Jurek
Private Member
When you're self-employed you sometimes come across right nimrods. You've got to grin and bear it. I'm always polite, take the extra time to leave a place as clean as I've found it, return messages and calls straight away, make sure the jobs spot on, and don't rip people off. But there are just some customers who have no ******* idea.
Had a bloke call me today. Was meant to be doing the job the end of next week. Old Victorian house. Large bedroom ceiling that needed a touch of remedial work - knocking out a few spongey bits and dubbing out - and then skimming. But they've had a change of mind. Another spread has told them the whole ceiling needs pulling and boarding. Absolute b*ll***s. They still want me to do the job and to requote on that basis as they don't particularly like the other guy...
But they like him enough to take his word over mine. You try and treat people fairly. Politely told them to use the other guy.
A couple of weeks ago there was some Nigerian bloke. Seemed like a nice guy. Friendly. I'd worked for him a couple of weeks before, reboarded a bathroom ceiling after a leak. I get another call for skimming a knocked through living / dining room. It's a council house and the walls had been dabbed and wallpapered, no finish. All the facing ripped to pieces when stripped. Get the job and turn up three weeks later to start. The blokes wife is sitting on a deck chair in the room watching some GOD channel. I crack on anyway, PVA the walls, cut the beads, unscrew the sockets etc. Then I suggest to the bloke's wife that I'll need to cover the TV and place it out the way. She gets up and goes into the kitchen and a huge row erupts with her husband. FFS. I'm thinking it's because I've hinted I need a bit of room to breath, but it's something else. He hasn't got the money to pay me. His wife - THANKYOU! - has told him to tell me before I go any further. He gets paid in three weeks, and can give me a postdated cheque! Unbelievable. I tell him to call me back in three weeks and I'll do the job then. pack up the gear and leave. Didn't seem right somehow. Like a plastering version of the Nigerian email scam. Never heard back. probably still sitting there on deckchairs.
And there's more
Had a bloke call me today. Was meant to be doing the job the end of next week. Old Victorian house. Large bedroom ceiling that needed a touch of remedial work - knocking out a few spongey bits and dubbing out - and then skimming. But they've had a change of mind. Another spread has told them the whole ceiling needs pulling and boarding. Absolute b*ll***s. They still want me to do the job and to requote on that basis as they don't particularly like the other guy...
But they like him enough to take his word over mine. You try and treat people fairly. Politely told them to use the other guy.A couple of weeks ago there was some Nigerian bloke. Seemed like a nice guy. Friendly. I'd worked for him a couple of weeks before, reboarded a bathroom ceiling after a leak. I get another call for skimming a knocked through living / dining room. It's a council house and the walls had been dabbed and wallpapered, no finish. All the facing ripped to pieces when stripped. Get the job and turn up three weeks later to start. The blokes wife is sitting on a deck chair in the room watching some GOD channel. I crack on anyway, PVA the walls, cut the beads, unscrew the sockets etc. Then I suggest to the bloke's wife that I'll need to cover the TV and place it out the way. She gets up and goes into the kitchen and a huge row erupts with her husband. FFS. I'm thinking it's because I've hinted I need a bit of room to breath, but it's something else. He hasn't got the money to pay me. His wife - THANKYOU! - has told him to tell me before I go any further. He gets paid in three weeks, and can give me a postdated cheque! Unbelievable. I tell him to call me back in three weeks and I'll do the job then. pack up the gear and leave. Didn't seem right somehow. Like a plastering version of the Nigerian email scam. Never heard back. probably still sitting there on deckchairs.
And there's more
