need some advise(painter)

[moparnut]

Ok about 5 weeks ago i took my hood,doors,fenders and trunk lid to a painter that was recommended by a good buddy.He is working out of his house.He said it would be 3 weeks and the stuff would be done,its been 5 and now after he got my check he doesnt return phone calls anymore or a few days later after i call again(dont you hate that?he always picked up the phone before i paid him).Anyway I am tempted to pick my stuff up and get a refund for the portion of money not used yet.I dont mind having my parts in his garage and when its time to take the roller to him i am afraid he will leave it in his driveway when he is not home and someone could tow it away in a minute.I know if i ask him not to leave it out he will say OK but probably will never happen.The guy was great before i paid him now he's a different person,it pisses me off.I know he does great work but they are many out there that do and he wasnt any cheaper than the body shop 2 miles away from me,he is 30 miles away.PLease help with some advise,thanks.

[xblade]

He may have a good excuse but you have to look out for your stuff. If the guy does good work and works another job by day id probably let him finish what hes got (if he is even working on it at all) and look for someone new for the rest of the project.
I once had to go to a drug house to retrieve the keys to a challenger I had. The guy had started on it then went on a binge. After chasing chickens out of the car I drove it home without a drivers door.

[tactransman]

It is never a good sign when someone does not return phone calls.
Don't be suprised if he already has your money spent and it is hard to get it back!
I would talk to him in person and check on his progress , then go from there.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Ever date a girl that suddenly didn't return your phone calls?    I'm getting that feeling here. 


  Mike

[fishn4cuda]

Any any business deal "Communicate before making assumptions"
He may have a valid excuse or reason for not returning calls.
Go to him and find out what's going on.
Any body shop can tell you that even if they promise a time line, most of the time it is impossible to meet that time line.
 Just my:2cents:

[moparnut]

I have thought about that but the problem remains that my car would be sitting in his driveway unprotected,even if he says it wont be.So I am more apt to cutting my losses and moving on.I also guess i EXPECT people to be of their word,without our word we are nothing.He should have said 2 months and not 3 weeks.But he has made promises before he hasnt kept.To me its just dishonest plain and simple.If I say i am going to do something in a time line come hell or high water it will be done,I guess i am a rare breed,my word actually means something.Like I said I would probably let him finish IF! my car wasnt sitting in his driveway after i take it to him,so letting him keep the parts is just delaying the inevitable.Its completly gutted roller and would be easy for someone to take it.I have no tolerance for deadbeat flakey people that make promises they know they arent going to keep when they say it.Why even open their mouths?

[fishn4cuda]

I have thought about that but the problem remains that my car would be sitting in his driveway unprotected,even if he says it wont be.So I am more apt to cutting my losses and moving on.I also guess i EXPECT people to be of their word,without our word we are nothing.He should have said 2 months and not 3 weeks.But he has made promises before he hasnt kept.To me its just dishonest plain and simple.If I say i am going to do something in a time line come hell or high water it will be done,I guess i am a rare breed,my word actually means something.Like I said I would probably let him finish IF! my car wasnt sitting in his driveway after i take it to him,so letting him keep the parts is just delaying the inevitable.Its completly gutted roller and would be easy for someone to take it.I have no tolerance for deadbeat flakey people that make promises they know they arent going to keep when they say it.Why even open their mouths?

I know exactly what you're saying. That's two of us rare breed people. I find alot of peoples words today (not all) is worth spit!! Hand shakes don't even count as a contract anymore. Lack of respect is what I term it!

[Bullitt-]

Ya know what they say, fool me once... etc...

[RUSTY Cuda]

I'm with you guys, I've worked on a handshake many times, never let a customer down, but it seems the longer I'm around the more careful i have to be, just why too many schysters out there who will screw ya every chance they get.
I've used many part timers & subs & besides the few I can count on one hand the reliability factor was always in question, seems when they really needed some money they were johnny on the spot, once they had a few bucks you were less likely to see them .
Hope this guy just hit a rough spot & will finish up without a problem, things do come up, but I've always appreciated a phone call , no matter how lame the excuse was, better than being left to wonder & speculate, I could never understand the ones who didn't call, is it that hard to pick up a phone & let you know whats up?  A Well off my soap box, good luck with this guy! Rich.

[moparnut]

I dont think this guy is the thieving kind,his wife is an Oncologist(cancer doctor) and he is "mister mom".I just think he knows he is good and thinks people should wait for him,wrong attitude!.Then he makes excuses why he didnt call back right away and says he is getting 15-20 calls a day and cant return them all,I said cry me a river I am a sales rep and i get atleast 50-75 calls before noon most days and you can return 20 in a day,gimme a break.I am going to have a little "talk" with him tomarrow and see how it goes.Its beyond me when people dont return calls or do followup to make sure customers are happyI wish most of these deadbeats would have to do sales for a living,but they probably would starve,you cant teach peple manners.Most of my calls are from plumbing contractors and home builders that have questions about the products i rep,if i dont get back to them they will go somewhere esle,which is what i am about to do.

[mmccarty]

Then he makes excuses why he didnt call back right away and says he is getting 15-20 calls a day and cant return them all,I said cry me a river I am a sales rep and i get atleast 50-75 calls before noon most days and you can return 20 in a day,gimme a break.I am going to have a little "talk" with him tomarrow and see how it goes.

Uff da... Definitely give the guy a chance to make it right.  I hang out over at the neighborhood body shop.  The owner's house is right next door to the shop and he has one employee plus a son helping him.  Sometimes I wonder how anything gets done, with people stopping by for quotes, dropping in to check on their car or just shoot the bull, the phone ringing off the hook...  He lets me hang around the shop and work on the small details on my car in between them doing the major work.  I try to stay out of the way and clean up after myself.  He'll shoot the bull with me for hours, but I've learned to keep it short and find an excuse for me (him) to get back to work.  He does get a lot done in the evening after everybody has left and the phone stops ringing.

Stop by and and talk to the guy and voice your concerns.  Hopefully he'll make things right.

[Total BS]

Moparnut....

The only thing that might make it better when you take your roller over there is to remove the wheels and put it on jackstands.  That might make it a little harder to tow away.  Of course, if someone is determined to steal it they will find away around that too.

[moparnut]

thanks for all the input,i will give the guy a chance,sometimes my HOT German temper gets the better of me
Maybe i can tell him IF and i mean IF i take the roller to him I dont want under any circumstances want it sitting out.I'll even ask him to sign a contract if it goes missing he will be responsible,if he wont i wont take it there.I would be hard pressed to find another 70 unmolested barracuda i could afford or find one at all for that matter so i dont want to take any chances

[torredcuda]

Not trying to make excuses for the guy but being a bodyman it is extremely hard to figure out how much time it will take to do resto work and doing it on the side other things sometimes take priority.The only problem is you paid him (full amount?) before the work was done and now it seems he`s avoiding you.I have my customers (usaully friends) only pay me for work that has been done plus materials so that niether of us owes the other one very much and keeps me motivated.

[moparnut]

hind site is 20/20,my Bad.A little communication does overcome a lot of anxiety.