[Bill Schwab]

1) German cars in the driveway and they tell you they have a limited budget. If the can afford the German iron, they can pay what I tell them it's going to cost.

2) Too much plastic surgery and tight clothes. They are so into themselves they don't want to spend what it's worth to do the work and usually will gripe at all the dust.

3) Husband and wife on two different pages. They either get on the same page I am or it's over right then and there. The last thing you need is to get caught in the cross fire of a husband wife pissing match, because you will be the whipping boy every time.

4) Different cultures. What I mean by that is that there are certain cultures who will never invest what I charge to do their work. As a rule of thumb, they have no problem hiring illegal aliens with no insurance because they are cheap.
There are also certain cultures who will always go to the bottom line, and, when in the middle of a job will haggle with you down to the last nickle. I don't need that crap, no one does. If they want to haggle, move back to a country where haggling is everyone's mindset or learn the proper ediquette for a contractors environment. Typically, we spell this out in our contracts very clearly. We don't ride into our towns on wierd looking animals bargaining on goats we eat for dinner here. You don't haggle in the grocery store line, so why would you think your landscape contractor would? If I sense this, the deal is off before it starts..

5) Lastly, someone who is indecisive, so much that once a deal is cut, they still are dancing back and fourth at varieties and hardscape surfaces. Make up your mind. I can't do it for you. And don't put me in the middle of every micro decision you need to make. Ask a question, let me respond, and then execute or stop the project until you are ready to proceed.