Delayed payments driving me nuts—does this ever get easier?
Curious—have you ever had someone push back on your payment schedule after signing, like trying to renegotiate mid-job? That’s the one that really grinds my gears.
Yeah, that’s a classic. It’s wild how some folks think the contract is just a “suggestion.” I’ve had people try to change up payment terms halfway through, or suddenly “forget” what we agreed on. Drives me crazy, but I’ve learned to just stick to the paperwork and not let it get personal.
I totally get what you mean about spelling out every little thing in the contract feeling tedious. But honestly, it’s saved me more times than I can count. I had one project where the owner tried to tack on a bunch of little extras—“since you’re already here”—and then balked at the final invoice. If it hadn’t all been in writing, I’d have been out a chunk of change.
On the payment schedule thing, I’ve found that being super clear up front (and a little firm) helps. Sometimes I’ll even mention past headaches—like, “I’ve had issues before, so I’m strict about this now.” Most folks respect that. The few who don’t…well, they usually show their colors early.
Delayed payments are just part of this business, but it does get a bit easier once you’ve been burned a couple times and tighten up your process. Still annoying, though. Hang in there—it’s all part of the learning curve.
Man, I swear, the first time someone tried to “revisit” our payment terms halfway through a flip, I thought I was on a hidden camera show. Now I just keep a paper trail for everything. It’s a pain, but it’s either that or chasing checks forever. Sometimes I joke that my contracts are thicker than the drywall I’m putting up.
