Holy crap I'm a criminal!

So my realtors that I work for know that there is a cost to me going out and doing free quotes on their properties. If we're going to spend my time and fuel traveling to do quotes, I am going to grab anything that will fit in my Ranger and generate a few bucks as compensation for running out there. This has been discussed with ALL of them without exception and they are fine with it. After all, their goal is an empty house.

So my one guy, (we'll call him shotforbrains) calls and says he's got a foreclosure not far from me, gonna probably take two dumpsters to empty it, please go give him a quote. There is no lock on the house everything is open. Get there and this place is packed FULL of good usable stuff. Craftsman rolling tool box, crates and boxes of eBay merchandise, old computers and electronics, tools, woodchipper, you get the idea. I'm having an eyegasm.

Well it happens I stopped there with my stake truck and two of my guys, so I had them start loading up. I do some calculations to cover my labor, but basically I am ready to do this place almost for free.

So I call shotforbrains and start talking pricing, he's very happy with numbers I am giving him, and I mentioned something that made him realize I was still on the property. He says "Oh you've got to get out of there!" Immediately my Burly Sense starts tingling.

"What do you mean?"



"I don't own the house yet, I'm BIDDING on it, and other bidders may be walking through."

"MOTHER****ER! Are you effing kidding me?"

I am on the fence for about two minutes. Do I put stuff back or just get the heck out of Dodge?

Actually, that is suspenseful enough at that point that I will let people chime in with what THEY would have done before I finish the story. What would YOU have done at that point?

Yup.. Put it all back and the next time you see "shot for brains" Kindly punch him in da face!

Ha ha! Thanks Brojer!

Listen, you got the green light. Get out of there while you can and ask for more info from shorty next time.

Let me get this straight. You own a business doing removal and clean-up. You already know from past experience that this guy is a little bit shall we say a loose cannon. Why on earth would you not better verify his right to let you remove anything from the property?

Try this it will keep you out of trouble. I think.

I,__________________, being the possessor of property located at ________________________________________. Hereby, grant and hold harmless, _____________________

having been given this right by me for removal of refuse and or other materials as described verbally or otherwise, issue this as agreement between both parties, for said removal.


Hope this helps.

I'd double kidney punch "short brains" next time I saw him if I was you ! Brains, some people were born with em but most aren't !

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

So my realtors that I work for know that there is a cost to me going out and doing free quotes on their properties. If we're going to spend my time and fuel traveling to do quotes, I am going to grab anything that will fit in my Ranger and generate a few bucks as compensation for running out there. This has been discussed with ALL of them without exception and they are fine with it. After all, their goal is an empty house.

So my one guy, (we'll call him shotforbrains) calls and says he's got a foreclosure not far from me, gonna probably take two dumpsters to empty it, please go give him a quote. There is no lock on the house everything is open. Get there and this place is packed FULL of good usable stuff. Craftsman rolling tool box, crates and boxes of eBay merchandise, old computers and electronics, tools, woodchipper, you get the idea. I'm having an eyegasm.

Well it happens I stopped there with my stake truck and two of my guys, so I had them start loading up. I do some calculations to cover my labor, but basically I am ready to do this place almost for free.

So I call shotforbrains and start talking pricing, he's very happy with numbers I am giving him, and I mentioned something that made him realize I was still on the property. He says "Oh you've got to get out of there!" Immediately my Burly Sense starts tingling.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't own the house yet, I'm BIDDING on it, and other bidders may be walking through."

"MOTHER****ER! Are you effing kidding me?"

I am on the fence for about two minutes. Do I put stuff back or just get the heck out of Dodge?

Actually, that is suspenseful enough at that point that I will let people chime in with what THEY would have done before I finish the story. What would YOU have done at that point?

So what's the conclusion ?!

What I do on a deal like that is have the owner leave a note for me if he's not going to be there. In a couple of cases, I've used printouts of emails. Lately, I had one like that where a guy saw my website and emailed me from another state. He wanted a bunch of stuff hauled that he'd "inherited" from his father. It listed items like "contents of shed just north of the house", "stuff laying in the front yard" and so on. I took a copy of the email with me showing his email address. Good thing cause he had a brother who was UNHAPPY about his father's reloading equipment going as scrap metal.

Originally Posted by VERYOLDGUY

Let me get this straight. You own a business doing removal and clean-up. You already know from past experience that this guy is a little bit shall we say a loose cannon. Why on earth would you not better verify his right to let you remove anything from the property?

No, I have NEVER had a problem with him before. Every job we've done for him to date has been a winner.

Originally Posted by VERYOLDGUY

Try this it will keep you out of trouble. I think.

I,__________________, being the possessor of property located at ________________________________________. Hereby, grant and hold harmless, _____________________

having been given this right by me for removal of refuse and or other materials as described verbally or otherwise, issue this as agreement between both parties, for said removal.


Hope this helps.

I have something very similar that I use for ALL my one-time jobs. My repeat customers I have always had an understanding with. It would be inconvenient for them to run out to meet me at every job.

Originally Posted by taterjuice

So what's the conclusion ?!

Patience, Tater, I want a few more opinions before I give it away.

Originally Posted by Mick

What I do on a deal like that is have the owner leave a note for me if he's not going to be there. In a couple of cases, I've used printouts of emails. Lately, I had one like that where a guy saw my website and emailed me from another state. He wanted a bunch of stuff hauled that he'd "inherited" from his father. It listed items like "contents of shed just north of the house", "stuff laying in the front yard" and so on. I took a copy of the email with me showing his email address. Good thing cause he had a brother who was UNHAPPY about his father's reloading equipment going as scrap metal.

Great idea!