'Don't take reviews as payment': Neighbor offers next-to-nothing in exchange for an unpaid laborer to reroof his entire home, making Nextdoor users question everything

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jun 15, 2023 1:00 PM EDT

Nextdoor is a place where Karens and Kevins can be truly free. Since it's essentially a zip-code mitigated version of Twitter, most users are only here for a handful of reasons: their pet is missing, informal noise complaints, unofficial vigilante work, and the occasional good ol' fashioned neighborly grift. If you're not scamming your neighbors on Nextdoor, can you even call yourself a real grifter? As many Nextdoor users learned this week, apparently if your post covers all three of the grifter 101 hot button phrases– 'sick and tired', 'sweat equity', and 'lucrative opportunity'– you've got yourself an excellent scam cooking. 

In this case, a Reddit user reported back on his findings on Nextdoor because he was unable to believe his eyes. While scrolling his local neighborhood classifieds, he stumbled upon what looked like an offer for a trade at first, but when he read further, it seemed like only the biggest imbecile on the block would ever agree to such terms. You might as well stand on a soap box on the corner, charging people $20 to let you punch them in the face. 

Scroll for the full details of the world's worst trade offer and how OP managed to avoid the lamest exchange of services of all time. For more neighborhood jerks, check out this tale of how one tenant got the pettiest revenge because of a laundry heist.

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  • 01
    Font - Posted by u/JewishFl 2 days ago Not sure if it's a joke or for real.
    via JewishFl
  • 02
    Font - Paces • 9h. *** Lazy Workers DO NOT READ FURTHER*** I'm about to provide a lucrative opportunity for young companies that are willing to meet my criteria. You HAVE to have been in business with at LEAST 6 months to qualify I need my roof totally replaced on my 1200 SQ ft home and will allow a company that's new to do it for free. I will pay 75% of materials - the rest is on you. After you complete my roof to my satisfaction you will receive the following:
    via JewishFl
  • 03
    Font - -5 Google reviews from me and several friends that are in the industry. - word of mouth recommendations for 6 months from me - I will allow you to place your sign in my yard for 45 days
    via JewishFl
  • 04
    Rectangle - I'm sick and tired of entitled businesses today who want to over charge, want a free ride but are unwilling to put in sweat equity to show they're serious. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement to show your future clients your dedication to your craft. PM with any questions!
    via JewishFl
  • 05
    Human body - waamoandy 2 days ago He's going to have a very leaky roof this winter
    via waamoandy
  • 06
    Font - rhondalea 2 days ago Many business owners complain privately about how ND isn't worth the effort because every prospective customer wants them to work for next- to-nothing. This one wants them to pay him 25% of cost plus 100% of labor for the privilege. I'd say it's real. Insane, but real.
    via rhondalea
  • 07
    Font - el_smurfo. 22 hr. ago I've talked to a few contractors that paid for ads. They got zero business from Nextdoor. Like much of internet advertising, it's a house of cards but everyone is too scared to pull the first card out to watch it fall.
    via el_smurfo
  • 08
    Font - archbishophisk. 2 days ago My company would accept the offer and just tell him the material cost is 3x the real one. 44 Reply Share Informal_Evidence_83. 1 day ago This is the way
    via archbishophisk
  • 09
    Font - EducatedAnd Dangerous. 1 day ago So in doing that you get 75% of the materials paid for (1 x 3 x .25=.75) and they don't pay for any of the labour. I'd still say you'd be doing him a big favour...
    via EducatedAndDangerous
  • 10
    Font - archbishophisk. 1 day ago No, if the real material cost is 10k, i tell him it's 30k, but he only needs to pay 22.5k (75% of the 30k). That 12.5k difference covers my labour and profit.
    via archbishophisk
  • 11
    Facial expression - Bravely Mike 2 days ago Sounds like one for r/Choosing Beggars
    via BravelyMike
  • 12
    Font - AnonymousAardvark888 · 1 day ago • edited 1 day ago I'm guessing it's real. It's got the ring of total boomer about it. The tells are "lazy workers" and "entitled businesses." Would love to be able to read some replies! (Signed, a boomer...but the tail end of the generation.)
    via AnonymousAardvark888
  • 13
    Font - Fool_On_the_Hill_9 2 days ago We all know there is a 95% chance it is not a joke. I would love to read the replies, 33 Reply Share JewishFL OP. 2 days ago Shockingly not outlandish as I would think. I do live in the south in a fairly conservative area. So honestly, this thinking isn't too out there given the demographics on nextdoor in my area.
    via Fool_on_the_hill_9
  • 14
    Font - lolzveryfunny. 1 day ago F this guy. Anyone up for putting together a new, fake roofing company and going to put on a "new" roof with me? We will plan to use 50% of the required materials, and sell the other 25%
    via lolzveryfunny
  • 15
    Organism - Dangerous Dave303 - 1 day ago I was thinking that we could rip half of the old shingles off, throw them in his yard and not show up the next day.
    via DangerousDave303
  • 16
    Font - factorone33 6 hr. ago My ex (then-GF) and I replaced the roof on the house we owned when we lived together back in 2014 by ourselves. Materials cost us around $4,500 (US), and labor was covered entirely by myself and 5 other friends I knew (I've been trying to pay them favors back ever since). It took us 2 weeks to get it all done, and I ended up losing my job in the process because my then-boss was an a hole.
    via factorone33
  • 17
    Rectangle - JakeGrey 1 day ago This could almost be a very clever bit of satire written by someone who's got really tired of finding nothing but unpaid internships in the local job listings.
    via JakeGrey
  • 18
    Handwriting - EMERINT EMIFAULT 1 day ago edited 1 day ago "im sick and tired of entitled businesses today who want to be paid for their labour"
    via EMIFAULT
  • 19
    Rectangle - harbinger06 1 day ago How dare those businesses expect to be paid for a job done.
    via barbinger06
  • 20
    Font - highonnuggs 1 day ago I bet he'll have a line of roofers at his door the next morning begging to take the job. He can start a bidding war to bring his material costs down to $0, maybe even get the roofers to pay him for the privilege of putting a new roof on his house.
    via highonnuggs
  • 21
    Font - thedrunkensot. 1 day ago Landlords don't take google reviews as payment. Reply Share 2 Nice_glasses_BRO . 1 day ago Query; are you diagnosed with any mental sundrome, e.g. delusion?
    via thedrunkensot
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    Cheezburger Image 9774455808
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reviews refuse neighbors roof Ad labor refused trade offer reroof classifieds gone wild nextdoor baby boomers boomers trade roofing nextdoor-ad payment Reddit unpaid
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