Do I bill or eat the costs.

[Speshulk]

Sometimes that doesn't work either. I had to cut a parking lot and replace a bad underground conduit. The customer was to have a paving company come out afterwards and properly compact and re-pave. It was a main drive, so it could not be blocked off. Three weeks later the customer calls up raising Cain about a customer damaging their car because all of the truck traffic had compacted the gravel further, and when it rained, it filled up the hole. The driver was haulin butt across the parking lot, and hit the new pot hole. Even though the customer failed to re-pave in a timely manner, we got stuck with the bill.

There's no way you get stuck with the bill if you have a properly worded contract.

 

[hillbilly1]

There's no way you get stuck with the bill if you have a properly worded contract.

If they are a multi-million dollar customer there is.:lol:

 

[kwired]

I've never quite understood electrical contractors doing their own digging. I'm an electrician, not an equipment operator. Any time we have to do underground work, our contract includes this clause: "All necessary digging and back filling to be the responsibility of the customer." We let him hire his own excavating contractor. This way, when the sewer line gets smashed and there's shit flowing everywhere, it'll be handled by someone that's experienced in it. A year from now, when he's not happy about how the ditch hasn't settled right or the grass isn't growing properly, it's not our headache.

You must like all the logistical problems involved with getting someone to excavate when and where you want them to, or do not do many installations where excavation is done or at least has to be done on demand. Type of facilities you commonly work on does make a difference. Out here on farms, the excavation portions of the jobs are sometimes most of the job, connecting the load often is easy and is done pretty quick compared to the excavation portion of the job.

 

[rlewis581]

It's your responsibility. Sorry you had to learn this way.

It's your responsibility. Sorry you had to learn this way.

When you made the agreement is when all of this should have been addressed. You don't run out and get car insurance after you get in a wreck. You were the operator. You are responsible. Bite the bullet and do the repair. As someone else here said, you could lose hundreds of customers by "word of mouth". What is your reputation worth to you? This is what you should be asking yourself.
Learn from this one. We all have learned lessons like this. Do the right thing. It will make a better person of you and a better contractor. Be smart and revise your bid process. Better luck to you in the future.

 

[tshea]

Bill 'em. Explain you had to replace the wire that was hit because it could not be seen. Most reasonable people understand. The unreasonables....
They will either pay it or balk. If they balk, negotiate!
Just make sure you can get enough to cover all of your costs and a beer!:lol:


Tim

 

[kwired]

Bill 'em. Explain you had to replace the wire that was hit because it could not be seen. Most reasonable people understand. The unreasonables....
They will either pay it or balk. If they balk, negotiate!
Just make sure you can get enough to cover all of your costs and a beer!:lol:


Tim

Sometimes offering the beer to the customer softens them up to negotiate:lol: