Getting Paid
- Thread starter AndyG
- Start date
That’s beyond neurotic; one or both has a personality disorder.
I work in an outpatient (non-psychiatric) medical environment and see 40-50 patients per day. 1-2% seem to have severe neuroses or personality disorders. I’ve learned to see how many medication allergies they’ve listed. 0-2: probably normal. 3-5: watch out. 6+: end the encounter as quickly as possible.
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OP
They wired me the difference today.
You Nailed it!
She is in baaaaad shape- medicated, passes out, cries, childish.
The husband is her handler. I declare they are great people at heart.
He has gone overboard simply because when we leave, he is has to listen to her.
We rarely ever make these moves- it takes a lot to get here.
But the minute a client shows no consideration for the obligations I sustain (payroll) and create (supply bills) and start using money for unfair leverage they are going to have a problem. It takes little effort to get a great job from me- simply show me what needs improved....odds are its either not done yet due to other trades coming or I already know.
She stood one day complaining about the tile shower wall- went on and on - I finally said “mam can you place your hand on the area of concern?”
“Well, no, not really.”
Oh ok.
I have a rule when I hire someone. I start with the assumption that they know what they're doing and try to stay the fuck outta their way and let them do it.
Had a tile guy in California - a REAL craftsman. He was so pleased that I noticed several little things that he had done with the tilework, "Most people don't notice!". Anyway, I imported some Pentellic marble from Greece - the same stuff the Parthenon is built from. Wanted it laid in our entryway. He asked me where I got it. I told him "From Greece" - he didn't understand at first, so I had to clarify that I imported it myself directly from the quarry that had been in business for about 2,500 years! He was very impressed - and then asked me if I wanted the grain to run "this way" or "that way". I told him, "Paul, you're the tile guy. You know what looks good and what works. If I knew how to do it, I'd do it myself! Just do it!"
So I get a call at the end of the next day. He wanted me to look it over before he grouted to make sure I was happy. He was just that kind of guy. Of course, it looked fantastic and I told him so!
Do they actually think they're allergic or just get more pronounced side effects?
I'll be careful about adding any to my list.
Pepcid gives me heart palpitations and NSAIDs (does an entire drug class count as a single entry
) crank up my tinnitus...not really allergic, just experience less common but known side effects. I thought I was allergic to penicillins since I was 7 but my brother (an RN) recently told me that may be a reaction that people outgrow. I haven't had occasion to test it. It's given me what I think is a healthy level of caution toward pharmaceuticals such that if I can tolerate symptoms without a significant decline in my quality of life, I'll pass on the drugs cause it's a crapshoot as to whether the side effects will be worse than the symptom I'm treating...or in the case of the NSAIDs, I got a permanent side effect in exchange for treating temporary muscle strain.
OP
There are actually still some fantastic people out there- In all trades.
What happens when you do what you just described that creates an environment where the tradesperson puts more of himself into the work-He’s now working to amaze you and not working to get away from you. That’s going to create something good every time.
I will add that I am very reputation driven like most contractors- And that would lead some to wonder do I not care about how this might affect my reputation?
Well, actually I want a reputation as somebody that you better pay.
I know someone who has been beaten time after time and what happens is those people tell other people that they were able to “save money” by picking the work apart- For some people that is actually something they get off on. So consequently he attracts that kind of person. And sadly he also creates the environment where that kind of thing can happen and that is nobody’s fault but his.
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OP
Reminds me of an ex client that had a 'special' wife. I do IT work and he asked me to setup something at his house. So working on that, a fridge repair person shows up to fix their ice maker. They were going to have a party the next day.
Repair person advises the wife they have to order a part. No, the ice maker will not be ready for the party tomorrow. BUT WE NEED IT WORKING FOR TOMORROW... Sorry lady, we don't have that part in stock... She sees him out, goes upstairs and is sobbing loudly about the f*ing ice machine.
Looney tunes...
I used to be an EMT and transported many psych patients. So I've seen REAL crazy.
Glad you got paid finally.
OP
You know the funny thing is you can get a bag of ice for like a $2
And you know in one sense were all a little bit crazy...
And I don’t want to be cruel to somebody who is hurting deeply
But for goodness sake....When they start putting that pain on other people that’s a whole other story.
This bathroom should’ve took 12 to 14 weeks, not 78.
I’ll let it go a lot lot longer than I really cared to....But when we got down to the end and we kept going in circles, And I started getting the idea he was going to try to discount the bill, I changed tactics.
Whether they know it or not I did them a favor and I’m helping them to get closure on something that they will not allow themselves to do.
In all seriousness they do not need to undertake any other work on their home. For their own sake.
Yup, I'm aware. My wife is the cheap one in the family. We had a bad ice maker on our fridge (Sears I think?) a few years ago. After two ice maker replacements, we were on store bought ice for a few years. Ice is cheap, most annoying issue is storage.
OP
You’re exactly right and you know better than anybody because you deal in finish work-
Now there was one thing about these people that surprised me was they had mentioned a previous Remodel that they were really happy about- Most of the time the important information you get is that nobody has ever made them happy. If you ever hear that you can bet your bottom dollar that you’re about to get added to the list.
But I think the ladies son dying (He was murdered because he was messing with a married woman)Led to her psychological condition deteriorating between that job and this one.
I also think that she is medicated to the max.
Most of the time you will get pretty good Indications that the customer is going to be difficult and avoid the problem when you’ve been doing it as long as you and I have- i let this one slip in.
I refer to people like this as “they chose us to be the victim”.
You being a painter you will really get a laugh out of this one- This happened today-
Why? Because during this past summer the painter offended the customer. Southerners tend to be passive, and then aggressive on the back side.
You know something else you brought to mind is that customers like this will see blood. If you give in an inch they will try to get everything out of you they can.
The reason I took the posture I did was to stop the situation from escalating and take away their leverage.
Now instead of coming back because it looks like I want my money they will realize that I’ll come back because I’m a person of honor. I will probably tell them “look guys you’ve got one trip - get everything done you want and get us a check.”
I even went so far to tell them you have lost me and my good will earlier this year when you tried to take advantage of my company and get the tile work all redone for free because you wanted to change the tile you chose- But rather than say that was what they wanted, they tried to say that I didn’t build shower where it would work doorless. Of course I did not it was too small and that’s why we had a door in the contract. This is exactly where things went off track. And no it was not the principle of the thing it was the money- They were wanting me to eat about $12,000 of rework under false pretenses. This is why I have an attorney on retainer.
Idiots.
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OP
OK so now the customer just owes $560 and call all of a sudden they’re not gonna be as picky but let me tell you whats probably going to happen- They will try to make this $560 very expensive for me to get-
So here’s how we’re going to handle that-
Mr. customer and you have one trip for a punch list- We’re not going to do punchlist number one punchlist number to punchlist number three
You decide what you need done in order for us to collect and we’re going to do what we think is reasonable and you’re going to give us a check or we’re going to small claims court.
At this point I really don’t care the name of the game is getting away from people like this and taking care of the good people.
So here’s how we’re going to handle that-
Mr. customer and you have one trip for a punch list- We’re not going to do punchlist number one punchlist number to punchlist number three
You decide what you need done in order for us to collect and we’re going to do what we think is reasonable and you’re going to give us a check or we’re going to small claims court.
At this point I really don’t care the name of the game is getting away from people like this and taking care of the good people.
I got screwed for three grand last summer....I just gave up quick. When you see blue tape like that your not going to win. When I saw that picture my heart sunk. I can tell if the person is evil when I first talk to them. I need to learn to walk away immediatly.
OP
We all get better at it - at the same time we need to stay busy and people are sometimes pretty good at hiding it -
OP
You know I was working through a production builder back in the beginning and he would get first time homebuyers that would have no concept of what was reasonably good quality and they would go crazy with post it notes-
And this guy that was in charge of the punchlist work if I remember correctly would go in there with a shop vac and just suck them off the wall- Then fix what he needed to and go on down the road
I used to jokingly tell homeowners not to put them on tile because it would void the warranty - just pull the finish right off
I had a really bad customer about 10 years ago and I had this guy working for me and he was about 2 lockers short of a Rubicon and he gave them yard sale stickers to put on an accent band that had like 1000 tiles- I was ready to kill him. He was actually proud of the idea. That’s about as dumb as leaving somebody a level.
And this guy that was in charge of the punchlist work if I remember correctly would go in there with a shop vac and just suck them off the wall- Then fix what he needed to and go on down the road
I used to jokingly tell homeowners not to put them on tile because it would void the warranty - just pull the finish right off
I had a really bad customer about 10 years ago and I had this guy working for me and he was about 2 lockers short of a Rubicon and he gave them yard sale stickers to put on an accent band that had like 1000 tiles- I was ready to kill him. He was actually proud of the idea. That’s about as dumb as leaving somebody a level.
CreepinDeth
TJ Enthusiast
Stuff is $$$$ I just blew $5,200 on Cambria Quartz for my kitchen. We did all the rest of the work ourselves in our remodel. Saved a fortune
That's a nice top, what one is that? We are going with the Harlow gloss. I am paying to have all mine done and letting a pro do the whole thing. It is the $2200 under the counter lights that is killing me.