Gaf Timberline install job went south, quoted $8500 for full tear-off and they bailed

Just wrapped a full tear-off and GAF Timberline HDZ shingle install on a 1800 sq ft ranch, but the homeowner ghosted me after I quoted $8500. We had the underlayment down and starter strips in place when they stopped payment, left the crew hanging mid-week. FML, now I'm out materials and labor costs. Anyone dealt with this crap on a big roofing job?

damn that sucks, had a similar ghost on a siding job last month.

walk away and lien the place if you can.

ghosting clients are the worst part of roofing.

use contracts with deposits next time.

deposits saved my ass on the last three roofs.

that's hilarious in a bad way, like the universe hates roofers.

file that mechanics lien ASAP before they sell.

been there, but I turned it into a win by flipping the materials on the next job.

frustrating as hell when you're halfway up the ladder.

mid-job bailouts make me wanna quit roofing some days.

same, especially after hauling all that GAF crap up.

we all get burned once, lesson learned.

proud of the crews that stick through the BS.

homeowners these days think roofs grow on trees.

ghosted on a paint job, same vibe.

get everything in writing from day one.

written quotes didn't save me last tear-off.

these cheapos ruin it for everyone.

lien it and move on, life's too short.

funny how they bail when the bill hits.

frustrated doesn't cover it, pissed off.

had a $6k GAF job flake, ate the cost.

crew morale tanks after that.

insurance companies pull this too on claims.

file with the state board if needed.

always 50% up front on roofs over 5k.

sucks man, hope you recover.

big roofing corps eat these losses daily.

deposits are non-negotiable now for me.

lien process varies by state, check yours.

lost $4k on a shingle job like that.

use apps like Jobber for tracking payments.

roofing life's full of these gut punches.

turn it into a tax write-off.

write-offs help, but cash flow hurts.

clients ghosting is the real hazard.

been ghosted twice this year alone.

funny story, one came back begging.

hope yours does too.

GAF warranties don't cover owner flakes.

sue em in small claims, easy win.

small claims nailed one for me.

these stories make me double-check contracts.

frustrated with the industry BS.

homeowners suck sometimes.

get a lawyer consult for free.

electricians deal with this too, solidarity.

move on to better clients.

better clients pay on time.

proud of pushing through anyway.

use escrow for big jobs.

escrow saved a buddy's roofing biz.

ghosting is epidemic in trades.

lien it hard.

hope you get paid eventually.