ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Useful catch phrases

Let’s get a topic going about phrases that are used when someone is trying to make you exceed the specifications, do extra work for free, or are useful to deflect some criticism, etc. Some examples of what I’m talking about are:

This is a trade standard.
We had to remobilize……
It was installed in a neat and workmanlike manner
The customer cannot be unduly enriched (meaning they cannot get something for free)
There are now differing site conditions

There is always "you must not have the latest change orders"

How about the tried and true favorite, slipping the lead man a few bucks on the side. "nobody needs to know"

Of course the old
"well that's the way we did it up north"

Usually answered by directions to the interstate, sometimes "pointing" with the wrong finger.

No other inspector makes me do that.

Print. what print?

I never got that message.

You must of called the wrong number.

I said Tuesday.

That's gonna change when the new codes come out.

License, we don't don't need no stinkin' license.

No officer, it wasn't me.

Duh......( goes well with "oh sh**")

Hurry up, put that in the truck.

That wasn't us, plumbers must of broke that.

We had to "reverse engineer" that one.

Top10
1) Oh darn! my wife took off with the checkbook.

2) We accept credit cards, Answer from customer: Oh i don't belive in them. Translation: He is a dead beat, and has no credit.

3) You did a real nice job, but what about my scratched floor.

4) If you trim that price, i can give you cash. Better take that cash, better then nothing.

5) No one will be home, but i will bring the check to you later, later meaning sometime in the next century.

6) I really don't think those lights are bright eniough, let me ask my wife what she thinks when she comes home, then i will send you a check. Ya, his wife is not comming home she left the jerk years ago.

7) You just finished installing 4 phone lines, when the customer says, I decided to go wireless, I really don't need these lines, so how about cutting the price.

8) You changed the big box at my house a few years ago, i need you to come over and fix it one of the breakers keeps tripping, i sure hope your not going to charge me.

9) My tiolet will not flush, you must have done something to it, it worked before you were here.

10) I mailed you a check each time you called, you better check with your post office.

What is not funny is, these are real excuses given by unreal customers.


[This message has been edited by LK (edited 06-29-2005).]

To the cabling technician after he asked to have more supports/hangers on the cable tray...

"You realize the warranty expired right when you cut the side out of the tray with your sawsall."

Clear the dance floor! = Get the framers and thier debris out of my way.

I'll be back tomorrow. (Unless I get scheduled for 8 service calls.)

Back-charge for Trade Damage... = Painters/GC want you to pay for thier Punch-list.
Answer to that, "FYI - Our rate schedule will be going up soon. This will effect your change orders..." Or, "@^*& THAT!"

It's the law! = Breaktime, lunch time, breaktime again.

Guys - Lets have a safety meeting. = Get crew out of area for meeting with GC and Arch, so he can be told they build walls with wrong dimensions, and have to start over.

After completion, My friend would do that for $1000 less.
Why so much?
Rod