Leftover tiles as shims—love that. I’ve even used old paint stir sticks under wobbly furniture, and once, a stack of business cards (not proud, but it worked). On the partial payments thing, I get what you mean about feeling weird. Sometimes I’ll just set up a reminder to check in with clients so it doesn’t hang over me. It’s not perfect, but it helps keep my head clear for the creative stuff. And yeah, never toss scraps—you never know when you’ll need a quick fix.
Delayed payments are the worst part of this business, hands down. I’ve tried every trick—reminders, contracts, even those “friendly” follow-up emails that start to feel less friendly after the third week. It’s honestly wild how some folks will pay for a fancy backsplash but drag their feet on the final invoice. I get why you’d feel weird about chasing it, but honestly, you earned it. No shame in following up.
As for the shims, I’ve used everything from broken tile to old credit cards. Once used a deck of Uno cards under a fridge... not my proudest fix, but hey, it held up until I could get a real solution. Scraps are gold—never toss them.
Partial payments do help a bit, but I’ve found the best thing is to set clear terms up front and stick to them. If they’re late, I add a late fee. Most clients shape up fast when money’s on the line. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than stewing over unpaid work.
Once used a deck of Uno cards under a fridge... not my proudest fix, but hey, it held up until I could get a real solution.
That’s hilarious—pretty sure I’ve got a few random playing cards wedged under appliances myself. As for payments, late fees help, but I’ve had folks just ignore them anyway. Sometimes I wonder if they think “net 30” means “pay whenever you remember.” At this point, I put everything in writing and won’t start demo until the deposit clears. Not foolproof, but it weeds out the worst offenders.
Title: Net 30 Apparently Means Net Never
I get where you’re coming from with the “deposit clears or nothing happens” rule, but honestly, I’ve had folks who’ll pay the deposit and then ghost for the rest. Like, they’re all enthusiastic until it’s time for the final payment, then suddenly their phone’s “broken” or they’re “traveling for work.” It’s wild.
Late fees are a joke in my experience. Half the time people just treat them like an optional tip. I tried putting everything in writing too—contracts, emails, you name it—but if someone’s determined to drag their feet, it barely matters. I once had a guy argue that “business days” didn’t count if he was on vacation. That was a new one.
I started offering a small discount for full payment upfront instead of just relying on penalties. Not everyone bites, but the ones who do are usually less hassle down the line. Plus, it saves me from chasing down checks while standing in a half-gutted kitchen wondering how I got here.
Honestly, I think there’s always gonna be a few who try to push the limits no matter what you do. It’s like the Uno card under the fridge—sometimes you gotta get creative and hope it holds until you can fix it properly.
Yeah, I’m starting to realize contracts and late fees don’t mean much if someone’s set on dodging payment. I had a guy who just stopped responding after the first half was done—left me hanging with a bunch of materials I’d already paid for. Does it ever get easier to spot the ones who’ll flake? Or is it just trial and error every time? The upfront discount idea sounds smart, though. Might try that next round.
