That $45 'quick fix' plumbing job I took last month nearly cost me my license

I agreed to unclog a sink for this lady off Craigslist for cheap because she said it was simple. Turned out her main line was collapsed, and when I tried to snake it the pipe burst and flooded her basement. Now I always charge a diagnostic fee up front before I touch anything on these gig apps. Has anyone else been burned by skipping the inspection?

3 comments

3 Comments

lucashenderson3d ago

Did you have any kind of waiver or verbal agreement before you started working? I've seen too many side jobs go sideways because neither party set clear boundaries upfront, and then it's your word against theirs when something breaks. That diagnostic fee idea is smart, but I wonder if people on Craigslist actually pay it or just ghost you when you mention it. What's your success rate getting them to agree to that before you even take out your tools?

victorhernandez3d ago

I've had maybe 3 out of 10 people actually agree to the diagnostic fee and then follow through on Craigslist. Most of them ghost as soon as I mention it. It's kind of wild how people just expect you to show up and work for free basically, like they think your time and gas don't cost anything. But honestly that whole situation reminds me of a bigger pattern I've noticed everywhere, not just side jobs. People just assume good faith will carry everything but then get upset when things go wrong because nobody talked about the small stuff upfront. It's the same with neighbors borrowing tools or friends helping with a move, everyone just expects it to work out without saying what's fair.

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hannahj493d ago

Had three people ghost me last week for the same reason. Then I lost money on a side job too.