Feel sorry or just business

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nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
I got caught up in a very last minute project. If we were able to replace the fire alarm, a large penalty would have been incurred to the owner then the general contractor.

This situation was a complete nightmare for everyone. It had been missed managed by the owner and the general contractor was now figuratively and literally paying for it.

I've never done work for the general contractor and it already begun some of the labor. Due to lack of any plans we hadn't written up a contract till just now. I wasn't willing to start the work until I got a 50% deposit more than usual due to the rush and expenses required. ($20k overall)

The project starts tomorrow I was promised the check and contract would show up at 9 AM. I said I need it in hand before we start work, which was to be at 6 AM.

I called around and found several folks to vouch for them, And then picked up a check at the project managers house.

I've only been burnt once on something like this and vowed never to let it happen again.


Am I a jerk for requiring this?
 

USMC1302

Senior Member
Location
NW Indiana
It sounds like you had already started some work? Nothing to be sorry about IMO. You're in business to earn a living and provide for yourself/family. Only you can determine how much risk you are willing to take. Being cautious sounds reasonable to me. You were burned once, don't do it again.

Steve
 

John120/240

Senior Member
Location
Olathe, Kansas
Hell NO. Hold true to your principals. It sounds like you are doing everyone a favor by taking

on this project at the last minute. You are in business to make money. I would get a cashier's

check for your upfront half & deposit it before work starts.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
New people, rush job, signs of bad management, no you were not wrong. CYA as best you can.

Your supplier is going to want their dough regardless of this GC paying or not.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
I got caught up in a very last minute project. If we were able to replace the fire alarm, a large penalty would have been incurred to the owner then the general contractor.

This situation was a complete nightmare for everyone. It had been missed managed by the owner and the general contractor was now figuratively and literally paying for it.

I've never done work for the general contractor and it already begun some of the labor. Due to lack of any plans we hadn't written up a contract till just now. I wasn't willing to start the work until I got a 50% deposit more than usual due to the rush and expenses required. ($20k overall)

The project starts tomorrow I was promised the check and contract would show up at 9 AM. I said I need it in hand before we start work, which was to be at 6 AM.

I called around and found several folks to vouch for them, And then picked up a check at the project managers house.

I've only been burnt once on something like this and vowed never to let it happen again.


Am I a jerk for requiring this?

If someone goes overboard in the middle of a shark feeding frenzy, it doesn't mean you have to go in after them without a shark cage around you to keep yourself safe. Business is business. If a 6-figure customer of long standing calls and says they need someone an hour ago, we fire up the TARDIS and git 'er done. Joe GC come to us with a tail of woe about how he's been abused and needs that fire alarm system or he's got liquidated damages he'll have to pay, and we don't know him from Adam, it'll be 50% (cash or certified check, sir?) up front and the balance the day we finish or the fire alarm panel will have sudden amnesia. And that's just for starters.

Who knows, maybe it'll be the start of a long and mutually profitable relationship, but we've all heard that fairy tale too often to lend it much credence.

As far as I'm concerned, you can sleep the sleep of the just on this one.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
I see no problem at all in expecting to get paid. If there is no time to go through the normal credit checks and stuff up front, then I would suggest that the approach you took is quite appropriate.

As for the cost, if you are working to someone else's schedule, they need to get that it is going to have to be at a premium. I can't imagine any Gc not understanding that.
 

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
A couple of maxims come to mind:
"Proper planning prevents poor performance," and,
"Poor Planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."
"Trust your mother, but still cut the cards."

Ever see the film "Goodfellas?" The Mafia 'silent partner' would show up to collect his share; he almost always heard a tale of woe: business is down, there was a fire, the plumbing broke, etc. His sincere reply? "Gee, that's terrible. Where's my money?"

Sure, it sounds hard and cold .... but we've seen the game played too many times.

Also, you need to ask yourself a few questions:
First, look at his home, his car. Now look at yours. Who needs a break here?
Now ask: is it easier to write a check at 5PM or to get a crew working at 6AM? They can write a check ANYTIME. Heck, they could have had it in hand when they approached you. You're doing them a favor by driving out to meet them.
 

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
Am I a jerk for requiring this?

no.

you were in the right place, with the right solution, at the right time.
that is worth a lot.

there was a sand and gravel supplier who had the right sand for
our pug mill. we needed 800 bottom dumps worth of it.

the contract stipulated that the final certified cashiers check for
$425,000 must be handed to him upon delivery of the last truckload.

penalty started when the driver of the last dump left the site, and
was computed at the rate of 1.5% per HOUR.

guess what? i was sitting there with a check in hand, and a clicker,
counting trucks. $6,300 an hour? you betcha. and a receipt letter
to be filled in and signed by both parties.

right now, i've got a job ready to do, that i required 100% payment
in full before scheduling the work. you'd laugh if you knew who.
it's a municipal government, but the person in charge of the project
is flakey. i have zero confidence in them to follow thru with anything
they say. emails, phone calls and texts go unanswered for days and
weeks.

when it's like that, cash up front, sunshine. kaching. :p
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
I wasn't willing to start the work until I got a 50% deposit more than usual due to the rush and expenses required. ($20k overall).

Am I a jerk for requiring this?


I did a few jobs for a GC that would get 40% up-front from the owner and take his cost out of that and then start paying the subs.

Was he a jerk? I don't know but he didn't lose any money or sleep.
 

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
UPDATE

UPDATE

I was paid earlier than promised. That never happens. Professionals are few and far between, but when you find them...
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
No!

It's business, and they need yours!

This is all a different contract matter for you, work it accordingly.

An you should bill like the gravel story!
 

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
No!

It's business, and they need yours!

This is all a different contract matter for you, work it accordingly.

An you should bill like the gravel story!



I Kinda did! Payment must be send upon final inspection. It was done Friday 4pm, check in hand Monday 1pm
 
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