Humbling story

[Phobia]

Generally, spring, summer, and fall are incredibly busy for me. This year has been slightly different. In fact, this last month has been rough. I bid a few good jobs and felt confident I would land several. For various reasons (usually because I was outbid), I didn't. So a couple weeks ago the wife tells me we're running short and I needed "X" amount of dollars by the end of the week.

I had been talking to a member of this board about doing his basement, kitchen, and painting his house exterior so I contacted him and told him I'd paint his house for peanuts. Literally, I bid it for about 40% of what I'd normally charge just so I could generate some cash flow.

Obviously, the guy jumped all over the deal and I started painting and repairing wood rot a couple days afterwards.

Then comes the surprising part of the story.... Bill Lundberg approached me and told me that he and his wife had spoken and they weren't going to allow me to paint their house for the amount I had quoted.... They were going to double it - and they did. I just finished touching up everything tonight and got my final check.

I'm not sure if they knew how much it meant to my family, but it couldn't have come at a better time. I didn't really want to tell this story on the board, but I wanted to thank Bill Lundberg and his wife for their generosity and decency towards me.

I don't know anything about how Bill Lundberg runs his mortgage business, but he's earned my business the next time I'm in the market. So, if you're looking for a virtuous individual to handle your mortgage I'd expect this guy will definitely take good care of you.

[luv]

I can't think of many who would be more deserving.

[booger]

Well from reading different stuff in the past you seem to do good things for other people. Sometimes when that happens it all comes around and good things come to you.

They sound like good people.

Good luck with the future jobs.

I don't have a wife or kids but I do know what it's like having to live paycheck to paycheck in tough times.

All around good story for everyone involved.

[SPchief]

Good story.

[Sure-Oz]

sweet

[chief52]

Good Action, Phil. What a classy move on Bill's part.

Hope it is the start of a good run for you. That is the way contracting can be. Maybe it will be a busy fall, winter...who knows.

It sucks being underbid...but it sometimes sucks more to be the " low bidder"!

[Mr. Kotter]

I guess I'll remove him from the....

"Bloodthirsty greedy self-serving bastards of the board" threesome I was about to post, in SimplyRed's thread :hmmm:

Great story. If we ever move to KC, I guess I'll try to remember to shoot him a PM. :hmmm:

:clap:

[Phobia]

IGreat story. If we ever move to KC, I guess I'll try to remember to shoot him a PM. :hmmm:

:clap:

Yeah, please do. They're good people, which is the point of this thread. Hopefully it will come around for them now.

[stumppy]

People can suprise you in the best ways sometimes.
That is a very admirable thing they did. As is you being humble enough to post it for all to see.

[Jenson71]

Riiiiight. I'll give him some reeeeeppp.

Classy gentleman.

[Phobia]

It sucks being underbid...but it sometimes sucks more to be the " low bidder"!

Heh heh. True. Been there.

This was a first for me though. My first large job when I dove into the contracting gig earned me a $50 tip on payday. Hasn't happened since. In fact, quite the opposite - many times.

[007]

I need to pic your brain on bathroom remodeling sometime Phil.

[Phobia]

I need to pic your brain on bathroom remodeling sometime Phil.
Anytime, dude. Bathrooms and kitchens are my favorites.

[luv]

Anytime, dude. Bathrooms and kitchens are my favorites.
Those make you the most $$$.

[crazycoffey]

Can you do any work in St. louis? We are planning Windows, Building a Garage, and finishing the Basement sometime in the near future....

[greg63]

Nice story phob! :thumb:

[Mr. Kotter]

Can you do any work in St. louis? We are planning Windows, Building a Garage, and finishing the Basement sometime in the near future....

Does he have to laugh at your posts? :hmmm:

[crazycoffey]

Does he have to laugh at your posts? :hmmm:


only if he makes me laugh at his bid....

[Phobia]

Those make you the most $$$.

They haven't been incredibly profitable for me. I'm a little too anal about the design. Once I fauxed the walls in a bathroom even though the customer didn't specify it. Obviously I couldn't charge them for it but it sure looked good. Heh.

[luv]

They haven't been incredibly profitable for me. I'm a little too anal about the design. Once I fauxed the walls in a bathroom even though the customer didn't specify it. Obviously I couldn't charge them for it but it sure looked good. Heh.
I see, so you like them because that's where you can get the most creative, and it's a bigger challenge.

[stumppy]

Can you do any work in St. louis? We are planning Windows, Building a Garage, and finishing the Basement sometime in the near future....

Hell, he drove to Arizona to do a job. I would think if you provide the bunk and beer he'd be there first of the week. And if you play your cards right you could end up with a new truck out of the deal.

[007]

Hell, he drove to Arizona to do a job. I would think if you provide the bunk and beer he'd be there first of the week. And if you play your cards right you could end up with a new truck out of the deal.
Well hell.... Phil can stop by Topuka and do all my bathrooms then.

[Phobia]

Can you do any work in St. louis? We are planning Windows, Building a Garage, and finishing the Basement sometime in the near future....

That's great - I post a story about bidding 40% and suddenly people are interested.

Thanks, but no. I stopped traveling for jobs last year. I do have an uncle who is in the trades in your area though. Let me know if you'd like his phone number.

[Phobia]

I see, so you like them because that's where you can get the most creative, and it's a bigger challenge.

That's exactly right. I love the design phase of remodeling. Then I love the reveal - making the homeowners happy with the finished product. Finally, I like payday.

[Phobia]

Hell, he drove to Arizona to do a job. I would think if you provide the bunk and beer he'd be there first of the week. And if you play your cards right you could end up with a new truck out of the deal.

Heh. That was for the portfolio and to save Brian some money.

That's still one of the coolest jobs I've done in terms of design elements. I loved the finished product.

[booger]

you need a reality show

[luv]

Hell, he drove to Arizona to do a job. I would think if you provide the bunk and beer he'd be there first of the week. And if you play your cards right you could end up with a new truck out of the deal.
I sure hope ENDelt paid him well.

[007]

That's exactly right. I love the design phase of remodeling. Then I love the reveal - making the homeowners happy with the finished product. Finally, I like payday.
Well, when I get closer to our remodel, I will have to send you some pics for your ideas.

[crazycoffey]

That's great - I post a story about bidding 40% and suddenly people are interested.

Thanks, but no. I stopped traveling for jobs last year. I do have an uncle who is in the trades in your area though. Let me know if you'd like his phone number.
Sure, send it over. I just got bids on the windows from HD and Lowe's. But I want to get one or two off the "mainstream"

Our windows are as old as the house. 55 years, and in dire need of the upgrade, but we also got one bid on the garage, a bit higher than we orignally anticipated, so it will have to wait for me to get the "real job" before we go that road, but I'd let him bid that too if your Uncle is interested.

[007]

Sure, send it over. I just got bids on the windows from HD and Lowe's. But I want to get one or two off the "mainstream"

Our windows are as old as the house. 55 years, and in dire need of the upgrade, but we also got one bid on the garage, a bit higher than we orignally anticipated, so it will have to wait for me to get the "real job" before we go that road, but I'd let him to that bid too if your Uncle is interested.
Replacement windows are easy bud. Save yourself some money and put them in yourself.

[Mr. Kotter]

I sure hope ENDelt paid him well.

Go to the HOC, if you haven't seen that thread. ROFL

[stumppy]

Heh. That was for the portfolio and to save Brian some money.

That's still one of the coolest jobs I've done in terms of design elements. I loved the finished product.

Did you ever calculate what the bottom line was from that job ? I mean when you add in the stolen truck and all.:D

[crazycoffey]

Replacement windows are easy bud. Save yourself some money and put them in yourself.

If you saw the tile job I did in my last bathroom and the crown molding job I did in my last Bedroom, you wouldn't suggest such a thing.

Handyman jobs are not my forte

[007]

If you saw the tile job I did in my last bathroom and the crown molding job I did in my last Bedroom, you wouldn't suggest such a thing.

Handyman jobs are not my forte


Well, those are a totally different beast. You can do replacement windows.

[crazycoffey]

Well, those are a totally different beast. You can do replacement windows.


Well, shoot. Now I am really going to wish you had stopped by, let the kids jump on the trampoline and you and I could have put one up to show me the way....

[Phobia]

Did you ever calculate what the bottom line was from that job ? I mean when you add in the stolen truck and all.:D
-$15k

But insurance took care of me about 10 months later.

[007]

Well, shoot. Now I am really going to wish you had stopped by, let the kids jump on the trampoline and you and I could have put one up to show me the way....
Nah, My wife would not have allowed me to get involved in a project while on vacation. I could have given ya a quick 1 2 3 on it though.

[crazycoffey]

Nah, My wife would not have allowed me to get involved in a project while on vacation. I could have given ya a quick 1 2 3 on it though.

I don't know if I can talk my wife into letting me EVER get involved with a project.....

[Phobia]

Go to the HOC, if you haven't seen that thread. ROFL

I think most the pics in that thread are dead now.

Before:
http://i11.tinypic.com/6g9cn06.jpg
After:
http://i13.tinypic.com/6gn2zao.jpg

[crazycoffey]

-$15k

But insurance took care of me about 10 months later.


It's amazing how slow that process with insurance companies can go, nearly a year later, may just be pretty good, considering.

[crazycoffey]

Good work! Nice Picture

[Mr. Kotter]

I think most the pics in that thread are dead now.


Even without the pics, that's a great thread. :thumb:


Night, folks.

[007]

I don't know if I can talk my wife into letting me EVER get involved with a project.....
I would love that. My wife is always trying to start a project with me. She is just now starting to hound me about the bathrooms. I have been dreading doing those. I want to do the kitchen badly though.

[crazycoffey]

I would love that. My wife is always trying to start a project with me. She is just now starting to hound me about the bathrooms. I have been dreading doing those. I want to do the kitchen badly though.


It's not much better, think about it. You hear "Honey can you start this project" and I hear "Honey can you hire someone to start that project"


we both get hounded, it's part of our job description....

[DenverChief]

Anytime, dude. Bathrooms .... are my favorites.

LMAO

Nice story bud glad things worked out for ya, I have always thought highly of you and I firmly believe in the "what goes around comes around" theory and you got what you deserved :)

[CHENZ A!]

There seem to be some genuine people that post on here, that's a big reason why I come back. Good shit man. :bravo:

[ChiefaRoo]

Generally, spring, summer, and fall are incredibly busy for me. This year has been slightly different. In fact, this last month has been rough. I bid a few good jobs and felt confident I would land several. For various reasons (usually because I was outbid), I didn't. So a couple weeks ago the wife tells me we're running short and I needed "X" amount of dollars by the end of the week.

I had been talking to a member of this board about doing his basement, kitchen, and painting his house exterior so I contacted him and told him I'd paint his house for peanuts. Literally, I bid it for about 40% of what I'd normally charge just so I could generate some cash flow.

Obviously, the guy jumped all over the deal and I started painting and repairing wood rot a couple days afterwards.

Then comes the surprising part of the story.... Bill Lundberg approached me and told me that he and his wife had spoken and they weren't going to allow me to paint their house for the amount I had quoted.... They were going to double it - and they did. I just finished touching up everything tonight and got my final check and all I had to do was perform fellatio on him and he didn't even shoot a bullet in my face. What a guy. :)

I'm not sure if they knew how much it meant to my family, but it couldn't have come at a better time. I didn't really want to tell this story on the board, but I wanted to thank Bill Lundberg and his wife for their generosity and decency towards me.

I don't know anything about how Bill Lundberg runs his mortgage business, but he's earned my business the next time I'm in the market and the next time I'm heading down to the White Swallow bathhouse I'm sure going to invite him. So, if you're looking for a virtuous individual to handle your mortgage and someone who won't fire a bullet in your face when your blowing him I'd expect this guy will definitely take good care of you.

Love and Kisses,
Phobia


Fixed your quote Phobes

[cookster50]

I see, so you like them because that's where you can get the most creative, and it's a bigger challenge.


No, Phobia likes to eat, thus the kitchen. He also loves to crap, thus the bathroom. It's all about input/output.

[Saulbadguy]

Know anyone that can do concrete work? Mudjacking? I think that is what I need. Bunch of BULLSHIT!

[Mr. Plow]

We are trying to "prepare" our house to sell late next year. My parents are trying to "prepare" their house to sell early next year.

This remodeling stuff is not my thing.....but I'm learning. At least I think I am.

Congrats Phobia! If you were in my area, I'd be able to keep you busy with my damn basement that seemingly will never get finished.

[Phobia]

Know anyone that can do concrete work? Mudjacking? I think that is what I need. Bunch of BULLSHIT!

I know mudjacking equipment isn't cheap, so expect to pay a lot for the few hours they'll be there. I don't know anybody personally. I did see a sign advertising mudjacking over in OP yesterday.

[Phobia]

Fixed your quote Phobes

It sounds like you have strange fantasies, dude.

[ROYC75]

Nice ....... Props to both of you, Phil and Bill.

[bringbackmarty]

Wow, I was all worried when I started to read the story, glad it worked out. I'll definintely be looking that guy up when we buy a house. Best of luck Phil!

Micah

[Bill Lundberg]

Phil did a terrific job on the house and in all honesty he probably saved me the extra money by recomending lower cost materials and paint that suited my time frame for the job. Aside from that it's nice to have someone working on your house who you can trust to have the "keys to the kingdom" while you're away and know that everything will remain just how you left it (although I haven't done a beer count since returning from the weekend).

[OnTheWarpath15]

Great story, and classy move by Mr and Mrs Lundberg......

[Phobia]

Phil did a terrific job on the house and in all honesty he probably saved me the extra money by recomending lower cost materials and paint that suited my time frame for the job. Aside from that it's nice to have someone working on your house who you can trust to have the "keys to the kingdom" while you're away and know that everything will remain just how you left it (although I haven't done a beer count since returning from the weekend).

I have a recommendation for a post-party carpet cleaner if anybody needs it. They do a great job on blood too.

[Brock]

way to go, Bill.

[Eleazar]

Nice story.

I would help out but I don't really have any work for anyone, unless they can replace the windshield on my jeep :shake:

[Iowanian]

Haven't you learned anything Lundberg?

If you can't kick a man when he's down, when the hell can you?

[Rain Man]

Um....Phil? Maybe now is a good time to tell you that my wife talked to some dude who would do our deck cheap and she signed the contract and he came over and ripped off our deck the next day and I've been afraid to tell you.

That Bill Lundberg, what a guy. What a guy.

[Phobia]

Um....Phil? Maybe now is a good time to tell you that my wife talked to some dude who would do our deck cheap and she signed the contract and he came over and ripped off our deck the next day and I've been afraid to tell you.

That Bill Lundberg, what a guy. What a guy.

Heh. I don't think it would have made much sense to drive to Denver for that job unless I was planning a trip to see my brother anyway.

I hope he does a nice job for you.

[HemiEd]

Great story Phil, thanks for sharing it. I hope your hard times are over, truly.

Bill Lundberg, honorable and awesome thing to do! :thumb:

[FAX]

I meant to post on this thread the other day.

First off, Mr. Bill Lundberg is obviously a person of great class and dignity, so prop things to the Lundbergs, one and all.

Second off, I'm getting a little concerned about you, Mr. Phobia, and am going to channel some positive ethers your way in the expectation that your situation improves dramatically and soon.

Third off, Mr. Iowanian is correct. Some people don't kick you when you're down. They wait for you to try and get up first.

FAX

[Phobia]

I meant to post on this thread the other day.

First off, Mr. Bill Lundberg is obviously a person of great class and dignity, so prop things to the Lundbergs, one and all.

Second off, I'm getting a little concerned about you, Mr. Phobia, and am going to channel some positive ethers your way in the expectation that your situation improves dramatically and soon.

Third off, Mr. Iowanian is correct. Some people don't kick you when you're down. They wait for you to try and get up first.

FAX

Brutha, I'm used to getting kicked. I've been raked over the coals frequently the past several years. Baptism by fire in the contracting industry. I kinda view it as tuition. Heh.

[Rain Man]

Hey...now wait a minute. Phil gave Bill a price that was 40 percent of market. Bill then doubled it to 80 percent of market. It looks to me like Bill is ripping Phil off by 20 percent.

Everyone! Gang up on Bill!

[Logical]

Great story and classy move by Mr. Lundberg.

[Eleazar]

Hey...now wait a minute. Phil gave Bill a price that was 40 percent of market. Bill then doubled it to 80 percent of market. It looks to me like Bill is ripping Phil off by 20 percent.

Everyone! Gang up on Bill!

I just hope he isn't swearing up and down that he's going to send Phobia a hundred dollars this month as a start. :D

[Phobia]

I just hope he isn't swearing up and down that he's going to send Phobia a hundred dollars this month as a start. :D
Heh. I'm paid in full from Mr. Lundberg. Mr. Athan thinks I'm Commerce bank, which I'm obviously not.

[Demonpenz]

what goes around comes around. Always take care of your guys.