Had a friggin' circus the other day. Backing up a bit, I have spent the last 2 years trying to re-invent myself. Stopped climbing. Turned into a job organizer/ roper/ chipper type person on my jobs.
So, I landed a sweet crane job. Good money 4 hours max work and I walk away with 4k after expenses.
O.k. On to story:
The crane company lectured me saying they wanted their own climber because the operator and him work together and are very efficient. Not a big crane, I think 40 ton.
Crane shows up at 10:30. Sets up, it is now noon. He sets up, booms out over the tree, then the climber says "hey are you gonna climb"? WTF? I didn't bring climbing gear. Climber looks worried, says he will 'try', then gets his gear on. (Btw, freaking EASY removal)
. the crane operator then says his crane is unstable. Asks me if I have a tape measure so he can determine if moving the rig 2feet closer will help. Got the boom stowed, outriggers up, crane guy asks me " got any cribbing, I forgot mine". Sure I say, asshole, (it's now 1pm). I will simply run to the lumber yard and get some. Shall I buy you lunch??? ( I am channeling Skwerl now) It will be at least 2 hours before I can make it back. NOT happening at 2pm!
I had an excavator, 10wheel dump, 5 guys, chipper truck and chipper, all lazing around, picking and scratching and communing about life, sports, politics, etc etc.
Fucker crane people, I told them all to leave. Cancelled the job. Crane while leaving dumped at least 5 gallons of oil on the customers gravel road.
These are high maintenance gay guys. Used to own web MD, whatever the frig that is. Medical tech company I guess. Oh so politically correct.
Overall very high maintenance customers. I have worked for them for maybe 10 years. I am positive I lost a client in this.
I return the next day with a grader and clean up his precious gravel road. He said his llamas might get sick from the oil
Crane guy calls me later and says I owe him a grand for traveling out there. I said, "sure that sounds fair, I need $2800. For lost wages, equipment, travel time, fuel, and oil clean up, how do you want to work this out"? He hung up. I have worked with him in the past and all went well up to this point. Hell I paid him a grand an hour for previous jobs.
Sometimes business sucks. Rant over, thanks for listening.