I sometimes feel bad about posting too much, but often interesting things happen and I can't help sharing.
As this post is titled, we often hear stories about bad builders who are doing awful things to clients, but sometimes there are bad clients who do awful things to builders.
We are trying to navigate our way through a situation at the moment that is almost unbelievable.
I posted a while ago about a client who was very slow with payments. One stage payment was 3 months behind and we had to formally stop work for a period of time.
He finally paid, and then begged us to fast track the build to make up lost time as his wife was going away for work and the house needed to be finished before she left.
Over August and September my whole team worked 7 days per week, 12-14 hour days to complete the home by their deadline. We issued PC and the final invoice on the 25th September 2023 for $224,000.
They gave every indication they were happy, loved the result etc. Didn't dispute anything regarding the PC notice or the invoice and then without saying anything just moved in.
That is correct, a month on, they haven't paid their invoice, don't have OC and have just moved in.
What really annoys me, is that towards the end of the build they kept asking for help with items outside of the contract that we obliged with, like solar panels, $13,000 worth up upgraded pool equipment, hose reels, additional pendant lights, additional joinery, extra caulking ( the list is actually quite long).
Now we have to go through a legal fight to get our money which is going to be messy and long.
But this means we have worked our bums off for a year and a half for free, actually less than free.
So that is the other side of the coin. Not all builders are bad and not all clients are great.
The one good thing I have in my favour is that I am holding onto the OC and the contract provides for a pretty generous interest penalty of 13.68% pa.
Anyway, wish me luck
Cheers
Simeon