Moral Question

[Headhunter]

I keep coming back to the old 80/20 rule... 80% of my business comes from 20% of my customers... if this customer fits this description, I'd be going out of my way to insure that I do everything I can to keep that relationship mutually beneficial.

HH

[Sinker]

What kind of structure are we talking here? Could be a doghouse for all we know......

 

what are you talking about when you say the footings gave out? Sounds like something built on blocks.......

 

I'm assuming its something fairly big if it took you a week to build it?

 

Need more details.

 

In the long run, its better to do things right the first time around, even if it costs double......this is a perfect example. I don't take jobs if they're looking for trouble by doing things on the cheap.

 

If its something worth doing, do it right the first time.

 

If it was something I did that caused it to blow down, I'd rebuild it no questions asked. If it was the owners idea to do it half assed, and you suggested doing it right.....I'd send the bill.

 

I always say one good job will get you another, one bad job will lose 10. Word of mouth is very powerful in trades.

 

Sinker

[Jpower24]

What if instead of giving him a direct discount of 50%, you offer him 25% off over the next 2 jobs, or make it more appealing, 20% on each job over 3 jobs. Just something that ensures your cashflow stays relatively unchanged while still offering virtually the same discount, not to mention it assures you he will be back over the next 2-3 years.

 

It's tought to charge full price on a job the 2nd time around, but he also chose to avoid insurance. I sure wouldn't want to make the call.

[ch312]

You just "painted" ... right !

 

exactly!

[brickNblock]

Build a deck or an addition or an extension without the proper permits and you might get away with it for now but when you go to sell the place down the road and the purchaser wants a survey you could find yourself in a whole lot of trouble, I.E. you could be fined and made to remove the structure.

 

We had a problem in Milton because I closed in one side of a car port and put a garage door on the one end. It was no longer considered a car port, they now considered it a garage which I didn't have a permit for. Then, because there was a door out to the car port and a window in that wall changes had to be made to the door and window so that they would meet code.... the list goes on! I don't even want to go into all the problems I had getting a permit after the fact and my wife worked for the planning Dept. and the inspector was a friend. I would never buy a place without getting a survey and I'd much rather go through the hassel of getting a permit now than trying to get one later and getting it denied.

 

BigCliff,

You are 100% correct in your post......

When we bought here, we bought as our retirement property....and that will never change!

Perhaps down the road our kids may run into a situation and curse long after we are gone but,

On our .."Plan of Survey"

There is no dimensions given for the existing deck..

It is just an etched in area showing a deck roughly 1/3 the size of the house................it is a very large deck.

We will re-build this deck to original length but will be adjusting the width to where the existing bottom landing is...roughly by 5'

There is nothing in the OBC for/against this in our area.

For our own sake...it wil be built with the proper material/spec's...to accomadate a roof we'll add.

Enclosing this new deck in not an issue either.......

We'll just install some windows..(The longest water front view will be almost entirely windows)... some Exterior cladding...and a new roof to attach to the existing roof ridge board of the house as it stands.

As for later down the road...........

Well, there will be nothing of concern as there is no dimension given/shown and for all itense and purposes it will look exactly as shown as per "Plan of Survey".

 

Please folks dont do this at home tho.....

All im saying is that according to the Town Survey it will appear as 'AS WAS'.....

Your neighbours must be of good gravity and true friendship durring inital to completion of the project.

Once up..as I stated..it will be just as was...

If there never was a deck prior too or if there was and dimensions given/shown........

I'd need a permit............FOR SURE!

bNb

 

Septic systems are a whole other dangerous scenario when on the water as you are fully aware B-Cliff.

Edited April 11, 2008 by brickNblock

[HTHM]

Gentlemen, and Ladies if applicable

A number of you did pick up on a important bit of info, the fact that the structure was blown down by extremely high winds......

In no way was I at fault in the failure of this structure, both the client and I agree on this.

As a matter of fact I had done a repair job for him 2 or 3 jobs ago that I was not happy with. He did not receive a bill for that work. My integrity is valuable to me.

As well, there is no need to question the workmanship as that is a moot point. The original structure was built to his instructions, and specs.

It boils down to "Feces happens"

[Moosebunk]

What if it blows over again...

 

Free or 50% off. Mother nature can rip anything apart, you can't be held fully accountable everytime you build a structure that gets devestated by things beyond your control, or weather totally beyond normal-bad weather.

 

But yet only you know the job you did first time around, so your conscience should dictate your next action.

[Roy]

After having re-read the entire thread, I've come to the conclusion that you had your own answer to your 'question' when you started the thread.

[HTHM]

After having re-read the entire thread, I've come to the conclusion that you had your own answer to your 'question' when you started the thread.

However it has been a heck of a debate though.....

[misfish]

I have build many decks and fences and other. When I did the work, it was pretty much over kill on the structure. Even was asked at times why all the extra support. Im one for extra and it makes me feel proud that I did a good job for thier comfort and saftey. Yes I too have been asked to do it cheap,thats where I say no can do. PRIDE is the only reason why.

Like many have asked,what happen to the support?

Myself,If I feel I did the job right,and the customer is willing to flip the material bill,I would say you did a good job and HE knows it.

 

I have one for ya. I got a job to build a fence and 2 decks for a customer. All turned out real nice and even picked up a few jobs from it. I had a gate, I had built as solid as fort knox,and one day we had a major storm with high winds. The door got blown off it,s hindges,(snapped the hing and wood.but the customer admited the door was not closed and the wind wiped the door right off. He was more then happy to have me rebuild and pay FULL for materials and labour.I just asked for the cost of material. Like said in one of the posts,it paid back with another 3 customers.You cant blame nature for mishaps.

Edited April 11, 2008 by misfish

[Tarzan's Jane]

# 1 I do not need to worry about this client going any where. He understands that it was not my fault the the structure blew over.

# 2 As to a building permit, no this was a farm structure.

# 3 I know I am not imune to mistakes, and when I mess up I admit it. I did not mess up in this case,I built what was agreed upon.

# 4 I suggested that he make an insurance claim, but he did not want to.

# 5 the winds that knoked it down were hurricane force, across an open field. 60 - 70 mph

# 6 The client already has aknowleded the fact that he is on the hook for this, however I am trying to decide if I use a # 0 or a # 10 bait holder. ( see, it always comes down to fishing!)

 

 

My initial feeling when reading your first post was that 50% was too high of a discount. After reading the above...he has to "EAT" some of this as well. The fact that he has asked YOU to rebuild says much about his confidence in your skills. He made an error as well. Whether it's a 50/50 split or more/less that is between the two of you.

 

When I waitressed...I had no sympathy nor tolerance for skammers. I recall approaching a customer a few minutes after delivering him his steak, and when I asked him if all was okay...he just looked at me and continued to chew...a few minutes later, with 3/4 of the steak gone, I again asked if all was okay....he said No...he was not happy. Heeellloooo you just consumed 3/4 of the steak.... I took it upon myself and refused to go to "bat" for him...and I didn't care if he ever came back. I am not suggesting your client is this way, but there are some "clients/customers" that you really don't care to ever see again.

 

Your integrity does comes through. I wish you the best in this...but do not take the full burden...your client owns some of this as well.

[Casey123]

I would eat it.... It happens to contractors on a daily basis..

 

Unless you have an engineers stamp... it is your responsibility...

 

Yup definatly eat it.

 

G

 

Got to agree here!

[nofish4me]

Noticed a couple of things.

You said you built it to his specs. What does he know?

You also said that you did jobs for him that you weren't happy with the result and you didn't charge him (that's the way I read it).

Now comes my questions to you (not trying to upset you), but have to ask.

1.) Did you get permits and inspections on original structure?

2.) Why have you done work you weren't satisfied with?

 

Possible outs for your problem, if it was built to code, charge him.

You could discount the job and take no loss, just no profit.

If you did this as a "Trunk Slammer", you'll probably have some good reason why it happened and charge him anyway.

My biggest question is; Why would you do work you are not satisfied with?