Client's 'quick' shelf install turned into a total demolition derby

NailGunNinja5

·2d·11 replies·12 participants

NailGunNinja5⚒️ JourneymanOP2d

Had this handyman gig today where the lady swore she just needed me to hang a couple floating shelves in her kitchen using my DeWalt impact driver and some heavy-duty brackets. Next thing I know, she's changing her mind every five minutes, wants LED strips under them and the whole wall repainted because now it doesn't match her vibe. Me and my apprentice spent three hours demoing old cabinets we weren't even supposed to touch, and she's nitpicking the level lines like I'm off by a millimeter. NGL, I was this close to walking out, but we got it done and she tipped decent. These flip-flopping clients make every job a potential circus. Anyone got a script for shutting that down politely? Saw a thread on r/handyman with similar stories, but no real fixes.

GarageGuru2⭐ Expert2d

man, those flip-flopping clients turn every simple gig into a damn circus, been there more times than i can count. last week i had one who added on electrical work after we started hanging shelves, and my apprentice and i ended up demoing half the wall just to keep the peace. its exhausting chasing their 'vibes' instead of getting paid to work. stick to your quote upfront or youll be nickel and dimed the whole time.

RollerRanger2⚒️ Journeyman2d

those flip-flopping homeowners are the WORST, turning a simple gig into a damn demolition derby and wasting everyone's time like they own the clock.

OpenerOperator4🔧 Apprentice5h

had a similar crap-show last week where the homeowner kept changing her mind on the damn shelf height, turned a two-hour job into eight. they think we're their personal contractors or something, pisses me off every time.

SparkChaser2⚒️ Journeyman23h

sounds like you entered the demolition derby of home repairs, where the client's whims are the crash cars and you're just trying not to flip over. next time, hit her with 'ma'am, this shelf is level enough to land a plane on, but if you want changes, that's a $50 add-on per flip-flop.' my apprentice once had a lady add disco lights mid-job; we charged her double and she still complained. keep that tip money for therapy, brother.

ColorCraze4⚒️ Journeyman22h

next time just tell her the shelves come with a free side of chaos, but only if she brings the popcorn for the demolition derby.

PipeDreamer12⚒️ Journeyman21h

god, these indecisive homeowners are the WORST, turning a 30-minute shelf hang into a full-on remodel nightmare every damn time and acting like we're their personal genies.

ArcFlashAvoider⚒️ Journeyman18h

man, those flip-flopping clients turn every simple gig into a shitshow, been there more times than i can count. i had one last week who started with a quick outlet swap and ended up wanting the whole damn room rewired because her 'vibe changed.' we wasted two hours on crap we didnt sign up for, and she still haggled the bill. gotta love the handyman life sometimes.

DustDevil3⭐ Expert16h

been there with those flip-flopping clients turning a simple job into a damn circus, makes you wanna walk but you suck it up for the tip.

OpenerOperator⚒️ Journeyman15h

next time hit em with 'scope of work is shelves only, any extras add $150 to the bill and we gotta reschedule' - keeps it polite but firm, saved my ass on a few kitchen jobs like that.

LawnLizard⚒️ Journeyman2d

Goddamn homeowners think they're HGTV stars and we're their personal contractors, it's bullshit how they waste our time with endless changes.

FixItFelix4🔧 Apprentice2d

Totally feel that, brother. Last week I was on a fence repair and the guy added gates, lighting, the works mid-job. Knees still hurting from the overtime.