BamaTanya Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Over the years, we have had a certain company do the treework we needed in our yards. (This is our third home and we've always lived in this area.) The man who owns the company has become kind of a friend. We have children similar ages. We are Christians. He and dh talk on occasion. They refer to sermons, scriptures, hymns, etc. We're not "hang-out" friends, but it's definitely friendly. Recently we hired a fellow (unrelated) to do some yard renovating. Not really landscaping. More ripping out unwanted plants/bushes/small trees. He was talking about how he would pull down a dead tree and dh decided to call our tree guy friend instead. The tree guy has all the big equipment necessary for a heavy tree that could do some damage, and we felt better about taking this particular job off the landscaper's plate. Dh got an estimate from the tree guy. He charges by the hour and they talked about taking down this tree, trimming up some others, grinding up/hauling off the debris, etc. They guessed 2 hrs and dh said, "Tell your crew to work 2 hrs on the heavy work, and if there's any debris clearing left, our landscaper will take care of it." (We were paying the landscaper for the whole week of work anyway.) On the morning the crew showed up, neither dh nor I were home. Our landscaper was here working. The tree crew called dh when they got here (so we knew the time) and the landscaper called when they left, so we believe they were here for 1.5 hours. I got home first. The tree was down and others trimmed. But they'd left big (BIG as in unmovable without heavy equipment) logs. And lots of debris that they could have ground up and/or hauled away. We had to pay the city to haul away the big mess. And the landscaper had to rake/drag what he could into piles. Dh was disappointed by what they had not accomplished by not spending the full two hours here. He called tree friend to settle up. Tree friend named the 2 hours price and dh asserted that they had not been here for the 2 hours. Tree friend said his crew told him they had been here 2 hours. He did not come by that afternoon to collect his payment. Dh texted him the next day and asked him to send an invoice. Nothing. The next week, dh called him and said we needed to pay him. Tree friend said, "Jesus paid it all," and wouldn't talk about it further. We have not heard from him since. We know we owe him money. We don't think his crew did the work that we expected and had agreed to pay for. We don't want to spoil our relationship -- professional and otherwise - with this man. What would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 (edited) Well....I can tell you from my experience as a contractor's wife. The guys on the job probably lied. The boss probably had no idea and is probably upset with his employees. I have had many occasion where tech said he did something he obviously didn't...and I, being who I am, Will send the tech back to redo the job, or my dh or son will have to go.... and will often bite the charge. We have often sent employees to do work...then pay them....only to have to go back and fix something or do the entire job over. :glare: It is terribly frustrating.... Faithe Eta: I probably would let him know you are disappointed in the job and give him a chance to make it up to you....or just send him a check....for what you feel is fair...with a note saying why. It is hard to do business with friends.... Edited December 8, 2011 by Mommyfaithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Send a note with the payment that you think you agreed to. Dear Mr. Tree Man, Enclosed please find payment for the work your crew did on xx/xx/11. I appreciate the work you have done on our trees over the years and we look forward to calling you again when the trees need work. Many blessings for a Merry Christmas, xxxxx *Note to self: make sure you are home next time any tree work is done so that you can communicate expectations with the workers and note the time worked per the agreement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Tough one. We always have people quote us to "get the job done." That way we know the price and they know what has to be done. Unfortunately now the Friendship has entered the Fuzzy Area left by the uncertainties in "getting the job done." I'd just send him a check for the 2-hour price and Lesson Learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Send a note with the payment that you think you agreed to. Dear Mr. Tree Man, Enclosed please find payment for the work your crew did on xx/xx/11. I appreciate the work you have done on our trees over the years and we look forward to calling you again when the trees need work. Many blessings for a Merry Christmas, xxxxx *Note to self: make sure you are home next time any tree work is done so that you can communicate expectations with the workers and note the time worked per the agreement. Yes, do this. It's not the owner's fault that his guys who did the job lied about how long they were there. But your owner friend probably feels bad about it, which is why he won't charge you. Pay him anyway, and make sure you or your dh are home next time one of his crews come out to work. JMHO You *could* include a note with the payment about how you and your dh realize your friend cannot know if his crew is being honest with him/doing the job the way they were supposed to, so that's why you wanted to let him know that it wasn't completed the way you agreed on/they didn't stay as long as they were supposed to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I think the tree guy may be feeling bad that his crew did an unacceptable job for people he considers good customers and friends. He may have decided that he would rather "eat the cost" than lose your relationship, both professional and personal. If you feel you should pay something but he won't give you a bill, maybe you could just send a check for half the cost with a note saying you feel obligated to pay for the work done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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