CONTRACTOR UPDATE & SOME FUN PHOTOS

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!  Hope you are all doing well!!

We had a few good rains in July... but the last one was on the 19th.  Since then, we have had little precipitation so it has come the time to drag the sprinklers around and try to keep some areas of beds and grass from simply dying.  Sigh.  I don't see anything ahead in the forecast that makes me smile... so I hope something breaks soon!

In the meantime, let me update you.  If you didn't read "Another Contractor Rant" posted on June 22nd, this update probably won't make any sense.  However, for those who did read it, I wanted to let you know where things stand today, six weeks later.  We have had a couple of minor but important issues with the gutter work.  I have heard from the contractor twice... wanting to suggest I have additional work done to my aunt's house.  Uh-huh.  He's willing to call me to try to make money... but both times I have indicated we have some issues here that need to be addressed first... and both times he has assured me he will call me and come by.  What do you think?  Yeppir.  Not a sighting has occurred.  So... while the issues are not huge, I assure you this individual will not see any future work with me.  Oh... and if you live here and want to know who to avoid, call me.  I'm happy to provide you with the names of who NOT to call!!  :)  On the other hand, the subcontractor who did my aunt's roofing job (under the same contractor who does not follow up) did a wonderful job!  The roof is properly done and has held up quite well.  Fortunately, I insisted that the sub provide me with a business card... so if I need any roofing done in the future, I will contact them directly!  Again... if you live here and have a need for a roofer, I'm happy to provide a name.

So... with that all said and done, I have a few photos to share with you.  They were all taken at different times... and one was from my friend, Charlotte B. who took those great shots at Lake Martin!  She returned with another friend of hers and got some more shots... but one of them was ultra-fabulous!!  I'll share that one with you first today.  Enjoy!!

Check out the beauty of the egret's actual wing bones with the feathers backlit by the sun!! STUNNING!!

Early morning moon setting as I begin my morning walk.

When the moon sets, the sun rises!!

This year's plumeria blooms.  The yellow one didn't bloom.

On another note, remember that it is important to stop in to visit things when the opportunity presents itself.  The Old South Winery became available for a visit and I'm glad I stopped in!!  While the wines (both white and red) are a little sweet due to their being made with muscadine grapes, it was worth the visit just for the casual environment!  Those preferring sweeter wines should make this a stopping place!

The 'Burb practically drove itself here!!  It knows!!  :)

If you want froufrou, you're at the wrong winery!!  I like the painted concrete block & steamboat mural!!

My lovely and entertaining server, Diane.

So... that's our little update & unrelated photo tour for today!  I do hope you have enjoyed the photos.

Until next post...

ANOTHER CONTRACTOR RANT...

Hello, Blogging Pals.  Excuse me just a second.

AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I am probably making a mistake as I am typing this while absolutely furious.  I will try to edit it before publishing it.  Apologies in advance for any errant words.

I have had nothing but grief with nearly every single job, small or large, that I have had to have done at my house or at my aunt's house.  The three exceptions are the plumber (who has done multiple jobs at both properties and is a jewel!), the HVAC contractor who has been out to my aunt's a few times for different things, and the gentleman who took on the cutting of my cabinets for my kitchen paint project.  Those three did what they said for what they said with no surprises.  The work has stood.

Now then.  I have been trying to find someone to fix a flat roof portion on my aunt's property since the last "contractor" royally screwed us over with his "repair" job last year.  Calls to contractors I have been referred to have gone unreturned.  Does everyone here have so much business that they can ignore requests for work?!?  I do not understand this at all.  If anyone in a real city with real competition ignored calls, they would be penniless in no time.  If I had ignored calls when I was selling real estate in Austin, I would not have been in business more than a couple of months.  I worked hard to keep my clients happy with constant and rapid communication!

So... as I was returning home Friday morning after working out, a gentleman in a truck approached me.  He gave me a card and explained he was working on a couple of houses down the street (I know both owners) and was wondering if he could give me a quote on gutters.  There had originally been gutters on the house but the previous owners, from whom we bought it, had pulled them down.  Don't know what that was all about... but it has not had gutters since.  We had talked about putting some in but just never got to it... probably because our contractor experiences just seemed to get worse and worse.  I had a few minutes so I walked him around the house and he gave me what sounded like a decent price (comparing it to what I had paid in Austin on a per foot basis back in 2001).

His workers arrived shortly thereafter and the process began.  It took longer than expected which set my day back a little but the product was fine and the job looked okay.  I told him I would let him know my satisfaction level once it rained.  In the meantime, he met my husband at my aunt's house to look at the roof job we need done and, after discussing it at length with my husband, we told him he could move forward with it.  He indicated he could start it Monday.  That was before the rainstorm that rolled through late yesterday.

The spousal-unit noted dripping water from one corner this morning, the day after installation.  He took a ladder out and proceeded to check out the back gutters.  There was water STANDING in them!!  Uh... I am not a builder but I do get there is a slope required in gutter systems that allows the water to run toward a downspout!  DUH!!  What is the problem here?  I sent a text to the contractor advising he needed to contact me FIRST THING Monday to resolve this situation AND that he was NOT to begin ANY work at my aunt's house until this was resolved.  After phone calls and the arrival of the gutter guys, there is work being done now to resolve my concern.  I am NOT happy as I hear screws being re-done which tells me there are now going to be open holes where the initial screws were in the fascia.  Even assuming the drainage issue is resolved, I am not at all happy about this entire mess.  Once again... I am disgusted with this town and its seemingly incompetent, uncaring, money-grubbing contractors.

In the meantime, the contractor (who did none of the work, mind you) is telling me his sad tale of how he stayed up until 9 p.m. last night lining up a roof guy to work this weekend and that he is over at my aunt's house ready to go!!!  Are you KIDDING me?!?  I have told him his guy can drop materials, if he has them, but he is NOT to begin ANY work at that property until we have resolved my concern.  I have alerted the caregiver on duty today and she will call me if anything is started before I give an okay for it to happen.  The contractor is clearly not happy with this as he is likely having to pay the guy even while he is not able to work... but that is not my problem.  The agreement was that work would begin on Monday anyway... so his move forward is not my concern.

I have no idea how this is going to end.  There are two guys crawling around the house on ladders right now.  The contractor disappeared.  I am missing the fourth Saturday fly-in/drive-in at the airport which I always attend and for which I supply cookies.  My day has been pushed back until I don't know when.  My attitude sucks big-time and I am going to have to sit here until they are done and I can hose-test every single gutter and downspout.

I wondered why so many houses here were in varying states of disrepair when I was viewing properties to consider purchasing in 2009.  I believe I have the answer now.  Homeowners here are unable to find anyone to do work... good work... proper work... correct work... so the properties simply sink further and further into disrepair.  If you are not a proficient do-it-yourselfer... you are in trouble here.  I hate the incompetence and lack of customer-friendly businesses here.

I will let you know how this ends when I know.  Thanks for listening.

Until next post...

TRIM 'EM UP!!!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!!  Welcome Back!

It has been VERY busy here the past couple of weeks so I have lots of pictures and things to post about... but just haven't had the time to do it!  With that said, let's get started.

About 2 weeks ago, the local power company (CLECO) had their contractors out to trim around their power lines.  Our lines actually run across the back property line meaning there was a need to gain access to our backyard.  Those of you who know me well know that I do NOT trust anyone to do what they say they will do or NOT do what they say that WON'T do!!  Too many times I have been unpleasantly surprised.  So... after discussion with a supervisor at my front door, I agreed to allow access... but only with me here and watching every move they made!  :)  I'm certain they were thrilled to hear that.  And I did warn the supervisor that I was, indeed, a cranky old lady so they would need to watch it!

The "boyz" showed up on the scheduled day and, after some discussion, began their work.  Here is a view to the all-day process that followed.



Petre's Right-of-Way Maintenance

 At one point, the "big" bucket truck was required.  The "boyz" were VERY cautious, placing large mats to spread the weight of the vehicle so as to not create divets/ruts/bumps in the back yard.  I was very appreciative of their attention to that.

So, once the "big" truck was in place, it was time to begin trimming.




You're sending me WHERE?!?!?!?!?



UPSY-DAISY!!!!



Oh... up HERE!!!!

 While these young'uns apparently had no issue with riding the bucket up into the air, I assure you I would not have taken the ride myself!  They were very careful as they were tossing down the branches and limb, avoiding hitting the shed..



More my speed!  The "baby" bucket.

 The young men doing all the hard work were very polite and fun.  As I was taking pictures, I suggested perhaps I should put together a "Tree-Trimmer Calendar!"  They were quick to volunteer for the months they wanted to portray!!

At any rate, I wanted to praise them for their work and thank them for their attention to my concerns.  There was not a leaf on any of my citrus trees/shrubs that was damaged in any way.  The ground was not damaged.  They cleared the debris completely and put everything back exactly as it had been before they arrived.  After they left, the only clue there had been anyone there was the blue sky that had been hidden behind trees before that was now apparent.

So I thank the Petre's "boyz" for doing a great job and making it stress-free for me.

Until next post...

IT'S NOT JUST ME! HOORAY!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals.

Somehow I didn't think it was just me with bad contractor Karma!! :) I guess "Hooray" might not be really an appropriate sentiment but I really am glad it's not just me. If you have had a crazy contractor experience, please feel free to share it with me. If you don't mind, I will post it to this blog with you as my "guest blogger."

My friend, June B., has had a very interesting and recent HVAC (Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning) contractor experience including the involvement of multiple potential "specialists" who have offered varied and interesting possible resolutions! Her story follows:

"I got a big laugh out of your 'Contractor' story. I want to tell you about my problem in the big city. My air conditioning recently started acting as if it had a mind of its own. I called A/C Co. No. 1 who came right out and spent almost 2 hours looking for the problem. He mentioned a new circuit board ($400+) but was not sure. He finally decided I had programmed the thermostat wrong. That visit only cost $60 and didn't fix anything. My next call was to a national A/C Co. No. 2. A technician came out and spent 20 min. assessing the problem. He would also put in a new circuit board, but doing that would necessitate a new fan and while we were there it would be smart to replace the furnace - all of which he could do for a mere $7000. I thanked him and called A/C Co. No. 3. I have now been 3 days without air conditioning in Houston, Tex. This one came with a briefcase and was dressed in a suit. I knew I was in trouble. After his examination, he told me there was nothing wrong with the circuit board, that the coils were leaking freon and the coils would have to be replaced immediately to fix the problem ($2700). By now I am very hot and thoroughly confused, so I called my daughter to see what to do. She called around the neighborhood for a 4th A/C Co. and we found an independent who owned his own company. He came out on day 4 and confirmed that the coils were leaking freon. He also said there was nothing wrong with the circuit board and that the furnace should be good for another 7 years. He filled up the unit with gas and said it should last through the summer, but he would replace the coils for about $900. Total to him $480 so far. Exactly 8 days later, the unit quit completely. The last A/C Co. No. 4 came back out (no charge) and tinkered with it again and it has been running 5 days. I have my fingers crossed. The $64 dollar question is, what should I do? Life is not easy, but I now know a great deal more about how air conditioning works. We're all in this together."

Well... I guess it can always be worse. A lack of air conditioning in April through at least October here in the south (whether Texas, Louisiana, or any other Gulf of Mexico bordering state!) is tantamount to a fish finding itself in the middle of a desert. You know you're going to die... you just wish it would come quickly!!!

So, my Blogging Pals... let me hear from you if you have a nightmare to share. :) While I hope you don't, I feel as though you might.

Until next post...

CONTRACTOR MANIA... AS PROMISED

Howdy, Blogging Buddies!

You will remember my promise to regale you with the tales of the contractor insanity experienced during the very minor updating of the house here. Well, since it's going to take a while for me to get my laundry done this afternoon, now seems like a good time to do just that.

Let's start with the painter and his helper... both with the same first name so calling out the name resulted in two deer-caught-in-the-headlights faces staring at one with the occasional "Huh?" in two-part harmony. Things started out fairly well here. The painter had been referred to me by a trusted friend. He did return my call and schedule to drop by to take a look at the job. He did arrive at the time scheduled. These were all things working directly in his favor. Things went a bit downhill shortly thereafter.

I try to be a personable kind of gal. I do have a sense of humor and I enjoy working with those who can exhibit the same. But... (isn't there always a "but?")... my expectation from you, as a service provider, is professionalism first... humor down the road. The immediate attitude of "best pals" I got far too soon became a problem. My winning personality does not mean it's okay for you to do things haphazardly. Since you have viewed the job, I expect you to arrive with the tools you need to do the job!! Yep. My contracted personnel had to ask to borrow tools from my spousal-unit who then questioned exactly where I had found these guys! LOL!! Yep. You heard it right. The folks I am paying to do a job need to borrow our equipment to do it. Is there a discount for that?!?!?

I also understand a timeline is based on everything going exactly right and is subject to some change. When "a couple of days" becomes Day Four, I am again wondering if I made a good decision by allowing you into my home. Oh... and when you are done, it would have been nice of you to empty the sheetrock dust from my good vacuum cleaner (another item you borrowed!) into the trash receptacle outside. It was quite a shock to me to pull it out and have a cloud of dust spew out when I tried to use it. Lesson learned here? Never allow a contractor to use anything I own.

Would I use these folks again? Nope. Sorry. While they did an alright job (nothing I would consider stellar), the aggravation factor was far too high.

So... let's move on to the Big Box store, shall we? :) You would think, perhaps, that a national level firm would be pretty sophisticated and wanting to meet its customers' expectations. Perhaps it would have a very stringent list of qualifications and requirements for those local contractors who are engaged on the Big Box's behalf to do the work. Silly me.

When I first spoke with the Big Box employee about what I wanted done, he provided me with a quote. (I was quite surprised to find out, after I had consented to the work, the quote he gave me was only for the product... not the labor. I would have preferred to have that information all at once!) I agreed to the $35 fee, which would be applied to the final bill as a credit if I had the work done, to have the contractor come to my home and measure the distance from the edge of the countertops to the center of the sinks (3 sinks total) as this was "very critical" to have accurately measured. Since I am a mere female, unlikely to understand how a tape measure works, it was required that the contractor show up. (I won't say any more here but pay attention to what follows.) Oh... and the $35 became $51 as there is apparently a $16 additional fee if the house was built before 1970-something and since I could not provide the exact date of the build, the rampant danger to someone taking 3 quick measurements from the possible LEAD PIPES was so great, they apparently had to pay them an extra $16... but that would come off of the final bill should I choose to have the work done (which it didn't although the $35 did).

After the contractor had come and gone, I was advised of the need to drive AGAIN to the north (about 25 miles) to pay for the work... in full... before they would even order my countertops. I thought there were laws about charging someone for work before it was done!!! I know you can't charge my credit card for the online order I placed until you ship it. I understand wanting a deposit (maybe 50%?) for something you can't do anything with if I change my mind or die before you get it in... but to pay you in full, including labor? Wow. Tough crowd. Unfortunately, by this time, I am already embroiled in having the painting done and really just want this all to end... so we drive north, hand over a credit card, and leave with a receipt for work that won't be done for at least two weeks... maybe more. Sigh.

Fast forward about a week. When I got all of my receipts from the Big Box, I didn't really pay too much attention. Something told me to doublecheck everything in the little packet so I pulled it all out and reviewed it. Interesting. The measurements that I, as a mere female unable to comprehend tape measure intricacies, would not have been able to make are written on the paperwork... and they don't look right. I know. What do I know? I know enough to realize that the single sink in one bathroom is a greater distance from the wall than the two sinks in the other bathroom!!! If for no other reason than my measuring for mirrors and light fixtures, I know they are not the same measurements! But there they are... all three measurements from the edge to the "center of the sink" are identical. I rush to my desk in which there is a tape measure with my initials on it (I don't know why I have it with my inability to use it!). I whip it out of the top drawer and head for the sinks. I measure end-to-center in the single sink bathroom. Yep. That measurement is correct. I then measure end-to-center for both sinks in the dual vanity bathroom. Whoa, Nelly!!! The contractor is showing 18.5" when the actual measurement is 12.5" on both!!!

I pick up the phone and make a call to the contractor as well as to the Big Box employee with whom I began this ordeal. It is POURING down rain... big thunderstorm... and I get a call back from the contractor. He begrudgingly is offering to return here (he has that 25 mile drive to get here!) to check his measurements. When I tell him I HAVE the accurate measurements, he hems and haws for a bit before deciding to tell me that he'll just use my measurements. WHAT?!?!?!? Shouldn't I get my $51 fee back? Sigh. I get a call later from Big Box guy advising that the sink shape I had selected (rectangular) was not going to work now that the ACCURATE measurements were in. Oh... and this might push things back a week since they are just now aware of the measurement change. Great. If any of you heard Primal Screaming during this period, I assure you it was me.

I was not here when contractor-man arrived with help to do the countertop swap-outs. He was apparently very nice, according to my spousal-unit, and I guess he didn't ask to borrow any of our tools, so he gets extra points for that. They did a pretty good job of replacing the countertops with very nominal damage to the new paint job even though they had to strip out old caulk and slam the new tops in pretty tightly. All-in-all, the job was quite acceptable and the cost (including labor) was reasonable... even after they gave me the labor figure.

Now... the fun part of this deal was the follow-up! First of all, a card came in the mail prior to the installation of the countertops requesting that "Mr. and Mrs. Condren" submit their "own Testimonial" online. Interestingly enough, only MY name is Condren. My spousal-unit has his very own name... which he has had his entire life. Since he really was not involved in this other than to be here when the contractor showed up to measure and again to install, I'm not sure why he was even involved in the request for feedback. At any rate... it gets better. After the work had been completed, a phone call came in to the house phone. The spousal-unit answered it. The young lady on the other end asked for "Mr. Condren" and I'm not sure exactly what he told her about that. At any rate... she told him she was calling from "Big Box" and wanted him to answer a survey about the windows he had just had installed. ?HUH? He told her he had not had any windows installed. There was a pause... before she asked the most inane question ever asked to date. "Are you sure?" LOL!!! Oh Lord help me!! Do you think one would know if one had windows installed?!?!? It took me nearly five minutes to stop laughing and pick myself up from the floor. Of course, the spousal-unit did not offer up that there HAD been work done. He figures if they don't know what they're doing, he isn't there to help them figure it out. *chuckle*

Would I use the Big Box again? Nope. Not likely. While the work was satisfactory and the product is very nice, I just have trouble going back to anyone who has made a major error on the first job. As to feedback... they will receive it. I will be going online now that I have mellowed and experienced a lovely R&R that will likely allow me to submit my feedback in a civil tone. :)

I have to tell you all that I TRULY miss my most-wonderful contractor person in Austin. He did work on a property I had listed to sell (that sold on Day Two of the listing!), on my own home prior to it going on the market when we were leaving Texas, and on my former neighbor's home (both her "old" one and her "new" one). His work is impeccable. His price is fair. He has pride of workmanship and it shows. I wish he were here. I assure you he would be so busy, he would never have any time off.

That's my Contractor Mania tale, my friends. I hope you have far better experiences in your future contractor endeavors!!!

Until next post...

UPDATE: After 30 minutes of thoughtfully explaining my concerns on the Big Box web site in the feedback section, I received an "error" message which indicates my feedback likely has disappeared into cyberspace and will never be read by anyone. LOL!!! So... I am going to submit another complaint indicating my displeasure at the web site feedback form and telling them to CALL me so I can provide feedback on the "service" they provided to me. I'll let you know how that all works out.