My ONLY non-payment in full (had some crazy lady short me $800 because I rigged the dead maple out and used my loader, rather than a crane which I said would cost me about $800 if I used it) was a guy going bankrupt. Only $300 for a quick trim. This winter he had a tree on a house. Insurance job at the end of the April wind storm. Turned me onto the job, and suggested the insurance bill could be raised $300, squaring us up. I was just happy to get another easy insurance job, keeping to the price the adjuster suggested to the HO as what she might be gettting bid (under $3k). Easy money. Turned me on to his friend, a firewood guy who is also turning into my future mortgage broker.
People have shit happen. Always remaining professional pays off. .
This took 4 years. After about a year or so, I did get him on the phone. He told me he was broke, trying to save his house and business, and felt terrible for being 'that guy'. I told him Good Luck, and absolved the debt, and to feel good to go spend the time with his family as he's been doing, trying to keep his family intact while possibly "losing everything".
House purchases are usually the biggest financial obligation a person will ever undertake. Stressful!
