Suspicions about a customer not paying

[felix]

I started a job today where I had to tile an area of wall behind an AGA and also the floor underneath. I got the job done and I need to go back tomorrow to grout. This evening she was really picky about the floor. She told me that the grout lines weren't straight until I showed her the spacers I'd used and proved it with the tape measure.

She then told me the floor wasn't flat even though I proved it with a spirit level. I just have a feeling that when I give her the invoice tomorrow I'm not going to get paid. What do you think would be the best way to approach it tomorrow

 

[brian c]

Take a baseball bat.lol

 

[penno]

You never know mate she may well be a picky person but does have every intention of paying you no problems. However when you go around tomorrow i would be asking (in a nice voice) if she is happy with everything that has been done before i even considered grouting.
Let us know what happens mate.

 

[Fekin]

I'd be thinking about getting her to sign to say shes happy with the job so far before doing anymore work.

 

[cococay]

I agree with penno about the grouting but if she is trying it on regards paying, I would tell her you will just lift all the tiles and she can get someone else. See if that makes her cough up, good luck whatever you decide. Coco

 

[GazLC81]

Same as Coco for me. I would make sure she is happy before grouting and if you get the feeling she isn't going to pay then make sure you get hwer to at least sign something to say you have done the work. The if she continues to be arkward, rip the lot up!! and leave it in the house. It's not your rubbish to deal with!

Gaz

ps. Although I think you will find that she'll probably just pay and be happy with the job. Some people like to try it on to get a discount. Just don't let 'em get to you!

 

[Falcone]

How did it go then Felix?

 

[wivers]

Send Ivegots round to do his running man dance if she dont pay up!

 

[Fred]

Take some quality photos of the work, before and after tiling. Don't pull up the tiles if she does not pay, she could make an allegation of criminal damage to police against you. That would eventually go into a civil dispute, but don't do it any way.

The photos will help you in any future civil claim against her.

 

[TonyJ]

It is OK to pull up all the tiles, If the customer had got the tile for you, then as long as your careful not to damage any tiles, or anything else in the customers bathroom & you leave them in a nice neat pile, then that's the best you can do as a professional tiler. You have already layed the tiles which the customer has not paid for, so you have the right to pull them up for the next tiler to be conned.

TonyJ

 

[geordie2013]

They d be gettimg ripped up and more for wasting my time and money.

 

[Deleted member 1779]

Felix Just recently I had a very high profile business meeting and not everything was going my way. The team of people I met appeared very difficult to deal with.

At the time I thought about picking up my stuff and walking out of the meeting room telling them all to get stuffed.

But I tried to stay calm, smiled and in my head I told myself to deal with each personal critisism with grace.

It might seem like I am talking in riddles here but the best advice I can give is to stay calm, smile, agree to differ and then negotiate an offer of payment which you both think is fair and then get out !

It happens to us all and so I wish you well...

 

[Fred]

Felix Just recently I had a very high profile business meeting and not everything was going my way. The team of people I met appeared very difficult to deal with.

At the time I thought about picking up my stuff and walking out of the meeting room telling them all to get stuffed.

But I tried to stay calm, smiled and in my head I told myself to deal with each personal critisism with grace.

It might seem like I am talking in riddles here but the best advice I can give is to stay calm, smile, agree to differ and then negotiate an offer of payment which you both think is fair and then get out !

It happens to us all and so I wish you well...

Good, sound advice.

 

[felix]

I got paid in the end. She asked for a discount but I told her there was no chance. When I estimated she said she was having ceramic tiles. When I got to the job they were terracotta with a glaze on them. (Had to wet cut everything) I had originally estimated 1 days work with a return the next morning to grout. Because of the terracotta it was 2 days and then back on the third to grout. I cut my losses and took the £150. I'm still pissed off though. I was ready with a bag of rapid set next to the toilet if she had refused to pay:wink_smile: :angel_smile: :devil_smile:

 

[Fred]

felix, when I started out, I fell for the ceramic to stone many times. On your quote form, write what tile it is and quote to that, i.e; 6 m2 ceramic floor tile to be suppied........£150 etc.

So, when you do turn up, with your copy of the quote, you can challenge them and say thats more money. Their pee takers mate.

 

[felix]

felix, when I started out, I fell for the ceramic to stone many times. On your quote form, write what tile it is and quote to that, i.e; 6 m2 ceramic floor tile to be suppied........£150 etc.

So, when you do turn up, with your copy of the quote, you can challenge them and say thats more money. Their pee takers mate.

My estimate sheet did say that. To be honest I just cut my losses and chalked it up to experience

 

[Fred]

Yeah, some times it isn't worth arguing about, get the money and run.

 

[Fekin]

ouch 🙁

I would have told'em it would be "x" amount more if they had swapped tile type before starting, and if they wasn't going to pay more for my time I'd then decide wether to do it or not.

 

[charlie1]

In my vast 8 monthes tiling experience i have had this happen 3 times. You ask customers what type of tile it is, the say ceramic and when you get there its porcelain. when you tell them they make out they didnt know, some are honest and some are at it, you can tell, but i would change price accordingly.

 

[reaper72]

I started a job today where I had to tile an area of wall behind an AGA and also the floor underneath. I got the job done and I need to go back tomorrow to grout. This evening she was really picky about the floor. She told me that the grout lines weren't straight until I showed her the spacers I'd used and proved it with the tape measure.

She then told me the floor wasn't flat even though I proved it with a spirit level. I just have a feeling that when I give her the invoice tomorrow I'm not going to get paid. What do you think would be the best way to approach it tomorrow

1.Turn up with the invoice in one hand and a Kangol Gun in the other.
2.Tell her that your best mate has just got out of prison after doing a five stretch for breaking and entering and removing household fixtures such as boilers etc.

 

[faithhealer]

I like the rapid set / toilet idea myself!

 

[Dan]

1.Turn up with the invoice in one hand and a Kangol Gun in the other.
2.Tell her that your best mate has just got out of prison after doing a five stretch for breaking and entering and removing household fixtures such as boilers etc.

Ouch. That would certainly give me the creeps.