getting paid (domestic work)

[Andy Allen]

Is anyone finding it harder to get paid from domestic work?
With some of the programmes on telly.....dom gets even..etc
Do you find customers getting extremely picky.....almost to the point of finding fault just to avoid paying. ?

Would be interested to here others views on this subject. .

 

[Qwerty]

Not had any issues. I'm a trading standards approved tradesman (on the Buy with Confidence scheme) and find that this helps a lot in circumstances where it is a customer who hasn't come to me through recommendation

 

[White Room]

Not really had any problem as of yet....touch wood.

 

[Ian]

Don't seem to have many problems here. Had a few this year that have needed a gentle reminder but, always got it. Most of my work is for plumbers/builders/developers these days and they're all good payers, always get my money within 7 days even if they haven't been paid from the client.

 

[Stocks Tiles]

I only do domestic work and for myself, when I quote I state that the total cost is £x and this it to be payable upon time of completion. And yeah I've not been knocked some even leave me the money when they go to work in the morning and I've only just started work there on single day jobs! But then my first bad customer happened last month, got to the job he's got b&q budget white wall tiles none the same size, tell him it's not going to line up very well etc etc, yeah that's fine I understand he says, wants extra work done and has not allowed another day for this and had mosaic borders and boxings that I knew nothing about and done anyway so I ran out of time. I went home agreeing to his part payment and he would transfer the money. Argument later about tiles being different sizes and says he has a mental disability he doesn't remember, well he paid some in the end and i had enough of him. Wednesday just gone he said he's taking legal action against me for the remaining works cause I told him to keep the rest of the money and forget all the other works he wants done I'm not interested he was demanding I start 3.30pm and Saturdays. Really piddled me off I've never had a issue from a customer with any of my work! Off topic but wanted to moan for days! Lol.

But in general my requirement for payment upon time of completion works well, I've learnt that EVERYTHING has to be in writing no matter how silly it seems cause verbal doesn't exist! If you accept the quote have the work done then there is no need to not pay at the end of the job, I certainly wouldn't make anyone wait for money if do work for me.

And if I get a bad vibe then there has been a few I haven't quoted as personally it's not worth the risk. Now that I'm finally at the point where I'm 7 1/2 weeks booked up in front of me since starting solo in August, it was tough until 3-4 weeks ago so I like to play safe rather than take risks financially.

I will shut up now

 

[gamma38]

Pretty good for me as well, although i will say people are becoming a bit more savy when they ask about prep, finish, etc. I think it's a combination of that useless ex car salesman small man syndrome Dom, and the internet. The internet has made an expert of everybody.

 

[Russell brown]

I thought Dom was an ex burglar ?

 

[White Room]

I thought Dom was an ex burglar ?

So did I..

 

[gamma38]

I stand corrected if that's true, I was always told he sold cars in Essex.

 

[John Benton]

I only do domestic work and for myself, when I quote I state that the total cost is £x and this it to be payable upon time of completion. And yeah I've not been knocked some even leave me the money when they go to work in the morning and I've only just started work there on single day jobs! But then my first bad customer happened last month, got to the job he's got b&q budget white wall tiles none the same size, tell him it's not going to line up very well etc etc, yeah that's fine I understand he says, wants extra work done and has not allowed another day for this and had mosaic borders and boxings that I knew nothing about and done anyway so I ran out of time. I went home agreeing to his part payment and he would transfer the money. Argument later about tiles being different sizes and says he has a mental disability he doesn't remember, well he paid some in the end and i had enough of him. Wednesday just gone he said he's taking legal action against me for the remaining works cause I told him to keep the rest of the money and forget all the other works he wants done I'm not interested he was demanding I start 3.30pm and Saturdays. Really piddled me off I've never had a issue from a customer with any of my work! Off topic but wanted to moan for days! Lol.

But in general my requirement for payment upon time of completion works well, I've learnt that EVERYTHING has to be in writing no matter how silly it seems cause verbal doesn't exist! If you accept the quote have the work done then there is no need to not pay at the end of the job, I certainly wouldn't make anyone wait for money if do work for me.

And if I get a bad vibe then there has been a few I haven't quoted as personally it's not worth the risk. Now that I'm finally at the point where I'm 7 1/2 weeks booked up in front of me since starting solo in August, it was tough until 3-4 weeks ago so I like to play safe rather than take risks financially.

I will shut up now

Not had any problems other than a shower cubicle I did for a wealthy consultant anaesthetist, waited 3 weeks for payment and he accused me of breaking his Dyson and trying to conceal a crack by sticking sellotape over it :mad2:

Paid up but the cheque was £15 short of the total. I didn't even waste my time or money chasing it.

Regarding getting everything in writing, remember this, 'The spoken word flies, but the written word remains' If you remember that then there can be no confusion as to the work that's carried out for the price agreed.

 

[Dave]

I get paid ok so far to date .. Had a few late payers but they still pay within a week.. 99% pay on completion and the other 1% is subby work and paid within a week.

I know what you mean about the written word lol , I've had some that seem to forget verbal conversations , so when I quote now , I always state what is what in the quote and fully state extra work will incur further costs.

Take it or leave it is my motto.

 

[Andy Allen]

I only do domestic work and for myself, when I quote I state that the total cost is £x and this it to be payable upon time of completion. And yeah I've not been knocked some even leave me the money when they go to work in the morning and I've only just started work there on single day jobs! But then my first bad customer happened last month, got to the job he's got b&q budget white wall tiles none the same size, tell him it's not going to line up very well etc etc, yeah that's fine I understand he says, wants extra work done and has not allowed another day for this and had mosaic borders and boxings that I knew nothing about and done anyway so I ran out of time. I went home agreeing to his part payment and he would transfer the money. Argument later about tiles being different sizes and says he has a mental disability he doesn't remember, well he paid some in the end and i had enough of him. Wednesday just gone he said he's taking legal action against me for the remaining works cause I told him to keep the rest of the money and forget all the other works he wants done I'm not interested he was demanding I start 3.30pm and Saturdays. Really piddled me off I've never had a issue from a customer with any of my work! Off topic but wanted to moan for days! Lol.

But in general my requirement for payment upon time of completion works well, I've learnt that EVERYTHING has to be in writing no matter how silly it seems cause verbal doesn't exist! If you accept the quote have the work done then there is no need to not pay at the end of the job, I certainly wouldn't make anyone wait for money if do work for me.

And if I get a bad vibe then there has been a few I haven't quoted as personally it's not worth the risk. Now that I'm finally at the point where I'm 7 1/2 weeks booked up in front of me since starting solo in August, it was tough until 3-4 weeks ago so I like to play safe rather than take risks financially.

I will shut up now

Exactly what's happend to me....customer gets cheap crap tiles from a diy shed against my advice. ....gose on holiday to Australia for 3 weeks while me and the plumber fit a new bathroom......he comes back and picks up on issues I explained to him before he left that I can do nothing about. Tiles sizes varying, bowed tiles ....glaze so thin it chips just running your dry cutter over them...ect

I think its more down to the price .....although me and the plumber have both done work for him before. ..an en-suite in his old house ( tiles supplied by me from a Decent tile supplier) he paid no problem.
When we priced this job he questioned us that he thought it was expensive and he was getting other quotes. ..fine by me I got plenty of work on. However he still came back to us to do the work...
Yesterday meeting ended with him paying me and the plumber three quarters of our money owed...as an intermediate payment ...as he put it, till the snags are done.
Its not rocket science to work out this is the price he wanted to pay in th the first place.
Btw hes a police officer.....just to pee me off even more..

 

[Colour Republic]

I thought Dom was an ex burglar ?

So did I..

I stand corrected if that's true, I was always told he sold cars in Essex.

For years I always thought he was an ex con but it's because one of the first times I saw him on TV he hosted a show called 'beat the burglar' and the actual ex burgler looks like they could have been brothers, hence why I think so many get confused.

 

[Andy Allen]

It's about time someone stood up for the good, honest, hard working tradesmen.
Seems everything is stacked against us of a client refuses to pay..

 

[Russell brown]

He's still like Ricky Gervias, God id like to give the pair of them a kicking!