Why!!!????

[Bubber]

I had a truck body business at one time. Anytime anyone wanted me to work on their chassis, etc. I would work up an estimate and get 50% down before I would take delivery of their vehicle. Do not hesitate to get money down. I always went by the "you pay to play" adage. Send the jerks to your competitors.

 

[Budnicks]

Been there done that... Look into a mechanics lien you keep the said affected property, after a non-payment for a specific period of time, then you are free to dispose of or sell it, at your leisure, it's a little hassle & it cost like $90 to file a mechanics lien here in Calif., also the county Sheriff also gets involved that way... I'm not sure what it would be in Texas or if the state allows that sort of thing... I had a lawyer on retainer for such events, when I was doing Construction Contracting, at least you can recover some, if not all of you money back... If I remember correctly, {I would need to talk Jackson Long the Lawyer} if you sell it for more than is owed, you have to give those funds back to the original owner &/or credit toward the bill or something along those lines... You can always go to Small Claims Court for up-to $7000, beyond that, it's civil court & a law suit I know it's a hassle, but sometimes you just got to do, what you got to do, in the business world....

 

[MoparBill]

I have been on the other side of the fence- giving too much of a down payment to a body/paint guy who then pushes your car in the back of the shop for an eternity. Once they blow the money, they look at how much work is left vs how much the stand to get paid. I will never give a large down payment again. I will give enough to cover materials and make progress payments at agreed upon milestones.
Sorry you have a bad customer- try telling him you'll start charging storage if he doesn't pay up.

 

[Budnicks]

Yep there are so many nightmares of shops ripping of the customers too, always 2 sides to the subject, unfortunately the honest guys on either end get screwed...

 

[Bubber]

I would go thru small claims court here in Alabama. I would get a lien on their home. Sooner or later they would come thru with payment. I had one guy come in 6 months after I put a lien on his property and paid me and also paid cash for a $7K hydraulic crane for his truck. Never did business again with him unless in cash and I did not even have to tell him he just knew. Business is business guys always try to protect yourself and your family. Don 't try to make any enemies, but we aren't in business to make friends and give favors to everybody. If you are honest and deliver a great product/service and can do that on an agreed upon time, that is what people are after.

 

[Moparsmitty]

Oh man, that bites. I always pay for the work I get done- I don't try to haggle and I pay quickly. The bonus of doing this is that everyone I work with is happy and gives me great service, along with going above and beyond! My local tire shop has kept my stock rims stored for free because I don't have the space for them and I'm a good customer.

I wish you the best of luck dealing with deadbeats 'n dreamers. Selling his stuff sounds like a great idea to me...

I agree with you Pabster. I figured out a long time ago that being a good customer will get you a lot farther than being a bad one. The shop that I take my cars to when I don't want to work on them myself, is the best shop around. They aren't the cheapest. They are the best. I know the owner and the techs and they know me. If I take a car in to them I know that they will go the extra mile for me because I'm a good customer. I send them lots of business and they know it. Real simple how it works.

 

[Capt-Culver]

Agree with MoparBill,

We took a 1961 Alfa Romeo Guilletta spider to the shop 3 years ago. Paid the $7500 up front for minor body work and paint. It's still sitting on the rotiessere! This guy has a ponzi scheme going on and it's been one fight after another. We've come to realize there is nothing we can do and we're stuck with his time table. I just hope we get it back before grandpa passes away. I'll never pay up front again. I have no problem paying as the work is completed, but I have to see some progress.

 

[Donny]

Wow, I had no idea this was such a sore subject with so many of you! Thanks for the replies! All good ideas. I have decided that on all future jobs that entail media blasting, take vehicle apart, metal repair, priming, welding, etc. I will get $5000.00 up-front, and tell them 3 grand is to cover costs to get going; the media blasting, take apart costs, paints etc. Won't cover much labor. The 2 grand is held in a savings acct to be drawn upon if the customer stops paying after 30 days, and late fees etc, storage fees will eat that up quickly, all with enough time to get a mechanics lien on the project.

He actually responded just now, like 15 mins ago, he said the Army isn't paying him, and took too much money out of his pay, like that's MY ******* problem? He said he's sending me something, he's getting late fees on the over 30 day balance, I am going to charge him for 100% at 30 days, meaning what's owed me 30+ days is divided by 30 and that amount is due each day he's late on that original old amount.

I can't afford to have MY cars sit outside for customers, if they pay then ok, a tarp is on the 300 and GTX, but these non-paying types frosts my ***!

 

[Budnicks]

A good business practice is to give or get, depends on what side you are on, a Performance Contract, that states the job will be performed/completed by a certain date, or you either get/give a discount for late jobs or a bonus for finishing early...These are very common in the Construction/Building Industry, it gives an incentive to, get a job done quickly for both sides, the customer & the contractor... I use to always give a discount for paying early, before a 30 or 90 day draw also, on larger contracts, the customer always likes to get a discount, how ever they can get it, I would add a 1%-2% premium per day for late payment & I always had my customers sign the Performance Contracts & give an adequate deposit to cover materials, permit fees etc., you couldn't ask for the labor cost, until the actual labor was performed, before I would even start any of the work... I also did this with fabricators they are notoriously slow & lazy, even the big name famous guys, I had a couple of my 1st Pro cars built a fab shops, after being strung along for "way to long after the 1st car", always would do a Performance Contract afterwords, when there is a monetary punishment for no-performance it's amazing how fast stuff can be done, you can apply the principle to customers too, it needs to be in writing, signed, documented & legal...I do all my own cars now & never trust anyone to do what I can do myself... Good luck Donny...

 

[Donny]

I already do a performance contract, where I indicate what I'll do, and what it will cost. The time frame for this is sort of fuzzy, especially when the large jobs come in; customer basically has nothing taken apart, or, thinks its ready for blasting with the motor in it. I encourage the customer to do the removal of the stuff before it comes to me, but, sometimes they don't want to hassle with it, at that time the time-line becomes more fuzzy, whereas I tell them I'll try to get it done in x amount of time, etc. But, with SO many variables, its difficult.

I don't like taking a large chunk up-front, but, with this recent debacle, I'm doing the 5K up front, with 2k held in a savings account for when and if they decide to 'take a break' and not pay me. See this change: http://drblast.com/index.php?id=80 The 3K will cover media blasting, some disassembly, primers, and some labor. 3K gets eaten up fast! Bill every 30 days, and hold the 2k also as a last-months rent and storage fees when the ugly side of this comes out. Plus, it will weed out the dreamers and wanna-be's.

Here's the contract I use.

[/IMG]

J/K, that's my friend Ash, haha, too bad that contract wasn't with her aye? Hahaha.

[/IMG]
This contract I've been using for a while now, and, what other unique requirements I write in, and then I sign it, and the customer signs it, I give them the bottom copy, I keep the top.

 

[coloradodave]

I used to do automotive lockouts as my 'retirement job'. One evening I got a call from a women who had locked her keys in her pick-up at a pizza parlor. Her husband and kids were with her. I traveled about 5 miles to the site and unlocked the door, keeping the keys with me, as was my practice until I was paid. The husband evidently had had a few beers and told me "I'm not going to pay you $50.00 for 2 minutes of work". I said fine, pushed the door lock down, threw the keys on the seat and closed the door. I proceeded to get back in my truck and watched as the woman pleaded with her husband to pay me. As I was pulling away she was beating on him pretty good. Before I got a block away I got another call from her saying that SHE had the money in her hand and would I please come back? I did and got a tip to boot!
It's unfortunate that there are THOSE customers out there, but a big sign at the counter stating "Parts will be sold for charges if left over 30 days" and a contract that every customer signs before work is started laying out your business' payment terms goes a long way in helping you get paid for work done.
Good luck everybody.

 

[Revhendo]

3K gets eaten up fast!

[/IMG]

Yes. Yes it does.

 

[Sixpack70]

Donny, remember if he is not getting paid in the military, he screwed up. I have a few NCOs who are learning that the hard way right now.

It then goes to show his character. If I couldn't make a full payment, I would at least try to work something out with you and pay an amount even if it was not the full payment. I would be in contact with you at least twice a month (paydays) to make sure you were in the loop on what is going on. Hard times is not an excuse to blow you off.

If he doesn't have the money to play with his car, he needs to let it sit in his garage like I did for 4 years after my divorce.

My friend asks for 50% for jobs up front. Friends, customers, whoever it doesn't matter. I paid him 100% up front for the job I had him do and never had to worry about anything. I just went and picked it up.

 

[Donny]

He's sort of flakey, and he's a Major in the Army! I talked with him today, told him that I need resolution in like 2 days or I'm headed to the County Debt office and file a claim. He had excuses how DFAS took too much money etc, yeah, whatever, I don't care, just pay me. Well, I'm running late fees on him, and will start storage fees next week when I run out of things to do on his car, which is coming up very fast! Its business, simple as that. I can't pay my bills on this kind of currency, as you all know!

 

[Revhendo]

Not to sound geographically ignorant, (which I am) is he stationed at a post nearby? Perhaps you can contact the Provost Marshall?

 

[Donny]

I'd really screw him over if I went to his CO and presented my case...they can put an enormous amount of pressure on soldiers to pay their bills, especially if its a Field Grade, I mean that's just embarrassing to everyone. It sucks all over, gives me a totally new appreciation for other small business owners out there, it ain't easy to make this game pay!

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Being a salvage dealer automatically puts you in " haggle central" . Its gotten to the point that unless your an established customer... pay upfront... or you always have the option........... of kissing my azz

 

[Sixpack70]

He's a Major??? He's acting like a bad PFC! Ill be a major soon, but I would never act like an asshat like he is. He also makes about $8300 per month unless he lives in housing. Time for him to fulfill his obligations and pop out the credit card!

Whats a Major doing with a classic anyway? I thought I was the only weirdo officer with old cars?

 

[Donny]

I was going to look up the base pay for an O4, but thanks for that number. He's also going to school full time on the Army's dime, so, there may be another stipend for that little venture.
...And I've modified the displayed contract to indicate late fees, storage fees, NSF fees all IAW Texas law.

 

[Revhendo]

Just a guess, but I got five bucks that sez your major problem is a West Pointer.

It sucks that you have to go through these changes in your op because of dillholes like this. I seem to recall you having a similar problem with a reputed shop in town, also. I actually still expect servicemembers to have better integrity, bearing and honor. But then, when I go back and reflect upon my active duty and my wonderful experience in the guard (that lasted all of about two weekends), I remember that not everyone was a stellar individual.

I still believe a man's word is his bond and that a handshake is as good as a signed contract. I also understand that I am in a minority.