do i or dont i

[Barry98]

never have i walked away from a job we have already started.

i really feel for the women lost her husband a few year back , then last year got ripped off by a builder for 20k. i understand her resentment to the construction industry , but her solicitor got us in last summer to sort the gas leaks so were already the good guys

but in the last 5 days she has moaned cos we left sight at 2pm. started at 8 no breaks

she winged like a git at my chippy who id employed for half a day to re lay floors , so much so he rang me and i had to tell him to grab his stuff and walk.

generously ,just moaned to high heaven but its pushed me to my limit tonight. and ive told her tomorrow i will be putting everything back as it was and she can keep her money.

when we started one rad was working out of 11. under floors we've found dead legs everywhere 28 reduced straight down to 10 , photos to follow. she rang monday crying cos it was too hot.

mrs says sod her but ive worked hard on my good reputation

moaned cos i forgot to lock the internal door to the garage

 

[SimonG]

Can't help some people and tend to get shafted when you do.

I'm afraid it's a judgement call. I have done it, but was pushed to the extreme, I personally regret it but if I hadn't I might have regretted it even more.

It's maybe worth a face to face to ask what the problem is, but if you can't sort it I would walk.

It's probably at a stage where your hero status has diminished and whatever you do will make her moan more.

 

[Barry98]

ive hit my limit i really want to help but im a plumber not a bloody miracle worker or god

 

[SimonG]

Bless you my son 🙂

See how you feel in the morning.

 

[Barry98]

to be fair ive been feeling like this yesterday and when this happened with the chippy it broke the camels back as they say

 

[so-solar]

This happened to me a few years back, I bit my tongue that many times it fell off!!!!

I went to the job and asked the customer outright, What the hell is the problem? It seems we are constantly clashing and i am just about to pack my kit up and go home! I felt so much better once i had spoke to the customer and to be honest once we had actually talked about it the customer agreed they were being very petty, (moaned for putting tea bags in the wheelie bin)

I know exactly how you feel and it is far from nice,

Try talking to them, if this fails, sub the job out and let somebody else have the headache!

Good luck mate!

 

[Millsy 82]

I would take her to one side or try and get a family member there if she is vunerable (A tape recorder or something like that comes in handy too) and say I know you have been ripped off in the past but I am not here to rip you off.

If you have given a price for the job she is probably worried that you will sting her for more if your there longer.

just try to make her feel at ease if all else fails tell her to bugger off during the day and leave you to it.

If you do a good job people will tell 1 or 2 people if you do a bad job (Or in this case walk out) She is likely to tell everybody she knows.

 

[Barry98]

sub it out , now theres an idea

 

[CES]

I know how you feel Bod. I would sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning. If you struggle to get into the job then I would politely walk away. No-one deserves having to be moaned that. That was one of the major factors in me going self employed, so I could pick jobs that I wanted to do and walk away when it didnt feel right. if I wanted to be moaned at I would have stayed on the books of someone else.

 

[Barry98]

even though job has taken us 3 extra days ive told her repeatedly the price is still the same ,might tell her friday then shes got the weekend

 

[Dannypipe]

I've been there. I've been so close to just walking. The funny thing is I've just been reccomended by a similar customer to her neighbour who wants loads of work done.

All this woman did was moan and whinge, and weirdly she must have been happy with everything as you would suggest us if she wasn't. Some people are just fussy and difficult. Its best to put up with it and stay polite. Its all going to be history in a couple of weeks.

 

[Dannypipe]

even though job has taken us 3 extra days ive told her repeatedly the price is still the same ,might tell her friday then shes got the weekend

Thats the other problem. With some people, the more you give the more they take....and I trully believe that familiarity breeds contempt.

 

[Barry98]

true danny , might tell her its doubled or am off lol

 

[REDSAW]

i would be worried about being paid bod?.

 

[Dannypipe]

Yeah, why should you give her three days for free!!?

People who have had their fingers burnt with other tradesmen are the worse.

I had to convert a newley complete wetroom into a shower room (fit a tray basically) as the room flooded when they had a shower. I said get the other guy back (they couldn't).

So I did a sterling job and sorted it. I hardly got a word of thanks the whole job. They took there misery of the last bloke out on me. Boy was I pleased to get away from there. I feel your pain mate. Stick it out. It'll be done and dusted soon!

 

[Dannypipe]

i would be worried about being paid bod?.

Possibly a valid point??? 🙁

 

[REDSAW]

on those sorts of jobs find a way of bunging £100 on top then go and buy something nice when the cash hits your palms.

nice feeling.🙂

 

[Dannypipe]

Cash!!!? He'll be lucky!! LOL.

 

[Barry98]

not worrieed over been paid i got 50% up front plus i have water tight T&C`S

 

[mountainman]

Serves you right for being honest and genuine.
Shame that our trade is tarnished by a few con men but the media makes us all out as shysters.

 

[REDSAW]

do you have a copy of your t&c bod?.

 

[Barry98]

Serves you right for being honest and genuine.
Shame that our trade is tarnished by a few con men but the media makes us all out as shysters.

couldnt agree more , i say the same thing at least 3 times a day

 

[WaterTight]

not worrieed over been paid i got 50% up front plus i have water tight T&C`S

they're copyrighted. i didn't give my permission.

I was doing the plumbing for a new funeral parlour working for my old boss and we walked on that one. Against his better judgement he took the job even though the guy had passed him over previously for another guy who was no longer available. I was a bit too inexperienced to be left to do most of it and poor communication compounded it. There was a confrontation and the owner stormed out to upset to continue. We walked. But to this today I'm sure it was the right decision. Nobody here can call it without being in the actual situation. And I wouldn't worry about your rep. If she's a whinger then all the people she knows will know she's a whinger.

 

[Barry98]

true there is only me who can decide it with me been there , thanks for all the input

 

[Millsy 82]

If she is as bad as you say the builder probably just sorted as quick as possible to get the job done.

I would say go and stay with somebody and let me get on with it. (but I am not known for being the best tempered I can take it for so long then lose my temper)

 

[Barry98]

weve arranged a meeting at nine in morning but she took the keys of chippy so i cant start anyway. not that i think we will

 

[REDSAW]

nothing in terms about obstructing the work force?.

 

[Barry98]

yeah plenty nothing about been a moaning cow though might get them added in though after this lol

 

[Resolute]

Use your charm Bod!!!

Some people just like to moan, she might be one of them (either that or she's not been allowed to moan in a more ahem, pleasurable way and therefore uptight!).

If it was me, I'd try talking to her and let her know how she's coming across (she might not realise) and ask her if she wants you to carry on with the job or not - if so the moaning has to stop. I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt tbh if they deserve it or not.

 

[dontknowitall]

I've learned to walk. Not a nice feeling (and very rare where I live) but part of the reason I do this job is for an enjoyable life. I'm my own boss and if I don't want to work for someone it's their lookout. I used to work through thick and thin, even if it meant a loss but life's not worth it.

Last job I left I'd taken off the old electric shower then walked before I put a new one in - didn't ask for payment and received an email complaining that I'd stolen his property. Landlord had asked his tenants to find a plumber as the previous one had failed to turn up. Alarms rang soon after I'd started and found a fault with the boiler which I'd pointed out with professional courtesy and he gave me a whole load of jip on the phone as I was there for his shower and not his boiler.

What was most satisfying was he was a puffed up solicitor landlord who realised he didn't have much of a leg to stand on. Must have really got to him when I pointed out the difference between property and premises after he'd tried some legal jargon on me.

 

[Barry98]

do you have a copy of your t&c bod?.

yea worth every penny , I tried my own but a solicitor who looked at them just laughed

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Lee what i dont get is what is her problem of going home at 2pm ?? must be a lot more to it for which i bet you have not got a idea what is going on in some peoples heads ! My personal sugestion is keep calm speak with respect to customer in such a way to show your professionalism and how much you care of finishing your job and that how much you rally value customer feedback been positive or negative !

 

[Barry98]

if she were a bloke I'd take her roun corner and give her a slap

 

[AWheating]

sometimes you have to do whats right for your mental health and walk away and dont look back. go home and kiss the missus and play in the garden with the kids. Next day start with a smile on your face.

 

[Barry98]

go home and kiss the missus and play in the garden with the kids. Next day start with a smile on your face.

that would send me over the edge for sure

 

[AWheating]

that would send me over the edge for sure

theres always beer!!

 

[stevetheplumber]

best out of it if it doesnt owe you too much makes you wonder what the builder who she claims ripped her of says about her
i had one a few years ago questioned every price i gave her for a boiler change and i wound up letting her get the boiler as she thoought she could get it cheaper when i turned up to do the job i removed the old boiler then realised there was no flue with the new boiler when i asked for the flue she started crying how she couldnt afford to keep on paying out and i was ripping her of so she then started smashing a kitchen cupboard so i picked up the dust sheets then the tools and left
lifes to short and there are people out there you just cant help

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Nice one Steve 🙂

 

[Barry98]

builder did rip her off mate , I had to condem it all and get hse involved , his sparky hadn't wired the earths in the fuse box either

 

[REDSAW]

what sparky?

 

[AWheating]

builder did rip her off mate , I had to condem it all and get hse involved , his sparky hadn't wired the earths in the fuse box either

she dont need any earths if nothing works 😉