Installing Sod (Save the sod!!!!)

[vfem]

My husband has a customer who wants sod installed, she went and bought it and had it delivered to her home last Sunday. She has not hired anyone to come do her landscaping... she hasn't tilled up her old lawn or prepared the surface. We personally do not think this was smart at all. We think she is going to lose the sod.

I don't think my husband is going to take the job because she wants raised beds built, soil tilled, a ton of overgrown bushes prunes and MOVED to another bed.... and many other projects on a good size lot.

She wanted him there today through Friday, last minute notice and she doesn't wanna pay! She claims everyone's prices are outragous. (Which is what people do when you call last minute, they blow up their pricing to something you don't like so you don't hire them and they don't have to deal with you.... its a trick of the industry... if you don't like a customer give 'em a number so they don't come back!).

Anyways, we wanted to at least suggest a good fertilizer and watering routine to help the sod recover if she can get installed soon. I'd really hate to leave her hanging... but my husband actually had a couple small jobs this week I rather him take then this. So any good treatment suggests I can give her to save her sod?

 

[patandchickens]

This, to me, sounds like an excellent situation to stay FAR FAR away from, unless this woman is an unavoidable relative or a long-time mainstay customer you have to placate no matter what.

a) the sod will do poorly or, more likely, die, and then she will have a giant catfit about it and demand her money back (if indeed she's given you any by then) and badmouth you all over the town;

and

b) people who think everyone's prices are outrageous also tend to be the people who want you to do nine million little extras for free, and "just so", to their finicky and sometimes weird specifications.

You might consider telling her that you (your husband) cannot do the sod for her b/c he does not consider that it will survive adequately until he can schedule her; and up-price the other jobs enough that she doesn't want to hire *him* either

JMHO,

Pat

 

[vfem]

Oh, I figured it was most likely not going to make it. And my husband is NOT taking the job as he is not going to take blame for such a thing. She called us last night (My husband is now in business for himself as a handyman Rent-My-Hubby.com).

Wanted us to be there TODAY, however... that is NOT going to happen. My husband had someone do this to us Sunday night, call with an emergency door replacement in a rental unit.... then go to install and the landlord was there and wanted a better door, paid the difference... but didn't want to pay my husband the extra 3 hours of calls and running around to find this custom door last minute.

Overly demanding people really make me mad, because they don't think they have to pay for it. Well, they do! My husband was already over $100 cheaper then anyone else they called, and he was the only one to be there at 8am on a monday to do the job.

Ok, with that said, I've just had enough with people taking advantage... this lady is not getting our time, but I wanted to reply nicely with either a RIDICULOUS price or politely say we are booked this week with customers and suggest something that may help with the sod issue when she does it on her own!

 

[bid]

I would reply politely that you are scheduled for the week and leave it at that personally. The problem with giving them a ridiculous price is that if you try and make it seem legitimate but still high, you just might get the job in spite of yourself. Don't ask how I know this.

 

[vfem]

I would reply politely that you are scheduled for the week and leave it at that personally. The problem with giving them a ridiculous price is that if you try and make it seem legitimate but still high, you just might get the job in spite of yourself. Don't ask how I know this.

That's happened to us before too... but depositing that ridiculous amount was kinda nice!

 

[patandchickens]

I would be real cautious about even giving advice. If you advise something and it doesn't work to her satisfaction (and you know it won't, since she will complain about anything short of a golf-course appearance), she will be honked off at you and badmouth you all around. Even if you advise her that you think the sod is doomed and she should just give it away or compost it, it can backfire.

If it were me, I would give her some websites or whatever of generic info on laying and caring for sod, and refuse to be drawn out on the subject of her sod in particular, and hope she wanders off

JMHO, good luck, "have fun" <g>,

Pat

 

[vfem]

OMG, my husband told her he wouldn't be held accountable for the sod but for the work in her beds and moving the bushes as much as he could as 1 man would be $200 for a day's work.

She wrote back this morning BEGGING him to come tomorrow.

He's up in the air about going because he had 2 jobs cancel on him and he likes the money. He just doesn't like that we currently have no tiller for the job. I just want him to say 'sorry, I took another job last night for thursday'.

I'm afraid of what he's getting into. :/

 

[jjparke]

Oh, I figured it was most likely not going to make it. And my husband is NOT taking the job as he is not going to take blame for such a thing. She called us last night (My husband is now in business for himself as a handyman Rent-My-Hubby.com).

Wanted us to be there TODAY, however... that is NOT going to happen. My husband had someone do this to us Sunday night, call with an emergency door replacement in a rental unit.... then go to install and the landlord was there and wanted a better door, paid the difference... but didn't want to pay my husband the extra 3 hours of calls and running around to find this custom door last minute.

Overly demanding people really make me mad, because they don't think they have to pay for it. Well, they do! My husband was already over $100 cheaper then anyone else they called, and he was the only one to be there at 8am on a monday to do the job.

Ok, with that said, I've just had enough with people taking advantage... this lady is not getting our time, but I wanted to reply nicely with either a RIDICULOUS price or politely say we are booked this week with customers and suggest something that may help with the sod issue when she does it on her own!

Self-employed doing stuff like he does you better get used to it.

 

[vfem]

I'm starting to get how its going to be, but we were getting taken advantage of by employers... so whats the difference!? :/

 

[Mattemma]

She sounds very demanding. My brother is a handyman and very often he would complete a job and NOT get paid.

If he does anything for her he should get cash up front,and detail in the bill what he is doing and what he is(not) responsible for.

I would never pay up front for work,but then again I am a decent customer who will pay as long as I get what I asked for.

Did not know there was a rent-a-hubby site.Lol, I have such a long honey-to-do-list.

Best wishes!