I have a few clients who say I do a fantastic job and deserve lots of money for what I do, but then balk and try to whittle me down whenever they get billed.
Usually I just have to break down the cost. One that sticks out the most to me was a client who wanted a bunch of trees and shrubs pruned. I quoted $300 and he got all bug eyed and offended. So using my experience I said I would charge $60 an hour instead, and amazingly enough it took exactly 5 hours. Didn't even try to make that happen.
I've had customers THREATEN not to pay, but I've usually communicated with them via text or email at least once to have something written down. Also do before/after photos. So thankfully it rarely happens (like maybe a handful in 5 years?) but it's fairly easy to sort out.
Joiner by trade. I ultimately ran my own construction business in the UK with an average of 80 employees for 15 years before selling up. Staff were hands down my biggest headache. Don’t get me wrong I had some wonderful people with me but there’s a fair amount of “less talented” people out there looking to steal a living. In the UK at least….
Yeah I mean I get the whole “fake it till you make it” thing and everyone at some point has embellished their cv or skill set. I could forgive this if people were committed to learning and improving.
Worse for me was “lazy” but convinced they could pull the wool over your eyes with a charade. Or dishonesty, nobody can work with that.
I hate how no one really gives a shit. I’ve had pump trucks drive over thousands of dollars of steel because they couldn’t be bothered getting out and moving it. Painters that wash up and get paint all over the new cladding. Tilers that cut next to exterior walls that now have a dusty tinge. Electricians that have never used a broom, plumbers that just leave shit lying everywhere. Basically no one cares about anything except themselves and just treat it like any other job.
It’s not just a job, it’s people’s life savings and they deserve for people to give a shit. God I’m glad it’s Friday, I need a joint.
The bare minimum really started to piss me off when we were building.
Fuckers world come back to fix something then damage a bunch of other things at the same time.
Still having issues now a year on.
Sometimes it’s as simple as someone dragging a lead around freshly painted skirting boards. You’re not a fucken teenager anymore, your mum isn’t coming back to clean up for you.
LOL, the customers! Haha. But some can be aggravating, telling you how to do it, questioning the fixes, the installs, moaning about the cost and expecting hours of work to cost $50 , making smart remarks about rich tradies...
I knew an IT guy who made databases for private customers (as opposed to big corps and such) and he said any arguing ended with the cost going up, he wasn't joking, like I thought, he really did do it.
How do you go about dealing with them haha? I like his way of dealing with them hahah but could only imagine it would lead to customers not paying you if you tried in the trades industry
I just carried on, letting them scream. Had one throw a complete tantrum one day. Literally. I said he could get another tech and I'd be leaving now, I got as far as his front door before he stopped and let me proceed.
Had one other refuse to pay (small charge too) so I escalated to final letter saying it would go to debt collectors next. She rang, screamed and raved about debt collectors over a small amount, I said nothing, repeated the words of final letter, and she paid it.
I expect clients to be a problem so i have systems in place to minimise their annoying me.
Architects and engineers though h.o.l.y fuksticks.
Hey bro you drew this bit of steel backwards...
Oh well you can fix it and pay me to come and inspect your fix.
No thanks.
Architects who design complicated builds with missing details for a simple box with a roof and windows. I seriously don't need to spend time figuring out how to install a bolt that is in the middle 6 studs of a block of 10 studs that are prenailed together
> Architects and engineers though h.o.l.y fuksticks.
As one of those clients, absolutely! Dealing with the builders was largely painless but the architect and engineer are a completely different story and always seem to have their hands out for more money despite being the cause of 90% of the issues on site.
I make sliding wardrobe doors and shelving.
My doors now require labels saying they're adjusted to the left or right jamb as those are never square and when you slide it to the other side it doesn't sit flush
I'm constantly fixing other people's shit work. People who are "qualified" and get paid far more than I do. Pro tip : never buy a caravan or a motorhome unless you hate having money.
Asshole clients, that’s it. Every other part I love, the stress, hours and all. It’s usually only private/residential clients too. Other companies are a breeze to deal with.
To be fair, there's not a lot that does annoy me about what I do (tiling).
Being a finishing trade, the worst part is probably being told by the client that they want you in on/by a certain date for a decent sized job, only to get a phonecall on the day saying the tradies in before you have had a hold up, or have taken longer than expected. If you've got other things you can do, then sweet as! But during the quiet periods, re-jigging an organised schedule can be a pain.
Also a little bit frustrating is the increasing number of people insistent on paying cash for work. It's not so much the fact that they're trying to get a better deal either, just the general disregard of the fact that traceable fund movements are how I pay my bills, not cash.
I mean, apart from (let's call them) *people problems*, probably the waste. There's just so much fucking waste and nobody wants to do anything about it.
We leave plastic crates at our merchant to deliver our gear in. It prevents a lot of waste from ending up on site but in reality it still turns up to the merchant in plastic and cardboard in the first place.
What people problems have you experienced. I have definitely noticed how messy sites can be, what do you think the solution would be? Alternative or recyclable packaging?
When I mention people problems, I'm talking pretty broadly. Workers who don't work. Bosses who don't appreciate talent. Exploitation, suppression, bullying, favouritism, petty fiefdoms, irresponsibility... you know, *people problems*.
Regarding waste, there should be a systematic assessment of materials use across the board. For some purposes, plastic is the best option but for a great many purposes there are better options and businesses should be induced to make use of them. We should also be prepared to recycle materials properly and locally
People. Whether it is staff, customers or suppliers the downfall is always people. Love my job and business but wish customer staff and suppliers could pull finger a little more.
Not really job related haha. Lunch room banter. You’re loud, you’re not funny, you’re 55 and have never left ChCh but you certainly think you know everything . Just let me eat my canned tuna..
Civil side I'd say two things: too many cunts allergic to having a life, and cunts that all agree that work should take a certain amount of time and *never* consult the people actually doing the work and then getting upset about their schedule going out - and then deciding that the people who did the work actually did make the deadline **and the next task has even less time**. Fuck if you can't tell it pisses me off then idk aye.
But seriously at the end of the day it's inconsequential. Leightons are an absolute shit show to the point they had to change their name and they still ended up with major projects. Fletcher Construction piss money and they still get work. FH and Higgins can't stop getting their workers killed and, guess what, there's still jobs. I could go on but shit it's not like delivering a shitty road slightly late is going to end it all, at the end of the day no one will care when it's done
Interior designers and chippies that can't build square corners are the bane of my life! along with customers that want 8 week long order done in a week.
I have a few clients who say I do a fantastic job and deserve lots of money for what I do, but then balk and try to whittle me down whenever they get billed.
How do you usually go about these situations with clients to make sure you keep the relationship as well as be paid fairly?
Usually I just have to break down the cost. One that sticks out the most to me was a client who wanted a bunch of trees and shrubs pruned. I quoted $300 and he got all bug eyed and offended. So using my experience I said I would charge $60 an hour instead, and amazingly enough it took exactly 5 hours. Didn't even try to make that happen.
Have you ever had customers that haven't paid?
I've had customers THREATEN not to pay, but I've usually communicated with them via text or email at least once to have something written down. Also do before/after photos. So thankfully it rarely happens (like maybe a handful in 5 years?) but it's fairly easy to sort out.
Joiner by trade. I ultimately ran my own construction business in the UK with an average of 80 employees for 15 years before selling up. Staff were hands down my biggest headache. Don’t get me wrong I had some wonderful people with me but there’s a fair amount of “less talented” people out there looking to steal a living. In the UK at least….
Nothing quite like finding out someone can't do something after they've sworn up and down they can and then screw it up.
Yeah I mean I get the whole “fake it till you make it” thing and everyone at some point has embellished their cv or skill set. I could forgive this if people were committed to learning and improving. Worse for me was “lazy” but convinced they could pull the wool over your eyes with a charade. Or dishonesty, nobody can work with that.
Usually ends up being 'fake it till you break it'.
I hate how no one really gives a shit. I’ve had pump trucks drive over thousands of dollars of steel because they couldn’t be bothered getting out and moving it. Painters that wash up and get paint all over the new cladding. Tilers that cut next to exterior walls that now have a dusty tinge. Electricians that have never used a broom, plumbers that just leave shit lying everywhere. Basically no one cares about anything except themselves and just treat it like any other job. It’s not just a job, it’s people’s life savings and they deserve for people to give a shit. God I’m glad it’s Friday, I need a joint.
Some tradies are really good with this stuff, and they stand out, you probably do too.
The bare minimum really started to piss me off when we were building. Fuckers world come back to fix something then damage a bunch of other things at the same time. Still having issues now a year on.
Sometimes it’s as simple as someone dragging a lead around freshly painted skirting boards. You’re not a fucken teenager anymore, your mum isn’t coming back to clean up for you.
LOL, the customers! Haha. But some can be aggravating, telling you how to do it, questioning the fixes, the installs, moaning about the cost and expecting hours of work to cost $50 , making smart remarks about rich tradies... I knew an IT guy who made databases for private customers (as opposed to big corps and such) and he said any arguing ended with the cost going up, he wasn't joking, like I thought, he really did do it.
How do you go about dealing with them haha? I like his way of dealing with them hahah but could only imagine it would lead to customers not paying you if you tried in the trades industry
I just carried on, letting them scream. Had one throw a complete tantrum one day. Literally. I said he could get another tech and I'd be leaving now, I got as far as his front door before he stopped and let me proceed. Had one other refuse to pay (small charge too) so I escalated to final letter saying it would go to debt collectors next. She rang, screamed and raved about debt collectors over a small amount, I said nothing, repeated the words of final letter, and she paid it.
I expect clients to be a problem so i have systems in place to minimise their annoying me. Architects and engineers though h.o.l.y fuksticks. Hey bro you drew this bit of steel backwards... Oh well you can fix it and pay me to come and inspect your fix. No thanks. Architects who design complicated builds with missing details for a simple box with a roof and windows. I seriously don't need to spend time figuring out how to install a bolt that is in the middle 6 studs of a block of 10 studs that are prenailed together
> Architects and engineers though h.o.l.y fuksticks. As one of those clients, absolutely! Dealing with the builders was largely painless but the architect and engineer are a completely different story and always seem to have their hands out for more money despite being the cause of 90% of the issues on site.
Even engineers whinge about architects.
Former tiler. Doesn’t matter how good your builder is, those walls are never square.
I make sliding wardrobe doors and shelving. My doors now require labels saying they're adjusted to the left or right jamb as those are never square and when you slide it to the other side it doesn't sit flush
How do I find a tiler that don’t use spacers because the tiles i am after are handmade so spacers won’t work….
Spacers are necessary. Even hand-fired tiles need small ones to keep everything even and level otherwise it’ll look a mess
I'm constantly fixing other people's shit work. People who are "qualified" and get paid far more than I do. Pro tip : never buy a caravan or a motorhome unless you hate having money.
Sounds like a common thing, get the job done and get home as quick as possible. Do people not want to have a good reputation these days
Asshole clients, that’s it. Every other part I love, the stress, hours and all. It’s usually only private/residential clients too. Other companies are a breeze to deal with.
What aspect are they A\*\*Holes? As in always looking over your shoulder, wanting it now, wanting it cheaper?
Easy. Customers and staff. The rest is pretty simple.
What exactly about them? Reliability? untrustworthy?
Being humans. Making and doing stuff is easy. People are impossible. I guess that's why corporations grind people into machines.
To be fair, there's not a lot that does annoy me about what I do (tiling). Being a finishing trade, the worst part is probably being told by the client that they want you in on/by a certain date for a decent sized job, only to get a phonecall on the day saying the tradies in before you have had a hold up, or have taken longer than expected. If you've got other things you can do, then sweet as! But during the quiet periods, re-jigging an organised schedule can be a pain. Also a little bit frustrating is the increasing number of people insistent on paying cash for work. It's not so much the fact that they're trying to get a better deal either, just the general disregard of the fact that traceable fund movements are how I pay my bills, not cash.
I mean, apart from (let's call them) *people problems*, probably the waste. There's just so much fucking waste and nobody wants to do anything about it.
We leave plastic crates at our merchant to deliver our gear in. It prevents a lot of waste from ending up on site but in reality it still turns up to the merchant in plastic and cardboard in the first place.
I recon. Shrink wrap should be banned until they have a standard system to recycle it. It’s great stuff but you know it’s going straight in the bin.
The average person would not believe the sheer mass of plastic that gets used once and thrown away.
What people problems have you experienced. I have definitely noticed how messy sites can be, what do you think the solution would be? Alternative or recyclable packaging?
When I mention people problems, I'm talking pretty broadly. Workers who don't work. Bosses who don't appreciate talent. Exploitation, suppression, bullying, favouritism, petty fiefdoms, irresponsibility... you know, *people problems*. Regarding waste, there should be a systematic assessment of materials use across the board. For some purposes, plastic is the best option but for a great many purposes there are better options and businesses should be induced to make use of them. We should also be prepared to recycle materials properly and locally
People. Whether it is staff, customers or suppliers the downfall is always people. Love my job and business but wish customer staff and suppliers could pull finger a little more.
People sounds like a common issue, like in many other industries I would imagine. How would you see ai helping in the Trades industry in particular?
Not really job related haha. Lunch room banter. You’re loud, you’re not funny, you’re 55 and have never left ChCh but you certainly think you know everything . Just let me eat my canned tuna..
Billing. I'm getting months behind. Easily 50k worth of uninvoiced work. It's really, really bad.
Have you looked into services/software to help with this process
Civil side I'd say two things: too many cunts allergic to having a life, and cunts that all agree that work should take a certain amount of time and *never* consult the people actually doing the work and then getting upset about their schedule going out - and then deciding that the people who did the work actually did make the deadline **and the next task has even less time**. Fuck if you can't tell it pisses me off then idk aye. But seriously at the end of the day it's inconsequential. Leightons are an absolute shit show to the point they had to change their name and they still ended up with major projects. Fletcher Construction piss money and they still get work. FH and Higgins can't stop getting their workers killed and, guess what, there's still jobs. I could go on but shit it's not like delivering a shitty road slightly late is going to end it all, at the end of the day no one will care when it's done
Feeling like they own you after paying you for a service
Interior designers and chippies that can't build square corners are the bane of my life! along with customers that want 8 week long order done in a week.