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That $300 "rush job" deposit that went poof
Had a client last spring in Denver who needed their basement floor done in 3 days for a family visit. I normally charge 50% upfront but they talked me into taking a smaller deposit of $300 since it was a rush. Showed up day one and they just never answered the door or my texts. Wasted a whole day loading and unloading materials plus the drive out there. Anyone else gotten burned by taking a smaller deposit than usual?
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kai_ramirez3810d ago
Denver flakes are special. $300 is cheap tuition for that lesson.
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danielowens10d ago
See it the other way honestly - that $300 deposit was basically a test of their integrity and it saved you from doing a whole basement for someone who was gonna flake anyway. A smaller deposit means smaller loss when things go sideways, and you found out before sinking real time and materials into the job (which is the best outcome in this business). Better to lose a day and three bills than a full week and thousands in materials.
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That $300 did you a favor honestly @danielowens. Think of it like paying for a preview of their character, and you got the plot twist early. I'd rather lose three bills and a day than spend two weeks arguing with someone who never planned to pay. Your logic about materials is spot on too - that basement drywall and mud would have been a total loss. Plus now you know exactly what to ask next time, like a bigger deposit or a signed contract. Some people treat deposits like a test drive, and yours passed their failure test.
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