I've bought only scratch'n'dent or floor models for the past 30 years, always with a full warranty that covered any issues that arose after delivery. Most have worked perfectly -- only the most recent floor model stove needed adjustment for the thermostat, and we noticed after delivery that the produce drawer frame was broken in the refrigerator. Fixed without any problem. Sometimes they are missing a part or piece of trim -- which also have been covered under warranty, even though they are sold "as is". The Sears Outlet in my town, I have noticed, will put used appliances out on the floor along with the damaged ones. The telltale sign is, they don't clean them! so you will see crumbs in the fridge and detergent residue in the dishwasher, or maybe an odd odor. I won't consider those.

A few weeks ago I went to a scrapbook convention in Arlington, TX and took a class about how to use Zig Twin tip markers. Even though I hate my own handwriting (and currently use my computer for my journaling) I think I HAVE to have a big set of these pens. They have four sets, and I would love all four but each one (with 48 pens)costs $100.00! I keep looking for a good deal on one of these pen sets but none of the craft stores in my area carry them. I would even settle for a used set. Anyone out there want to part with their set?

Once the pulley is installed and properly torqued it will be fine. The housings have been redesigned.

Some of this is a bit of hypersensitivity on your part. Some. Because once a couple of normal snafus happen, you look all the closer. Nothing is perfect, and looking at a paint job from 1” away will always find something. That hypersensitivity created from those snafus isn’t your fault, but be aware that you could be over reacting on the smaller stuff at this stage. I’d bet $1 that they are used to doing lower quality, less detailed, cheaper dollar figure projects and this higher grade project is a stretch for them as a company. If I lose so my $1 bet, and they weren’t the low budget bid among a few genuine luxury remodelers, they won’t continue with the higher grade projects when handling them like this. It all goes back to the Project Manager in charge of your project, and the Designer you hired to do the drawings and specifications. If they hired him away from building cheap production builds, he may not have the organizational abilities or eye for detail that someone who came through the ranks of a custom builder would. If you hired a Decorator or Home Designer rather than an accredited Interior Designer or Architect, then some of that issue lies there. Theres no way of knowing cause. And the blame game isn’t a good one to play this far along. You’re in the Solution Business now. No matter the source of the issues. You’ve got to rebuild that team spirit that you had at the beginning of the project. Everyone wants a success. Talk to your GC first. Don’t involve the PM or Designer yet. Talk over The List, and ask him who he wants on his team from your end to help it get done. If he diplomatically doesn’t mention the Designer’s input, you may have some small answers there. But, in the end, he knows it’s all on him. His PM isn’t truly performing. Maybe he is over extended. Who cares. It’s the Gc’s ownership in the end. And nothing makes a GC unhappier than an unhappy customer. He wants to make you happy. So, he will do what it takes to make that happen. Based on some of your comments, I’d want pictures of the windows at installation. A properly installed window or door should not allow water intrusion even if siding was not in place. The right flashing should keep that out. I would want the crawl space encapsulation revisited by removing the barrier in the “traffic paths” that will need to be accessed regularly. That will get the most wear and tear, and needs to be 100% debris free. The rest is poor protection of your home that the results can be whittled down. And that’s why I said they are above their usual experience and quality level. Every upscale contractor that I know protects the new work, or the existing that is staying, automatically. Vents blocked off. Ram board. Plastic sheeting dust barriers. Plywood over the tub, or the paint on plastic coating. That’s the cost of doing business at that level rather than Section 8 housing.