Doors and Windows - Hatchway Installation

I have repaired many times Hatchways but have never fully Installed one. Do I need special ancors? Do I need to build up the cement foundation? This foundation they want me to install on is in very poor shape. Breaking and shifting in areas. They do not want me to fix it though!? Any suggestions?

Over the years, I have taken the position that touching a project makes me the owner of it. If I were to hang a door in a rotten frame, then every problem after that would be imputed to me. Therefore, I would replace everything needed to make the job first class or move on to the next job. If the foundation the customer wants you to use is inadequate, how can the totality of the job be good? This is akin to building a castle on a foundation of sand. I would pass.

My experience, my position. YMMV.

Hope this helps.

Thanks. I guess I really knew that. This leads to the old delima of profit and greed. Knowing that the job would be substandard and the customer informed, do I do it to get that all important cash flo? I think once the customer realizes that the work will be substandard and does not care to save money, the work should be performed. But I do have a conscious and it would bother me to no end with added sleepless nights. Seeing that these customers are later in age and own many properties with much work down the line, I will patch and shoe up the present hatchway to the best of my ability. Then lay the Hatchway. OOOOHHHHH the life of a Handyman!

I learned three things when I went into business for myself.

1. You won't get all the work

2. Someone else always has a lower price.

3. You can stay home and not make money.

I learned one thing after being in business for a while.

1. Quality always comes back to you.

Tough decisions.

Along with what Chris said....

Learn to develope this "little inner voice"......the one that tells you WHEN to walk away from a job.

Last week, I had a house full of windows to replace, but the guy wanted two kitchen windows taken out and a bow window installed. The existing two windows, over the kitchen sink, are 48x24 aluminum sliders. There is about 20" between the wall that I'm SURE there is a vent pipe for the sink. Also several electrical outlets to be moved. Also a header would have to be built to span the entire new opening instead of the two individual headers on the existing windows. Altogether, a TOTAL mess of a job with a bunch of unknowns.....and the guy want's an exact price and want's it on the cheap.....

Nope.....walk away.

Thanks guys for your input. I get confused at times about the ad I put in the paper. It say's we do anything, but I shouldn't tell myself we half to do everything. I have since talked to the owner anyway and spoke with her again about the crackes in the hatchway foundation. She claims she was unaware. She now wants me to guarantee no water seapage into the cellar. This just maybe a walk away after all. Its a hell of a thing how a customer wants so much work done for so little. Or forgot to mention some other work that needs to be done. And oh yah, for the same price. HA HA HA. Later Dudes!