Let a homeowner supply the tile on a bathroom job and now I'm stuck eating $600, whose fault is it really | Contractor Talk - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
Let a homeowner supply the tile on a bathroom job and now I'm stuck eating $600, whose fault is it really
So back in April I took a bathroom remodel in Beaverton and the homeowner begged me to let her buy the tile herself to save money. I said fine, wrote it into the contract that she supplies materials and I just install, which is on me for not thinking it through. She ordered 40 square feet for a 55 square foot floor, and of course it was a closeout color that got discontinued. I sat on my hands for 9 days waiting on the second order, which put me behind on two other jobs, and the second batch came in a shade off from the first. Now she wants me to eat the $600 difference in labor for the delay and I'm saying that's the risk you take when you supply your own material. Half the guys I know refuse to install customer-supplied anything, and the other half say you just charge a supply fee upfront and move on with your life. Where do you all land on this, because I've got a feeling I'm about to lose this one either way.
Ever try telling a homeowner "no" and watch them look at you like you kicked their dog? This is why half the guys you know won't touch customer tile. Contract said she supplies materials, so the short order and the shade mess are on her, but good luck collecting that $600 without a fight.