How'd it go today?

No, I made sure the climber made $150 which is how much I was going to charge for putting the tree on the ground.

I told the guy we were working for that I wanted the climber to get the money but I wanted to hang out and watch if it was ok. Later he approached me and asked me to stay and help in order to make a good impression on his customer. I ended up making $100 for loading the logs for him, so I only lost $50 by not climbing the tree.
 
Well with my screwed up sleep schedule due to the snow season starting, I've been getting progressively more sick. Went to the doc today and I've got strep throat, he said my throat was pretty much swollen shut. So antibiotics for me. The pain of it was starting to get to me a bit. I'm a big wuss I guess.

So yesterday I was bed ridden most of the day and my family went to my parents for a super yummy (steak and prawns) birthday dinner(my birthday). Better luck next year I guess.
 
Well, somebody's infecting you.

Two wet live oaks kicked my ass today. They dried up nicely by the time I was through...:|:
 
office day for me today, hope you heal up Squishey, I hate to see a fella have to pass up on beef and bubba gumps.... :)
 
Had a bad day. Nothing much but I think we are going to change the way we do business as of today. Had a job, 2 REALLY dead oaks, no twigs or anything smaller than 3-4" fungus on the stumps. I told customer over the phone that I would be unable to rope anything down so there would be divots in the yard. Gave her a price to haul away wood which she declined so wood was to stay where it came down in fireplace lengths. All went good. She called this evening and told me she had never seen such a "shit" job. I asked her what she was talking about and she said the wood wasnt even stacked and she hadnt agreed to having HUGE pieces of wood left, I calmly told her that she had agreed to the wood being left in fireplace lengths where it lay. She explained that there was no way anybody could posibly put those pieces of wood in a fireplace. I told her that I had explained to her that we wouldnt be splitting the wood. I told her yesterday that if she ran a Craigs List add for free oak firewood it would be gone within 2 days. She told me this evening that there was no way she was going to allow random people into her yard since she is a single mother.. She then informed me that there is no way she is going to pay a penny for our "Shitty hour job". We were there 4 hours and she wasnt home. So yet again I have nothing in writing so no recourse...

I am going to start getting contracts on all our jobs..... Ya I love paperwork....
 
I would suck it up and do whatever (within limits) it took to make her happy and collect the check.

I've had to do the splitting thing before due to a miscommunication between the salesman and the customer. It socked.
 
Sucks Paul. Sorry to hear. I always try to include the length (16" or less) and specify "rounds". Paperwork = protection for everyone.

Sometimes, an email is a way to get something reasonably solid. If its a matter of being out on the road and them at work, it is possible to ask them to send an email with the basic terms, and have someone else to check it (I've called my wife or mom to check my email).

Sucks when you do what you can to help somebody, and they stick you.
 
If you could sell the fire wood.. ask her if she would have a check for you if the wood was removed ...... Load truck.. Collect check... sell wood to off set some or all of your clean up cost. If no check... Dump wood from truck where you see fit... :/:

And start making contracts in writing from here out....
 
If she's that ignorant on verbal contracts then go ahead and bluff her in order to see if you can get a check out of her. Tell her you're filing a mechanic's lien on the house and there is a $165 fee for that added to her balance as well as 2% per month or fraction thereof that the debt remains unpaid. She can pay you now or she can pay you later when she eventually sells the house and you end up getting the proceeds.



Edit: Oh, use Dennis' approach first. I usually try to be nice until somebody starts yanking my chain.
 
It's obvious we have had a breakdown in communication. You were under the impression that the trees would be removed and all the wood would be split as firewood and neatly stacked next to your house. The price for this type of job would be $xxx.xx

I bid the job at a reasonable price for your budget based on removing the trees, putting divots in your yard, and leaving the cut pieces where they fell without splitting them into firewood and stacking them by the house. We discussed hauling off the wood for xxx.xx but you chose the cheaper option of simply leaving it.

I'm willing to work with you to come to resolution that would be suitable to both of us. Would you like to revisit having the wood hauled off or talk about other options?
 
That really gets me boiled man. But I coulda sworn we had this conversation a few weeks back. Get it in writing, period. I list everything that is going to be done, everything down to what type of underwear I'll be wearing. Well not really, but you gotta be specific. I've had a lot of "I thoughts", but after you walk over to the truck, and read/show them what was written, the conversation stops and your the winner.

What gets me is that it cost YOU money to do the job, before you even got there really. People think equipment, fuel, employees just magically appear.

Hate people.
 
As I said I talked with her about putting an add in Craigs list and having it hauled off for free, this is straight oak wood 24" at the biggest,great firewood . This isnt about the wood being hauled its about her not wanting to pay the $600 which we agreed upon. What gets me is she cussed me out on the phone and then hung up on me. Ive only ever had problems with female customers who seem to think it is their perogative to just act like a bitch and refuse payment and since they are of the fairer sex we have to just let it go. Like I said Sam and I have decided to start doing written contracts as this stuff really gets to me... I need to figure out how to just laugh this stuff off, however I pride myself in doing a good job for a fair price and treat people well. It doesnt sit well with me when I dont get the same in return.
 
Dennis' approach is a good one. I hate to say it Paul but you know how people are, writing a contract is a most basic part of business such as this. Doesn't stop this completely but it does give you a leg to stand on. Ten minutes to write it up is worth $600 to me
 
I got the three part copies, cheap and effective. Take white one, leave them with pink and yellow. When pink is returned and or signed, it gets stapled to white, and taken to the job. Yellow is their receipt from the start if it's signed, so I don't have to send a "bill", then pay up sucker.
 
That does suck and we did have this roll around about a month ago. The email contracts seem to be my best bet that or Ive got to spend time=$ to get the details down. Hope it comes out well after you talk again.

I had an excellent day, three removals (wish I could have signed it up for the chipping too) made piles that won't get burned! I also deadwooded 3 live oaks, small ones, and set up another two days, Now she is comfortable with me to do the live oaks over the house, home late was the only drawback all day got a bonus of a pound of shitake mushrooms fresh picks from her neighbor who also may need my services!8)
 
sotc said:
Dennis' approach is a good one. I hate to say it Paul but you know how people are, writing a contract is a most basic part of business such as this. Doesn't stop this completely but it does give you a leg to stand on. Ten minutes to write it up is worth $600 to me
Click to expand...

Takes me longer than ten minutes, I must be slow;)
 
Mine are quadruplicate. Bottom copy is quote, 3rd is work order (prices blanked out), 2nd is bill/receipt and top is mine. We get signature on bigger jobs on top copy that carries through next 2 layers.
 
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