The other day I did something that I have not done for a very long time. I turned down a job.
Yes that's right, I turned down a job.
You may be asking yourself why on earth would he turn down any kind of job??
Well it's like this. I was asked to give a price to do the staking for a custom home on the side of a massive hill. When I received the call about it something in my gut told me to decline right then. However things being what they have been I always say yes to any project.
Something was just eating at me about. Did I mention that I did the topo on this lot? Well something was just eating at me, screaming at me "Don't do it!!!!!". I kicked it around for quite a while and figured that I would just high ball the estimate in the hope that I would just get beat.
The guy called me on Friday looking for his numbers. I called him back and told him that I would be unable to do his project due to the fact that my work load has become such that being able to give him the kind of service required would be difficult for me at this time, which is actually true.
I figured that this job because of the retaining wall system and extensiveness of the layout would have been 30+ trips and the liability would have been a nightmare. I have had many projects like this in the past and this one just yelled at me that the contractors would be 100% reliant upon me and if anything went wrong I would be the shit eater. Been there, done that, no thank you.
Upon making that call I felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders.
Thinking back I should have done this so many times in the past.
I have a problem though. I am a driven business man and I am in love with my bottom line, however when I have blown off what my gut was telling me, most of the time the heartburn that incurred because I did not listen would have been worth a lower bottom line and in most cases it dropped because of issues.
Today I think I took a huge step for myself.
Whoever gets this project I hope you have a lot of time, patience and E&O insurance.
Hi John, it’s been a while since I’ve “chimed in” but the first thing that comes to my mind is how low the winning bidder (probably) was… And, if he does not have the experience that you do in these kinds of projects – he will be quickly hating life. I agree with your decision. Like Dr. Elgin said in a somewhat recent seminar I attended – you do NOT need to take on every project – “trust your gut”. Good call John, good call…
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, as far as “General Contractor’s” goes (and sometimes, only their “Stupid-intendants”) [side note: read that one twice] I would love to see a list on your site that simply put – lists General Contractors that never pay for Surveying, back charges Surveyors (when they have done nothing wrong) and on and on, and on…. By the way, these idiots, and their "subs" do not have any idea what a (real) cut sheet is, what it means, and the fact that you have indeed staked everything correctly. Interesting how "Paco" can't read, write or speak English but "went by the stakes" - that have always magically dissapperared...