(RANT?) So......if you told the contractor to:

[MariannNOVA]

'Take down THAT wall.'

 

And, he was in the room with you when you said it, and you all agreed :iagree: THAT wall was to come down......and he wrote it in the JOB SCOPE (which I have learned is only second to the Holy Grail as far as importance)......and everyone signed the final copy of the JOB SCOPE (see above for importance of said SCOPE)...................

 

AND you walked into the room last Tuesday and the wall was 'mostly' down - which was good, :hurray: that was progress..................................

 

And you walked in the next day (last Wednesday) and the wall had been PUT BACK UP -- THAT'S RIGHT, STUDDED, DRY WALLED, AND THERE BIG AS LIFE :w00t:

 

Would you go ballistic? :cursing:

 

I wanted to get a hammer and do this: :smash: but I didn't for fear of violating some 'JOB SCOPE' fine print even though it IS MY HOUSE AND MY WALL. Instead, I took a black marker and wrote a dated and time-stamped note (I drew a clock face :lol:) to the contractor.....didn't use any profanity (I have grown SO MUCH since this entire fiasco) and in lovely classically cursive handwriting, articulated to him that the wall had to come down. The most emotion I showed was a couple of instances where I used 'frowny face exclamation points' -- I had DH make a couple of phone calls -- he was told that this was an 'oversight' -- he politely disagreed that we thought it was more like 'incompetence' but why argue semantics?

 

The wall was down by 5pm that day.

 

OK, now -- I have to get back to the 'seven and counting' emails from the contractor regarding 'ceiling white - flat finish.'

 

ETA: Lest anyone think we 'signed on' for this: We have been in the extended stay hotel on the insurance company's 'dime' since October 12th! When the contractor drags his feet, I point out to the insurance company that they are paying for us to stay here with housekeeping, complimentary breakfast and fresh baked cookies every evening while their preferred contractor is sitting at our house doing.........:toetap05:...........oh, yeah, NOTHING!

 

All of the work being done at our house is b/c of an insurance claim - DH and I would not ever hire anyone to do this kind of work - we would do it ourselves. In fact, when we get back in the house, our first project is to rip out two bathrooms :smash: and re-do them.

 

We only find ourselves in this situation b/c our insurance company insists that we use their 'preferred' contractor. I would have been my preferred contractor but that was not an option we were offered NOR was it an option that was accepted by the insurance company when it was proposed to them by dh and me.

 

But, I have learned alot here about how we should have that 'window replacement' project done in the Spring!

Edited January 6, 2010 by MariannNOVA

[amyable]

:grouphug:

[specialmama]

:lol: I went through a very similar thing with our builder a few years ago... only... he won. It irked me so much! He put our thermostat smack dab in the middle of the only wall my china cabinet would fit on! There was an adjacent HALL wall, but noooo who want's to control the furnace/central air from the HALL? noooo... it's much better 3' into a wall in the dining room. The only wall the dining room has. (open concept, other wall was a gorgeous window.) I even went in before the drywall went up, drilled a new hole in the frame, and moved the freestanding wire to the new hole. As I said, I lost that battle. sheesh.

 

But good for you! You rock!

Edited January 5, 2010 by specialmama
typo

[MariannNOVA]

:lol: I went through a very similar thing with our builder a few years ago... !

 

 

 

Except for the fact that you are in Canada, I'd say they were the same person.....is his name......Matt Stanley?

[specialmama]

LOL I don't remember the guy's name who we dealt with, but the Builder (company) was Mattamy in Toronto. Hey, I've heard of stranger things! :D

[Chris in VA]

You can still move your thermostat--I had my painter friend move ours about 8 inches to the left...so we could put the china cabinet on that wall! lol

[Jean in Newcastle]

Contractors hate me. I suspend my life and I become a very cheerful supervisor of the supervisor. It helps that before we have the work done we've done a lot of homework as to how it should be done. It also helps that I always find out the name and the phone number of the supervisor of the job site supervisor. And I have it on speed dial. And I will not budge until they agree to do it my way - even if it costs them idle time (this is great leverage by the way because time is money).

 

We had new windows put in a couple of years ago. We had done research and knew that the common way of putting in windows is actually not the best and can lead to leakage of air and water. So when we got the estimate we made sure that we had it in writing that our windows would be put in the more time extensive old fashioned way. Well, the job site supervisor had a fit. He tried to go around it. I was there with a smile and my thumb on the phone. He did it my way. I did go out of my way to provide iced tea and cookies for the crew, including the supervisor. He came to me after the job was over and told me that I was a pain in the butt but that if he needed new windows in his house, he would do it the way I insisted. . .:D

 

Last year we had new siding put on. Again, we had done research on how the old siding is taken down and then the new siding put on. . .etc. I went out about 15 minutes into the job and found that they were putting the new siding right over our old siding! And none of the crew spoke more than halting English. They did understand, "NO!" I was on that phone so fast it wasn't funny. The job supervisor came out and he was not happy that I had caught him. But after that the crew would come and whisper in my ear with drawings and sign language to tell me whenever he had asked them to cut corners. So the crew was on my side:D This job supervisor never came around to liking me but that's ok - I borrowed Peek's rhino skin!

[specialmama]

You can still move your thermostat--I had my painter friend move ours about 8 inches to the left...so we could put the china cabinet on that wall! lol

 

AH, another one! ;) Yes, we did eventually move it... but it's much easier and logical to move before the drywall goes up. Those nincompoops! :lol:

[hornblower]

That's why I only hire my dh & myself. :D

 

Although when stupid mistakes are made (& they are!), or when the work drags on for weeks longer than expected (& it does!) it would be nice to have someone else to yell at except ourselves.

 

But on the flip side, man, are we cheap!

[MariannNOVA]

(this is great leverage by the way because time is money).[/font]

 

:D

 

 

 

 

THIS is true! We have been in the extended stay hotel on the insurance company's 'dime' since October 12th! When the contractor drags his feet' date=' I point out to the insurance company that they are paying for us to stay here with housekeeping, complimentary breakfast and fresh baked cookies every evening while their preferred contractor is sitting at our house doing.........:toetap05:...........oh, yeah, NOTHING![/color']

All of the work being done at our house is b/c of an insurance claim - DH and I would not ever hire anyone to do this kind of work - we would do it ourselves. In fact, when we get back in the house, our first project is to rip out two bathrooms :smash::smash: and re-do them.

We only find ourselves in this situation b/c our insurance company insists that we use their 'preferred' contractor. I would have been my preferred contractor but that was not an option we were offered NOR was it an option that was accepted by the insurance company when it was proposed to them by dh and me.

But, I have learned alot here about how we should have that 'window replacement' project done in the Spring! :D

Mariann

[Tammyla]

I'm sorry, Mariann...But I actually laughed until I had tears in my eyes.

 

And yes, I'd be a little crazy:lol:.

 

'Take down THAT wall.'

 

[

AND you walked into the room last Tuesday and the wall was 'mostly' down - which was good, :hurray: that was progress..................................

 

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]And you walked in the next day (last Wednesday) and the wall had been PUT BACK UP -- THAT'S RIGHT, STUDDED, DRY WALLED, AND THERE BIG AS LIFE :w00t:[/font]

Would you go ballistic? :cursing:

[Harriet Vane]

Contractors hate me. I suspend my life and I become a very cheerful supervisor of the supervisor. It helps that before we have the work done we've done a lot of homework as to how it should be done. It also helps that I always find out the name and the phone number of the supervisor of the job site supervisor. And I have it on speed dial. And I will not budge until they agree to do it my way - even if it costs them idle time (this is great leverage by the way because time is money).

 

We had new windows put in a couple of years ago. We had done research and knew that the common way of putting in windows is actually not the best and can lead to leakage of air and water. So when we got the estimate we made sure that we had it in writing that our windows would be put in the more time extensive old fashioned way. Well, the job site supervisor had a fit. He tried to go around it. I was there with a smile and my thumb on the phone. He did it my way. I did go out of my way to provide iced tea and cookies for the crew, including the supervisor. He came to me after the job was over and told me that I was a pain in the butt but that if he needed new windows in his house, he would do it the way I insisted. . .:D

 

Last year we had new siding put on. Again, we had done research on how the old siding is taken down and then the new siding put on. . .etc. I went out about 15 minutes into the job and found that they were putting the new siding right over our old siding! And none of the crew spoke more than halting English. They did understand, "NO!" I was on that phone so fast it wasn't funny. The job supervisor came out and he was not happy that I had caught him. But after that the crew would come and whisper in my ear with drawings and sign language to tell me whenever he had asked them to cut corners. So the crew was on my side:D This job supervisor never came around to liking me but that's ok - I borrowed Peek's rhino skin!

 

I do the same thing!! There's no way around it. Close supervision is the only way to ensure things get done well.

 

We have horrible leaky windows that will need replacing. Can you share the secret of proper installation? What's the wrong way? What's the right way?

 

Thanks!

[elise1mds]

But after that the crew would come and whisper in my ear with drawings and sign language to tell me whenever he had asked them to cut corners. So the crew was on my side!

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: I love it!!! They must not have had any love for him, either.

 

We got lucky and hired a fantastic contractor to do our bathroom this summer, but he was independent and came highly recommended from several folks who didn't know each other.

 

That being said, I was still in the bathroom all the time, checking out his work. :tongue_smilie:

[MariannNOVA]

I'm sorry, Mariann...But I actually laughed until I had tears in my eyes.

 

And yes, I'd be a little crazy:lol:.

 

 

Oh, Tammy! No need to apologize. :smilielol5: I really did post this for comic relief! It's like "you can't make this stuff up."

 

And, because it would be too hard to describe, I omitted the part where my cell phone had no minutes left on it :ohmy: , and I asked one of the drywall guys if I could use his phone -- but I speak NO spanish at all, and he speaks no English so that was a waste of his time and mine ;). He called his supervisor (who also speaks no English) and handed me the phone. :001_huh: I handed the phone back to him, said, 'gracias' and walked away.:leaving:

 

Truly, though.....my favorite part was the little clock face I drew with the hands at 12:20pm :rofl::rofl:

 

Mariann

[Halftime Hope]

We bought our dream house in late june 2007, after not owning our own house for 15 years...long story.

 

We did a bunch of DIY renovations for about 3 weeks, and then hired a contractor to install a couple of bathroom and kitchen vents (by local code they had to be installed by a licensed electrician :angry: ) and in the process of their taking down the kitchen microwave over the range, they found out that the builders had installed the microwave suspension bracket over the ceramic tile with a big long screw through the upstairs sewer drainpipe. That water had been seeping/slow leaking behind the kitchen wall tile for nine years. When the screw was pulled out, the sewer running through the pipe was then free to run at will any time anyone flushed or showered, drenching the drywall and insulation behind the cabinets. Needless to say, I was glad to have the contractors and the insurance company take care of the rest of that job!!

 

The paint crew, though, was another story. Only two of them had been on the job for more than a day or two, the other 8 or 9 were newbs. If I had not spoken Spanish, it would have been an unmitigated disaster! Because I treated them all kindly and took a genuine interest in them as individuals over the 11 day job, and watched over everything like a hawk, I got the job that I wanted (mostly....with the exception of the paint drips they couldn't get out of my carpet!!!!) and they often redid things for me and pointed out things they saw that I should mark with blue tape to be redone.

 

Then the supervisor, who was almost never here, tried to stiff the guys their wages, telling them that I had not paid him, when they had all watched me make out and give him two checks! At that point I put the crew directly in contact with the painting franchise owner, who later told me that he fired the supervisor.

 

I am still under warranty, and I have to get them to redo the bathroom wall where they painted right over the wallpaper border glue and it is crackling, lifting the paint. Sigh! They did the kitchen correctly, but somehow I missed this one.

[elegantlion]

That's why I only hire my dh & myself. :D

 

Although when stupid mistakes are made (& they are!), or when the work drags on for weeks longer than expected (& it does!) it would be nice to have someone else to yell at except ourselves.

 

But on the flip side, man, are we cheap!

 

As the wife of a contractor my labor costs are cheap (free!) but boy is there a long wait for his work. :D

[Renai]

'Take down THAT wall.'

 

And, he was in the room with you when you said it, and you all agreed :iagree::iagree: THAT wall was to come down......and he wrote it in the JOB SCOPE (which I have learned is only second to the Holy Grail as far as importance)......and everyone signed the final copy of the JOB SCOPE (see above for importance of said SCOPE)...................

 

AND you walked into the room last Tuesday and the wall was 'mostly' down - which was good, :hurray: that was progress..................................

 

And you walked in the next day (last Wednesday) and the wall had been PUT BACK UP -- THAT'S RIGHT, STUDDED, DRY WALLED, AND THERE BIG AS LIFE :w00t:

 

Would you go ballistic? :cursing:

 

Honey, where do you live? I'll send my hubby and he'll get it right the first time. He's laid off (for over a year now) so has plenty of time on his hands. He would get home complaining of the things some guys in his crew would do. For example, he hates being told to "slow down." He works quickly and efficiently, even though paid by the hour. They think, more money now, he says, more references and money later. He doesn't like owners looking over his shoulder, but says that he wishes some owners would look in more so the other guys wouldn't waste so much darn time. It drives him nuts! Well, it did until he didn't have a job. I told him he needs his own company.

[elegantlion]

Honey, where do you live? I'll send my hubby and he'll get it right the first time. He's laid off (for over a year now) so has plenty of time on his hands. He would get home complaining of the things some guys in his crew would do. For example, he hates being told to "slow down." He works quickly and efficiently, even though paid by the hour. They think, more money now, he says, more references and money later. He doesn't like owners looking over his shoulder, but says that he wishes some owners would look in more so the other guys wouldn't waste so much darn time. It drives him nuts! Well, it did until he didn't have a job. I told him he needs his own company.

 

My dh has been self-employed (mostly) for almost 30 years in the construction biz. It's hard to be your own boss but it is very rewarding to have that quality/time control over a job. The few times he has worked for others he's been told by the other employees to slow down so he doesn't show them up.

 

If he has the tools he needs to start on his own it's at least worth a shot. My dh's talent is finish carpentry but he'll can/will do anything. When we've moved my dh has tried to network with some realtors that need small jobs done with home sales.

 

:grouphug:

[Amy loves Bud]

In a nutshell, that's why we were our own contractor when we remodeled the kitchen. The right wall came down at exactly the right time, no questions asked.

 

I'm so sorry, I know how frustrating and hard it can be living through a remodel. Good luck!

[Amy loves Bud]

That's why I only hire my dh & myself. :D

 

Although when stupid mistakes are made (& they are!), or when the work drags on for weeks longer than expected (& it does!) it would be nice to have someone else to yell at except ourselves.

 

But on the flip side, man, are we cheap!

 

Ayup!