Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Business II

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Business II

    A new one for you guys.

    I have a client who accepted his quote and signed his contract. This ass architect got involved and demanded that I stopped corresponding with my client and direct all questions to him. I told this guy that per my contract, all correspondences go through whoever contracted me to do the work. He requested transfer of agreement, which we did, and the rest was a pain in my butt. I waited weeks for information every time I asked, when I got the info it changed what I already did, which happened many times. There were 280 comments made on my review site and about the same made outside the review site in manic emails. After six months he made significant changes, I sent a quote, which he never signed, but I made the changes anyway to help out my original client, which I have done a dozen or so successful project with. After I sent those last changes, all went silent. Each month I added a 2% late fee, but the architect ignored them. Finally, I emailed my original client and the architect saying that the invoice will be sent to collections if he doesn't pay by the end of the month, last month, and if he paid, I would waive the late fee.

    Well, the architect responded, saying that he doesn't know what I am talking about, things were taking me too long, so he abandoned the project with me and had someone else finish it. Nowhere did he ever mention anything about taking too long to do anything. I was the one waiting on him on every move. Here is the real question. There were to be three images, two of them reliant on the client, providing background images. One of the images was never given to me, and not until all the modeling and texture mapping was done was I told there wouldn't be a backplate provided for the third image. Two of the images were done, but that third is still sitting waiting. There were 11 mid-rise buildings, so it was a lot of work.

    Pulling the camera to match the backplate would have taken no time. What this ass was waiting for, I don't know, but he seems confused. We are at a stale-mate, I guess. I said I would be willing to waive a little for no actual final third image, but it won't be a lot, he said he isn't paying a dime more. I am ready to file a claim, which I'll do after I tack on another 2% late fee. It's a little over $2000 left on the contract, but unfortunately, courts don't punish people for being assholes; otherwise, I would sue for a lot more for being shifty.

    What do you think? What happens when the client doesn't provide what you need to finish the project? Technically, I shouldn't have started until he got me what I needed, however, this is the only thing I can think of about me taking too long. I waited a month for the backplates, but they couldn't wait for the images and assured me that they would send a drone up on the next clear day. Why it didn't happen, I don't know.
    Last edited by glorybound; 07-01-2020, 04:43 PM.
    Bobby Parker
    www.bobby-parker.com
    e-mail: info@bobby-parker.com
    phone: 2188206812

    My current hardware setup:
    • Ryzen 9 5900x CPU
    • 128gb Vengeance RGB Pro RAM
    • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
    • ​Windows 11 Pro

  • #2
    I would hit him hard immediately with a letter of demand and get your lawyer involved. I have done this many times and it's always worked....albeit at a cost, often more than 10% of the job but having positive cash flow was more important than the legal fees in the end.
    These guys are taking the piss, wasting your valuable time as a sole operator and trying to play you and you deserve better than that.

    Comment


    • #3
      I had a few deadbeats over the years and I have never had a lawyer call me back. The last one I went straight to small claims, which cost a couple of hundred bucks and he paid before it went to court. I'll see if I can get a lawyer to give me a callback on this one. My contract says that all legal actions will be heard in my home state, so this jerk will have to fly here from down South to fight his losing case. I have a strange feeling my original client will be in litigation with this guy too. When the deadbeat went silent I emailed my client and he said that the deadbeat (he didn't say deadbeat) will have to get rolling on the project and that I need to take it up with him.
      Last edited by glorybound; 07-01-2020, 06:29 PM.
      Bobby Parker
      www.bobby-parker.com
      e-mail: info@bobby-parker.com
      phone: 2188206812

      My current hardware setup:
      • Ryzen 9 5900x CPU
      • 128gb Vengeance RGB Pro RAM
      • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
      • ​Windows 11 Pro

      Comment


      • #4
        I got a callback from a lawyer. He is going to write a demand letter. Even if the demand letter doesn't work, it is good to have in small claims court because judges hate when people bring dumb cases in front of them and a demand letter from a lawyer shows that you are serious. He's calling back tomorrow to wrap things up; it'll cost me a couple of hundred bucks, which I can't tack onto the amount owed, so I'll have to eat that no matter what.
        Bobby Parker
        www.bobby-parker.com
        e-mail: info@bobby-parker.com
        phone: 2188206812

        My current hardware setup:
        • Ryzen 9 5900x CPU
        • 128gb Vengeance RGB Pro RAM
        • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
        • ​Windows 11 Pro

        Comment


        • #5
          I finally talked to the lawyer and he said that suing would be a waste. Nobody would care about an out of state judgment and if I took it to conciliation court he wouldn't show and all he has to do is say that he doesn't owe the money. Really, sometimes contracts are not worth the paper they are printed on and to pay a lawyer and court fees, knowing I would never see my money would be a waste. The lawyer said that it would be best to write it off, so I'll have to see what that means if anything.
          Bobby Parker
          www.bobby-parker.com
          e-mail: info@bobby-parker.com
          phone: 2188206812

          My current hardware setup:
          • Ryzen 9 5900x CPU
          • 128gb Vengeance RGB Pro RAM
          • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
          • ​Windows 11 Pro

          Comment


          • #6
            That's sad to hear.
            https://www.behance.net/bartgelin

            Comment


            • #7
              Yep, but just a reminder to not release files until you are paid. I didn't in this case, so at least he can't benefit from my work.

              What happened was, the developer paid me the deposit and handed the job over to the architect. The architect decided his poor-looking SU rendering would suffice, and I think pocketed the balance that the developer paid him. The whole premise of hiring me was because the developer can't use what the architect provided, so I have a hunch, they'll be back for me to finish the project. I have done 11 projects for this developer, with different architects, so I expect there will be a lot of problems with this one. The last work I did on it was modeled over 3 of the 11 buildings because the building department rejected the design. I guess, unfortunately, it is the price of doing business.
              Bobby Parker
              www.bobby-parker.com
              e-mail: info@bobby-parker.com
              phone: 2188206812

              My current hardware setup:
              • Ryzen 9 5900x CPU
              • 128gb Vengeance RGB Pro RAM
              • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
              • ​Windows 11 Pro

              Comment

              Working...
              X