Quote:
Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale
GMG that I've had a really bad run of luck of handshake agreements seemingly being meaningless.
Worked for a guy, then had to chase payment for over a week passed the promised pay-day. Then a week later he calls me asking me to come in, offering to pick me up from home and drive me to the site, so I leave my Friday night early and end up spending $30 at the end of a cross town train ride for a cab home to be ready to go. MFer doesn't show or text or anything, thus wasted my Friday night AND Saturday morning.
Worked for another guy and now I'm chasing payment from him, once again past the promised pay-day, and the re-promised one, and the re-promised one after that. And this isn't a small amount of money (at least not to me).
Is there something I can do to better protect myself against this sort of thing? I'm just picking up random construction jobs from Kijiji so its like I'm a sub-sub contractor? Not new to construction but definitely new to dealing with this kind of thing, so is this the Kijiji norm or just a run of bad luck? Both guys were working for legit contractors/condo boards.
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1. Request 50% upfront, 50% upon work completion.
2. If possible, get a very simple, small, short one page contract they sign before work starts. Likely has to be very simple and very short to get people to sign it.
3. Threaten (and be prepared) to take to small claims court for a prolonged delays (3 or more promises and failures to pay maybe). Be reasonable / fair.