People are unbelievable!

[VJinTownsville]

I got this email today:

Can you explain your invoice to me please I find it very expensive.

I had a guy who came in before you did and he did a lot more work and only charge me $505.00 including dump fees and GST.

He had a labourer working with him the whole time, they started at 7am and finished at 3pm which would equate to 16 hours. During that time they took 2 very huge loads to the dump which was included in the price. Your invoice has 18.5 hours including your labourer at a cost of $925.00. That is only 2.5 hours more work for $420.00 and you didn't have to pay any dump fees or fuel as I provided a skip at my expense.

Also when you came to look at the job you told me that you would get most of the work done in half a day on your own and that I would be surprised at how much you would get done. I actually found that Sam and I did a lot of the work that I had asked you to clear. We both spent 2 afternoons clearing problem areas that I had asked you to clear and we still have more to do. I found your hourly rate expensive when you came to look at the job seeing as I had paid $55.00 an hour for 2 guys only a few days before but you told me that you work very fast and would get a lot done in half a day.

[VJinTownsville]

This is after I worked 3 half days nearly passing out in the heat. Labourer only came in on last day. I also mowed her lawn. She also agreed in the beginning and never spoke until Ive done a job

I filled up mostly the 18m3 skip bin on the first day. Chainsaw work, mowing blowing the whole property.

I only didnt finish as I had to go to docs for health related illness from work.

Do the maths and she should realise people dont work for 1920's prices.

Shes an accountant too

[Stripes]

Type back something along the lines of remaining viable, and that her as an accountant should know it is not viable to run a business at the prices the other guys worked for with all the costs involved. You are trying to run a successful business and to do that you have to charge those rates.

This is where set prices come into play. Next time you have a job like this, try and put a fixed price on it so you don't have to put up with this garbage about how much was done in the time and what your actual hourly rate is.

[administrator]

Vj Thats Why She Complained An Accoutant Has No Idea How Or Whats Involved To Run A Business

[Andy B]

Long time no hear VJ.

If the time is justified she's only complaining about an extra $2.80/hr. She wants to feel like she's getting a discount, if worse comes to worse, offer her a reduced payment of $880 which is same hours at $55/hr but immediate payment only and if not immediate full amount is payable.

[geoff1969]

I found your hourly rate expensive when you came to look at the job seeing as I had paid $55.00 an hour for 2 guys only a few days before but you told me that you work very fast and would get a lot done in half a day.


if she found your rates so expensive when you went to look at the job why did she get you in to do it ???? maybe the others wernt interested in doing any more for her at there original price ..or maybe what thay did on there first visit was the easy stuff
also what dose she / you consider to be fast = lots of variations in that and opinions ???
maybe infuture try to break the work volumes down into sections = $$ per certain sections . but if you fill you gave her good service for that $$ value just stand your ground .

[63impala]

Did you get paid VJ?

[ian]

Did you get paid VJ?

at the end of the day and after everything has been said this is the only thing that really matters

[VJinTownsville]

let me be completely honest here so i get a better response for this situation.

I did give her a substantial discount already as the job was not complete on the other side of the house. I was getting really sick and nearly passing out and had to go to the doctors. But we both agreed to an hourly rate. I offered the discount because I honestly wasn't happy with the job not being finished BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY she hired me to work PER HOUR not per job. So by not finishing the extra jobs she ask, she has not lost any money nor has she been charged extra. I gave her a discount out of my expense and good will as I was slow on the last day, but I still mowed her lawn, dumped the random washing machine ON TOP of the skip which was heavy (I am not a big man).


How can she not notice the full massive skip bin I filled up in front of her 'investment' house she is remodelling?

if she wasnt happy the first day then why did she get me to finish up then complain. I also confirmed with her each time I finished if she was happy. Also confirmed before sending the invoice and we both agreed. I did fill up the majority of the 18m3 skin bin. It wouldve been a lot easier to clear the rainforest type garden if I cleared the whole lot but she insisted on selecting a few to stay, so that took extra time as it was necessary to take extra care not to slash other plants.

Some parts of her garden were very narrow and require slashing by hand so as not to destroy the sprinkler system. the garden was about 5ft high and thick as. It was so dark you could see the ground. I had to do a path as narrow as my shoulders for about 10m in. There were snakes, redbacks and friggin redbacks around! That took a lot longer that just chainsawing, brushcutting freestanding trees without having to worry about sprinkers and other "precious" plants she wants to keep.

She has not paid yet and it is overdue.

[VJinTownsville]

I really think I have this opportunity to go into the niche of one off big jobs. But I have 3 bad debts, massive debts. I get sick in the stomach when I get the feeling I am not getting paid and ripped off.

I dont know if there is a method on this forum to get paid properly, some sort of a contract, negotiation/resolution, and get paid on time. it seems to be getting harder for people to play fair and I dont want to slide into being aggressive, unfair and not do the job right and rip people off just because people do this.

I dont want to be discouraged. You guys have had it harder than me. You guys are the reason I am on here. I will not let you guy down.

[Stripes]

If they are one off jobs, ask for a deposit up front. Anywhere from 30-50%. If they don't want to pay, walk away.

I got done when I should have known better from a job I did in October. One off job with the people needing it done before settlement the next day. They said they would drop the money off to me that afternoon- Nothing. I waited a week and sent them a txt. They sent a message back saying they will pay shortly- nothing. I sent another txt about a month later- they sent back sorry, just had a baby along with the house move overlooked the invoice will pay today- nothing. I called his number- it rings out. Only $132 but it still pisses me off that i worked hard for nothing. Now its pay a deposit or I walk away.

[Bluey]

Yep Stripes is right. Any job over $300 I now ask for a deposit. If they don't like this bad luck. Tell them you have to organise things in advance like skips and extra workers and for you to do this you need to ensure the job goes ahead. I got burnta little while go where we were set to do a job for a couple of grand and he pulled out the morning we were to attend. That's what prompted me. I now also have them sign a copy of the quote for big jobs so there is no argument. It is just a basic agreement clause that they agree to the quote. But I must say I have not been burned too many times. I do ask for cash up front on some jobs where you get the feeling they are a bit dodgy.

[geoff1969]

well sounds like your being fair and honest about it vj stick to your guns ..

personaly i wont work on hourly rate i tell the customer if its hourly rates and it starts to rain thay pay me to sit there untill the rain passes = hourly rate im there employee, job price only and any job that takes more than one day to complete is broken down in to sections and payment is to be made on section completment { same as many other industries } 3 days work = 3 sections any payment not made on completion of any section = no more work till payed up .. that way you minimise any potential losses

[VJinTownsville]

ok 505 from previous contractor she reckons.

minus gst is 454.9

minus 2 "large" trailer give 19.50 per extra big load is 415.5. I filled an 18m3 skip bin that can fit 3-5 trailers. what she claim they took away more is beyond me.

divide it by 16 hours is 25.90

divide by 2 people is 12.90 BEFORE tax, operational costs and fuel.

i dont think these guys have a trailer bigger than 5x3 by the way they do things.

now shes a champion accountant, work out the tax needed to be paid for that.

pure garbage. lies people tell. i shouldve known. bloody accountant who wears the same smelly dress for a week.

[Eastwood]

she sounds like a smart a***e. you should throw her in the skip.