Setting posts in a hurry for a bonus pay almost cost me my reputation

A client recently offered me more money to get their privacy fence done in half the usual time. Part of me thinks taking the rush job is smart because it boosts income and pleases the customer. But the other part remembers a past job where I rushed the post holes and had to fix leaning sections a year later. If you skip proper concrete curing, the whole fence can become weak over time. So, is it better to turn down fast deadlines to avoid future problems, or should we always try to meet client demands? I'm curious how other installers handle these pressure situations.

3 comments

3 Comments

william_henderson1mo ago

Yeah, that short term pain thing is a forever lesson.

andrew_foster921mo ago

Been there with rushed shipments, not fences. That one time I skipped double-checking a pallet load to hit a bonus? The customer called back furious about damaged goods, and I spent twice the time fixing it. Now I just explain the realistic timeline, even if it means losing the rush fee. Short term pain for long term sanity, you know?

skyler6311mo ago

That "short term pain for long term sanity" is so true. My friend tried to rush some home repairs for a tenant and it caused way bigger problems, same idea.