₦airaland Forum

Some people are so poor the only thing they have is money. ~ Brabus

n3xt:
Prior to preparing my baba lati bill, I asked for the construction route (owner-managed or contractor managed) so that I can know what I’m covering and preparing bill for.

The client asked for contractor-managed approach and I prepared my bill accordingly putting some unbelievable cost-shaving measures in place.

After my baba lati quote was approved, and notice to proceed (NTP) was issued, I went ahead to prepare the project schedule in accordance with the scope of work and best construction practices.


DUMBO 2

I sent in my final bills and my client said he’s not making any provision for Preliminaries on the project.

I repeat “No Provision for Preliminaries”

So what do Preliminaries really cover in projects? In layman understanding, Preliminaries covers things which includes but not limited to hose, water tank, storage, provision of electricity, site signboard, site security etc.

Why did the client say he’s not taking care of the Preliminaries?
Because of the build approach (I being the General Contractor), the scale of the project and some level of pre-construction activities that has been carried out on the project site.
The client felt if I am truly who I say I am on NL with all the number site support equipment I claim to have and use on my projects, then I should be able to handle this without stress.

He said I was considered for the job because of the way u do my sturvs blah, blah.

I was wowed (yinmu) and told my guys “Leggo do some magic. Move Everrrrrythinnng including staple pins. ”

That was how we walked into a “No Commitment, No Contract” project.

I love doing some things to gather experience to teach younger ones. This was just one of it!

____________

After we moved Olympus to the project site, my chairmo said ”I’ve not seen anything na! Is this all you brag about online?” Until a serious commitment has been made, we won’t start.

I smiled and asked for a contract to be signed officially. My Oga stylishly deflect this with a “Let’s tidy up all the bills and make adjustment to the new reviews made.”

Unfortunately I wasn’t on the project with my laptop to immediately edit the bill and do a review. So I have to wait to settle down and do the review.

During this period, I felt it makes no sense to just sit without doing anything. I decided to commence some skeletal pre-construction activities.

My Oga came again “Can we go ahead with the project while you move your command center to the site because we have no time to waste.”

Remember there was no contract because we are awaiting a review of the final bill and I’m already on the project site with some tools and guys to commence preliminary works based on project schedule.

So I felt, moving ahead with the project as suggested by the client is a good way to prevent waste of precious time

@Egunmogaji2 how much time do a contractor need to draw conclusion a client has some skeleton in his sleeves.

At point of negotiation? At the beginning of the project? The way issues are managed? Or after things has gone south?

I suspected foul-play at the point when mine said he’s not taking care of preliminaries because I’m a BiG contractor who needs to prove to the world I am who I really claimed I am.

______

My client came up with “You can order all you need for the project while you tidy up your preliminaries.”

I mean order materials. With what?

“Do I order several tons of reinforcement without a commitment? Or what exactly does this imply?”

“Ha ha, that’s not it na! I just don’t want us to waste time. So it’s fair to order some materials that’ll be needed ahead of your readiness for the project.” My Oga replied.

He added “You know I don’t know you and you don’t know me either. What if paid you and you chose to run away my money tomorrow morning. Just make your orders, funds will be released to you as “materials are delivered.” This looks like a good help to save time while we await the final review of my bill for the project which is also delaying the official signing of the contract

If you’re reading “See the implication of entering into a “No Commitment” contract. You never know who you’re dealing with.

While my client was asking me to make my orders, he already have one of his men who has been well instructed to understudy me (I pretended I didn’t know) to get all the numbers of my suppliers and key contacts
As a matter of fact, I offered him a bed for some weeks in my family house to allow him see me finish

So I made my orders and delivered without a single commitment to the project. I’m talking about order running into several millions.

First, I moved my command base without a single commitment.

Second, I made order for materials for a project without a contract using my leverage.

This was the reason I was smiling when one of my chairman claimed maybe a client didn’t see value in my proposition. He didn’t see value and he’s going behind my back to collect contact details of my supplier and planting a snitch called project supervisor on me
Leveraging on my goodwill!

A lot do people do approach me for consultation and I’d do that without asking for anything in return. Even major suppliers here do ask me to give them link to my suppliers and I do without any strings attached.


So, fund for the goods ordered was released. Can we shout Halleluyah yet


Next is My DUMBO 3


BRB

I don’t operate this way at all Sir.

Frankly I’m shocked that you did .0001% of what you did.

diordaves:
This is very good advice. Any client who argues with mobilizing a contractor/installer na bad market. Move on.

I swear i don't even bother myself if you can't pay for tfare abeg hold your job.. that's how a client contact me from lagos to come.and take measurement at ogoja cross river state
I request for tfare he paid 35k.. his brother later divert the job and bought it elsewhere who loss?
If you can't pay for tfare just hold your job..
No be by Force

cash1115:
Is it right to ask your client to send you transport fair if the job is outside your state? I client called me to come and check a job in Edo state I wanted to know the situation of the job by asking her if its just to measure or state immediately, she said she will start as soon as we conlude, so I send her some designs and the price which she accepted, she asked when am coming and I told her 2days time which she said if I can't come the next day I should forget the job, and my wife just put to bed after all the spending I have no money left which am praying to go to bring work, I was happy when she said that. The last question I asked got her annoyed, when I asked her if I should come with my tools and my boys, she said is there anyway I will work without bringing them that if she is not ready she won't call me, I called my boys to get ready for the next day, but due to not having much cash I ran around to get 5k from someone that when I get there I will send them money to come, I got there in the evening, i calling her severally and her number wasn't going even before I left, she pick the call around 5pm when I told her am there already, that am on my way to the site, she changed everything that I didn't call her before coming so am a scam, I can't believe that, I summon courage that I should get to the site first at least I will sleep at the site till the next day I only have 100naira left when the bike man dropped me funny enough is that nothing like site around the location I started calling her she blocked my line from call and WhatsApp. I went through hell that day but thank God I survived it.

Sorry brother.. but next time request for Tfare.. serious client will surely pay for Tfare

EgunMogaji2:
I don’t operate this way at all Sir.

Frankly I’m shocked that you did .0001% of what you did.

Sigh!

To think I’ve not even shared up to the 20% of the DUMBO things I did to satisfy a nairaland client and you already gave up on me.

It’s safe to say I should stop here then.

I thought I should share my story for us to learn that even if you chose to kill yourself for people here, they’ll still come for your head for just no reason!

EgunMogaji2:
I don’t operate this way at all Sir.

Frankly I’m shocked that you did .0001% of what you did.

People will never tell you what I do on their jobs. They’ll tell you one thing I didn’t do!

money121:
Sorry brother.. but next time request for Tfare.. serious client will surely pay for Tfare

Like I did abi?

Unserious ones who can not afford tfair should apply for Money121 N5k weekly giveaway

n3xt:
Like I did abi?

Unserious ones who can not afford tfair should apply for Money121 N5k weekly giveaway

Thanks oga mi sir.. Don't mind them if pocket no full
Don't put body

olukaygold:
Exactly, there's a nairalander that contacted around February, he said he like my flat roof project and needed my services, We communicated more than four weeks, gave him quotations and the materials needed,so he asked me to come on weekend, I asked for logistics (15k) for me and my guys from Adoekiti- Lag, guess what,he called me a scammer, that im trying to solicit money online when we never met,I was dumbfounded. I tried to convinced him but still,he said he'd better use a builder from his vicinity than sending money to a stranger. It pained me cos this Man wasted my time,cos I gave out all information needed to complete his building, he'd even call me to help him negotiate with block suppliers,sand suppliers even moulder...but at the end, he said I'm a Scammer...

that's exactly where am going too, many clients will think you want to scam them by asking for tf upfront, only God will help us

money121:
I swear i don't even bother myself if you can't pay for tfare abeg hold your job.. that's how a client contact me from lagos to come.and take measurement at ogoja cross river state
I request for tfare he paid 35k.. his brother later divert the job and bought it elsewhere who loss?
If you can't pay for tfare just hold your job..
No be by Force

hmmm that's cool but you should know we have people with different characters, av met a client who don't know me and send me 2m to start is job, till I finish the job we only talk on phone av not see him in person

cash1115:
hmmm that's cool but you should know we have people with different characters, av met a client who don't know me and send me 2m to start is job, till I finish the job we only talk on phone av not see him in person

And have meet a client who paid for tfare b4 we commence the project
Paid more than 25m into my acct without even coming to my factory and his job was done and successful

Yours can't pass you by don't risk ur life nigeria is not safe my brother

n3xt:
People will never tell you what I do on their jobs. They’ll tell you one thing I didn’t do!

You tried.

diordaves:
There are clients that are bad market. This you should know. So to filter out bad market, next time these are processes you should carry out before moving to site:

#1. If the client is from Nairaland, look up for how long they've been on Nairaland. If they've been on Nairaland for a good length of time, take some comfort in that. Good information about their personality will be here on Nairaland by their posts and the forums they frequently visit. Be wary of those who register today, today to contact you for work. Just be wary. It doesn't mean this is not possible. Just be wary because you don't know jack about them. ALWAYS research your client upfront before accepting any job. Ask them for their name. I will come to 'name' again in point three.

#2. Be attentive to the way they address you or talk to you in messages. Be wary if they are unduly and unnecessarily harsh in their communication to you. As if they are doing you a favour. It is not a favour. It is a working relationship. Yes, you are soliciting for work, but you have a right to be addressed with some respect and kindness. All that ORDER to come to site or forget the job is not necessary. It is a tell-tale sign of a tortuous job and a potentially difficult client going forward. And there are difficult clients out there. I speak as a client.

#3. ALWAYS ask for a mobilization fee BEFORE moving to site. This is standard and good practice. Any client that argues with this na bad market. Move on. I have said previously in researching the client you should ask for their name. If you ask for a mobilization fee and they agreed, make sure payment is by bank transfer and that the payment account details match with the name the client told you. If the bank details don't match for some reason (maybe the client is abroad and they don't have a Nigerian bank account), ask more questions about who made the payment and ask to communicate with whoever made the payment. Your client should KNOW you in true colour and same as you.

Don't be desperate to please to land a job. On the flip side, if a client asked you to come to a site that is so far away for investigation or consultation with a potential view of awarding you the job, ask for a reasonable non-refundable fee in lieu of the cost of visiting the site and tell the client that this fee is non-refundable if you do not get the job eventually but if you got the job, this fee is included in the final fee.

wow I really gain from this, infact I love all your wrote there, thanks I really appreciate

money121:
And have meet a client who paid for tfare b4 we commence the project
Paid more than 25m into my acct without even coming to my factory and his job was done and successful

Yours can't pass you by don't risk ur life nigeria is not safe my brother

thats the truth 9ja is not safe

n3xt:
Sigh!

To think I’ve not even shared up to the 20% of the DUMBO things I did to satisfy a nairaland client and you already gave up on me.

It’s safe to say I should stop here then.

I thought I should share my story for us to learn that even if you chose to kill yourself for people here, they’ll still come for your head for just no reason!

Hajj created this thread so we can learn and share so I think you should share.

Also, you play with high dollar, me not so much.

My Homes Subsidiary:

Using Spyder880 method, I scope out acres of lands that I feel have a great future such as proximity to government projects (I know we disagree about Omi Adio Train Station but I’m passionate about the reasonable potential). I use my money, not a collective like Oga Spyder880 to do due diligence, research, buy, survey, etc, Then I offer it to low stress clients, I’m retired abi and if it doesn’t sell immediately the value will keep increasing because it doesn’t cost anything to age land inventory

So this is an example of how I use my money to do business.

My Home Automation and Renewable Energy Subsidiary:

Due to the volatility of market pricing in Nigeria I stock up on materials. I leverage volume purchase to demand deep discount from distributors (in my own little level).

There’s actually a seminar on sales and marketing and actually a degree in at least junior college on marketing. So based on my own experience I can gauge a client and know how to proceed. We did an end to end install of a palace recently. Oba, a well known Accountant, simply signed the PO and everything was done. Entire palace is lit including street approach. Everybody is happy, alert alerted. Would I do same for motor garage association chairman? Heck no as I no fit shout.

So folks just need to develop a business roadmap and choose clients carefully.

A provider never needs to be subservient to a client. That doesn’t mean the the provider needs to be aloof, arrogant and rude. Clients also need to do their parts. I don’t know how to owe someone money by trickery. Just not in me.

A NairaLander came to give me an estimate on POP recently, I made sure to give him transport money. It’s the least that I can do even though it was never requested.

I made sure that my plastering crew gets to relax and be merry every Friday evening after work. As an example of being nice to artisans.

Anyway I’m rambling.

Let’s be good to each other, life’s short.

EgunMogaji2:
Hajj created this thread so we can learn and share so I think you should share.

Also, you play with high dollar, me not so much.

My Homes Subsidiary:

Using Spyder880 method, I scope out acres of lands that I feel have a great future such as proximity to government projects (I know we disagree about Omi Adio Train Station but I’m passionate about the reasonable potential). I use my money, not a collective like Oga Spyder880 to do due diligence, research, buy, survey, etc, Then I offer it to low stress clients, I’m retired abi and if it doesn’t sell immediately the value will keep increasing because it doesn’t cost anything to age land inventory

So this is an example of how I use my money to do business.

My Home Automation and Renewable Energy Subsidiary:

Due to the volatility of market pricing in Nigeria I stock up on materials. I leverage volume purchase to demand deep discount from distributors (in my own little level).

There’s actually a seminar on sales and marketing and actually a degree in at least junior college on marketing. So based on my own experience I can gauge a client and know how to proceed. We did an end to end install of a palace recently. Oba, a well known Accountant, silly signed the PO and everything was done. Entire palace is lit including street approach. Everybody is happy, alert alerted. Would I do same for motor garage association chairman? Heck no as I no fit shout.

So folks just need to develop a business roadmap and choose clients carefully.

A provider never needs to be subservient to a client. That doesn’t mean the the provider needs to be aloof, arrogant and rude. Clients also need to do their parts. I don’t know how to owe someone money by trickery. Just not in me.

A NairaLander came to give me an estimate on POP recently, I made sure to give him transport money. It’s the least that I can do even though it was never requested.

I made sure that my plastering crew gets to relax and be merry every Friday evening after work. As an example of being nice to artisans.

Anyway I’m rambling.

Let’s be good to each other, life’s short.

Let brotherly (and sisterly) love continue. Good morning Sir.

This tfare issue should be considered, I don't like asking a client for tfare though but it's should be a welcome idea, even most interstate jobs I handled Abuja, I.b etc, I don't ask for tfare to the site for measurements and there had been some bitter experiences in some cases and also good experiences. Good morning

Perfecttouchade:
This tfare issue should be considered, I don't like asking a client for tfare though but it's should be a welcome idea, even most interstate jobs I handled Abuja, I.b etc, I don't ask for tfare to the site for measurements and there had been some bitter experiences in some cases and also good experiences. Good morning

some clients are awesome. First time I went to Lagos for a job, the client from here paid for my transport. When I eventually got ready to the job,he mobilized me and gave me more than a week to get ready with my workers.

Some clients are God sent. As for others, they're just humans

cash1115:
Is it right to ask your client to send you transport fair if the job is outside your state? I client called me to come and check a job in Edo state I wanted to know the situation of the job by asking her if its just to measure or state immediately, she said she will start as soon as we conlude, so I send her some designs and the price which she accepted, she asked when am coming and I told her 2days time which she said if I can't come the next day I should forget the job, and my wife just put to bed after all the spending I have no money left which am praying to go to bring work, I was happy when she said that. The last question I asked got her annoyed, when I asked her if I should come with my tools and my boys, she said is there anyway I will work without bringing them that if she is not ready she won't call me, I called my boys to get ready for the next day, but due to not having much cash I ran around to get 5k from someone that when I get there I will send them money to come, I got there in the evening, i calling her severally and her number wasn't going even before I left, she pick the call around 5pm when I told her am there already, that am on my way to the site, she changed everything that I didn't call her before coming so am a scam, I can't believe that, I summon courage that I should get to the site first at least I will sleep at the site till the next day I only have 100naira left when the bike man dropped me funny enough is that nothing like site around the location I started calling her she blocked my line from call and WhatsApp. I went through hell that day but thank God I survived it.

my brother take care shall but next time ask transport money if the person can't give don't go , i have see alot people like that some we allow you will wast all time and money i after they not call you when you call them they wouldnt pick or respond to your message , but take care shall that how the country keep us , some people are just here to use people anyhow for their own selfish interest, you will see person that will make order of goods up million naria and ask you to load come with paying kobo when you get there he will take advantage of you as you will be the one offload it and do others expense which he supose to do , my brother people are wicked not all you see here is a customer

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EgunMogaji2:
Hajj created this thread so we can learn and share so I think you should share.

Also, you play with high dollar, me not so much.

Sure I will. I share my experience here for others to learn.

n3xt:
People will never tell you what I do on their jobs. They’ll tell you one thing I didn’t do!

Capital truth. Same to others oo

There are a lot of messages under this your small words.
Olohun ngbo.
Shineke dey hear

Today naa Monday morning shaa.
Here in Lagos we no dey take am play, make I continue with my concrete work.

I will be right back

michlins:
some clients are awesome. First time I went to Lagos for a job, the client from here paid for my transport. When I eventually got ready to the job,he mobilized me and gave me more than a week to get ready with my workers.

Some clients are God sent. As for others, they're just humans

Too bad some of these good clients/contractors /artisans are taken for granted by some artisans/contractors/clients then end up in the hands of bad clients/artisans /contractors who show them pepper.

When you harden a good paying/performing client/contractor
What you get is more bad clients/contractor
What do we get in the long run?
A chain of bad looking clients and artisans /contractors

In the end, the market becomes difficult for those who earn their daily meals from it.

Remain good to those who are paying/performing and don't take their being different for a fool. It won't end well for you if not now but in the nearest future.

Some of us just don't want to join in destroying the little trust left in the society.

somehow:
When you harden a good paying/performing client/contractor
What you get is more bad clients/contractor
What do we get in the long run?
A chain of bad looking clients and artisans /contractors

In the end, the market becomes difficult for those who earn their daily meals from it.

Remain good to those who are paying/performing and don't take their being different for a fool. It won't end well for you if not now but in the nearest future.

Some of us just don't want to join in destroying the little trust left in the society.

#fact
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Valuepaints20:
#fact
May God bless you for me

And you too sir.

It takes few people to spoil the system if allowed
It also takes few people to make the system work if allowed.

A good society is measured by what those inside are willing to accept and reject.

Our current state of affairs is due to what we have accepted/rejected.

You can't plant cocoyam and expect to reap Hushpuppy fraud money.

TRUST!

If only we know how strong these five letters are in this world. Those five letter are the foundation on which most successful businesses are formed, and retained. Everyone needs trust, trust builds goodwill, which is one of the essential ingredients for success in every business transaction. The contractors and workmen needs trust, the clients needs trust, the suppliers needs trust also.

The big question is; how do we know who to trust?

Trust is such a tricky trait that many people fake it, suppliers of materials can be supplying you with genuine products until one day, Blam! Out of the blues, they hit you with a severe fake product, or run away with your money entirely. Happens with contractors and clients too.

Many of us are products of the trust people reposed in us, I have been working for many years as a contractor, there have been good clients we worked for. In fact, excellent will be a better description. I was lured out of my full time well paying work at a popular multinational company by a client from this forum. The client convinced me to come and build his house in 2013, he paid me even before I started the work, and when I failed with the quotation going against me, he saw it as my inexperience in working in riverine areas, and promptly asked me to redraw a budget, then he paid me again to complete the work.

This same client was there to help me with every bit of information and advice, even technical skills as he was also in the engineering industry. My second and third major projects here were in that same estate, connected by the same client. I remember the day he convinced his colleague to transfer a huge amount of money to me for another new project, the client was afraid, but he told the client that if I defaulted, he will pay back the money. Such trust was rare, and I know it was God's love working. I just resigned from my then employment and went full time, building houses. I am eternally grateful to this young man, and have called him in the past to always express my appreciation for his helping me to start strong.

I have also trusted in my subordinates, the young professionals I brought into the industry, the young graduates I hired to work with me, the skilled workers who did every bit of work. Some turned out good while some, well, did what they wanted. Some old workers of mine walked away with my money in a site this year, but it's his own loss, not mine. I have brought and guided the ones that I can trust here online and many of them are actively building houses and practicing here and elsewhere, some very successful already.

I won't deceive myself to think it's just luck, or hardwork. I think its because of the help of the almighty God, the author and finisher of our faith. He is all able, almighty and the all and all.

Clients could be very difficult, but like I was taught in a Super-management training course in my former company, the customer is always right. We should only be careful not to lose money while observing their rights, we should try to please them in every way, and when we fall short of pleasing our clients, we should be open and ready to amend the situation. We are all humans and although its difficult, we can at least get a pass mark for our services.

We should also be honest, and upfront with the services we intend to render, if I am painting a house for a client for instance, I will ask for details of who goes home with the empty drums after painting, or what happens with the used planks and wood after the project is finished. These details will help in sorting out issues in the future. And when all else fails, if taking some small loss in the project won't kill us, let's take it and walk away far, to avoid problems. Such small losses will pay our tuition fees for the next few jobs, teaching us in vivid terms, how to avoid more losses.

I have taken a fair amount of losses in this field, sometimes big, sometimes small, but I always try to stay within the budget. My family will never forget April - July 2011, when I used my 4 months salary from my day job to be doing a clients work because I under quoted, and I wanted to complete the work. We went hungry and didn't have food in the house. I have also been saved from taking serious beatings when costs go against me. God bless all my clients, they have sometimes come to my rescue, paying up hundreds of thousands when it's clear I misquoted, or the market turned against our agreed budgets. God will bless you all.

I also remember paying back hundreds of thousands of naira, even millions in some cases, when I am overpaid by mistake. The client I completed his 6 flats this year in Enugu East, overpaid me by over N740,000 for some groups of jobs in the finish of the house, I called him and asked how much he paid, my Oga was sounding annoyed and insisting that he has completed the payments, I called him again to please check the amount he paid, because he paid for everything in the list, even when two of the items on the list are options to the others, when he realised he has overpaid me, he was very happy that I pointed it out, because a lot of people will just pretend they didn't see it, and go ahead and spend the money on themselves. This happened again this year, on the tall bungalow I am building now, this one is an overpayment of N366,900. I pointed it out and the client just added it in the next payment and deducted his money, with thanks. Honesty is a very good policy. The best policy in fact.

I urge all the young people in our midst, and indeed all of us, to approach business with honesty, both contractors, suppliers and clients, the most enduring businesses I have seen while growing up, were the ones where people can trust the dealer, and leave a lot of money in their business till when they need it. And the businesses use the money wisely, returning value to the investors and customers whenever they need the goods, or their money back. I want to leave a business name that my children will grow up and inherit, I want my children to stand up and say with pride, "I am the child of Spyder880".

May God grant us health and happiness while we work to achieve all these, may we get more clients and customers that will understand us, and work with us like we are their blood relatives. Amen.

The issue with clients and contractors have to do with Nigerians attitude
We Nigerians don't like to do things the correct way
Money na God

"I urge all the young people in our midst, and indeed all of us, to approach business with honesty, both contractors, suppliers and clients, the most enduring businesses"
by spyder880

Life with honesty not short cut

spyder880:
TRUST!

If only we know how strong these five letters are in this world. Those five letter are the foundation on which most successful businesses are formed, and retained. Everyone needs trust, trust builds goodwill, which is one of the essential ingredients for success in every business transaction. The contractors and workmen needs trust, the clients needs trust, the suppliers needs trust also.

The big question is; how do we know who to trust?

Trust is such a tricky trait that many people fake it, suppliers of materials can be supplying you with genuine products until one day, Blam! Out of the blues, they hit you with a severe fake product, or run away with your money entirely. Happens with contractors and clients too.

Many of us are products of the trust people reposed in us, I have been working for many years as a contractor, there have been good clients we worked for. In fact, excellent will be a better description. I was lured out of my full time well paying work at a popular multinational company by a client from this forum. The client convinced me to come and build his house in 2013, he paid me even before I started the work, and when I failed with the quotation going against me, he saw it as my inexperience in working in riverine areas, and promptly asked me to redraw a budget, then he paid me again to complete the work.

This same client was there to help me with every bit of information and advice, even technical skills as he was also in the engineering industry. My second and third major projects here were in that same estate, connected by the same client. I remember the day he convinced his colleague to transfer a huge amount of money to me for another new project, the client was afraid, but he told the client that if I defaulted, he will pay back the money. Such trust was rare, and I know it was God's love working. I just resigned from my then employment and went full time, building houses. I am eternally grateful to this young man, and have called him in the past to always express my appreciation for his helping me to start strong.

I have also trusted in my subordinates, the young professionals I brought into the industry, the young graduates I hired to work with me, the skilled workers who did every bit of work. Some turned out good while some, well, did what they wanted. Some old workers of mine walked away with my money in a site this year, but it's his own loss, not mine. I have brought and guided the ones that I can trust here online and many of them are actively building houses and practicing here and elsewhere, some very successful already.

I won't deceive myself to think it's just luck, or hardwork. I think its because of the help of the almighty God, the author and finisher of our faith. He is all able, almighty and the all and all.

Clients could be very difficult, but like I was taught in a Super-management training course in my former company, the customer is always right. We should only be careful not to lose money while observing their rights, we should try to please them in every way, and when we fall short of pleasing our clients, we should be open and ready to amend the situation. We are all humans and although its difficult, we can at least get a pass mark for our services.

We should also be honest, and upfront with the services we intend to render, if I am painting a house for a client for instance, I will ask for details of who goes home with the empty drums after painting, or what happens with the used planks and wood after the project is finished. These details will help in sorting out issues in the future. And when all else fails, if taking some small loss in the project won't kill us, let's take it and walk away far, to avoid problems. Such small losses will pay our tuition fees for the next few jobs, teaching us in vivid terms, how to avoid more losses.

I have taken a fair amount of losses in this field, sometimes big, sometimes small, but I always try to stay within the budget. My family will never forget April - July 2011, when I used my 4 months salary from my day job to be doing a clients work because I under quoted, and I wanted to complete the work. We went hungry and didn't have food in the house. I have also been saved from taking serious beatings when costs go against me. God bless all my clients, they have sometimes come to my rescue, paying up hundreds of thousands when it's clear I misquoted, or the market turned against our agreed budgets. God will bless you all.

I also remember paying back hundreds of thousands of naira, even millions in some cases, when I am overpaid by mistake. The client I completed his 6 flats this year in Enugu East, overpaid me by over N740,000 for some groups of jobs in the finish of the house, I called him and asked how much he paid, my Oga was sounding annoyed and insisting that he has completed the payments, I called him again to please check the amount he paid, because he paid for everything in the list, even when two of the items on the list are options to the others, when he realised he has overpaid me, he was very happy that I pointed it out, because a lot of people will just pretend they didn't see it, and go ahead and spend the money on themselves. This happened again this year, on the tall bungalow I am building now, this one is an overpayment of N366,900. I pointed it out and the client just added it in the next payment and deducted his money, with thanks. Honesty is a very good policy. The best policy in fact.

I urge all the young people in our midst, and indeed all of us, to approach business with honesty, both contractors, suppliers and clients, the most enduring businesses I have seen while growing up, were the ones where people can trust the dealer, and leave a lot of money in their business till when they need it. And the businesses use the money wisely, returning value to the investors and customers whenever they need the goods, or their money back. I want to leave a business name that my children will grow up and inherit, I want my children to stand up and say with pride, "I am the child of Spyder880".

May God grant us health and happiness while we work to achieve all these, may we get more clients and customers that will understand us, and work with us like we are their blood relatives. Amen.

Excellent.
Trust which is very expensive.

May God bless you as you continue doing your best to do the right thing.
The funds for the project I am currently executing was honestly earned and I can bodly say I can account for how each penny was earned legally so I would not want to lose a penny to anyone in the process either through abandonment, errors or delays.

Those who work for their money wouldn't want to risk it trying to cut corners.

God bless you once more.

spyder880:
TRUST!

If only we know how strong these five letters are in this world. Those five letter are the foundation on which most successful businesses are formed, and retained. Everyone needs trust, trust builds goodwill, which is one of the essential ingredients for success in every business transaction. The contractors and workmen needs trust, the clients needs trust, the suppliers needs trust also.

The big question is; how do we know who to trust?

Trust is such a tricky trait that many people fake it, suppliers of materials can be supplying you with genuine products until one day, Blam! Out of the blues, they hit you with a severe fake product, or run away with your money entirely. Happens with contractors and clients too.

Many of us are products of the trust people reposed in us, I have been working for many years as a contractor, there have been good clients we worked for. In fact, excellent will be a better description. I was lured out of my full time well paying work at a popular multinational company by a client from this forum. The client convinced me to come and build his house in 2013, he paid me even before I started the work, and when I failed with the quotation going against me, he saw it as my inexperience in working in riverine areas, and promptly asked me to redraw a budget, then he paid me again to complete the work.

This same client was there to help me with every bit of information and advice, even technical skills as he was also in the engineering industry. My second and third major projects here were in that same estate, connected by the same client. I remember the day he convinced his colleague to transfer a huge amount of money to me for another new project, the client was afraid, but he told the client that if I defaulted, he will pay back the money. Such trust was rare, and I know it was God's love working. I just resigned from my then employment and went full time, building houses. I am eternally grateful to this young man, and have called him in the past to always express my appreciation for his helping me to start strong.

I have also trusted in my subordinates, the young professionals I brought into the industry, the young graduates I hired to work with me, the skilled workers who did every bit of work. Some turned out good while some, well, did what they wanted. Some old workers of mine walked away with my money in a site this year, but it's his own loss, not mine. I have brought and guided the ones that I can trust here online and many of them are actively building houses and practicing here and elsewhere, some very successful already.

I won't deceive myself to think it's just luck, or hardwork. I think its because of the help of the almighty God, the author and finisher of our faith. He is all able, almighty and the all and all.

Clients could be very difficult, but like I was taught in a Super-management training course in my former company, the customer is always right. We should only be careful not to lose money while observing their rights, we should try to please them in every way, and when we fall short of pleasing our clients, we should be open and ready to amend the situation. We are all humans and although its difficult, we can at least get a pass mark for our services.

We should also be honest, and upfront with the services we intend to render, if I am painting a house for a client for instance, I will ask for details of who goes home with the empty drums after painting, or what happens with the used planks and wood after the project is finished. These details will help in sorting out issues in the future. And when all else fails, if taking some small loss in the project won't kill us, let's take it and walk away far, to avoid problems. Such small losses will pay our tuition fees for the next few jobs, teaching us in vivid terms, how to avoid more losses.

I have taken a fair amount of losses in this field, sometimes big, sometimes small, but I always try to stay within the budget. My family will never forget April - July 2011, when I used my 4 months salary from my day job to be doing a clients work because I under quoted, and I wanted to complete the work. We went hungry and didn't have food in the house. I have also been saved from taking serious beatings when costs go against me. God bless all my clients, they have sometimes come to my rescue, paying up hundreds of thousands when it's clear I misquoted, or the market turned against our agreed budgets. God will bless you all.

I also remember paying back hundreds of thousands of naira, even millions in some cases, when I am overpaid by mistake. The client I completed his 6 flats this year in Enugu East, overpaid me by over N740,000 for some groups of jobs in the finish of the house, I called him and asked how much he paid, my Oga was sounding annoyed and insisting that he has completed the payments, I called him again to please check the amount he paid, because he paid for everything in the list, even when two of the items on the list are options to the others, when he realised he has overpaid me, he was very happy that I pointed it out, because a lot of people will just pretend they didn't see it, and go ahead and spend the money on themselves. This happened again this year, on the tall bungalow I am building now, this one is an overpayment of N366,900. I pointed it out and the client just added it in the next payment and deducted his money, with thanks. Honesty is a very good policy. The best policy in fact.

I urge all the young people in our midst, and indeed all of us, to approach business with honesty, both contractors, suppliers and clients, the most enduring businesses I have seen while growing up, were the ones where people can trust the dealer, and leave a lot of money in their business till when they need it. And the businesses use the money wisely, returning value to the investors and customers whenever they need the goods, or their money back. I want to leave a business name that my children will grow up and inherit, I want my children to stand up and say with pride, "I am the child of Spyder880".

May God grant us health and happiness while we work to achieve all these, may we get more clients and customers that will understand us, and work with us like we are their blood relatives. Amen.

read over four times and the lessons are priceless.

Aside from the jobs that come through this site,free business lectures are shared. Courses you are supposed to pay premium for are freely given here.


To all of you who grow us through lectures and jobs cum experience, I bless you all. Thank you and may you never lack the resources

dapotemi:
Its practucally a TRUST issues.. Trust deficit is on the rise, especially or in relation to owner/contractor/engineer... We dont trust, even ourselves.... If you quote 100k to finish a job and youre paid, ENSURE you finish it! Most especially if its a small project that can be done with within a very short time, maybe in big proj we might have to consider some kind of variations.. What about labor charges...my bricklayer quoted 200k for labor, i told him to charge me based on d number of blocks, which is d standard around the area, he insisted that he doesn't do that, well i paid him, did d job to about 90% and started asking for more money, unfortunately have paid 100%, na so e abandon job o.. So my job wont suffer, had to pay extra. The tin pain me sha....The problem is TRUST.

Just like oga spyder880 has said, which i did emphasis on here, it's all a matter of TRUST....Unfortunately, it's fast declining in this part of the world......