non paying customers

[highkvoltage]

Re: non paying customers

On last comment. Don't you just love the guy that is trying to screw you and then his final remark is "I'll never hire you again you (insert name)!" Another relationship down the drain.

 

[growler]

Re: non paying customers

I would like to comment about non paying customers. I have read many post at differant sites about collecting money. I learned the hard way that it's hard to get blood from a turnip. I now try to find out who and how a project is being bank rolled. Some contractors & individuals will admit to limited financing if questioned. I had a church a couple of years back trying to complete a major project. When I ask, they only had 30K for everything. Some contractor had ran of with all the major funds earlier. My comment is , if there is no money why bother even bidding the work. Do any of you feel that you need to know where the money is comming from at the beginning of a project. I think it is perfectly reasonable. Try buying a car without explaining how you are going to pay.

 

[hbiss]

Re: non paying customers

I once had a customer (a GC by the way) that I never did work for before but I heard was famous for screwing contractors out of final payments. Seems as long as you are not finished he pays but when he gets what he wants forget it.

What I did was divide the total cost in half and then add another 1\2 as the final payment. That way I was actually paid up when I came to do the finish and the jerk was happy because he thought he was screwing me out of the final payment.

Just for jollies I even went after the SOB for the balance and got half of it! Told him I was going to lein the building.

-Hal

 

[jpweygandt]

Re: non paying customers

I once had a customer/contractor that had problems on the job. Very early in the project we were dismissed as electrical contractor. The contractor would not pay us for work already done. We filed a mechanics lein on the project and went on about our business. The site contractor went bankrupt and several other suppliers and contractors did not get paid. After several months the bankruptsy judge called a meeting of all creditors. The judge asked that everyone introduce themselves. The site contractor that went bankrupt had not paid the concrete bill. The concrete supplier and their lawyer were at the meeting and introduced themselves. I as the electrical contractor was last to intruduce myself. While I had the floor, I said to the concrete supplier that I had first lein rights and when they wanted to collect their money they could collect mine. With that I got ready to leave and the general contractor objected. The judge said "He has explained who he was and that the concrete supplier can collect his money before he gets paid." In a couple of months I got a phone call that my check was ready for several thousand including the interest on the money I was owed.

Jerry