What would OPPO do?

"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus)
09/16/2020 at 15:34 • Filed to: None

about a year ago I did a side job of a set of drawings for a client who wanted a new family room. he didn’ t realize that where he instructed me to place this room, was his septic system. Him not giving me the site plan I did not know either. He didn’ t hold it against me and instea d asked if I could do drawings for a new master suite over the garage. The builder had a schedule and asked me to rush the drawings so he could use the same time slot to build the master suite. I busted my ass to get them done and sent them to him and asked him to review the drawings and let me know of any changes necessary . Instea d of doing that he submitted the drawings. Somehow the model and the sheet became disconnected and the dimensions un- scaled so that instea d of reading 8' they read the actual dimension on the paper of 2". The builder (who i had worked with a lot, even having him do work on my parents house) called me up and demanded that I leave my job to fix the drawing immediately and deliver them to the building department an hour away. We got into a big fight and I agreed to finish the drawings and never talk to the builder again. The builder spoke to the owner who withheld money ($200) to be paid at the end of construction so that I wouldn’ t ghost the project. I never got that money. I accepted the loss and moved on.

yesterday the builder texted me and asked if I could revise a couple things on the family room project. I am torn between not responding at all and telling him to fuck the fuck off. then fuck off again even further . I don’ t need the work, I don’ t trust the builder or the client in the least bit at this point. I have no problem with saturating that bridge in rocket fuel and lighting that mother fucker up. However I also dont want to create any other issues for myself. What would OPPO do?

DISCUSSION (32)

Wacko > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 15:51

personally i would just finish the job that was asked for/paid for

CB > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 15:53

“I am currently very busy with other jobs at this point in time and cannot take on this job. As well, I have issues with your approach to resolving problems that arose with a previous job, and cannot in good faith make my 2020 any worse.”

Or something.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 15:55

Was the old job considered “done” after you did the previous revision? If so this is a new job, then they need to pay you and pay you upfront . If they’re willing to pay you sure, if not “oh well guess you’ll have to someone else, kthxbye”.

Telling the dude to go fuck himself might make you feel better but it doesn’t do you any favours, plus if the builder has to find another person to do the drawing that’s going to take time and delay the project.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Wacko
09/16/2020 at 15:56

I don’t think he was paid

Jb boin > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 15:57

Rick-roll him.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 15:58

I would respond that you hadn’t been paid the last time , and that the price is now higher for the additional work.

The “fuck you” though warranted would be be professional. You never know who you’ll be stuck with in the future.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > CB
09/16/2020 at 15:59

CB has a good take. (The rest of this is directed at OPPOsaurus.)

Alternatively, you could insist on a schedule that is very much in your favor and fees that are double your cost, and requiring a 50% deposit before work starts. That way if they really want you, you get everything that you want, including full value up front and possibly double in the end. Providing unreasonable fees is the professional way to tell a client to . . . you know, as you stated in the post. You simply stand firm on those fees.

Otherwise they may move on to someone else, which would be no loss to you as you feel that they did the damage to the relationship.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:00

I guess Im in the minority here that would tell him to piss up a rope or go sit on a traffic cone.

OPPOsaurus WRX > CB
09/16/2020 at 16:02

i like this

OPPOsaurus WRX > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
09/16/2020 at 16:03

one thing that I am afraid of is that they will look for some little issue to withhold money or sue me.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Wacko
09/16/2020 at 16:03

the jobs, both the family room and the master suite were completed. The revisions are new work on the family room that was never built.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:05

I would ask them for the $200, if they pay it tell them to fuck off to their face.

OPPOsaurus WRX > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
09/16/2020 at 16:07

the revisions would be considered new work. the family room drawings were completed before s witching to the master bedroom. the master has been built.

i really want nothing more than for these people to go away. i don’ t care in the least bit if it delays anything. I dont need references or anything from them.

Wacko > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:07

then what CB said

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:08

Yeah, if the clients have a litigious streak, the risk/reward i sn’t often good enough. You need to be able to sleep at night.

The deposit/retainer combined with extravagant fees at least c ould address the withholding concern.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:09

Ask for previous payment plus late fees and 50% up front for revisions as well as a surcharge for not scheduling the work appropriately as you have had to put aside other work to complete it. Basically just make their bad attitude as expensive as possible without being unreasonable. I wouldn't really want to work with them but if you do you better at least be well compensated.

DipodomysDeserti > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:09

I’d say “sure, here’s my rate” and charge them double whatever your rate is. My wife and I pull quite a bit of side hustle, and the firm rule is that payment always comes first.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
09/16/2020 at 16:11

Meant to type unprofessional

bison78 > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:18

Since they didn’t pay the $200, the builder and the owner think they have found someone who can be shafted.

If you have any inclination to do the job, tell them that they must first pay the $200 and all the fees for the new work up front.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:20

Side work is rarely worth it, at least in my experience. Either the client is a cheapskate, doing something illegal, or both. There is a reason they aren’t using a legitimate business to get the work competed. It really doesn’t matter what kind of work it is.

nermal > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:25

No discussion of new work until you are paid for completed work.

After you are paid for completed work, no new work until you are paid up front, since you have a history of not being paid.

Withhold liberal usage of fucks, in the interest of professionalism.

My bird IS the word > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:45

Inform him that your rates have substantially increased

RacinBob > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:46

If you are never going to work with him again, and assuming you were not paid for the initial design, email him the drawing model and advise you don’t have anymore time you can spend on it due to other work .

Suggest to him several capable people who can make the drawing changes and wish him best.

Mark Tucker > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 16:51

Somehow the model and the sheet became disconnected and the dimensions un-scaled so that instead of reading 8' they read the actual dimension on the paper of 2".

Kinja'd!!!

OPPOsaurus WRX > Mark Tucker
09/16/2020 at 17:02

If 1/4"=1'-0" and a bathroom is 8' wide, the dimension would read 8' but something happened and it removed that scaling so 8' which is (8) 1/4" showed 2"

OPPOsaurus WRX > Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition
09/16/2020 at 17:03

this is the only issue i’ve had so far.

liam > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 17:05

I would just say I am not available to take on work at the present.

Mark Tucker > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 17:10

I understand. It’s just the first thing I thought of.

This was the second:

Kinja'd!!!

Seriously though, if they owe you money that you’ve written off already, and it was a handshake deal (which is what it sounds like) then tell them to get bent (as profssionally as possible).

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 17:22

Then tell them;

Sincerest apologies, but I’m just too busy currently and can’t take on anymore work. Best of luck in your search.

Regards,

OPPOsaurus NoRoad

That’s it, no need for anything else. Just tell them you’re too busy and leave it at that.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 17:44

Charge 10x your normal price. That should help salt the wound, OR make you a bunch of money if they say yes!

MM54 > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 18:50

I agreed to finish the drawings and never talk to the builder again

Stick to your word, he obviously won’t.

shop-teacher > OPPOsaurus WRX
09/16/2020 at 21:27

I’d just ignore them.