What do YOU do?

Stumper

Stumper

Treehouser
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
3,391
Location
Colorado
Showed up to give a bid a month ago. Big dying American Elm. The city had issued a removal order (part of their DED control policy) The little old lady said she didn't need me after all because her son-in-law was going to do it. She called today. SiL and his father rented a lift and did part of the tree a week ago. Showed up again today with a lift which the lady says wasn't tall enough...whatever. SiL dropped section of tree on his dad. Injured 1 arm, 1 leg and busted some ribs.They are gone and aren't coming back. She gave them all of her tree removal money.

How do you approach this sort of scenario? Mercy? Justice? Hurt yourself in helping? Tough?
 
No mercy (or not much, anyway). Your costs are still the same and you still deserve the same pay for your expertise (perhaps more). The fact that she gave all her tree money to unqualified relatives is not your problem. Maybe she needs to get her money back since they did not do the job they were paid to do. How would she react if she paid YOU to do the tree and you didn't complete the job?
 
She gave all the money she was going to pay you with to her SIL who now can't remove the tree and is keeping the money from his wife's grandmother, even though he didn't do the job and she paid before it was finished.

I'd tell her my bid stands (unless it's easier or harder than originally quoted) or, she can enjoy her dead tree. I've heard the city will remove it in some municipalities.

Not my problem.
 
Do what is in your heart.
Standerd procedure though would be to charge the amount needed to finish the job.
 
Actually Justin, it sounds like she's trying to play you. I'm sorry her SIL got hurt but he made the choice to attempt a job for which he wasn't qualified. And the client made the choice to hire unqualified relatives even after being informed of the possible consequences.

Now tell me again how you feel about people being responsible for their own actions? Why are YOU thinking of bailing out these people so they can continue along their merry way without facing the consequences of their poor choices? When was the last time somebody bailed you out and worked for you for free?

It's easy for me to say this since I'm not giving the bid, but I'm guilty of doing the same thing. I give my work away constantly and people either don't appreciate it or else they take advantage of it. That's why I have to charge hourly now. Otherwise I end up working for free.
 
Skwerl said:
...Now tell me again how you feel about people being responsible for their own actions? Why are YOU thinking of bailing out these people so they can continue along their merry way without facing the consequences of their poor choices? When was the last time somebody bailed you out and worked for you for free?
Click to expand...


:O

Aw chit! BBS and Reed won him over! He's a dem!:whine:
 
If they were payed to do a job, they MUST finish the job or give some money back!

If she dosn't want to upset SiL & father(because they are family:roll:), she deserves what she gets so re-quote accordingly for ramainder of job.

Maybe get the number of SiL & call him to light a fire under his azz. Its hard dealing with jerk family members on a good day but fair is fair so if he took the money, he finishes the job he started!

If SiL is out to screw Litle old lady and she has no money to pay you, help her out to make the tree safer or work something out. Some trade or barter or see if she can find you other work with her friends etc.

*

Then again, Karma is always good even if her family isn't! It all evens out in the end so do the right thing, you'll feel better afterwards!;)



HC




PS- Maybe she'll bake you some cookies or muffins to go with the coffee she brewed for ya.:P
 
My inclination would be to want to help, but not so generous as to do it for free....depends on how much work, I guess. Yeah, come to think of it, the sil should be giving back some of the funds...seems fair, but that makes two problems for the lady if he won't.

Does the city have some deal going where they might help on the payment? Rather doubtful I guess.

Justin might become a collection service for that lady from her sil. Something tells me that the tree fund isn't the only money she has given to him.
 
MasterBlaster said:
Sometimes it's doesn't hurt to add a bit of good karma to your portfolio.
Click to expand...

Yep.

If I liked her and thought she was sincerely in a jam I might work out a payment plan for her, every situation is different... but the bid price would have to stand.

Lame-ass son in law committed and should finish the job or give back all the money.
 
My question is if the tree can just be dropped now.... If so ... tell her you'll drop it and the SIL can clean it up ... I have done something like this in the past, but I really knew the customer and did them a favor... Probably kept the family idiot from killing himself or someone else.. Also got a good referral out of it and more than made my money on someone else...
 
Like Butch said , the Karma thing... I have done the help thing a few times , it is OK if it doesn't break your ass to save someone elses....
 
This is Stumper we're talking about. This guy gives away his work on a regular basis, always bidding too cheap on jobs for elderly and disadvantaged people. So overcharging her isn't even a possibility, I think this is to determine what level of charity she will receive. He'll probably take whatever we recommend and then knock off 25% from that.
:|:

But Stephen's suggestion of just putting it on the ground for the SIL isn't a bad idea. Get your money for the bucket work and let him work off his debt cleaning up the mess.
 
I still think Justin should hold out for fresh baked cookies & muffins! :P
 
I think she needs to pay something when she can pay. I would offer her the option of monthly payments. You need to make something, there are way too many folks out there who deserve a break but you'll go broke giving it to them.
 
Old Monkey said:
I think she needs to pay something when she can pay. I would offer her the option of monthly payments. You need to make something, there are way too many folks out there who deserve a break but you'll go broke giving it to them.
Click to expand...

:whine: Oh no!!! Brian and Jeff have turned OM into a stinking republican!!!
 
Thats a bitch Justin!! I don't envy you, sounds like a mess I would have gotten into!
I would be inclined to help as well, and for some reason I still believe in karma myself.
I would certainly look at whats left, if it's something you and a helper can rope and pull over, pro bono, and the family can deal with it in time.
More than that, I would have to be there to make the call. She certainly playing the sympahy card hard!

OK, here is a compromise of sorts, drop it and leave it. The charge being you leave her a box of buisness cards that she needs to pass out? Here's this little old lady handing out cards for "the very nice man that cut down my tree!"
Referals AND karma!!!! YEA BABY!!!!!:lol:
 
sawinredneck said:
Thats a bitch Justin!! I don't envy you, sounds like a mess I would have gotten into!
I would be inclined to help as well, and for some reason I still believe in karma myself.
I would certainly look at whats left, if it's something you and a helper can rope and pull over, pro bono, and the family can deal with it in time.
More than that, I would have to be there to make the call. She certainly playing the sympahy card hard!

OK, here is a compromise of sorts, drop it and leave it. The charge being you leave her a box of buisness cards that she needs to pass out? Here's this little old lady handing out cards for "the very nice man that cut down my tree!"
Referals AND karma!!!! YEA BABY!!!!!:lol:
Click to expand...

Yeah, she'll give the card to all the other people she knows that want cheap/free tree work. I also wouldn't want my truck parked anywhere near that job, guilt by association. If you can box and flop it, under cover of darkness, then I might do it and leave the mess for the sil. Maybe rent a car for the job, preferably with tinted windows.;)
 
I think the idea of just getting it on the ground and having her make you a nice dinner and home made blueberry pie with home made vanilla ice cream on top is the way to go. Give her 25 business cards and tell her to get busy finding you work that pays!! Once in a while it is good to do something extra ordinary for somebody you don't even know. Your kindness will return in ways that may just surprise you. Best of luck.
 
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