Today, work turned down:
A bitter dispute between two landowners
A job that another surveyor is in the middle of
A request to bid on a staking job (the contractor doesn't have the work, only bidding it)
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Almost as prevalent as "It depends." is the phrase "Never lost a dollar on a job I didn't get."
Hooray for you, Moe.
I fired a client yesterday, on a medium sized medical center with platted condo offices. First was a proposal for an ALTA survey on the site, then just a boundary, does the boundary include the building location (no), the boundary plus the building location, just the areas of two of the units, then the area of the two units not from the plat but from the two deeded metes and bounds descriptions, and finally updating the condo plat. I explained you can't update a recorded plat - it requires a new plat, with new measurements inside and outside the building, and budget $20,000 and six months to get it past the city. After three weeks of this I suggested she find someone else and I wrote off my time on proposals. I know a bottomless pit when I see one.?ÿ
I once kept under roof three full crews, office personnel, four vehicles and enough equipment fill the two garage bays at my office.?ÿ By the nature of that business I was conditioned to oblige taking any and all work that fell from the sky.?ÿ?ÿ
At some point in time I realized it was OK to just say no.?ÿ At first I just turned down the ugly and sticky stuff.?ÿ Then it got to where the work that was a long way off lost its glitter.?ÿ And finally I got good at turning down potential clients just because I was tired and wanted to go home.
My business never faltered one bit.?ÿ I realized I should have been doing that all along.?ÿ Life's too short. ;)?ÿ
Turning down work can sometimes make one more money and have the time to jump on prime projects.?ÿ On Monday and Tuesday I passed on three projects for various reasons.?ÿ On Wednesday I received THE CALL for a project I would not turn down.?ÿ This one will be fun and very profitable.
THE CALL was from a fellow needing permitting help for harvesting river gravel.?ÿ I've worked on a couple projects for the same purpose but roughly 20 years ago and I told him as much.?ÿ Assuming this project goes well, I can see him maneuvering to obtain permits in other locations that he owns and possibly acquiring some new opportunities.?ÿ This fellow and his family are massive landowners in at least four states.?ÿ Besides farming and ranching, they have numerous other construction-related businesses and commercial ventures.?ÿ He called me because he knows me.?ÿ We share a number of similar interests.?ÿ If I wander into a cafe where he is already seated, he may invite me to join him for lunch.?ÿ I've returned the favor numerous times.?ÿ We always have a great conversation.?ÿ Just as long as we avoid politics and religion.
....Just as long as we avoid politics and religion.
That's the tough one of the times.?ÿ And stereotypical assumptions about people can be wrong as ever.?ÿ Nowadays if the topic of conversation deviates from the weather I clam up.?ÿ It's strange times for sure.
@mightymoe www.birdsarentreal.com
@mightymoe no. ?ÿOops, too late. ?ÿI never have. ?ÿMy son buys the tee shirts & stickers. ?ÿ;)
@bruce-small Technically, she never made it to "client" status to begin with.