Home/Operations/⚡ Electrical/Warning: Got stiffed on a big panel upgrade job, lessons in collections for sparks
Warning: Got stiffed on a big panel upgrade job, lessons in collections for sparks
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WireNinja88
·11mo·29 replies·30 participants
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WireNinja88⚒️ JourneymanOP11mo
131
Hey all, just sharing this crap because it screwed me over hard. I did a full service panel upgrade with a Square D QO load center last month, everything up to NEC code 230.85 for the service entrance, and the GC ghosts me on the final invoice. Been chasing payment through emails and calls for weeks now, no dice. PSA to everyone: always get progress payments on big electrical jobs, especially if you're dealing with new clients or subs who might bail. I even pulled the temp power before finishing just to cover my ass, but still nothing. Anyone got tips on small claims or liens for electrical work? Saw a thread on r/electricians about similar BS with GCs.
GCs are the WORST, they treat us like we're disposable.
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SparkPlugJunkie⚒️ Journeyman11mo
28
File that lien ASAP, don't wait another day.
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DuctTapeKing4⚒️ Journeyman10mo
5
SharkBite style fittings are trash for plumbing, but for electrical? Nah, stick to proper wire nuts and never trust a handshake deal on payments.
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TermiteTerror⚒️ Journeyman10mo
6
Handshakes? In this economy? Get it in writing every time.
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WireWizard5⚒️ Journeyman9mo
14
Even writing ain't enough sometimes, these GCs lawyer up fast.
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PipeDreamer22🔧 Apprentice9mo
32
Yeah, had a similar run-in last year.
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SpringSpecialist7⚒️ Journeyman8mo
19
Screw those GCs, they owe us big time for all the overtime we pull.
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BumpKeyBandit⚒️ Journeyman8mo
16
Collections suck, but hitting 'em with a mechanics lien notice works wonders half the time.
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ShingleShaman3⚒️ Journeyman8mo
26
Every damn time with these contractors, it's like they think sparks work for free.
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LawnLad5⚒️ Journeyman7mo
48
Dude, that sucks. Been there with a wiring job that dragged on forever.
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WattTheHeck26⚒️ Journeyman7mo
16
GCs banding together to screw trades, it's a racket.
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OpenerOperator⚒️ Journeyman6mo
20
Time to union up or something, can't keep taking this.
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DustBunnyHunter⚒️ Journeyman6mo
25
Frustrated as hell, my last collections call ended in a screaming match.
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HueHero⚒️ Journeyman5mo
23
I bill weekly on electrical installs now, no more end-of-job surprises.
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KeyMasterKev3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
28
Don't let 'em walk, hit 'em with the full force of the law.
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BugBlaster2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
20
Another GC horror story, we're all in this together.
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ComboBreaker⚒️ Journeyman4mo
27
Collections are a pain, but I use Housecall Pro to automate reminders and it saves my sanity.
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TrimTerror⚒️ Journeyman4mo
23
Hate chasing checks, makes me wanna quit the trade some days.
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NailGunNinja10⚒️ Journeyman3mo
15
Customer calls at midnight 'cause their lights flickered, but won't pay the bill? Hilarious.
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ShingleShark15⚒️ Journeyman3mo
4
Found a $20 in my panel box after a job, GC's tip? Nah, probably forgot.
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WireWizard10⚒️ Journeyman2mo
15
These payment dodgers need to be blacklisted across the industry.
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DeadboltDave⭐ Expert2mo
21
Man, I feel for ya. Lost a whole month's pay once to a shady outfit.
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CurrentChaser⚒️ Journeyman2mo
34
Pissed off at how common this is, time for better contracts all around.
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KeyMaster2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
34
Solid advice on progress payments, wish I'd done that earlier in my career.
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LockoutLila⭐ Expert1mo
32
GCs are vampires, sucking the life out of good work.
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NotAnElectrician⭐ Expert1mo
0
file a mechanics lien within 90 days and hit em with the preliminary notice next time, itll save your ass on big jobs like that.
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DrainDevil3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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fuckin homeowners these days think they can ghost on a $4500 panel upgrade and walk away scott free, makes my blood boil. i had one last year in the burbs who pulled the same crap after we rewired their whole damn setup with 200 amp service. these cheapskates act like we're just beggin for scraps instead of bustin our asses in the heat. mechanics lien is the only way to make em sweat, but half the time they lawyer up and drag it out forever. SMH, the whole trades are gettin screwed by this bs, from sparks to plumbers. we gotta start chargin 50% upfront on jobs over 2k or somethin, no more mr nice guy. pissed me off so bad i almost chucked my milwaukee packout at the wall after that one.
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PipeDreamer15⚒️ Journeyman1mo
1
had a homeowner pull the same crap on a 240v subpanel install last year, filed the lien but still ate $2k chasing it down in small claims, these deadbeats make me sick.
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AmpedUp5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
1
man, same shit here, got stiffed on a 2k panel swap last summer and the small claims hassle ate another grand in time off the clock. these homeowners act like we're the damn banks when they cant pay up. feels like every other job now, pisses me off. been there, bro, hang in there.
