Today, I went to finish the field work on a small survey. When I was done, I walked the client around the property and made sure everything was clear to him. When we got back to the house, his wife had a check already filled out and ready for me. I still need to get their plat of survey drawn. These same folks had offered to pay before I even started, but I wanted to see what I found before I committed to doing the survey based on the estimate I had provided.
Yesterday, I spoke with a lady about surveying her property and provided a price based on my research. I told her I will start on it next week. She dropped off full payment this morning while I was out of the office. We had not even discussed needing a retainer.
Yesterday in the mail, I received a payment ($150) for a minor drawing revision and a couple of prints. The timeline of this one is interesting. Several years ago, I surveyed a property for this person. He then sold a parcel of ground off periodically over a couple of years and I have done each survey. After the last sketch to show a proposed parcel to a possible buyer, I did not hear from him for two months. He then contacted me and had "just found the bill for the work" and by the way he needed something else done. Well, I e-mailed what he wanted expecting he was mailing his payment also. A couple of months later, I get a call and he "just realized he had not paid the old bill" and by the way he needed a sketch of a proposed piece he may be selling. I did not return his call, and it is amazing how fast that payment arrived. He is now on the full prepay list.
People and the variety of views on paying bills - it sure can be interesting.
Take heart. I received a $3,700 check last week for work I completed 4 years ago. I was promised payment when the property was sold.
Real late, but much better than not receiving it.B-)
We get them all.
Some think we will get the job done sooner or better if we have already been paid.
Some think they can use us as their private bank until someone else's money comes along.
Some think we are all crooks and deserve to be ripped off.
Some don't think.