He Did a Good Job. Then He Did a Runner With the Deposit.

This one comes from a client of ours, Nathan. Here's the review he left us:

"After losing my deposit to a dishonest contractor, Synergy Fencing came to the rescue. They are properly QBCC licensed, clear with their communication, and do outstanding work. They've installed three fences for me now, and the results speak for themselves. Synergy are total professionals who simply get the job done right. I recommend them highly."

We're grateful for the kind words. But it's the first sentence I want to talk about, because what happened to Nathan can happen to anyone.

It started well

Nathan had a contractor do a section of his fence. The work was fine. The contractor turned up, got it done, and was easy to deal with. Over the course of that job, Nathan got comfortable with him. He'd been at the house, Nathan knew his face, and he'd delivered.

So when more fencing needed doing, it felt natural to keep going with the same bloke. Why go through the hassle of getting new quotes when you've already got someone you trust?

Then the extra work

Nathan gave him the extra work and paid the deposit.

And the contractor disappeared with it. No fence. No money back.

The hardest part isn't even the money. It's that Nathan did nothing unusual by trusting someone who had already proven himself once. That's exactly what made it work.

Why this happens

Most people are careful with a stranger. You check reviews, you compare quotes, you read the fine print. But once someone has done a good job at your place, the guard comes down. The second job often gets agreed on a handshake, a text message, or a quick chat over the fence, with money paid up front because "he's already shown he's good."

The trust earned on the first job is real. But it's trust in the first job. The second job is a new job, with new money, and it deserves the same care as the first.

How to protect yourself on extra work

Whether it's a new contractor or one you've already used, these apply every time:

• Get it in writing. Extra work should be a written quote or variation that says what's being done, what it costs, and when. A text saying "yeah I'll do the side too" isn't enough.
• Don't pay for the whole job up front. Pay a reasonable deposit, then pay as the work is done. If someone wants all the money before a single post goes in, ask why.
• Check the deposit rules. Queensland has rules about how much a licensed contractor can ask for as a deposit on domestic building work. The QBCC website explains them.
• Check the licence, every time. Look the contractor up on the QBCC licence search. A licensed contractor has a lot more to lose by walking off with your money.
• Pay into a business account, not cash. Get an invoice with an ABN and business name. It leaves a trail if anything goes wrong.
• Trust the paperwork, not just the person. A good contractor won't be offended when you ask for any of this. The good ones expect it.

How it ended for Nathan

Nathan called us after losing his deposit. We came out, quoted the job properly, and got his fence built. Since then we've installed three fences for him.

We know we had to earn that trust after what he'd been through, and we didn't take it for granted.

How we handle it

At Synergy, every job is quoted in writing, including extra work that comes up along the way. If you ask us to add a side, a gate or a section of retaining, you'll get it on paper before we start, with the price and what's included. That's not because we don't trust you. It's so you never have to just trust us.

Thanks to Nathan for letting his story help someone else avoid the same thing.

Getting quotes for your fence? Call us on 07 2141 7748, get a price online or let's have a chat.