# What should I do?



## ptcass (Oct 17, 2016)

So I'm doing a job for this guy running a new sewer line from his existing sewer about 30 ft to the shed out back that he's making into a apartment. He's going to have a shower, a toilet, a kitchen sink and a lav sink plumbed in with waste and water. I rode out of contract and was going to charge him $400 for the whole thing only he's taking care of the parts and I'm just charging him for my labor and knowledge. When I made out the contract and only charged him $400 I was under the assumption that he was going to help me dig half of the trench and so far he hasn't done any of the trench and I'm almost done with it. If I knew it was going to be like this I would have charged him five or six hundred. So I already made out the contract so I know I can't change it and I didn't put any stipulations on it so is there anything else I could do besides shut up and keep going?

CBB


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## ptcass (Oct 17, 2016)

In addition for the water he wants me to tap into the houses water main and run a garden hose for the main to the house and then run the water in the house. After I got done laughing I said that's not possible

CBB


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## ptcass (Oct 17, 2016)

ptcass said:


> in addition for the water he wants me to tap into the houses water main and run a garden hose for the main from the house to the apt. After i got done laughing i said that's not possible
> 
> cbb




cbb


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## ptcass (Oct 17, 2016)

ptcass said:


> in addition for the water he wants me to tap into the houses water main and run a garden hose for the main from the house to the apt. After i got done laughing i said that's not possible
> 
> cbb




cbb


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

Shut up and take the hit. Learn from your mistake and clearly write in such things in a contract and never assume something like that. Had it been bigger money I would have gone and talked to him about it and hope he would be understanding and work with you on a solution that keeps both sides happy.

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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Live & Learn. Make sure your contract covers everything.


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Let him know you are done with your portion of the trench and for him to give you a call when he is done with his portion of the trench. Or like the other guys said learn from the school of hard knocks.


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## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

I have customers offer to dig or do “grunt” work to try and get the price down on a project.

I shut them down and NEVER let work with me.
You didn’t outline in the “contract” your scope of Work?

You sound like a hack
You bid like a hack
Now you can cry like a hack


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## Standard Drain (Feb 17, 2016)

$400 including trenching the main? How can you keep nice tools with these prices? Any permits?


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Sounds like a side-job gone awry.....now you have to eat it.


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## Gargalaxy (Aug 14, 2013)

Not even a handy man charge so low for that kind of job like others mentioned before, respect and appreciate yourself and do the same for us. Sounds like you will need another 12 years to learn how to bid.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Most Important thing that I learned from my Business Partner in L.A.
was N.I.C. Not In Contract !
he said what was left was more Important then what was in the Contract


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## acesfour (Apr 22, 2014)

You wrote the contract. It is your fault. That said, most likely he is going to come back to you to do more of that job. That will be your chance to recover what you have lost. Now you have learned something about writing contracts AND why they are important.

Tracy
Aces Four


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## 5onthefloor (Sep 13, 2017)

Yah your gonna have to man up on this one bro. Also why so low? Some of the previous comments indicate what I think is going on but it's not really my business. You asked for advice? Never ASSUME! Everything is in writing and make clear what work is excluded.

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## Gargalaxy (Aug 14, 2013)

First off is learn what Time and Material price is or Flat rate (personally I use the second one). Once that he understands that, he'll need to learn how to cover everything in a contract, including change orders and so.


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Gargalaxy said:


> First off is learn what Time and Material price is or Flat rate (personally I use the second one). Once that he understands that, he'll need to learn how to cover everything in a contract, including change orders and so.


Technically he did use the flat rate system. Unfortunately he’s going to make about $5.00 an hour.


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