I hate having neighbors

[wvjules]

If the kids were aiming at something else, missed, and the shots went further than the kids thought they would and hit the window. Do you call that intentional?

We have no idea how far the neighbor's house is from the OP's. We have no proof it WAS the OP's kids. Granted, she's admitted it COULD be, but is it possible some OTHER kids in the neighborhood have BB guns?

Three times?

I don't know about you but if I accidently shot one window I sure as heck wouldn't fire at the "something else" two more times.

 

[msjprincess]

If the kids were aiming at something else, missed, and the shots went further than the kids thought they would and hit the window. Do you call that intentional?

We have no idea how far the neighbor's house is from the OP's. We have no proof it WAS the OP's kids. Granted, she's admitted it COULD be, but is it possible some OTHER kids in the neighborhood have BB guns?

If their aim is that bad then they should not be allowed to use BB guns so close to other people.

She said the shots clearly came from her yard. Do you think someone else came into her yard with a BB gun and shot it into the neighbors house? That would be pretty coincidental since her kids own BB guns.

 

[MissMichigan]

I do agree that the neighbor could have responded to your attempted communications, if for no other reason than to say "i'm looking into myself, so you don't need to handle it." or something like that. I also think it was a bit rude of to randomly show up expecting you to pay on the spot...not a lot of people have $450 in cash just lying around to hand out. On her part, she could have handled it better, yes. She should have called/written/come over when she knew what the price would be, and given you a date she would like to paid by.

However, i'm not seeing how showing you estimates would actually change anything. She could have handed you an estimate from every company in the state, and the price would still be the same because she would have still picked the same company. How do you know she didn't shop around first? If it took six weeks for her to bring you a bill, I doubt she picked the first place she called. Maybe i'm just misreading or over-thinking, but I get the impression you wanted her to show you estimates so that YOU could pick which one she would use. If that's the case, that's not right. You don't know why she picked the company she did, and she very well may have tried to get a good deal. Maybe she had to use them because they installed her original windows, or she prefers them because a family member works there. Whatever the reason she picked them, it was her choice to make no matter how many estimates either of you got, or who she showed them to.

We had a BB shot through our bedroom about 2 months ago. Luckily, we live in an apartment and they fixed it for us, no charge. However, when we went to the office to report it, they were very upset and asked several times if we saw the person, what they looked like, etc. They wanted to know who did it, i'm assuming to bill them for the repair. And no, BB's don't generally cause major damage..no shattering, totally busted out window. But the hole was big enough that our AC was getting out, and bugs were getting in. Not something that can just be ignored, really.

I'm all for "kids being kids", and "accidents happen". I don't see anything wrong with BB/air guns in and of themselves. It's the way they are used that is the problem. If you are living that close to people, they don't need to be using them in that area. One window I would consider an accident without a second thought, but three? That seems less likely to not have been intentional.

OP, I think a lot of the negativity of other posters is coming from the title of the thread. Saying that you hate having neighbors implies the neighbor has done something wrong, which she hasn't. It may also be coming from the perceived attitude that it should have been up to you. You told this woman you would PAY FOR the windows, and you did. You didn't tell her you were going to pick out everything and do it for her, so she didn't agree to that. She agreed to let you pay. Count yourself lucky that she agreed to let you pay without taking you to court or something, considering what minor things people will sue over these days. Also count yourself lucky it was just some windows and not a person.

 

[cabanafrau]

Even MORE wonderful DIS assumptions! Just because she didn't mention whether the kids got in trouble doesn't mean they didn't. In all honesty, whether the kids got in trouble or not is immaterial to the question... whether the neighbor was out of bounds by having the work done, not presenting estimates, etc. But that won't stop the judgement of DIS posters.


Didn't the OP admit she (and therefore her family) were accepting responsibility? Didn't she say she paid for the window work? She's simply complaining about how the neighbor went about getting it done (which I don't agree with that complaint).

The comment you quoted from me was regarding another poster's comment, which I believe I quoted, not the OP. Did I say she didn't accept responsibility? Did I say she didn't pay for the window work? I also don't agree with her complaint about how the neighbor went about getting the repair work done.

I still fail to understand the other poster's attitude that it was basically kids being kids, mistakes happen. Sure they do. As I said before, you admit responsibility, clean up your mess & move on.

 

[Jennasis]

Maybe it was an accident...and maybe it wasn't. Doesn't matter. The kids broke something of the neighbors and the OP is responsible for making it right. Unfortunately, OP, you do not get to dictate how to make it right.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I love the Dis boards. So entertaining!

 

[usnuzuloose]

Having different estimates doesn't mean choosing the cheapest, but at least it gives you an idea if the first one is some what close to the other costs. I would pay the bill, but it would be nice to know if the other few estimates are in the same ball park figure. I don't need to know how she dealt with her children, that is between her and her DH. Estimate meaning for the same window.

 

[luvsJack]

You may be taking all this a little too seriously, you might want to step back and take a deep breath.

I'm not taking anything too seriously. I have gotten quite a laugh out of the way so many have made so many assumptions about something they have no idea about and now its gone from bb holes in windows to "shooting windows out". I mean, I know this is the Dis but seriously??

 

[superme80]

OP I'm with you! A little communication goes a long way.She should have let you know that she was looking into it herself and would send you the bill.

 

[kirstenb1]

This summer I accidentally broke a window in our house. Single pane, medium size, nothing fancy or complicated. It cost $200 to have it replaced. And that was lower than the other estimate I got ($225). I think you got a good deal, OP.

I hear you. I'm shaking my head at someone who thinks $450 for 3 replacement windows is too much. A few years ago, we did a small addition on our home. The windows are very standard, about 24x36 vinyl. Each one was $120. DH installed them easily.

Replacement windows are a whole different animal. We've never had them put in, but I'm thinking the siding below them at least would need to be removed and then put back, so more labor than a new install.

 

[sam_gordon]

Three times?

I don't know about you but if I accidently shot one window I sure as heck wouldn't fire at the "something else" two more times.

You're assuming the kids KNEW their shots had gone through a window.

If their aim is that bad then they should not be allowed to use BB guns so close to other people.

How bad does it need to be? Were they shooting cans? Paper targets? They only need to miss by a fraction of an inch.

She said the shots clearly came from her yard. Do you think someone else came into her yard with a BB gun and shot it into the neighbors house? That would be pretty coincidental since her kids own BB guns.

Or the kids brought their friends over who ALSO had BB guns. Granted, I doubt that's what happened, but it is possible.

 

[nathalee81]

Wow.

So, your kids put holes in THREE of your neighbors windows and your kids never even apologize or take responsibility for their act of violence and you are mad at your neighbor because she couldn't make things easier for YOU.

If your neighbor came over to ask you about the windows I am assuming (and please correct me if I am wrong) that your kids never went over to admit that their fault in this "accident". Your neighbor had to come over to seek resolution. Strike number one.

The fact your kids are randomly shooting BB guns frightens me and astounds me. No, they aren't lethal, but they sure could hurt someone. If kids are going to own such things, they should be taught that they need to act responsibly with them (and shooting out windows isn't acting responsibly). Strike Number 2.

You wanted your neighbor to waste more of her time (that was due to the fact YOUR kids acted irresponsibly) and call and get estimates! Amazing. I would love to see those notes and what they said. Strike Number 3.

All these strikes and guess what I would be doing as your neighbor? Calling the cops on your kids and taking you to small claims court for the damage.

Don't blame your neighbor for the money you lost due to this "accident" or the fact she didn't bend over backwards to make YOUR life easier. Place the blame where it needs to go, YOUR kids. None of this would even be a problem if your kids would have acted responsibly (and if they are old enough to have BB guns, they should be old enough to accept the responsibility that goes along with having them).

 

[Bob NC]

I'm not taking anything too seriously. I have gotten quite a laugh out of the way so many have made so many assumptions about something they have no idea about and now its gone from bb holes in windows to "shooting windows out". I mean, I know this is the Dis but seriously??

Ummmm, does the size of the hole determine whether or not the window was shot out?

If a window has a hole in it it doesn't make any difference what size it is, the window has been "shot out."

If a hole in the window via bb isn't shot out, what is? Would it take a 22 slug making the hole to make it a "shot out" window?

If a projectile from a gun makes a hole in a window, it's been shot out.

I know it's a complicated situation, but seriously?

 

[cabanafrau]

Point taken. But it would also be appropriate for the neighbor to make a reasonable attempt to keep the cost to a minimum. For example she should not get brand new Anderson windows if there was a reasonable alternative to fix or replace the window. And the OP tried to touch base with the neighbor, but she did not respond.

I find it highly unlikely that it's possible to get repairs for 3 windows, repairs which actually involve the glass portion of the windows themselves, for less than $450. Three brand new Andersen windows for $450 is laughable. You couldn't even find many Andersen windows in the $450 price range for one window.

 

[Jennasis]

Shouldn't rule number one with a BB gun be "never shoot in the direction of people or things you don't want to hit"? If they were aiming for paper targets or what not, shouldn't they have been placed up against a solid cement wall or against a backdrop of forest or something so there would be no chance they could miss buy a fraction of an inch and take out a window?

 

[nathalee81]

If the kids were aiming at something else, missed, and the shots went further than the kids thought they would and hit the window. Do you call that intentional?

We have no idea how far the neighbor's house is from the OP's. We have no proof it WAS the OP's kids. Granted, she's admitted it COULD be, but is it possible some OTHER kids in the neighborhood have BB guns?

So, it is okay for you assume things about this situation, but not okay for everyone who isn't on the OP's side to assume things?

 

[RitaZ.]

I'm curious, how old are the kids in question?

 

[SaraJayne]

Shouldn't rule number one with a BB gun be "never shoot in the direction of people or things you don't want to hit"? If they were aiming for paper targets or what not, shouldn't they have been placed up against a solid cement wall or against a backdrop of forest or something so there would be no chance they could miss buy a fraction of an inch and take out a window?

Yes, for most people. DS knows if he is ever irresponsible with any weapon (and a BB gun is a weapon), he won't be using them anymore.

 

[mickeyboat]

Why should she have to keep costs to a minimum? If she had Anderson windows she is entitled to be "made whole". (with what she had)



ITA

She needs to be made whole, period. But the neighbor should have worked with the OP.

Continue on with your witch hunt!

 

[Bob NC]

You're assuming the kids KNEW their shots had gone through a window.

How bad does it need to be? Were they shooting cans? Paper targets? They only need to miss by a fraction of an inch.

Or the kids brought their friends over who ALSO had BB guns. Granted, I doubt that's what happened, but it is possible.

I think peoples problem really hinges on the fact that the OP is kinda making light of the whole situation by calling it just an "accident." OP believes that it is all so inconsequential that she should be allowed to handle all the details rather then the neighbor.

As I see it, JUST ME IMHO, if the neighbors guns point at my house, that is unacceptable. BB's and bullets are EXPECTED to miss the targets sometimes. To ME, it's not an accident. Whether the target is missed by a 16th of an inch or 10 feet is immaterial. Missing a target with a bullet is NOT an unexpected outcome of target shooting.

If I were the neighbor, I wouldn't care if you called it an "accident", I wouldn't care whether or not your kids "KNEW" they shot my windows.