D :D

[moosehunter]

He did pay without complaint.

[Okrafarmer]

He did pay without complaint.

I've never had a customer on a mobile job not pay. The only ones who haven't paid are the ones I've never met, who phone in an order. I'm learning not to fill any orders until either we've met face to face, or I get some money down. Which usually means meeting face to face.

[Okrafarmer]

I've never had to get a customer out of bed, but I used to have a boss I would have to get out of bed sometimes!

(And, now that I'm self-employed, I do again!)  :D

[CalebL]

I had a customer write me a check one time that couldn't clear.  It was a for a pretty large job that was almost 9000 bf.  I stayed in touch with his bank and they finally let me know about 10 days later that it would clear.  I dropped everything I was doing and ran to the bank to cash it.