Burned by land clearing guy, a cautionary tale

[hikatz]

The point I'm still trying to make,is on Punaweb there is one satisfied customer, that Troy did 3 major tree removal and yard clean-ups over the past 5 years and there are 3 dissatisfied customers, who have complained about the work Troy did, money issues, and attitude, this is also over the past 5 years. Kathy being the most recent, as you can see from the postings. Maybe if someone is tired, hurting and frustrated, they tend to overreact and maybe things were said that should not have been said. I am not making excuses, I am trying to understand a situation where I feel a good person has had his reputation ripped to shreds, (this is also posted on google). O.K. maybe he was rude, maybe the work was not up to par, but that covers a hell of lot of people in Puna that also have done shoddy work and have an attitude, but their names are not posted all over punaweb and google!

[Guest]

Sorry Dave...

I call it like I see it...[^]

Sorry you don't agree...and I'm certainly not asking you to.

Must have struck some nerve... cause the truth hurts.

And yes Dave... I still think you would be a cool neighbor.[]

I don't get the whole "pimping my blog" thing though?

What am I selling?

Sorry I made reflection of 20 years back when I was bagging groceries to my recent decision to leave DOE on my own terms to live a simpler life.

But back to the subject at hand.

What I'm seeing and feeling is that this is turning into something it shouldn't....

So I'll bow down and out of this subject and just say to both KathyH and Troy.... Sorry you guys mis-communicated and hope you guys can find some resolution.

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Glob

[Dave M]

Well I'm sorry as well Damon but I'm calling em the way I see em too.. I was probably a lil over the top but hey we can still be neighbors.

And Hikatz, Maybe this dude was having a bad day, hell I don't know.. My post in that I called him a meth head was mainly to get Kathy not to pursue something that may blow up in her face.. But she's a grown up and doesn't appear to be lettin go of the rope on this one. Again I believe her and John so maybe the guys having two bad days.

One thing for sure that I do stand by is that if he does good work and gets REPEAT business (Damon) then this should not be that bad of a hit on him. I do think that if he could work it out with Kathy he could turn this thing around and gain a bunch of business.

On the other hand web sites like this can be brutal. I did watch a forum somewhat similar to this one damn near close down a bare boat charter company in the BVI's for just a couple of reported bad vacations.

Blessings,
dave

"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young

[Guest]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dave M
...what the hell is your point. You're not really making me want to run over and check out your blog. Matter a fact if you feel like ranting at someone why don't you tare your ass back to blog land? Hell, that's the only reason you come here any more is to PIMP YOUR BLOG! You just want this thread to go on cuz your blog is getting high placement on Google...

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wow dude... why this doesn't pertain to this thread... I feel the need to address it.

But I was posting on Punaweb long before I had a blog and with the limited posting abilities I need to address what I can with the short amount I can.... and if you think I'm only coming here to punaweb to pimp my blog...then brah... you have a lot to learn.

Those that know me... know how passionate I am about puna for the future of my child. I'm not about to slam what you say about me because you don't know me...

But once again... I get someone dissing on me cause they don't know me... which is just fine.

However, I do keep a mental log of those that do dis-respect me and think they can make it here in Hawaii.

Sorry Dave you feel the need to go in the direction that you choose before even moving here.[:X]

Burning bridges before you even get here is not the best advice I can give... and this is the best advice I can give now.

*edit* I see dave and I posted around the same time and overlapped...but that's Ok.

I think both of us know we are hard headed and stubborn and hate to see people thrown under the bus.

I look forward to Dave moving here and being one more person with a voice...and I'm sorry if I come off like sounding like I don't appreciate his comments.

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Glob

[Dave M]

wow dude... why this doesn't pertain to this thread... I feel the need to address it.

Why didn't you post what I was reponding to damon??

But I was posting on Punaweb long before I had a blog and with the limited posting abilities I need to address what I can with the short amount I can.... and if you think I'm only coming here to punaweb to pimp my blog...then brah... you have a lot to learn.

I think my point is very well proven out to anyone that goes back and reads your recent post(since you started your blog). I may have a lot to learn but I dmn sure wont learn it from your blog. I get all the Hawaii News I need (and that's basicly all you do is cut n paste the HI news)from the new sources and friends that keep me up to date.

Those that know me... know how passionate I am about puna for the future of my child. I'm not about to slam what you say about me because you don't know me...

But once again... I get someone dissing on me cause they don't know me... which is just fine.

I judge you by your posts Damon (No repeat business)

However, I do keep a mental log of those that do dis-respect me and think they can make it here in Hawaii.

Pal... I've made it there, in HI, three times, married there, my kid took his first steps on Moloka'i. You want to talk about someone not knowing someone BRAH.... Kauai two years, Moloka'i three years you keep talkin all this crap about me that just says you're the one who doesn't know..
Sorry Dave you feel the need to go in the direction that you choose before even moving here.

Burning bridges before you even get here is not the best advice I can give... and this is the best advice I can give now.

Sorry damon that you think I'm worried about what you or any body else thinks about me before or after I RETURN to the islands. Maybe it would be a little clearer if you read my signature tag at the bottom... Believe me I'll be just fine.. with or with out the Damon Bridge.

Blessings,
dave

"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young

[Guest]

And once again we cross posts...

Give me an email when you get closer... the house is still available. I need a neighbor I can yell at all the time...

Truce brah... you know I wish you the best of luck moving here.[]

No need stink up Punaweb with our jib jab. You can email or continue this on my blog.

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Glob

[missydog1]

quote:

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Maybe if someone is tired, hurting and frustrated, they tend to overreact and maybe things were said that should not have been said.

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I'm sorry, there is no excuse for saying such horrible things and baseless accusations. What about my being upset about him accusing me of planning all along not to pay him?

I TRIED to talk some sense and asked him ONE THING I had done that was not to terms, and he couldn't say anything, but only continued yelling names.

quote:

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I am not making excuses, I am trying to understand a situation where I feel a good person has had his reputation ripped to shreds, (this is also posted on google).

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If he is a good person he should act like a good person. He hasn't, so in my book he isn't a good person.

He ripped almost $1000 out of what I have to finish up my house, and left a disaster. I could not afford it. And he traumatized me at a time when I'm already stressed enough ... I probably have as much or more stress going on as he does.

quote:

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O.K. maybe he was rude

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what he said was light years beyond rude.

quote:

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maybe the work was not up to par

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then he shouldn't have demanded money for it that he wasn't owed. When you do crappy work for someone, and leave them in the lurch, what would I do? I'd at least not charge them for it!

quote:

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but that covers a hell of lot of people in Puna that also have done shoddy work and have an attitude, but their names are not posted all over punaweb and google!

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well, first, I'm not responsible for Google. I didn't post "on" Google. I don't make a study of how search engines bring things up.

Second, if there are a hell of lot of people in Puna who do equally shoddy work with an attitude like what he laid on me, I have not encountered one to date. But if I did I would post the same as I did about Troy.

To say that the job is too much for Troy -- then he shouldn't have said "I can do thus and such." When he presents himself as an expert as he does, and he tells people he can do something, it's up to him to admit if he erred in starting it. Have a conversation, say the approach isn't working.

The fact is he never admitted he was in over his head. What he said to me was that it was GREAT and almost DONE and only a bit of finishing, and he would be ready to be paid. Then he got FURIOUS when I didn't go for the shoddy job and said it was unsafe and unacceptable. What he needed to do was apply himself a little and do the things he said he was going to, but instead he decided to QUIT.

I was talking to my younger son about that, and he said in the past he has quit jobs but he would never dream of asking to be paid further. When you make a choice to walk away and leave someone in a hole, the person who hired you doesn't owe you ANYTHING, and his tactics to get more money out of people are UNACCEPTABLE. He should not be in business and act like that. Period.

If his personality meltdown was due to some horrible stress he was under, he could have apologized later, but he didn't.

[missydog1]

This is to Damon,
Damon, your reply really had nothing to do with the situation.

This is not smiling at someone you are waiting on even when you don't want to.

This is a guy bidding a job, a $1500 job, $1000 of it labor.
I am a client in that situation. This type of business relies in part on doing a good job for the client so I'll recommend him. Or maybe hire him again. But that's how you build business, by at all times keeping in mind that you have a reputation. You can't be like some checker at a store who can be surly from time to time and maybe get away with it.

Every job has the potential to enhance or ruin your reputation, and that is the rule of the game when you're an independent contractor (licensed or unlicensed).

Please don't forget, I wasn't someone passing through his line.
He came to my HOME and said horrible things and brought bad energy onto my property and my HOME. Thank goodness I was able to find some good energy to come and replace the bad energy with a good feeling again. My home is my sanctuary, and in my home I do stand by my right not to be verbally abused.

[hikatz]

Those were my thoughts and expressions not Troy's. Like I said, I am trying to make sense of this. But my latest posting shows if I try to say anything positive, it's turned into a negative. More fuel for the fire that keeps spreading. My (personal) opinion is I think this has gone way to far on this website even if I did not know Troy, I would feel the same way. What is that expression about flogging the dead horse when it's down! Although Kathy after reading your latest post,maybe I will take back that last statement, damn I wish our former (contractor) had crossed paths with you, he would not still be working and we would not be out thousands of dollars[}]

[pslamont]

HIkatz.... stop worrying about it. IF Troy wanted to make it right, he would have done so. You weren't there and don't know what happened. In my opinion, not only Troy, but EVERY shoddy contractor in Hawaii SHOULD be posted all over the internet and especially here on Punaweb. You reap what you sow. Internet is just a bigger form of word of mouth than in 1960 but the same principal applies. If you do well, customers will praise and recommend you and if you don't that will be spoken of with extreme energy. That is how small communities work.

For example, you drive your car to work 5 days a week for years. One day you are in a mood and run a light, hit another car and kill the driver. THAT is the day that counts. THAT is what you are punished for. No One cares how many other days you didn't run a light; it doesn't matter. It's reality. Mess up and people take notice. Mess up and there are consequences. Truth is, Troy should not be working if he can't do a good job. IF he wants to repair his reputation it is up to him. You nor anyone else can do it for him.

The more people communicate on punaweb, the better. Sharing information and experiences is the essence of punaweb. It's what we do. It strengthens our community and the power of the individuals in the community to live a happy life, get things done effectively, grow in a positive way.

I have no idea what your relationship with Troy is but he better grow up and face reality if he wants to stay in business. That goes for ANY businessman providing a product or a service in Puna. Punaweb will remain alive and well, serving those of us who have built it over the years. It is a strength of the community and the power of communication will always be service to us all.

I am not trying to flame you or hijack the subject. It just seems to me you mean well but need to bite the reality bullet about Troy. Sometimes he isn't great guy doing a great job and he must pay the consequence for his poor judgement or poor behavior. We all do every day.

Pam