I used to do custom welding work. One off mixed exotic metal gates. Plasma cutting. Curved designs. Multiple mixed medias. If the customer had any reason to cancel the job, I could not sell the piece because it would not fit anywhere else. I am currently negotiating the restoration of a piece of Margaret Tafoya pottery piece with a gallery restoration service. That fee would have to be paid in advance, and the estimates so far is from $1800 to $3000. You are apparently not as aware of how things work in the real world as you purport to be, or willing to hear of anything outside your small fishbowl.
Steve, not you, the other one - hehe - decided no one is to be trusted, but they're supposed to trust him. That's fine. His house, his money, his call. A job doesn't get put on my schedule unless someone puts money in my hands. It's like earnest money in real estate - a sign of good faith. If you don't trust me there's no point in me doing the job - it's a losing battle from the get go.
On Sun, 1 May 2011 16:49:09 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03 wrote:
Heh. Last summer I had my floors sanded. Couple of Polish guys recommended by my son. I don't know if they're legal, but they've been around for a few years. When the boss man came out to look he said $450. I said do it. The guy's English was so-so. They did an excellent sanding job and put down a coat of poly. Floors looked beautiful and both the wife and me were shocked. I didn't think to ask about coats, and I think the price he gave me was for one coat. Still not sure about that. My wife speaks Polish and talked the guy when they finished. She wanted to know what's best, and he told her 3 coats. But I got the impression the deal was one coat. I told her to tell him to do 3 coats and I'll pay him $550. She told him that. He can't say when he'll show up the next day. I told him to call me when he's on the way over to do the next coat. I'm sure he understood me. Dogs wake me up early the next day, and they're ringing the bell. They go over the first coat with the sander, vacuum and lay down a second coat. He can't say when he'll come the next day. I tell the guy again to call me when he's on the way to do the third coat. Again the dogs and doorbell wake me up. They vacuum and lay down the last coat in about 15 minutes. The boss shouts down to the basement that they're done and I go around the house to the front with my checkbook. I'm still groggy and haven't had my coffee. I compliment them on the job and say I'm paying $600. Then I write him a check for $500 and they leave. After I had my coffee I realize what I did, and call the guy and apologize, tell him to come back and get another hundred. As far as I know, he understood, but after a couple days of no show I call him again and tell him the same. He never showed. Beats the hell out of me why not. My wife said he seemed a little goofy. I got nothing against goofy doing a smart job. Besides me wanting to pay a fair price for their work, which I thought he underbid, my wife had talked to the guy about putting up crown molding and he said he would get back to us on that. He never did, and I did the woodwork myself.
On up front money for some work, I expect that. I paid the roofer for materials before he started, and I paid the guy who replaced all my windows for his costs before he started. Seems normal to me and I don't see a way around that. You don't do that with a fly-by-night, and should have references.
My biggest surprise was when I went out for quotes on a new furnace/AC. One company that's been around for decades didn't want anything down, nothing at eqpt delivery. They just wanted to be paid when the job was done. That seemed crazy on their part to me. Which just goes to show, it varies.
Right... Some jobs require 1/3rd deposit upon signing the paperwork to engage the services of the contractor...
Then another 1/3rd about midpoint of the work...
Then the balance is due upon completion and receiving the sign off from the inspector...
For smaller projects you wouldn't necessarily do that, but until you put ink to paper and sign the quote agreeing to the contractor's terms -- you aren't legally a customer...
Verbal agreements are just that... Usually not binding and open to various interpretations by either party...
The guys I use have the unit delivered and swap it out the same day. Rarely if ever does it take two days for a direct replacement. How long did your install take?
Never pay a contractor "up front". Offer to escrow funds and if the contractor refuses, it only confirms that he/she is a marginal contractor and may not be able to finish the job even when paid early. Many of these small outfits use funds paid up front to finance the completion of existing projects, and then go bust with your money and no work completed.
What is the weather like where you are? It's 75 and sunny here. WHAT, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT WHERE YOU LIVE?
PREPOSTEROUS!
Making blanket statements is silly.
In Nevada, merely offering to do work for a price rather than an hourly rate constitutes contracting without a license if that person is not licensed, and it is a felony. No money has to change hands, no documents need be signed, and no work has to be performed. So, in Nevada, a mere verbal offer is considered a contract by the State of Nevada, whereas other states require offer an acceptance, a deposit to make it a deal, the starting of work, etc.
So, everyone, please take these Internet blanket statements as worth the paper they are written on. Find out what it actually is in your jurisdiction.
As per paying in front, that is a practice that is questionable. However, if you have a good referral from someone who this person has done work, or has seen their work, and like it, one may want to pay something up front to get a good craftsman rather than playing Gypsy Roulette. I have been on both sides of this, both as a contractor and a consumer. I weigh all the aspects, then decide. I have no problem with progress payments, which is a very good way to go. I cannot see any project where paying in full is acceptable, though.
Then there are two scenarios. One is where the homeowner is clueless, and takes whoever answers the ad at face value. They are inexperienced at what they want done, and are for the most part ignorant of the process. Second, is a homeowner who knows what has to be done, has a reasonable idea of the time frame and other expectations, and who is possibly dealing with someone they know or has been referred to by a friend, and there is some record of work history.
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