Oh Boy, You Were ALL Right. I Should Have Listened...

[AKL_Megs]

In regards to the work we are having done on our house. I am beginning to believe that you were all right when you said "By Friday" meant three months from Sunday.


So, we had all agreed that the trim and gutters were to be DONE on Monday, and then the stonework would begin on Tuesday, and be done BY FRIDAY, whatever that means.


It's now almost Wednesday, they haven't started working, and we've had nothing but problems.


FIRST, we were expecting them on Monday. Saturday afternoon, I think it was, the "Go-To Guy" came over for a walk around to determine supplies, and informed me that his "Siding Guy" had some siding damage confused: ) and wouldn't be able to come out until Tuesday. Okay, whatever, as long as the work is complete BY FRIDAY.


Tuesday comes along today, and by 12pm, nobody has shown up. My husband is furious. He calls the main office and is told by the receptionist that now the "Stone Guy" won't be able to make it because he had a death in the family. She has no idea where the "siding guy" is, but will call the "Go-To Guy" to find out. NOBODY seems concerned that we weren't informed that nobody would be coming to work today.


"Go-To Guy" shows up at our house. The "Stone Guy" didn't have a death in the family, but rather, a brother who is having open heart surgery today. confused: )... but offers no reason why the "SIDING GUY" couldn't come do the siding like planned. "Go-To Guy" dropped off all of the siding and gutters in our backyard and left with a promise that work will absolutely, positlvely start TOMORROW. We'll see...


I was joking (maybe I was serious...) and told my husband to call a friend or our neighbor to help him take all of the siding and gutter material into our garage and hold it hostage. If they don't show up tomorrow, I guess we're just going to have to say that the "Go-To Guy" never came and dropped that stuff off and we will cancel the job. Anyone know the going rate for siding and gutters???

 

[Darcy03231]

Didn't you get a contract with a start and end date?

We just had our house sided, windows replaced, roof done, new seamless gutters and deck. We had a start date right in the contract, with an end date and a payment schedule. Contractor stayed right on time, except we made a design change (added two more windows) so he came back when the new windows came in to finish up.

 

[msmayor]

How much money have you already given them?

 

[OceanAnnie]

How much money have you already given them?

That's what I was wondering. Isn't it usually half up front and half when the job is done?

 

[AKL_Megs]

They have zero dollars from us, a start date and a finish date in contract, and $3000 worth of supplies locked up in our garage.

Like I said, they have till Friday!

 

[minkydog]

Oh, man, I feel your pain. We had a front porch put on a few years ago and I swear, my husband nearly came to blows with our contractor. This summer we had a different contractor come out and fix the side of our house after another porch roof fell off the house. That took a week and all they had to do was replace 2 boards and paint. Then we had another contractor put up ONE wall of drywall in my basement--and we had already ripped out the previous drywall. It has taken 3 WEEKS to get it all done. I will do the painting myself, cuz God only knows how long THAT would take.

I wonder,is this normal for contractors? The ONLY job that we have contracted that was done right and on time, in 1 day was when we bought windows from Home Depot. They sent out two guys who worked like demons and put in 11 windows in one day.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Oh, man, I feel your pain. We had a front porch put on a few years ago and I swear, my husband nearly came to blows with our contractor. This summer we had a different contractor come out and fix the side of our house after another porch roof fell off the house. That took a week and all they had to do was replace 2 boards and paint. Then we had another contractor put up ONE wall of drywall in my basement--and we had already ripped out the previous drywall. It has taken 3 WEEKS to get it all done. I will do the painting myself, cuz God only knows how long THAT would take.

I wonder,is this normal for contractors? The ONLY job that we have contracted that was done right and on time, in 1 day was when we bought windows from Home Depot. They sent out two guys who worked like demons and put in 11 windows in one day.

I don't know, but I am glad I am not the only one. I wonder how they would like it if we just "got around" to paying them when they are done. We can waste just as much time as they have.

And OMG, yes... Home Depot doesn't mess around. We had them do some outdoor work and they were on the dot on time, and were done in the blink of an eye.

 

[bumbershoot]

My brother has owned three homes, and has had work done on 2 of them (both of them were built from scratch, the other was just an interim house while back in Durham for his wife to get through law school).

And from the stories he's told, I would say that this is absolutely positively normal for contractors.

Right now they very much want to put a cabana in their backyard (with electricity, running water, etc...has to be totally legal). But they know how long it would take, and how long their yard would be ripped up and their wall (they don't have fences but "adobe" walls that are very thick) would be torn open. And those months of uncertainty just aren't worth it to them, right now.

If you've had good experiences with HD and they can do what you want, I'd go back to them.

 

[Abbie]

We've built two houses, one custom. It is totally par for the course unfortunately. I don't know why it is so difficult for general contractors to budget the time correctly but all the ones we know have the same issue. You just need to develop some patience and suck it up. Is there some vital reason you need the work done by Friday or are you so adamant about that date because that's what you were told?

I always say that home repairs/remodeling take twice as long as you expect and cost twice as much!!

I'm guessing you're kidding about taking their supplies hostage, but if not you'd better think that through. You will be charged for theft.