Home/Rants/💬 General/Warning: Charged $850 for yard cleanup in Houston and client tried to stiff me
Warning: Charged $850 for yard cleanup in Houston and client tried to stiff me
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AmpedUpAl
·1mo·110 replies·96 participants
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AmpedUpAl⚒️ JourneymanOP1mo
60
Just finished a big yard cleanup job in Houston, quoted $850 for mowing, edging, and hauling off all the debris from that storm last week. Client seemed cool during the walk around but now she's ghosting my invoices and claiming it wasn't worth it. PSA guys, always get a 50% deposit on jobs over $500 in this humid hellhole, or you'll be chasing payments like I am.
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SpraySquad⚒️ Journeyman1mo
20
same here, clients always think yard work is free labor.
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DirtDevil⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
yep, had a similar run in with a lawn service client last month.
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DuctDetective⚒️ Journeyman1mo
9
feels bad man, houston clients are the worst for this crap.
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BeamBoss5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
10
nah, just charge more upfront, $1k min for any cleanup.
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PipeLord42028⭐ Expert1mo
6
disagree, that scares em off too quick.
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PipeLord42030⚒️ Journeyman1mo
21
ugh, been there, lost a whole day chasing a $600 edging job.
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DrainDragon8⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
houston humidity makes everything twice the work, they should pay double.
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PipeLord42030⚒️ Journeyman1mo
7
exactly, and then they bitch about the price.
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DustBunnySlayer5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
add a late fee, that'll wake em up.
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PestBuster99⚒️ Journeyman1mo
29
lol, i just show up with the invoice in hand next time they call.
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CanvasKing4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
worked for me once, but now they use someone else.
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VentViking⚒️ Journeyman1mo
8
clients like that ruin your week, hope you lien it.
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SparkPlugJunkie⚒️ Journeyman1mo
19
fml, same story every summer.
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SoilSculptor⭐ Expert1mo
15
get it in writing before you touch the mower.
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FloorFumbler2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
11
too late for op, but yeah, contracts save asses.
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LockLadLarry⚒️ Journeyman1mo
9
damn, $850 seems low for houston cleanup anyway.
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FixItFelix8⭐ Expert1mo
13
use quickbooks to track and send reminders automatically.
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HeatPumpHero2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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good call, saved me from a few deadbeats.
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TrapTamer⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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quickbooks is a pain to set up tho.
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DoorJamDud⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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screw these clients, we all deal with em.
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CircuitClown⭐ Expert1mo
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PE firms buying up services, making clients cheaper too.
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SparkPlugSam2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
insurance adjusters lowball yard work after storms here.
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TenYearVet20⚒️ Journeyman1mo
8
collect from the homeowners association if it's hoa property.
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GreenThumbGuru4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
21
haha, mine tried to pay with a check that bounced twice.
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ColorBlindPainter⚒️ Journeyman1mo
10
bounce that back to em with fees.
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WattTheHeck26⚒️ Journeyman1mo
9
did that, got my money plus $50 extra.
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PaintSplatterPro⭐ Expert1mo
14
houston market is flooded with cheap labor, undercutting us all.
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SpotlessSteve10⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
yeah, immigrants doing it for half, killing rates.
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PackRatPro2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
15
time to unionize yard crews or something.
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GreenThumbGuru3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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frustrated as hell, just ate a $400 loss last month.
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SawdustSavant27⚒️ Journeyman1mo
23
same, client said the grass wasnt green enough.
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SpotlessSteve4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
document everything with pics before and after.
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GarageGuru7⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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how do you even enforce deposits in texas?
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MoverManic⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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small claims court, but it's a hassle.
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WattTheHeck4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
10
ranted about this on r/smallbusiness, got good advice there.
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ChillMaster8⚒️ Journeyman1mo
10
guy in contractors network fb group said to use square for deposits.
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FixItFelix10⭐ Expert1mo
13
watched tommy mello video on handling deadbeats, spot on.
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OpenerOperator6⚒️ Journeyman1mo
2
insurance? nah, self insure small jobs like that.
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HueHustler2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
14
these clients make me wanna quit the game.
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AmpedUp2⭐ Expert1mo
11
join a fb group like handyman nation for tips on this.
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MopAndGlo⭐ Expert1mo
13
lien the property if it's over 30 days.
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DustBunnySlayer5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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dont let em get away with it, fight back.
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DeadboltDave⭐ Expert1mo
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asking, whats your usual deposit percentage?
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HammerTimeGuy5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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frustrated, lost two jobs this week to hagglers.
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KeyMaster6⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
square deposits work, but fees eat into it.
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SpotlessSam⚒️ Journeyman1mo
10
houston storms bring out the worst cheapskates.
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PickMaster⚒️ Journeyman1mo
6
controversial take: all clients are out to screw you.
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DustBunnyHunter10⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
not all, but enough to make you paranoid.
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CircuitSurfer2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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collective rage at these entitled homeowners.
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DoorDud⚒️ Journeyman1mo
11
yeah, after katrina remnants, everyone thinks services are charity.
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SawdustSavant28⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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use service titan for invoicing, auto chases em.
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SparkPlugStan⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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wth, $850 for cleanup? i charge double in storms.
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OpenerOperator4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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asking, did you include debris haul in the quote?
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RollerRogue7⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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rising rates on cleanups, clients can deal.
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DrainDiver2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
warning: never start without signed contract.
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BugBlaster7🔧 Apprentice1mo
2
asking, how long you been in houston?
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PeakProspector⚒️ Journeyman1mo
2
asking, worth filing a mechanics lien for $850?
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WrenchWizard3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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get bonded, clients trust that more.
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VentVagabond⚒️ Journeyman1mo
25
same boat, commiserate with ya.
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DirtBagJoe⚒️ Journeyman1mo
11
warning, one bad client can tank your year.
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SpringBreaker⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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shut em down, no pay no future service.
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BrushStrokePro13⚒️ Journeyman1mo
43
man, getting stiffed on a $850 yard job sucks, been there twice this year already. houston clients think they can haggle down to nothing after the work's done. had one guy ghost me for a month before i had to send the collection letter. makes you wanna add a bigger deposit next time just to cover your ass.
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V8493🔧 Apprentice1mo
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try requiring 50% deposit upfront on jobs like that, saved my ass a couple times already.
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LawnLizard4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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had a similar crapshoot last month in houston, quoted $1200 for a full yard overhaul and the homeowner ghosted me after i finished the mow and trim. i should've listened to my gut and demanded that 50% upfront like you said, but nope, i trusted the guy's word. now im chasing him through small claims, and its a total waste of my time. these cheapskates think we're just day laborers they can screw over. next time im wiring the deposit or walking away, period.
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BoltBuster3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
warning, record all calls for proof.
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SolderSavant⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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big corps squeezing small guys like us.
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ChillMaster3⭐ Expert1mo
15
appreciate the support, gonna try the lien route.
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FixItFelix8⭐ Expert1mo
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frustrated, my back hurts from unpaid hauling.
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HeatPumpHero2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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haha, next time charge for the drama.
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TrapTamer⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
all these cheapos deserve each other.
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RollerRanger7⚒️ Journeyman1mo
3
next time hit em with a 50% deposit upfront before you touch a blade of grass. i've been stiffed twice in houston and learned the hard way to use jobber for contracts that stick. saves you the headache and keeps the cheapos honest. 😂
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SodSlinger3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
9
those houston cheapskates are the WORST, always trying to lowball or ghost after the work's done. got screwed on a $600 cleanup last month and now i make em pay half upfront or i walk.
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LawnLizard4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah man, got ghosted on a $400 yard job here last week after bustin my ass in the heat, half upfront is the only way now.
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JointJockey2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
6
ghosted in this houston heat? thats when you start chargin for the drama and call it a reality show, 'tradesman torched by texan twat'.
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ShowerKing⚒️ Journeyman1mo
0
file a mechanics lien right away in harris county, its quick and usually gets em to pay up without court.
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CircuitScreamer2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
4
yeah those houston cheapskates are straight up bandits, had a guy try to pay me with a bad check after i hauled off his whole overgrown yard, never again without cash upfront.
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SawdustSavant28⚒️ Journeyman1mo
6
yeah, those houston clients ghosting after a big cleanup is the WORST, been stiffed twice this year and now i demand 50% down or im out.
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DoorJammer⭐ Expert1mo
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next time hit em with a mechanics lien notice right after the job, houston county clerks make it easy for under $100. saved my ass on a similar cleanup last summer.
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SafeCrackerSue🔧 Apprentice1mo
0
man, houston clients stiffin you is the worst, been there after a $600 job last summer and it sucks every time.
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DoorJamDud⚒️ Journeyman1mo
20
clients pitting us against each other on price.
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CircuitClown⭐ Expert1mo
16
damn right, time to band together.
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SparkPlugSam2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
15
feel ya, lost sleep over a similar job.
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DoorDoc2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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had a client pull that crap on me last month after i spent all day hauling junk in the texas heat, took small claims to get my $600 and still pissed about the lost time.
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TenYearVet20⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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been there, it gets easier with experience.
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GreenThumbGuru4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
13
yeah, now i walk if no deposit.
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PestPatrolPete2⭐ Expert1mo
9
those cheap-ass houston homeowners think they're slick trying to ghost on $850 yard jobs, but screw em, we all know to hit em with the mechanics lien next time they pull that BS.
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BreakerBoxBen⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
mechanics liens are a joke in texas, half the time the homeowner just files bankruptcy and youre left holding the bag on that 850 bucks.
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BrushStrokeBoss3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
5
had the exact same crap happen to me last month on a $1200 paint job, homeowner pulled the bankruptcy card and left me high and dry, these people are THIEVES.
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TileTitan⚒️ Journeyman1mo
0
man, these deadbeat homeowners are the worst, always trying to pull that bankruptcy BS to skip out on legit work. had a guy in houston stiff me on a $650 tile job last summer, left me chasing payments for weeks. sucks when you pour sweat into a yard cleanup or paint gig and they ghost you like that. been there bro, time to start requiring bigger deposits upfront.
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GutterGoblin2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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man, these cheapskates think bankruptcy is like a get out of jail free card, but next time i'm charging a deposit equal to the job just to watch em squirm 😂
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YardYodaYusuf⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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deposits are the best revenge, last time i did that the cheapskate bailed before even starting and i still got paid to stay home 😂
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HaulHustler⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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these cheap bastards in houston pull this crap every summer, acting like their broke ass is my problem. had a guy last month try the same stunt on a $600 haul, left me chasing a check for weeks. time to hit em with 50% upfront or walk away, screw their excuses.
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LeakFinder42🔧 Apprentice1mo
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been there, had a guy in the same boat pull that bankruptcy crap on a $600 yard job last summer. shoulda taken that deposit up front, live and learn.
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PipeDreamer13⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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always hit em with a 50% deposit on yard jobs over $500, keeps the flakes from wasting your saturday. i use square for invoices now, sends reminders automatically if they drag their feet. saved my ass twice this year alone. houston heat makes it even worse when they ghost after the grind.
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TileTerror3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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always get 50% upfront on yard jobs like that, especially in houston where folks love to ghost. had a client pull the bankruptcy card on me last year and it sucked.
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KeyMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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screw that 50% nonsense, i always demand full payment upfront for yard cleanups in houston cuz these deadbeats think bankruptcy's just a free pass to screw hardworking guys.
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BrushStrokeBoss11⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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had a guy in houston once tell me his yard cleanup was 'an investment in bankruptcy avoidance' after i cleared out enough kudzu to hide a body. 😂 charged him $950 flat and made him sign a napkin contract on the spot, said it was my 'debt collector special'. deadbeats down here think if they cry poor enough, we'll mow their lawn for free and throw in a lemonade. next time, slap a mechanics lien on that overgrown jungle before they even blink. keeps em honest without all the court drama. shoulda seen his face when i pulled out the invoice app mid-rake.
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DrainDiver4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
15
man, those houston cheapskates pulling that ghosting crap is the worst, had a guy try it on me last summer after i busted my ass clearing his overgrown mess. sucks when you pour the sweat in and they think they can just vanish. been there bro, next time hit em with that lien hard and fast.
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CrownMoldingMoron⚒️ Journeyman1mo
4
those houston homeowners think they can ghost us after we kill ourselves on their yards, but screw that, i always chase em down with a mechanics lien before they even think about vanishing.
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SplashMaster2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
4
man, had a similar thing in the suburbs last month, charged $700 for a leaf haul and the asshole ghosted me til i slapped a lien on it too.
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SawdustSavant20🔧 Apprentice1mo
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hell yeah i just finished my first big yard job and got paid in full up front this time no BS from the client feels damn good.
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DuctDoctor8⚒️ Journeyman1mo
8
those cheapass houston homeowners deserve to get their asses sued every damn time they try that ghosting bullshit, makes me wanna stop taking yard jobs altogether.
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CircuitSurfer2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
0
yeah man, those houston deadbeats ghosting after you sweat through the job is total BS. been stiffed on a $600 cleanup here last year, still pissed about it.
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FloorFitterFred⚒️ Journeyman1mo
2
man, i hear ya on those cheap houston homeowners trying to ghost after a decent yard job, had a similar crap with a $600 flooring gig last month where the guy just vanished. feels like half the clients out here think we're running a charity. been there more times than i care to count, its infuriating. next time im demanding a deposit upfront no exceptions.
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WattTheHeck20⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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haha, i once did a yard cleanup in houston for $850 and the client said it was 'not up to his golf course standards' while sippin' a beer on his rusty lawn chair. thought id laugh it off but then he ghosted me like id just mowed his ex-wifes yard. now i tell em upfront, 'pay half now or im plantin' weeds back in for free.' its like they think were landscapers from a bad reality tv show out here. shoulda got that deposit, man, next time charge em $900 and watch em squirm. 😂 been stiffed twice this month already, fml.
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DrainDevil3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
3
man, had the same crap happen to me last month on a drainage job, wont start without 30% upfront now.
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ColorBlindPainter⚒️ Journeyman1mo
19
solid advice from the group.
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SparkPlugJoe⚒️ Journeyman1mo
22
those houston cheapskates always pulling this crap, thinking yard work's free labor. time we all start filing liens faster than they can ghost a payment.
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WattTheHeck26⚒️ Journeyman1mo
19
warning, dont let it slide or theyll do it again.
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ChillMaster5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
24
man, had a yard job in houston last summer where the client ghosted me after i hauled off three truckloads of debris. these cheapskates always think $850 is highway robbery but wont pay up.
