Slowly I turned...and walked out the door.

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When I was a kid I somehow decided to taste condensate water that was coming out of an AC unit pipe on the side of a hotel bar. Not surprisingly it was pretty gross and the water even kind of smelled like ciggarette smoke.
 
One of the areas I was fortunate enough to inspect was a real "slum lord city". I can still recall one of my first inspections there when, as we were exiting one particular home which had an over abundance of cats, the contractor grabbed my coat from behind and stated "Always wipe your feet off before going outside" :D
added a little levity to a not so glamorous inspection.
 
Worse I ever had to do was a woman with 27 collies I could smell something as I opened the front gate. Gag reflex at the front door. OMG the smell of urine was disgusting, luckily it was a simple fix. I told the boss NEVER AGAIN.
 
Worse I've ever seen is a woman with a houseful of cats, and no litter box. She just used the carpet samples from the floor-covering store she works at. Cats use those, and she rolls 'em up and tosses 'em out.
 
I was interviewing contractors to finish a family room remodel I had started & got too busy to finish. I had chosen the contractor when my wife and son both said to forget him because he smelled of cigarettes.

Dave
 
mdshunk said:
I'm not a social worker, so I don't really intend to persuade them or get them to change their lifestyle. I could care less. I've got a job to do, and I'm going to do it as long as they can pay.
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Me too...........

I'll take their smelly money and cry all the way to the bank.:D

The "moral judgement" section was the only part of the electrical exam that I flunked.

steve
 
hillbilly said:
The "moral judgement" section was the only part of the electrical exam that I flunked.
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Nice.

I can't really say that I'm not judging people that live like hogs, but I just don't vocalize it. They might get a hint of how I feel when I wrinkle my face up and carry their 100 pound cat litter tray out to the porch until I'm done working in that area. ;) My favorite is when I sweep up my mess and leave a clean spot.
 
mdshunk said:
My favorite is when I sweep up my mess and leave a clean spot.
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I worked in a house that the HO's smoked, I had to cut in a box and I always wipe the area clean after I'm done, that was a mistake, I didnt know where to stop...:D :D :D
 
hillbilly said:
Me too...........

I'll take their smelly money and cry all the way to the bank.:D

The "moral judgement" section was the only part of the electrical exam that I flunked.

steve
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I did not "morally judge" this person. I just didn't like the way she smelled. I did NOT want to smell just as disgusting.

I will not do anything for money.
 
electricmanscott said:
I just didn't like the way she smelled. I did NOT want to smell just as disgusting.

I will not do anything for money.
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An extra 4 or 500 bucks will buy a lot of shower gel and laundry soap.
 
Boy I sure wish I had the luxury of picking my customers by how they smell.....shessh....Hey scotsman Ill give you my number so you can send your rejects to me...I never turn down work cause of how someone smells. I guess the ressecion hasnt hit your area yet?
 
My business cards say "Non-Smoking Contractor" on them. I'd rather work for people that appreciate me not putting out my cigarettes in their basement and such.

Never mind the fact that I'm not really a contractor since I don't write or sign any contracts with any of my customers.

I don't think I'd work in a cloud of smoke though. Cigarettes in the kitchen have got to be the worst smell I've ever experienced. It's the kind of smell I can recall with my imagination. NASTY NASTY NASTY!
 
tonyou812 said:
Boy I sure wish I had the luxury of picking my customers by how they smell.....shessh....Hey scotsman Ill give you my number so you can send your rejects to me...I never turn down work cause of how someone smells. I guess the ressecion hasnt hit your area yet?
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I'll also turn down work if it's in a crappy neighborhood. ;)

Go where the money is, hustle for the work you want to be doing, be happy about it. That's my approach.

Right now it's working well.
 
it seems that every job i do is a job that another contractor would turn down. i hate walking into a house and not being able to see the floor since its covered in trash. jobs like that i leave the tool box in the truck so i dont bring home any friends (cockroaches) :-?
 
I can never see myself turning down work . I tell everyone who applies for a job that sometimes it's a dirty smelly job and if you want a climate controled workspace that smells of poporri get a job at Super Cuts.We have done service changes in houses that were full of mold because of flooding wearing goggles and respirators.Bottom line is I am in this for the money.
 
I'll also turn down work if it's in a crappy neighborhood. ;)
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I have never turned down work. I just keep adding to the price until I feel my employees and I will be smiling all the way to the bank. Also adding $ for PPE, I don't want to catch anything in some of those places.

Smile and dream of $$$ as your doing your job, it goes much easier.
 
electricmanscott said:
I'll also turn down work if it's in a crappy neighborhood. ;)

Go where the money is, hustle for the work you want to be doing, be happy about it. That's my approach.

Right now it's working well.
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I just borrow my friends pit bull when Im working in a bad area-I dont even need to lock the back door
 
frogneck77 said:
I just borrow my friends pit bull when Im working in a bad area-I dont even need to lock the back door
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I have never met an animal I couldn't befriend. I'm known as "the guy we don't have to put the dog away for." One time I even played with the bears through the fence at our local outdoor zoo. Of couse, I had to sneak around some bushes and across a creek to reach them. :cool:

My mechanic owns a large, beefy Rottweiler, and he's amazed that Gemini doesn't even bark at me, not to mention licks me through his cage. Once I picked up a customer's cat, laid it on its back and tickled her tummy, and the owner said "I can't even pick up my cat like that!"

I love babies, too. :rolleyes:
 
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