Helping a neighbor??? Is it ever worth the effort...

stumpjumper83 said:

What chaps my hide is when they expect you to do it... for free cause you have all that equipment... and so on.

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I copied this from another post because it reflected what happen to me today.

I try to help folks, most of the time just because I like to use my equipment (none of my equipment is used for a living, all just for fun). But as stumpjumper stated, it seems this is what happens most of the time around me.

Just today I taking down some large pines and cleaning up stumps with my excavator next to a neighbor whom I have had some property line issues with (he moved survey pins), he came over and asked if I would take down some pine trees on his property that are leaning pretty good and likely to fall on his wood fence. I told I would for the cost of fuel but warned him that I will tear up the ground pretty good moving around and some limbs would break off. I also told him I dispose of the trees in my tree pile and he could throw any limbs left over over the fence and I would put them in the pile later. He agreed, so I took down 6 very large pines, spend about 3 hours of my time, fuel and wear on my excavator. I burn around 8 gal/hr so I tell him 60 bucks just to make it easy. He tells me I tore up his grass and then tells me since I do not operate equipment for a living, he did not need to pay my anything. Hmmm So, do I write it off and never help him again??? Or, give him back his trees (BTW- this is what my wife wants me to do).

No good deed goes unpunished. That's especially true when dealing with a known A-hole.

The no good deed goes unpunished is true. Never do business or anything with neighbors ,friends & relatives. Don't do anything without a written contract. and never allow any customer to get too deep into your pockets . ask for your money to be paid weekly. charge enough to make money. its not the jobs you miss that kill you. its the ones you get and don't get paid enough.

Two phrases I live by -

"No good deed goes unpunished"

"I've never lost money on a job I didn't get"

JNB said:

No good deed goes unpunished. That's especially true when dealing with a known A-hole.

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True, half of me knew he would not pay, but the other half wanted to see if he changed any over the past few years.

CatToy said:

Or, give him back his trees (BTW- this is what my wife wants me to do).

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Yes, dump them back on his property. Screw him, he seems like an ungrateful type.

If the trees are of much size, and since you are already money down, take them to a sawmill and have lumber cut for a classic grudge fence!:avid
Seriously, I take into consideration the person and go from there. I once buried two cows and a bull on a Sunday afternoon with a 310 deere for a guy up the road from me
and wouldn't take any money from him, but two years later he ran the duct work in a addition on my house and tied in a new furnace to the old duct work, and we are even.
If the job feels sketchy it will be no if ands or buts!

I would give him his trees back! Actually I would consider digging a hole and standing them back up where they were if they are not cut up yet.

But given your past relationship with the guy I don't think I would have even put a machine on his property.

Best thing to do would be to go put his trees though the bedroom window tonight of course don't do that just write him off for what he is and every time you see him you will know your a better person than he is

Absolutely not, the jerk would sue you, and given the average IQ of people that ain't smart enough to get out of jury duty, most likely would win.

Karma is a bitch, sooner or later he'll get his, while you watch and smile. If you really must help it along, I would suggest raising some pigs right next to his fence line. Lots of smelly squealing pigs. At least you'll get some ham and bacon out of the deal!

He does mow his yard right? I don't know if I could pull this off.
Every time, every time, he starts his mower go ask him if he'd mind mowing your yard.
Maybe even your wife could ask him if your not around, heck your low on fuel after clearing trees.
You should probably mention to him that you've decided your wood pile is large enough after all,
keep his sticks. If not he'll probably throw sticks over the fence for years.
Your the good guy. You did something nice for someone. Don't retaliate or do something that changes that.
Seems like some people try to drag you into that dark hole they live in.

My favorite quote is "Never argue with an idiot, he'll drag you down to his level and win". I'd give 'im his trees back, piled in as much of a mess as I could.

Im with Lantraxco,,,,, let it lay. Karma will get him or you will in the future. Bide your time and you will get a retaliatory shot back at this *******, because "every dog has his day".

Just write it off as lesson learned. He sounds the type that will ask for something again, hopefully when he is in a real bind. Then you can take great satisfaction in a big smiling NO!

CatToy said:

True, half of me knew he would not pay, but the other half wanted to see if he changed any over the past few years.

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That's the crux of the issue right there. You got your answer, and all it cost you was three hours of excavator time. It'll probably turn out to be a pretty good deal in the long run.

One of the guys I used to work with was having similar problems with an A**-H*** neighbor. To get back at him he subscribed to a gay porn magazine in his neighbors name. However, instead of using the guys address, he put down the address of the neighbor on the other side of the guy. Laughed ourselves silly at the thought of the other neighbor bringing over the mag every month to the A**-H*** and him trying to deny it was his.

Truly diabolical.:notworthy

I really believe in Karma!! sometimes it takes years, but karma is like a rubber band you can only stretch it so far before it snaps & comes back to smack you in the face!!! Put the trees in your pile & pick a nice day when there is a breeze blowing towards his house to burn it with some wet grass on top & look at the bright side it only cost you $60 buck to get him to not ask you to do anything else for him!!

also add some droppings from some farm animals on top for some added aroma

I think I would dig a pond in his yard. I tend to go overboard when I'm mad thoe.

I'm all for giving him his trees back, should he attempt to dispute the trees were his simply do a Google Earth search which should definitely show the trees on his property. It's hard to argue with photographic evidence. In the future when he asks for assistance which he will, politely decline claiming past experiences, he'll get the message and his in the end. Karma is a b!tch and it's always fun to be in the drivers seat of the Karma Bus. Been down this road once in the past, a large commercial building project and a verbal agreement above and beyond contract for 30 very expensive wallpack lighting fixtures.

When the bill came in from the supplier he refused to pay claiming no such "verbal" agreement transpired and any attempt by us to remove the fixtures would result in criminal trespass charges. He neglected to remember we were also a heavy transmission line contractor and had a fleet of very high reaching or in this case horizontal reaching bucket trucks which were able to reach over his fence and across the parking lot whereby we were able to remove all but 3 fixtures. He did take us to court over the incident and the judge started laughing once she realized what truly took place and made it clear no one has property rights over airspace and we never set foot on his property and had the bucket trucks parked in Utility Easement. She dismissed the case and forced the A-hole to pay full value of labor and materials, court cost and punitive damages. A year after the jackwagon went bankrupt both personally and professionally yes.......Karma can be a heartless B!TCH!