*
I know where your coming from, Nick. When I first started in construction about 6 years ago, the company I worked for did the same thing to some of the subs they used. It was terrible to run into these guys at the lumber yard and have them coming down on you when there was nothing I could do about it. I was only a laborer. Anyway, I learned from these experiences, and run my own business now. One of the first rules of the trade is to pay the subs before you pay yourself. A happy sub is a good one. Good luck.
By the way, I am also in Philly. It must be a trend here.
Replies
*
Well, I debated for a long time about whether or not to bring this up, but I think it's justified.
A few months ago I put two of my carpenters to work for another Philadelphia builder that I met here on Breaktime. I needed to fill a gap in my schedule, and he was going to help me out, which I thought was a pretty darn nice thing to do. We had met a few times over lunch and I thought that we shared a lot of beliefs about building and doing business.
But, of course, I was wrong. After the last two weeks of work that my guys did for him, he wrote me a check (for about $1900)for the invoice I gave him, and it bounced. Subsequently he promised to make it up to me, and I waited, and then waited some more, but I honestly believed that he would pay me. Now it's been two months, and he won't return my phone calls. A certified letter I sent to him was never signed for, so I can only guess he didn't want to read it. Now I'm stuck with filing a mechanic's lien on the house we did the work at, and filing a suit against him, and pursuing criminal check fraud charges with my local DA.
I've tried to imagine the circumstances that would leave him unable to return my calls, but short of death or moving out of the country, I can't really understand it. So I guess he is just another deadbeat he doesn't pay his bills. I wondered whether or not to bring it up here, but I feel that he doesn't deserve the respect of his peers if he is going to do business like this.
I don't want to post his name because of whatever legal issues there might be (God only knows, but I'm not a lawyer), but he hasn't posted here in a few months, and I'm sure the regulars here can figure out who it is.
I feel bad that I should have to even bring this up in this forum.
*Mr. Pita?
*in twenty -five years i've certainly been on the brink a few times... but the no-communication thing is too bad..most pepole don't realize that a phone call is better than nothing ....even if it's to tell you he's going thru bankruptcy...,, i wish you well and remember how much it hurts...
*No, and I certainly don't want to cast a bad light on anyone undeserving... this person bills themself as a "custom builder/woodworker".
*Nick,I'm sorry to hear about this,I, like you, assumed that all the professionals here were not the fly by night type.Of course as Mike said things do happen to all of us from time to time.But,how much trouble would a phone call be.I guess he's not still looking for a carpenter or appentice in the Philly suburbs.Vince
*Been poor lots of times. Not rich now.But make a phone call.
*Nick,Down here in La. all you have to do to collect a hot check is bring the check and certified letter to the D.A. and they will collect it for you. They even gave me an extra $20. Might work for you.KK
*That sucks. But what kkearner says is also true in Indiana. Definitely worth looking into.Rich Beckman
*Nick,
View Image © 1999-2000"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich W. Nietzsche
*instint, You have to rely on instinct, if the fish smells dead it probabally is. If your insticts tell you walk then walk.If youu jump the fence to greener pastures , look close for shit on the other side you might land in, Many of us have been where you are now and had it backfire, we have also had it work out.Was there warning signs that you have now learned, experience is expensive tuition. You have to keep trust in people.Karma. What comes around goes around. Unfortuantately you all live in the big city so it will take a while for his path to catch up with him, but it will.
*Damn shame. I could only hope there is some legitimacy to this, though it sure doesn't look like it. Even an empty promise to pay would look better than no communication surrounding a bad check. And, if he's building for high end clientale, this cannot help.The only thing I can do to help is promise not to do this to any of you guys, count on it.MD
*Trust, an amazing thing.I, and others, sent off checks to people we have never met and don't know from Adam, with expectations that deeds will follow words. The amount isn't an issue but with all the warnings about being careful about your dealings on the web we can still believe there's integrity in the average person.Looking forward to meeting all you "average" people at Petefest.
*Here! Here!Rich Beckman
*Speaking of Petefest, thanks for all the checks. I'll see you all here in Philly....errr....I mean Cleveland.Now seriously, who the heck is the culprit here Nick? We need a name. If it happens to another of us, it'll be on your conscience.Pete
*The clues:PhillyCustom builder/WoodworkerA couple of months agoLooking for a carpenterCheck"Help Wanted-Work Wanted" and see if you all come to the same conclusion I do.John
*William Swales???? Holy Moly!! I am beside myself. It seems that Bill has been an active BTer here for some time now. I really was taken by surprise. Sure he ain't dead or incapacitated in a lesser form?Pete
*Someone better check his shop to see that he's not just laying there smelling the place up. He was gung-ho about attending Petefest, too.
*The important thing is that the men who actually did the work got paid, even if you had to stick it on your VISA. I know how much it can hurt at the time but it brings you honor in the end.JonC
*Believe me, I have considered a hundred different scenarios that might keep him from calling me...but not many seem likely. It has been about five weeks since he last returned my calls. But if I am wrong, and he is on extended vacation in Antarctica, I will be the first to retract my statement.Looking back, there were some warning signs. I should have walked away.And my employees did get paid for the work.
*I know where your coming from, Nick. When I first started in construction about 6 years ago, the company I worked for did the same thing to some of the subs they used. It was terrible to run into these guys at the lumber yard and have them coming down on you when there was nothing I could do about it. I was only a laborer. Anyway, I learned from these experiences, and run my own business now. One of the first rules of the trade is to pay the subs before you pay yourself. A happy sub is a good one. Good luck. By the way, I am also in Philly. It must be a trend here.
*Hey!!If all you jokers are average..and you live above the Equator..what does that make me?
*
Sad news indeed. As a former police officer (uh, now don't start throwing yur titaniums) and detective of sorts investigating bad checks I can tell you that I have never heard of a law enforcement agency "collecting" bad checks. That is what collection agencies are for.
We throughly investigated the circumstances (for example, a post-dated check accepted by you constitutes an extension of credit and the CRIMINAL statutes for a bad check do not apply) We got warrants, made the arrest and 99 times out of 100 the DA plea bargained the deal out with the "perp" making restitution. It seems like "collection" but the guy actually faces criminal charges. More recently the various law enforcement agencies have adopted "minimums" on the checks they accepted for investigation to cut down on the case load.
Your best bet might be small claims court. Most states have a special provision for receiving a judgment that is for 3 times the amount of the check. The fees are minor and if you can assemble anything in writing to show that the deal was real the magistrate asks all the questions (kind of like a less annoying Judge Judy scenario). Collecting the judgment is a whole different thing. I could give you a few more hints via direct email.
One note: Never, absolutely never, threaten a passer of bad checks with criminal action in order to obtain payment. LEGAL action is OK. CRIMINAL--NEVER! There are some fine lines in the law and even though it "sounds" like that is exactly what the DA is doing before the plea bargain...it isn't.