I know the obvious answer to this one, but has any one here done a large (20k+) without a written contract?
The reason I am asking this is because I've been working with a contractor on a large closet job for the past four months. Not actual cutting of wood, but time designing, meetings, revisions, etc. This is time I have been tracking, and I have added the requisite amount into my contract price so that I make sure I will recoup the money/time spent.
This closet is a remodel, and before they started tearing down a wall and doing any type of demo, I gave them a wide price range, with the wording that the final price may exceed this range if any changes were made. Well, substantial changes were made and I passed along the final contract and price the first week of June. The client balked and "put the job on hold" the following week (June 12th.) Met with the client and builder on June 18th (massive amount of fireworks during,more on that later). Held firm on my price, and at end of meeting client agreed with go-ahead.
June 20th, called builder to confirm that we are a go. He said we are, but he didn't want to aggravate the homeowner before he went on vacation by sending him a large invoice (client is a large one for builder, yearly property management).
I get a call from the builder last Friday (27th) and he asked me when I will be delivering cabinets. I tell him my standard lead time, that I have been firmly communicating throughout this entire project. He flips out and wants to know why I don't have the majority of this job built! "We gave you the to ahead over a month ago." My response was that to this day I don't have a contract, and I cannot build cabinets when major changes were made late in the game, and that the spec house they are building is first in line, then closet will be built. That could change if I could get an update on spec house schedule, then I may be able switch them to bring it in earlier. He said this was unacceptable and that he would call his boss (when I said builder earlier on, I meant the superintendent for the builder.)
As of today, still no word on contract (sent an email yesterday asking them to sign), and no word on spec house schedule (under contract and I have a deposit).
I just cannot wrap my head around this. There's no way I could put myself out there, commit a lot of money without a contract. That's a sure way to kill my business. This is a very wealthy client, and yes, they have already started demo a while ago. Showing they are serious about the job, but I don't have a contract! Am I being a stick in the mud?
The reason I am asking this is because I've been working with a contractor on a large closet job for the past four months. Not actual cutting of wood, but time designing, meetings, revisions, etc. This is time I have been tracking, and I have added the requisite amount into my contract price so that I make sure I will recoup the money/time spent.
This closet is a remodel, and before they started tearing down a wall and doing any type of demo, I gave them a wide price range, with the wording that the final price may exceed this range if any changes were made. Well, substantial changes were made and I passed along the final contract and price the first week of June. The client balked and "put the job on hold" the following week (June 12th.) Met with the client and builder on June 18th (massive amount of fireworks during,more on that later). Held firm on my price, and at end of meeting client agreed with go-ahead.
June 20th, called builder to confirm that we are a go. He said we are, but he didn't want to aggravate the homeowner before he went on vacation by sending him a large invoice (client is a large one for builder, yearly property management).
I get a call from the builder last Friday (27th) and he asked me when I will be delivering cabinets. I tell him my standard lead time, that I have been firmly communicating throughout this entire project. He flips out and wants to know why I don't have the majority of this job built! "We gave you the to ahead over a month ago." My response was that to this day I don't have a contract, and I cannot build cabinets when major changes were made late in the game, and that the spec house they are building is first in line, then closet will be built. That could change if I could get an update on spec house schedule, then I may be able switch them to bring it in earlier. He said this was unacceptable and that he would call his boss (when I said builder earlier on, I meant the superintendent for the builder.)
As of today, still no word on contract (sent an email yesterday asking them to sign), and no word on spec house schedule (under contract and I have a deposit).
I just cannot wrap my head around this. There's no way I could put myself out there, commit a lot of money without a contract. That's a sure way to kill my business. This is a very wealthy client, and yes, they have already started demo a while ago. Showing they are serious about the job, but I don't have a contract! Am I being a stick in the mud?
