Over the years I have fired many clients, both before the job and during the job.

I have also worked for many attorney types without problems. I always ask my clients what they do for a living. If they say atty, I then ask them what kind.

I think there are people out there that have in mind they are going to try to sue someone after the fact and get something for nothing. Last year I gave back fees to a couple, that I'm sure had it planned all along. Of course, I didn't have any warning signs before hand.

The wife was at the inspection, was nice as can be, even gave me a hug. I probably saved them a few thousand dollars in the stuff I found. They move in, and I get a call from the husband (never met him).

Seems he found signs of past water in the crawlspace (noted and had two photos in the report). I came back with a copy of my report in hand and showed him where I had called out the stains. He then told me I didn't catch the exposed electrical wires in the yard. I told him that when I was there for the inspection, there was an above ground pool installed, and that conduit was attached to the pump, and someone had removed the pool and pump.
He then took me back to the crawlspace and showed me a 3" section of sill plate that had a little rot or damage to the top 1/2".

Yep, I missed that part. One, because it was it was hidden by the floor insulation, and two, it was in a part that I hadn't moved the insulation to inspect. Now I had moved the insulation away in a dozen or more places, and hadn't found any problems. He must have gone in there and probed every inch of every board until he found a spot.

I told him first off that the board had very little damage and was not likely going to cause any problems (the house was 40 years old). He wanted no part of that. So then I told him that I would have a contractor come over and replace that short section of sill plate. He then said he wanted the entire sill plate to be replaced, and almost in the same breath, he mentioned the part in my contract where he gets his money back. I then knew what was really going on.

I went to my truck and got my already prepared release form and check and gave it to him. I always have it ready when I go to a call back. I have no doubt he had planned it from the start. Of course, I didn't have a clue before hand, I had never met him.

We all live an learn.
JF