Problem customer

[Ian C]

I have customers that I do some work for every year and sometimes the spec changes I don't charge extra because they are valued customers who recommend me to other wealthy people. Goes round comes round.......

 

Slightly different to the OP, he has done the job to the spec now they want it doing again.

[Hedge hunter]

mix it up a bit.personally i would say yep ok ill do it but you got to have me back next year as its extra work..

[woodyguy]

You can't pay the mortgage with promises of work next year.

I'm surprised at people's views here. I suspect he would rather have a relationship built on respect.

He's not an idiot. He changed the spec part way through a job. That has an on-cost which he expects to pick up. He may lose respect for you if your self-esteem is so low that you don't pass on some of the cost. Yes don't rip him off but if it takes you an extra 3 hours, then you charge at a fair rate for that time.

Good relationships are built on mutual respect.

[Pat Ferrett]

I have customers that I do some work for every year and sometimes the spec changes I don't charge extra because they are valued customers who recommend me to other wealthy people. Goes round comes round.......

 

Trouble with that is when your wealthy customers are having drinky poohs with their friends and pass you number on they may also mention that if your asked to do more work than your quote you dont charge extra. Maybe

[Stubby]

There is a difference between the spec changing , and doing a job then doing it all over again because the spec has changed when you have finished .

[Le Sanglier]

We can all go round in circles saying charge more or don't, I suspect the OP knows the options. Fact is he's going to have to figure this one out for himself. We have all been in similar situations and got out of it somehow. There's no magic answer.

Running your own business, if it was easy everyone would do it.

[Stubby]

We can all go round in circles saying charge more or don't, I suspect the OP knows the options. Fact is he's going to have to figure this one out for himself. We have all been in similar situations and got out of it somehow. There's no magic answer.

Running your own business, if it was easy everyone would do it.

 

Yea . For Christs sake thats the answer !

[Old Mill Tree Care]

If you asked a builder to add another 18 inches to a wall, he wouldn't do it for free.

Why should you? So point out to him how much longer it will take, what your day rate is and charge accordingly. Otherwise how will he learn???

 

That builder analogy is a good one to use when telling the customer of your problem.

 

 

Sent with my iPhone from me, to you!

[skyhuck]

That builder analogy is a good one to use when telling the customer of your problem.

 

 

Sent with my iPhone from me, to you!

 

Not ideal really, as the builder will be suppling bricks.

 

For me it would depend how long its going to take and how the job was going.

 

If your going to charge extra you need to tell the client before you redo the hight, so he has the option to leave them as they are.

[Andy Collins]

A few years back, when I was subbing to a company, we had the job of reducing a hedgerow by two feet!! It was about 20 tall. I queried the paper work, yes, 2 feet off the top. It bordered a sports ground, so in a way I guess it made sense as a noise barrier and windbreak. It took 3 of us 2 days from a cherry picker.

Job done, away we went, nice and tidy.

Except the clients wanted it reduced by 2 metres!!! The boss said. The paperwork said 2 feet, and that's what they had to pay for. They had us back for the rest of the height reduction, and paid a new invoice for the extra. If your paperwork is in order, and it's agreed by the client, it's not your fault if they don't bother to read the paperwork.