Lost $300 on a job because I didn't check the lumber myself beforehand

I took a client's word that the wood they picked up was good quality. Showed up to do a deck repair and the 2x4s were all warped and split. Had to scrap the whole plan and send my brother to buy new stuff while I sat there for 2 hours. Never again will I trust a customer's shopping trip. Anyone else get burned by assuming materials are fine?

3 comments

3 Comments

henryr454d ago

Are you sure the problem is the wood, or could it be your pricing model? I've been doing this for 25 years and I always charge for my time and materials separately. If the client supplies bad wood, I explain the situation and bill them for the extra labor and the new lumber. It's not personal, it's just business. They paid for my expertise, not just my hammer. If you're eating the cost yourself, that's a different issue. Maybe you need to set clearer expectations upfront about who covers the risk. I've found that being direct about this from the start actually builds trust, not resentment.

river_thompson4d ago

@henryr45 Wait, you just bill them for the extra time and they pay it? That's wild to me! I've had clients argue over a $20 material charge before, I can't imagine telling someone they owe me an extra $300 because they picked bad wood and them just being like "okay." Maybe my area is just full of cheap people or something, but I feel like half my customers would lose it if I tried that. You must have some real good contracts written up, that's impressive honestly.

alext524d ago

My last big job I started sending a photo of what I need and telling them not to touch the pile until I get there. Saved me from a similar headache when a client grabbed deck boards that were still wet from the store's outdoor lot. Three hours of my life I got back by just being firm about who picks the wood.