Just wanted to share my experience with the other forum members, I'm not going to name and shame publically however if you PM me that's different.
We recently moved into our new house and needed to get our lot levelled ready for landscaping.
We found on our garage door a fridge magnet advertising the services of a bobcat / earthworker. Looked very professional so we gave him a ring and he gave us a basic call out rate, plus cost per load to get rid of the surplus.
Being happy with this we asked him to come round and give us a proper quote having had the chance to view our block. His price then changed a bit but we thought ok, we appreciate that the other quote was a budget quote over the phone and this was his firmed up price which we accepted.
Back yard was done first and wife paid him. When I got home and checked the levels were all over the show, he had exposed the footings of the house in places and the difference in levels was in some places over 300mm.
I explained to him that I wasn't happy and it needed to be sorted. He then apologised and said that he could do the front and side of the house for a much reduced rate to make up for my dissatisfaction on the back yard. The price was agreed and he said I could pay him in instalments as well.
The front was done, but if his bobcat couldnt reach the area was left and he only completed the side of the house halfway down. When he came round I explained that he hadn't finished the job, then the fun and games started!
His price then went up another $500 i never agreed and told him that he needs to finish what he has started as agreed otherwise I'm not giving him anything. He then turned up with an invoice with not only the extra $500 on he also added another $150 as well.
I phoned him and said we agreed to a figure and that was all he was getting and had 2 choices, either walk away and not get anything or finish the job and I'll pay him what we agreed.
Now the fun started, unbeknown to him my wife was home from work all day yesterday and he turned up to remove the spoil left previously and finish the side of the house. My wife took pictures of him when he turned up and his truck was already nearly full, she then watched him load another 4 bucket fulls of spoil onto the lorry and then another 4 from the side of the house. His truck was then full so the remaining couple of buckets he stockpiled around the back of the house.
Well this morning he phoned me and asked if I'd seen his work, I said no I hadn't, he then proceeded to tell me that he turned up with an empty truck and took yet another full load away and has another load to go today and he wants the full amount.
I then asked him why he was trying to rip me off and explained to him that we had photos of when the truck turned up full, and counted the number of bucket fulls he loaded before he started stockpiling.
What ensued was so unprofessional apparantly I'm a "squeezing pom, like the rest of us" and that I will pay in full or get my legs broken like the dago round the corner. I invited him to come round and try to which he said I just want my money, I told him that as long as I'm happy with the work I will pay him tonight no worries but only the amount we agreed on.
He then went on to tell me that he can and will do what he wants to me if I dont pay him in full, when I reminded him that he is the one with more to lose as he works on reputation, his answer was he's self employed as it enables him to deal with people how he wants to.
So my first experience of dealing with a so called trades man in our new house -100
Believe me I have never in my life tried to short change anyone, however the actions of this individual are awful to say the least.
So if your south of the river in WA go careful or should I say beware of Wolf in Sheeps clothing!