Raymond Robinson37 said:Man, I had to slog through just about every single one of these posts to make sense of it all. Quite a chore, really. But honestly? Most of the mistakes I’m seeing seem to be coming from your side of the fence.
You’ve got it wrong. You say it’s "close by," that he doesn't need gas money, blah blah blah. Give me a break. I have never—not once—heard of a mechanic charging for travel time just because they’re driving a few miles down the road. And let’s be real, if they're working out of some shady garage in the suburbs, they want the job just as much as anyone else. It's in their best interest to get the work done, isn't it? Why would they make it complicated?
Wait, hold on. There’s a mistake here. A quote that doesn't break down the individual cost for each part versus the labor? Seriously? Is that really how people are running businesses these days? I mean, if you're actually going to step into a professional job, shouldn't there be some transparency? It feels sloppy. Just a lump sum without any detail... who even does that anymore?
Mistake number three: letting him handle the shopping for your house materials. Honestly? Would the sky have fallen if you’d just carved out a single day to drive around yourself? You could've picked everything out, locked in the prices you actually agreed on, and then just paid him for his labor—whatever he claimed it was worth. And for heaven's sake, you wouldn't pay a dime upfront. Why would you? So you don't end up stuck in this exact mess. Is that really too much to ask?
Fourth mistake—and honestly, I’m starting to see a bit of that classic naivety creeping in here. Because after everything we've been through, the idea of just handing over even more? It's a lot. Why do we always fall for the same patterns? It feels like we're just throwing good money after bad at this point. Is anyone actually surprised anymore? $333 So, you weren't happy with the job. Fine. But if it was such a disaster, why didn't you just hand it over to someone else? Why stay? Just curious.
Alright, let's get back to those guys... $67.
Honestly? I’d find a way to get them, by any means necessary. A little quiet, off-the-record threat—nothing that leaves a paper trail—usually smooths things over pretty fast. If there aren't any witnesses, there's no proof, right? But once you plant that seed of doubt in someone's head... once they start wondering if the headache is actually worth the payout... well, things tend to change. Just something to think about. $67.
I think you got played, plain and simple. And honestly? Using kids to squeeze money out of people... that’s a low blow. Is that really how we're playing it now? What did those kids ever do to deserve being dragged into this mess? They shouldn't have to deal with having thieves and liars for parents just to satisfy some bottom line. It's messed up.
We really need to get this sorted out, like, right now. Fast. But at the same time? Maybe we should take a beat and keep our heads on straight. We don't want anyone crossing the line, do we? Just... let's try not to lose it.
Look, I’m not trying to start a fight here, and I definitely don't want anyone taking this as some kind of personal attack or an insult. That's not my intention. I'm just laying out how I see things. My perspective, that's all. Is it that complicated?
Thanks.
I guess I’ll try adding something else. Might not change much, who knows?
Gasoline? Please. We knew from day one there wouldn't be any extra charges for that. He only started making up these ridiculous fees at the very end when they finally called him over to clear out those carts he’d managed to block off with pipes—he actually ran a pipe right over the wheel! He shows up, grumbling and acting like everything was our fault. I even tried telling him, "Hey, we have stuff stored in the pantry under the stairs, let me move it," but he just brushed me off, saying it wasn't necessary. So, once he finally gets the carts out, we hit the inevitable wall: what happens next? The problem is, we already handed him a grand upfront, and we were willing to cough up maybe another thousand just to get him to finish the job. Mind you, he was still trying to squeeze another three thousand out of us just for labor. I told him straight: you've already been paid for the work, considering you took three thousand and barely finished laying the pipes. That's when the whole thing blew up. He’s trying to bill us six thousand for the total job, while we're sitting here wondering why on earth we'd pay someone fifty percent more than a legitimate contractor who actually provides a receipt and a warranty. It makes no sense, does it?
Where exactly did he say he was walking away from the job? That he’s done? That he won't be doing any more of that nonsense? Seriously... what kind of move is that?😲
So, they said, "Fine, just give us back that thousand bucks..." and then—get this—he starts acting like some kind of philosopher. Suddenly he’s lecturing me about how we didn't provide enough upfront, or how he ran into these unexpected overhead costs he only noticed later... and then he brings up gas money. Seriously? I was honestly seconds away from slapping him right then and there. I had to bite my tongue just to keep from losing it.
The price list... look, everything was laid out right there. We had the total clearly marked, but we didn't want to just hand over one big lump sum. That’s not how it works. We wanted to break it down properly—show the cost for the piping, the raw materials, all those little miscellaneous parts... you know? And then make it clear that the labor was baked into that figure. It was straightforward. Why wouldn't we do it that way? It makes sense, doesn't it?
You know how it goes. You try to hire a contractor, a freelancer, anyone actually working for themselves, and what do you get? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They won't even pick up the phone unless they’re the ones calling the shots on the supplies. It’s like if they aren't the ones picking out the lumber or buying the hardware at Home Depot, they just don't want to bother. Why would they? Why deal with someone else's cheap materials when they can just control the whole process? It’s all about the control, isn't it? Or maybe they just don't trust anyone else to do it right. Either way, good luck getting anything done without handing them the credit card first.
Everyone kept pointing that out... I mean, why wouldn't they? They just swoop in and grab the discount. That's how the game works, isn't it?
Well, here we go again... we’ve finally hit that rock bottom moment where even the water heater becomes an issue. He just wouldn't get one. Just wouldn't budge. So, what did we do? We went out and bought one ourselves. Honestly, the guy was a total wreck for three days straight—just pacing around, fuming, refusing to even look at us or say a word. Why? Because apparently, it wasn't "fair." He had this whole plan to buy it himself, but he wanted to hold out for a 25% discount just so he could pocket the extra cash. Is that how it works now? Just holding everyone hostage over a little bit of savings? Who knows.
I told him straight up—we aren't some bunch of amateurs who don't know how to handle their business. I made it clear that I know exactly how to play my cards right when it comes to the bottom line. Honestly? I just don't have the patience to sit there and wait on him while he drones on with his endless, useless philosophy. Why do they always do that? Just talk and talk... as if anyone actually cares.
4. My husband was such a naive idiot... I wouldn't give in, we went at it for three days straight, arguing about how there was no way we were paying upfront before they even started the second half of the job.
The second I stepped out to run an errand at the local CVS, he starts hounding my husband, and my sweet, clueless man actually hands over the cash... you know the old line... what did he say... (he doesn't say it anymore 🤣)... that if we just settle now, we won't have to deal with as much in the fall, and things will be easier... yeah... right... "easier." As if.
THE MONEY: Dealing with him? Forget it. In the beginning $167 it was such a massive scene, screaming loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear, leaving everyone wondering what the hell was going on... then the phone calls kept dragging on for days. Eventually, my husband had to threaten to call the cops to his house right then and there unless he handed over the money immediately. They brought it right up to the fence.
I made sure to let her know right away that I’m still owed my $200... he just brushed it off, saying his wife would handle it.
Ehh... so now, I caught her chatting with the neighbor and told her not to forget she owes us. She played dumb, acting like she had no idea, claiming they hadn't even borrowed anything... until I reminded her. Then it clicked. Suddenly she remembered. But get this—she hasn't received a single cent in three months (she told me that again just two days ago)...
And the kids... the little one actually wrote to me, saying she's sorry she has to use her profile to reach me, but figured it's easier since I have no intention of spending more on phone bills or coming by... and hey, since the mother spends all day scrolling through Facebook anyway, she can read it there.
Maybe while she's at it, she can let them know what kind of slander their parents are spreading... though honestly, what's the point? Those girls are just like them. Same character, same temperament... sneaky. Especially the older ones... you can see it in their eyes. One of them just snapped at my kid for no reason; everyone else was playing, but because he was the youngest and "in the way," she just lashed out and chased him out of their yard. Seriously? What a jerk.
To top it off, the girls have started telling people that we stole their damn charcoal grill and burned it... claiming we actually owe THEM a ton of money.
At this rate, they'll try to claim we never paid for anything at all.
And why haven't we hired anyone else? Listen... we asked. Not a single contractor or any of the big companies would work in stages. It’s always "do the whole thing at once and pay the full amount upfront"... we're talking roughly $4,000... and they expect you to finish the whole job in seven days! Can you believe that?
The only genius who agreed to work our way said he didn't care because he lives right near us.
Way too close...😢😢