My biggest client fired me over a single missed deadline

It happened last Tuesday, a $15,000 roofing job for a new build in Tempe. We were two days behind because of a material delay, and I figured a quick call would smooth it over. Nope. The project manager said 'Your lack of planning is now our emergency' and cut the contract on the spot. I had three guys already on site and had to pull them off, losing a full week's pay for my crew. I spent the next day just calling every contact I had to fill the gap, which was brutal. Honestly, I got too comfortable and stopped giving updates like I used to. For anyone who runs their own show, how do you handle a supplier screwing up without it blowing back on you?

2 comments

2 Comments

kevin_flores7d ago

Two days late on a new build is a big deal, not a small hiccup. The client has their own deadlines with the city and the bank. A quick call when you're already behind isn't enough. You should have been calling them the second you knew materials would be late, not after the fact. They're paying a premium to have the job done on schedule, and your delay costs them real money. The project manager was right to protect their timeline.

wright.drew7d ago

On our last project in the West End, the lumber delivery was two days late because of a truck breakdown. We called the supplier the same hour we found out, but they couldn't give us a solid new date until the next morning. We told the client as soon as we had that info. Sometimes you have to wait for facts before you make that call, or you just spread panic with guesses.