The contractor wars
I knew it was only a matter of time before I started battling with the contractor I hired for the kitchen. I just didn't think it would be today that it started.
Things over the last twenty-four hours just have not been good in general. P and I spent ALL NIGHT last night packing up our kitchen and moving it into the nursery so our kitchen was ready for the demolition today that was scheduled for 1 pm.
Last night before we went to bed, we started looking at our countertop card samples to make our final decision and decided to go look at our granite sink one more time. I'm SO GLAD we opened the box...we opened the box to find the sink broken in half. This sink that is supposedly indestructible. Needless to say, we are returning it this weekend for a stainless steel one. Irritation #1.
This morning, I wake up early with plans of going to Home Depot before my meeting to get more counter selections (I had looked on the website and found the one that we wanted but wanted to see what it looked like in person) and also to stop at Smoothie King for a Angel Food smoothie. My plan was to leave at 9 am. I realized at 9:01 am that my wonderful dear husband had left with the keys to my car, and I had no way to leave the house. I had to wait for him to turn around and come home, and by the time he got there, there was no time to go to Home Depot OR get anything of sustenance. Irritation #2.
My meeting, which was only supposed to last an hour, lasted two. Irritation #3.
I went to Home Depot on the way home from the meeting, realized when I got there that they had no Formica samples (how retarded is that?!), and had to drive across town to Lowe's to pick up the samples. Fortunately, they did have the color that I wanted, and we LOVE it (it's called Basalt Slate and is a black rock with white swirls) but it caused me to be thirty minutes late to meet the contractors. Irritation #4.
Irritation #5 and the BIGGEST one of all was when I arrived home to meet the contractors. I know these guys from before because they have worked on our bathroom. I let them in, let them greet Katie and Simon, put the dogs in the office, and then walk them into the kitchen to start showing them what they are going to demo.
They look at me with this blank look and say, "We are only here to demo the pantry."
I was in utter shock. I told them that wasn't what I understood and that I was under the impression that L had told them to demo the kitchen so we could paint. They said no. They call L. He confirms that no, they are there to demo the pantry. I call him on the phone and we get into a raging argument which ended up with me hanging up on him and him faxing me a letter of apology and an offer to refund my money, which of course I DON'T want to do because doing so will just delay this whole process for at least a month. I want my kitchen done!
But it was another day of tears. He's now saying that the cabinets may not even come in this weekend and that if they do, we are looking at two to three days next week for them to install them, install counters, and install the appliances, which means that my floors will be delayed as well. And the worst thing about this whole mess is that I have NO CHOICE whatsoever. I am totally at this guy's mercy.
Ugh.
The best thing about today was going out to dinner with my dad and stepmom to Boi Na Braza, and I do have the day off tomorrow to do some shopping. I'll keep you posted.
Things over the last twenty-four hours just have not been good in general. P and I spent ALL NIGHT last night packing up our kitchen and moving it into the nursery so our kitchen was ready for the demolition today that was scheduled for 1 pm.
Last night before we went to bed, we started looking at our countertop card samples to make our final decision and decided to go look at our granite sink one more time. I'm SO GLAD we opened the box...we opened the box to find the sink broken in half. This sink that is supposedly indestructible. Needless to say, we are returning it this weekend for a stainless steel one. Irritation #1.
This morning, I wake up early with plans of going to Home Depot before my meeting to get more counter selections (I had looked on the website and found the one that we wanted but wanted to see what it looked like in person) and also to stop at Smoothie King for a Angel Food smoothie. My plan was to leave at 9 am. I realized at 9:01 am that my wonderful dear husband had left with the keys to my car, and I had no way to leave the house. I had to wait for him to turn around and come home, and by the time he got there, there was no time to go to Home Depot OR get anything of sustenance. Irritation #2.
My meeting, which was only supposed to last an hour, lasted two. Irritation #3.
I went to Home Depot on the way home from the meeting, realized when I got there that they had no Formica samples (how retarded is that?!), and had to drive across town to Lowe's to pick up the samples. Fortunately, they did have the color that I wanted, and we LOVE it (it's called Basalt Slate and is a black rock with white swirls) but it caused me to be thirty minutes late to meet the contractors. Irritation #4.
Irritation #5 and the BIGGEST one of all was when I arrived home to meet the contractors. I know these guys from before because they have worked on our bathroom. I let them in, let them greet Katie and Simon, put the dogs in the office, and then walk them into the kitchen to start showing them what they are going to demo.
They look at me with this blank look and say, "We are only here to demo the pantry."
I was in utter shock. I told them that wasn't what I understood and that I was under the impression that L had told them to demo the kitchen so we could paint. They said no. They call L. He confirms that no, they are there to demo the pantry. I call him on the phone and we get into a raging argument which ended up with me hanging up on him and him faxing me a letter of apology and an offer to refund my money, which of course I DON'T want to do because doing so will just delay this whole process for at least a month. I want my kitchen done!
But it was another day of tears. He's now saying that the cabinets may not even come in this weekend and that if they do, we are looking at two to three days next week for them to install them, install counters, and install the appliances, which means that my floors will be delayed as well. And the worst thing about this whole mess is that I have NO CHOICE whatsoever. I am totally at this guy's mercy.
Ugh.
The best thing about today was going out to dinner with my dad and stepmom to Boi Na Braza, and I do have the day off tomorrow to do some shopping. I'll keep you posted.
posted by Erica at 8:54 PM
MoiraKatydid
emgonz
emgonz@msn.com
2 Comments:
I think you are to start shooting this guy with his own nail gun. But I've always had a mean streak.
;-) It's kind of funny to imagine your pregnant self chasing the poor contractor around with a nail gun. See...you're smiling too!
Hang in there. You have my sympathy. Remodeling is never fun.
I second what Shannon said! At least give yourself some good fantasies about chasing him around with that nail gun!
I share your pain as well. Currently in the middle of renos myself, though not on such a big scale as yours, still just as painful. As everyone keeps telling me, just think of what it will be like when it is all done. That picture in my head is probably what gets me through the day! :) Good luck, and let me know if you need any help with maiming the contactor! ;)
Post a Comment
<< Home