After eight years in business, I lost over $1000 on a vanity top installation due to complacency and not following my usual procedures. This experience taught me the importance of sticking to systems, documenting work, and maintaining professionalism with clients to avoid costly mistakes and misunderstandings.
After eight years of running my own business full-time, I've experienced many ups and downs. Often, the focus is on the positive aspects of entrepreneurship, but today I want to share a recent loss I took — over $1000 lost in minutes — and how it could have been easily avoided.
The job was straightforward: installing a bathroom vanity top. I've done many bathroom jobs, including showers and full vanities, so this was a relatively simple task for me. However, things started to go wrong very early on.
Usually, I work with referrals or repeat customers. New customers are rare, and I often do small jobs first to build trust. This time, the customer came through a service, and I went to their home for an estimate on a Saturday morning due to my busy schedule.
During the visit, the customer talked excessively negatively about previous contractors. This was a big red flag. While contractors can sometimes be at fault, many customers also engage in difficult behavior. Despite this, I proceeded with the estimate and sent them a quote, which was slightly underpriced but acceptable.
Unlike my usual practice, I did not request a deposit for this job. This was a critical mistake and part of the story of me not sticking to my usual systems.
The customer had to order the countertop, which led to multiple emails and questions, even on weekends. I do not work 24/7 and do not respond to non-emergency inquiries on weekends. The customer seemed to expect constant availability, which added pressure.
They ordered the wrong size countertop initially, causing delays. When the countertop finally arrived, they wanted the job scheduled immediately, but my schedule was full. I asked for a week to arrange the timing, but the customer kept pressing and messaging me repeatedly, questioning if I wanted the job.
On installation day, I carefully removed the old vanity top, which was tricky due to wallpaper and drywall around it. I managed to remove it without damaging the walls.
I then opened the box with the new vanity top and started cutting it outside. Here lies another mistake: I did not have the customer inspect the vanity top immediately upon opening the box. This is usually a standard procedure to catch any damage early.
I did not take any pictures or videos of the new vanity top before or during installation. Normally, I document my work thoroughly, but I got too comfortable and skipped this step.
About 20 minutes after finishing, the customer called to report a large chip on the front of the countertop. This was surprising because there was no damage when I left, and I had cleaned everything thoroughly.
The customer stopped payment on the check they had issued me, assuming I would fix the damage. This was frustrating because I had not cashed the check yet, but the stop payment added complications.
The customer sent a long email accusing me of poor work and comparing me unfavorably to previous contractors who had scammed them. This was unfair since I had not received any payment and had purchased materials out of pocket.
I remained patient and professional, planning to visit their home to assess the damage and resolve the issue.
Upon inspection, the chip was significant, exposing the base material beneath the cultured marble surface. Given my thorough cleaning and care, I suspected the damage occurred after I left, possibly when the customers were putting items back under the sink.
The customer stated they would pay me after the repair but would deduct the stop payment fee from the amount owed. I refused to pay this fee since they initiated the stop payment.
This experience cost me over $1000 and taught me valuable lessons about complacency in business. No matter how many years you have been in the trade, always approach each job with the same care and professionalism as your first. Stay vigilant, document your work, and maintain clear communication to protect yourself and your business.
Remember, in the trades, your reputation and systems are everything. Stay safe and be blessed.
— Daryl, also known as The Finisher
