Honestly, I used to think paperwork was just a pain too, but after getting burned a couple times, I’m all for at least a basic agreement. Doesn’t have to be fancy—just something that says what’s expected and when you get paid. It’s wild how quickly “just trust me” can turn into “I’ll pay you next month, promise.” Learned that the hard way... Now I just send a quick summary email before starting anything. Not perfect, but it’s saved me a few headaches.
- Paperwork feels like a drag, but I’ve lost count how many times a simple scope-of-work doc saved me when a client “forgot” what was included.
- I keep everything in writing now—scope, payment schedule, even who’s buying materials. Not fancy legal stuff, just clear bullet points.
- If I don’t get a deposit, I don’t touch a thing. Too many times I’ve started demo and then waited weeks for a check.
- Sometimes folks act surprised when I ask for a signed agreement, like they think it’s not needed for “small jobs.” Those are the ones that bite you.
- Curious if anyone’s tried using e-signature tools? I’m still old school with PDFs and emails, but maybe there’s a better way.
- How do you handle changes mid-job? I get scope creep all the time—“while you’re here, can you just add this?” I try to document it, but it’s a hassle.