What did you do today not on your truck...

[special-K]

That would be very cool to have. I really liked the first one, 100% original (looked to be). What a great one to have for property chores (with care).

So this summer kitchen I'm repairing that they were so glad to find someone to save that the insurance company dragged their feet on since July is apparently not moving along fast enough for the homeowners. I started two weeks ago tomorrow. I ordered the sills to replace the rotted ones that existed before the claim that they now get replaced for free. They were supposed to be ready last week but weren't now it's supposed to be today. I have all the walls tired together, repaired, braced, jacked up, rotted sills removed, cleaned up, and waiting for those sills. I

We found a place to buy the roof planking ready to go. So the guy comes home last evening with a plan to take off work on Wed & Thurs to help me get the rafters up and planks on. If I needed help I'd have a helper! I am not the reason this job won't be done in a hurry. Those guys wouldn't take on a job like this. That's how I got the job. The party is on the 8th, so I guess it's real important to have it closed in a week in advance. The whole thing I find insulting and disrespectful. People who don't know sh!t about what is going or why things take as long as they "have to" jumping in thinking they are going to make a difference. I just need the materials and my experience tells me no matter what that sawmill told us, I won't get those plates till they are done. Him helping me frame the roof will hinder me more than help. I'll have it done in a day working alone.

[FleetsidePaul]

Sorry Tim. It sounds like you are doing everything you can and this guy is just being a deeek. Somebody forgot to tell these people that there is no instant gratification.

On the other hand my painter seems to have disappeared after I paid him for the paint to do the job. I wonder if he's okay? Poor guy can't even answer the phone. He is still able to text excuses. So there is hope that he's okay. Here I go again with another flake.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

Sorry Tim. It sounds like you are doing everything you can and this guy is just being a deeek. Somebody forgot to tell these people that there is no instant gratification.

On the other hand my painter seems to have disappeared after I paid him for the paint to do the job. I wonder if he's okay? Poor guy can't even answer the phone. He is still able to text excuses. So there is hope that he's okay. Here I go again with another flake.

Somebody forgot to tell a whole generation there is no instant gratification. Some things in life still take more than clicking a button to get what you want. Some things can't be tracked. And sometimes, Lord have mercy, we can't get what we want. Ask Mick Jagger

The Rolling Stones - You Can?t Always Get What...

[72c20customcamper]

I said I wasn’t going to pick up any more wood this fall . I guess it’s just like saying no more trucks . Two loads of black cherry had to use the little trailer as the dump and Dodge are both full of split wood .

[72c20customcamper]

Little over 3 cord of wood in the basement . Need 3 more to be safe I hate going out in the cold and bringing in frozen wood .

[Steeveedee]

Drove out to the Thousand Oaks Mall and looked around at a bunch of old cars and trucks. Some guy had 3 Hudsons there.

[72c20customcamper]

The tag along cart tire kept going flat figured it needed a new tube . Well the inside was so rusted it popped the tube . Went to three different places no deal non in stock . So I ground it down and used flex seal liquid rubber . I have to say I’ve been using this stuff a lot . It ain’t pretty but it shouldn’t pop the tube anymore .

[Richard]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

Sorry Tim. It sounds like you are doing everything you can and this guy is just being a deeek. Somebody forgot to tell these people that there is no instant gratification.

On the other hand my painter seems to have disappeared after I paid him for the paint to do the job. I wonder if he's okay? Poor guy can't even answer the phone. He is still able to text excuses. So there is hope that he's okay. Here I go again with another flake.

Sorry to hear that. Always tell people to never pay someone up front for a job. 10% to 20% max. Not even a friend, I will not take any more than that. Always stay on the back end of the work that has been done. Hope he comes through for you.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Richard

Sorry to hear that. Always tell people to never pay someone up front for a job. 10% to 20% max. Not even a friend, I will not take any more than that. Always stay on the back end of the work that has been done. Hope he comes through for you.

Not me. I take 30% down for any job I write a proposal for or unwritten job I'm supplying hundreds of dollars of materials to. There's a thing known as protecting ourselves from rip-off homeowners. Contractors are people, same as homeowners, and should be judged the same. And when I am the financier I am the one who sets the terms. There is no shortage of homeowners wanting the work we do for free.

Here in MD we are allowed to take up to 30% down and that's what I do. That's 30% prior to commencement. As soon as I drop equipment or materials or drive a nail the job has commenced and we are entitled to any amount. So, if no 30% deposit taken, the day I drop materials I am entitle to ask for over 30%. I never do. I take 30% up front, 30% at a pre-established halfway point, and final upon completion.

I also tell people not to pay for a job up front and won't accept pay before commencing. A deposit is to finance (usually partially) the job, not my paycheck. I'm not a financial institution. I invest in tools

[67 twins]

Originally Posted by Richard

Sorry to hear that. Always tell people to never pay someone up front for a job. 10% to 20% max. Not even a friend, I will not take any more than that. Always stay on the back end of the work that has been done. Hope he comes through for you.

Good luck with that. The contractor is going to want at least enough to cover materials.
Around here its pretty common for a contractor to want 1/2 down & half on completion.

[special-K]

Good firewood is hard to turn down when it finds you. They say it's supposed to get cold this winter

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by special-K

Good firewood is hard to turn down when it finds you. They say it's supposed to get cold this winter

Since I had the saws out I cut up some of the logs I had .

[FleetsidePaul]

What did I do today??

Well I was going to try to get my S10 running. That didn't happen. But I did think about working on it. That's something. So I did that. I thought about it. Then I took a nap.

I talked with my lawyer. That was fun and it only cost me 90 bucks.

[KW5413]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

What did I do today??

Well I was going to try to get my S10 running. That didn't happen. But I did think about working on it. That's something. So I did that. I thought about it. Then I took a nap.

I talked with my lawyer. That was fun and it only cost me 90 bucks.

I've never been askeert of work. I can lay down, rat next to it, and go to sleep.

LOL!

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

What did I do today??

Well I was going to try to get my S10 running. That didn't happen. But I did think about working on it. That's something. So I did that. I thought about it. Then I took a nap.

I talked with my lawyer. That was fun and it only cost me 90 bucks.

$90? Lucky dog. We're having to evict the renters who haven't paid rent in six months. On top of the lost revenue, it's costing us thousands in legal fees. Should have sold the place to begin with, was my call. We're looking to sell now, and the moochers had the nerve to say the new owners could rent it to them.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

$90? Lucky dog. We're having to evict the renters who haven't paid rent in six months. On top of the lost revenue, it's costing us thousands in legal fees. Should have sold the place to begin with, was my call. We're looking to sell now, and the moochers had the nerve to say the new owners could rent it to them.

90 bucks for 4 minutes? I've known hookers that gave better deals than that.

I know what you mean about renters. My wife wants to retire. We have the house in San Dimas rented to her cousin. The money from that house is her retirement. For 6 years we have charged him half of what we could get for it for that place. Now he's mad that she's selling it and he's dragging his azz. The trouble is that the housing prices are going down. The longer he takes the less it's worth. It's gone down about 25K since this started. He should be happy that he rode the gravy train as long as he did but he doesn't see it that way.

And don't get me started with my brother. He lives in my mom's house. I own 3/4 of that house and he owns 1/4 (long story) But he owns just enough to keep me from selling it. He doesn't want to move. He pays no rent. He won't buy me out either. He just hires a lawyer instead so I had to do the same. This has been going on for over a year. We don't speak to each other. Our lawyers do. I'll never speak to either of them again.

Never deal with family. (especially mine ) It just a bad idea. I tried to be nice but that didn't cut it.

[Boog]

A very wise man said friends and family will take advantage of you long before a stranger will. It's pretty much always bad bidnezz financially dealing with family.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Boog

A very wise man said friends and family will take advantage of you long before a stranger will. It's pretty much always bad bidnezz financially dealing with family.

Truth!

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Boog

A very wise man said friends and family will take advantage of you long before a stranger will. It's pretty much always bad bidnezz financially dealing with family.

Yeah I should have known. But I try to be nice and help when I can. and it just ends up blowing up in my face. Never again.

[special-K]

I've been working on the summer Kitchen since the sawmill got my lumber made.

Originally Posted by Boog

A very wise man said friends and family will take advantage of you long before a stranger will. It's pretty much always bad bidnezz financially dealing with family.

But then in business it's not what you know it's who you know. Most of the successful home improvement contractors I know have gotten to where they are by working for family and friends... and friends of family and friends. Who you know can be a financial or other business connection, but for most of us who we know are friends and family. The key to a good turnout on working for homeowners is communication. Whether written contract or verbal. I make sure my work is well defined, leave nothing assumed. I make sure they understand the extent of the scope and have that to refer back to if there is any misunderstanding. I think the whole "never work for family or friends" thing comes out of people being familiar with each other and leaving a lot to be assumed. The guys I know who say they don't do work for family or friends are not totally honest. It would be a smart move for a dishonest person to not work within the circle of family and friends. If they do, they won't be for long.

[Rich84]

People tend to suck.
When they don't I am pleasantly surprised.

I do all commercial work. Never get a dime up front. Often I am completely done before getting anything.

[72 tigger]

Originally Posted by Rich84

People tend to suck.
When they don't I am pleasantly surprised.

I do all commercial work. Never get a dime up front. Often I am completely done before getting anything.

I’m in the same boat as you except the majority of my work is residential. I often don’t bill until I’m done and even then, it’s typically a week or two later. In 21 years, I’ve never been burned- yet

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Rich84

I do all commercial work. Never get a dime up front. Often I am completely done before getting anything.

That's how new construction is. That's mostly what I did until '07. No money upfront. That's business to business. Business to homeowner is another world. Homeowners are highly protected by law from the contractor. The contractor has little to no protection from the homeowner. If a bad deal goes to arbitration, it overwhelming goes in favor of the homeowner. That same system allows us to take 30%. No brainer.

Subcontracting siding supply and installation from builders I never got the first penny till weeks or months later (or not at all). I'd have to walk away from builders who wanted me to start house #2 before being paid for house #1. I had one say, "I'm a small builder, I can't operate that way". My reply, "I'm a small contractor, not a finance company".

[KW5413]

I manufacture equipment for the plastics industry. Orders approaching $ 7,500.00 I get 50% down, Balance Net 30....unless i know the customer pretty well. Then Just Net 30.

Orders over $ 20K, it's 50% Down, 45% at Ship Balance Net 30.

[HoneyBeeMan68]

Pulled the motor!
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