Pithed

[Chet]

Yesterday I got da mill and all support stuff ready ta go do a saw job today. The date has been set for a couple of months now, with the guy callin' me at least once a week since ta make sure we were still on. The last call being yesterday. 
This mornin' he calls and cancels, he decided ta go bird huntin'.  He told da wife he'd be in touch to reschedule.   

[Frank_Pender]

Chet, if it was me in your sawdust pile, I'd be toooo busy when he wants to reschedule.

[OneWithWood]

What a bummer

I hope you decided to go bird hunting too.

I would be real tempted to up my price to reschedule and to inform him of my new policy that cancelations less than 7 days before the scheduled date carry a minimum charge to compensate for time wasted.  Unless it was a big job I would be sorely tempted to be too busy with other customers I might have put off to accomodate the date that was cancelled.

Brighter days are just ahead . . . when the white stuff covers everything and you have to wear sunglasses!

[CHARLIE]

I detest people like that.  People that will leave you high and dry if something more fun for them appears on the horizon.  I sure hope you are too busy when he calls to reschedule and force him to schedule at your availability and not his.  That guy sounds really irresponsible and not very dependable.

[SwampDonkey]

You guys think that's bad.....Father used to call and get a crew ready to go to work on the harvest or packing shed. Everyone was good to go as usual. Come the next day there were always one or two that would never show, never call, nothin. Just as if they was kidnapped over night.  Sure are alot of people that get some kind of pleasure wasting your time.

[DouginUtah]

What really hurts is when you have put a crew together to do a concrete pour and a couple of guys don't show.         

-Doug

[Corley5]

I had a high school kid working in the hay for me for 3 years.  The 1st two he was indispensible.  He could drive a tractor, rake hay and wasn't afraid to throw bales.  The 3rd summer he was great when he'd show up  .  He stood me up three times .  The 3rd time I was expecting it and had somebody else lined up anyway   I guess that's what happens when you're 17 and have a drivers license.  The first time I had customers coming to get hay off the wagons and much to their credit they pitched in and helped load wagons and I gave them a break for it.  The second time a neighbor was home and helped me on the wagons while Dad baled.  The young fellas parents were appalled at what he did and his older brother offered to kick his butt for me but I just let it slide.  I still owe him $72.50 for the last time he showed up and I told his brother to tell him I'd pay him if he came to me for it I'd a been in deep trouble if I told someone I was gonna help em make hay and didn't show.  Another thing that irks me is when somebody tells me they're gonna be out for hay at such and such a time and are an hour or more late or just plain don't show.  It's not so bad if I've got something going on at the shop but otherwise  

[SwampDonkey]

Another thing that irks me is when somebody tells me they're gonna be out for hay at such and such a time and are an hour or more late or just plain don't show.

That used to be the story with truckers coming after produce from the packing shed. They'd give ya a time they'd show and it might be several hours after the fact in the middle of the night when all the crew is home sleeping. I'm not a happy camper when I'm awaken at 2:00 am to load 2000 50lb bags by hand with little help and expected to be working back on the line at 8:00 am the same day. 

[DonE911]

Go ahead and re-schedule.....  then take a "weather day" day

[asy]

WHy do people do this??

It's beyond my level of reasoning.

I have been renovating a house for a bit now, and a while ago my chippy, (carpenter/builder) who we'll call 'chippy' for this excercise, had to do another job he'd promised someone else for a week. I said fine, come back the week after and do all the trim (architraving, skirtings, etc). Then we'll look at laying the floating floor in the lounge, and finishing the job off. There were probably another 3 weeks work in it for him.

The week went by, and he was supposed to go to my job on the following monday (lets call this monday, week 1). I rang him Monday afternoon to see if he needed any more timber or other stuff. He said he wasn't able to get there coz his car was playing up. I said fine, when will you be able to get there, do you think??  ( I knew his car had been playing up and was due for fixing). He said Wednesday or Thursday. I said OK.

Well, I rang him THursday Afternoon to see how the job had gone. Car still not fixed. It'll be next week before I get there, says he.  *mutter* OK says I. Ring me when you get there and I'll come across and give ya a hand.

The following week comes (week 2) and I wait till Thursday with no call from him, and I ring him. No answer. Leave message on mobile phone.

The following week comes (week 3) and I wait till Wednesday with no call from him, and I ring him. No answer, Leave message on mobile phone.

The following week comes (week 4) and I ring on Tuesday. Getting Pithed now. NEed the job done, costing me money sitting there with nothing happenning.

I ring again on Friday Week 4. Still no answer. I get worried there's something wrong. I email, and SMS him as well.

Week 5 I happen to be at another job with a painter and pest treatment guy who also know Chippy. I asked them whether they'd heard from him, and what was going on? Pest guy says...  "Oh, he's gone to Victoria (2 states away) to visit his daughter,He's supposed to be home on the 5th of Sept (beginning of week 5), I'm waiting for him to do a job for me too ".  So I said fine, thanks, let me know if you hear from him, and I"ll let you know if I do.

Didn't ring him in week 4 coz I now knew he was away.

RAng him on the Tuesday of week 5, as he was supposed to be home on the monday. Still no @#$@# answer. Rang again Friday. No answer. Rang the pestie, he hadn't heard from him either.

No answer and messages left the Monday and Thursday of week 6. SAturday week 6 I ring a Plasterer who's a friend of his. Plasterer's daughter's getting married, He's just about to walk her down the isle, and instead is talking to me on the phone. Ya'd think the guy would have turned it off,but no.. Never mind. He tells me Chippy is sick with the flu. He came home from Victoria with it. I said "How do you know this", Plasterer tells me he rang CHippy at home (I only have his mobile number). I asked plasterer to ring chippy for me and tell him I need to know whether he still wants to do this job coz it's costing me a fortune sitting doing nothing. He very loudly (obviously to impress ppl in the room) tells me he can't ring now, he's at his daughter's wedding. I very politely informed him that tomorrow or monday would do, I didn't expect him to ring from the wedding (The guys a megalomaniac, can you tell?)

Anyway, Come Wednesday (week 7), I Ring the plasterer again, Where's Chippy? How is he? what's happenning? Plasterer tells me he's sick, refusing to go to doctor...  I said, well, if he can answer the phone for you, he could pick the phone up and ring me!

Friday week 7 I get another Chippy. Chippy2 has not missed a day. And knows how to use the phone. 

So. Talk about Pithed.

It's now about week 11, an I STILL haven't heard from Chippy1. Now, I don't mind if he doesn't want to work with me any more. Not at all, but gee, he could have rung, emailed or SMS'd me.   

Why did I wait so long?? Well, coz I"d promised the work to him. and I don't like to go back on my word. I felt I had to give him a good go, before replacing him. He can't complain, I paid him for every minute he said he was on the job, at the end of every week. No complaints, never had to wait. Maybe that's why he was cross? 

So, that's my Pithed story. Thanks for letting me get it off my chest. Now you may all laugh at me for waiting so danG long.

asy

[Frickman]

asy,

You're alot more patient than me. I know that things can happen, and folks might get delayed by things totally out of their control. It's happened to everyone. But, and I mean but, there is no excuse for not doing what you say you will do, keeping your word if you will. Being a professional carpenter, plumber, accountant, or whatever doesn't just involve your trade itself. You have to handle the people part of it also, what are now called "soft skills". If a person doesn't show up, or call, I find someone else. Some folks just go through life never caring about or feeling responsible for their actions. That's OK, I just don't deal with them.

Chet, I'd never do another job for this fellow again. If his daughter had to be rushed to the hospital, or he had some other emergency, I would gladly reschedule. Bird hunting though is not an unplanned emergency.

[SwampDonkey]

The phone call thing I've experienced with businesses. They never return calls, I think it's because they don't right stuff down. When I need something for a PC, which is rare, I call the local shop. If I don't get a response in 3 days I go to  laptopsforless.com and have the part in a couple days. If they don't care about my business, I certainly won't care for theirs.

[Bro. Noble]

I just don't understand this thread -------If I had a chance to go bird hunting and pith off Chet,  I'd do it in a heartbeat

[Jeff]

I just don't understand this thread -------If I had a chance to go bird hunting and pith off Chet,  I'd do it in a heartbeat

I never thought of it that way Noble! Who was it said yer jest an ol' punkun head?

[Chet]

I just don't understand this thread -------If I had a chance to go bird hunting and pith off Chet, I'd do it in a heartbeat

I've heard tell if ya blow in a punkin heads ear you will snuff out his candle.   

[Chet]

Guess who called today.   

[DanG]

Chet, I know you aren't a vindictive sort of person, so I'm sure you worked him back into your schedule.   


About next August, or so?

[Jeff]

Bob Newhart?

[wiam]

Jeff,  I almost fell out of my chair.

Will

[OneWithWood]

and . . . .

[Chet]

He wasn't happy that he was moved to the bottom of my to do list.      He figured that I could have just moved somebody up that morning and he could just have da next slot.
I told him that if I get ahead I can maybe call him at short notice, but no promises. He told me he'd wait ( he don't like to work dat way).        

[Frank_Pender]

I would have sent him to someone else (probably someone I didn't like), or told him I could not find my list and would have to call him back.

[Don K]

Funny how inconsiderate people think the world revolves around them and their schedule       


   Ha I sure would like to put that angry smiley at the end of my statement but I don't know how.      Just picture it anyway.

[Jeff]

Donk, you simply click on it when your ready for it. The code that creats the smiley will be inserted into the last place you click in your message. If you want to put it back in the middle somewhere, simply click in your message text where you want the smiley, then click on the smiley to have the code inserted.

Help with Smileys link

[Bro. Noble]

Well  Jeff,  while you're at it,  why not tell him how to do the quotes too.  There might be someone else that would like to know how to do that ,  but is too bashful to ask


Well,  I got the smilies mastered    The ones that are shown above anyway

Reckon it will get Chet pithed,  stealing his thread?

[Jeff]

You get more smilies the same way. you just need to click thr [more] link just after the last smiley to see them in a new window.

I dont think I want to share how to quote!

[Dan_Shade]

I dont think I want to share how to quote!

why not, jeff?

[Jeff]

Cause Noble is watching and i am boycotting him for the day for making fun of the way greg and I hunt and eat grouse.

[Murf]

.... making fun of the way greg and I hunt and eat grouse.

As long as nobody ends up bandaged, and you don't have a pile of shot on the 'bone plate' when yer' done is there a wrong way ta' do it? 

    

[Jeff]

O.K., I'll relent.  For EVERYBODY ELSE.

This link goes right to the part of the help section (Available as the help link on your menu) that tells about the functions of all those little icons in the post form, including how to quote.

LINK

[Ernie]

Hey Jeff

Thanks for that "LINK" I never knew it existed.

If I had died yesterday, I never would have known about that

[Bro. Noble]

O.K., I'll relent.  For EVERYBODY ELSE.

This link goes right to the part of the help section (Available as the help link on your menu) that tells about the functions of all those little icons in the post form, including how to quote.

LINK

Thanks Jeff,  Ernie needed that

[Patty]

Asy,

Your experience with the worthless contractor is not unique. I think it is an unwritten rule that all contractors have to start a job, get everything all torn up, and then not come back for several weeks. 

I start calling after day 4 of neglect. Today, for example, I had to call one such negligent cement contractor. Last week he said he'd do a cement patio for us. Friday he packed 75 tons of lime just outside my back door, so we could track it in all weekend  . I was really looking forward to Monday so we would have concrete instead of lime just out side the door. By Wednesday when we still had no cement, I was getting a wee bit pithed.     So I tracked down his cell phone number (since they usually don't return calls made to their home) and when he still was a no show this morning, I called him. As always, like other contractors, he was jovial, and pretended like he really wanted to talk to me, asking me if I was anxious to get in my new patio.      I said, "no, in fact I am getting really cranky, with all the lime dust coming into my house! And nobody wants a cranky Patty!"  He assured me that he would be here tomorrow to set forms, and Monday we would have cement.  I don't believe him for a second, but I'll have to wait and see. ....I know where he lives. 

[Radar67]

Somebody better hold her back!!!!!!

[beenthere]

Patty
e-mail your avitar pic sans the scabbard on the saw tip. Mention tomorrow would be good to have concrete down and finished before the weekend. 

I am going through similar going on 6½ weeks to get shower room finished. Absolutely amazing the 'non-challant' response WHEN finally getting through to them (never return a call message left on the machine or a message left with the secretary).

[Radar67]

How many of you will continue to business with these people who don't return your calls? The reason I ask is, this is a good example of how not to treat your customers. Always return calls and do what you say you are going to do. 

[Ernie]

Calls to his home at 1:00am, then 2:00am etc for a couple of days usually work

[Patty]

I keep hassling them until they finish the job they have started; then they are history. Problem with living out where we do is that there is not 15 more contractors to fill in. There is usually only one or two, and they are worse than the one you just fired!    

Alot of this stuff you just learn to do on your own. Problem is I just don't have the time nor the want to learn alot of these trades, although that is changing as I get older...

Cement work is just really hard, and I am a weeny arm. So I will just have to be cranky until the guy finishes the job. It will, however, impact whether he gets hired back.

[Jeff]

I wouldnt make a good Contractor. Its taken us two months to build a shed.

[Ernie]

Patty, how's this for a suggestion.

For every day that he doesn't show up, add two weeks to the time it takes you to get around to writing out his cheque

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Pay him 1 check per week or two. That way, he will know YOU didn't forget.

[CHARLIE]

I've done just that Ernie.  One time it was a flooring guy that actually held up the finishing of a kitchen remodeling job.  He finally came and did the job and billed us the same day. I waited 6 weeks to pay him.  Another was a plumber that stopped midway in installing a pedestal sink in the bathroom.  After several weeks he came back and finished the job. Within a day I had a bill. I shelved it.  Got bill #2 the next month with a late payment charge.  I shelved it.  Got bill #3 the following month with another late payment charge. I shelved it.  Got bill #4 the next month with another late payment charge.  I then sent him a check for the work he did with a note telling him I took no longer to pay him than he took to finish the job and that I was not going to pay the late payment fee.

[Furby]

I wouldnt make a good Contractor. Its taken us two months to build a shed.

Well it's gonna take me four weeks to do a roof I planned to do in under two.

[Patty]

The bummer of this whole thing, is that you hire these yahoos with good intentions, of wanting to get a job done right, of wanting to find a contractor that you can hire again and again over the years. Then when they leave you high and dry in a bad situation, they don't understand why you are all mad and cranky. Being nice to them doesn't make any difference at all, I have found. It just hurts your feelings even more when they blow you off...
And I don't care if a job takes longer than planned if you actually SHOW UP! It is when you don't come back for days or weeks and the job drags on and on.   Guess I need to learn how to pour cement and get some popeye arms like Linda, and do it myself. 

[beenthere]

Patty   Are you 'invitin' Linda over for a 'concrete' party? 

I have to tell about a good experience with a contractor. An 'older' fellow, age 74, named 'Bud' had a crew of three and was asked if he would be interested in adding us on a 'great' room the fall of '01. He said "sure". I had a local architect take my plans to for drawings, and Bud said he used the same 'arch' to help him with his work. I asked for a 'quote' and he just said "$75,000".  (gulp). I wanted to know what I could do to get ready, and what he planned to do in the process. He just said he would do it for $75k. No details.  So I made a list of what I expected, and gave it to him. He glanced at it and said he would do it for $75k. No details or clarification. Then he said, We'll start next week Monday.  That was 4 days away.  We said, "go ahead" (been wanting to do this for about 30 years!).

Long story short, Bud and 3 man crew showed up Monday, and they never missed a day for nearly three months straight. Here every morining at 7 am, worked to 3:30 without a glitch. Fantastic, and they let me work along with them, as I enjoy that kind of stuff. We made some changes and added some things that I knew would bring the price up, but Bud never batted an eyelash. When I saw things I wanted done a certain way, he did it my way. At the end, come final check time, Bud said the balance was $__k and I said there were some additional items we added. He said he figured that, and it came to about $4k more, but because I helped, he 'paid' me $4k and the total job was still $75k.  Blew me away. That was about $10 an hour for watching, passing pieces, being a critic, and making sure they had fresh rolls (from my wife) and fresh coffee for break. It was a great building experience. Wish there were more 'Bud's around 

[Frank_Pender]

Patty, you might well think of creating a bill for the cleaning and all of the lime from inside your home.  Let's say that it would run around $100 a day.

[OneWithWood]

Patty, obviously you have not been treating Norm properly.  I would think he could have poured that concrete and had it finished in half a day. But he would have wanted to do it. 

[Patty]

Now this is a Popeye Arm! I need two of these....either Linda can bring hers, or I need to do about a million arm excersizes!

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Patty, it's not so much having muscles, it's mostly about endurance.

  If yer mixing yer own batches, THAT takes muscle and fortitude. If yer using a truck, once ya start, there's no rest = endurance.

  Not really difficult to get a good job done, just no rest breaks. 

[Norm]

Patty, obviously you have not been treating Norm properly.   

Boy I know I had it bad but for Robert to be able to see it all the way from Indiana it must be worse than I thought.

[Patty]

Oh Plllleeeeease, Norm doesn't know how good he has it. I have to keep reminding him daily.   

I have endurance, lots of it, I can nag on somebody 'til the cows come home, and still have enough breath to nag somemore. 

[SwampDonkey]

 

Ok 

[Roxie]

Patty!    Have ya lost yer mind posting a picture of a woman's arm with that kind of muscle?  What if Cowboy Bob were to see that picture?   What do you think would happen then???  Geez oh wheeze!!  He might expect me to lift stuff if he knows women can grow arms like that!!  My only consolation is the odds of him finding this thread ... 

[submarinesailor]

Patty,

On the nagging thing - HAVE YOU BEEN GIVING MY WIFE LESSONS???

Bruce/subsailor

[Patty]

Roxie, the person that belongs to that arm is Linda...Electric Al's wife. She is just a speck of a gal....thin and lithe, with arms like a sailor! Popeye the sailor that is!


Sub; I don't need to teach your lovely wife, we women are taught this wonderful art of nagging at a very young age. You remember in 5th grade when they separated the boys away from the girls to teach us about "stuff", well you thought we were learning about the birds and the bees! NOT!   

[Minnesota_boy]

You remember in 5th grade when they separated the boys away from the girls to teach us about "stuff", well you thought we were learning about the birds and the bees! NOT!   

We were! 

[SwampDonkey]

I think I missed that class.  To be honest I remember one class and the teacher was so embarrassed it became a closed subject. Then in college....we had this Sociology course and for some reason this intellectual type professor got onto this rage about letting her son watch whatever he wanted on the tube and the movies. Next thing I know , she anounces next week she was going to be showing a soft porn movie as part of her next lecture segment on norms and values and such.    Next week came and I noticed most all the females were absent , those that attended were pretty much discussed and left.  The whole course had nothing to do with the birds and bees, and I could never figure her out. She was way out there. I think everyone got an A in the course just for showing up.