You're not whining. You're sharing your feelings with friends who care. I hear and understand your frustration, though it does sound like he will get it all done eventually, at which point, pestering him will probably get you farther for less money than finding someone else.

Meantime, have a good trip and try to put out of your mind that which you cannot fix.

(((((HUGS)))))

What state are you in? Many states' consumer affairs laws require that a completion date for your project be in your contract. If you don't have one, he is in violation of state law and you can get heavy there. If you do have one, draw his attention to it and tell him you will enforce it strictly.

Of course, this is hard to do and remain on good terms with the contractor, but it is an option you might have at your disposal.

Thanks: I needed that hug. I'm just going to have to figure out a way to deal with this and not get so frustrated. I know it will be much better for me if I don't go off on him, but... I would never have thought it could turn out this way.

I'm in South Carolina. I think that I will contact Consumer affairs just to start finding out what my options are. The sad part is, I know that the odds are against any happy resolution unless he finishes the work.

On a brighter note, I will be touring the Biltmore House in Asheville on Wednesday as part of my out of town trip. I'm sure while I am going thru there I will be wondering just how much stress did the Vanderbilts go thru while trying to build that. I'm sure it will help me to put my kitchen in perspecitve, lol.

Kathy, I don't know for sure about the Biltmores, but in general, in bygone days, things progressed both faster and slower. Faster because it was more likely that a particular workman or crew would only be working on one major project at a time (though for small projects they juggled just like now). Slower because there was no instant communication or next day delivery. Materials came when they came. Sometimes months or years later if they were ordered from overseas and shipped across oceans. People used to be more accepting of weather delays, etc., as well. That doesn't mean that the lady of the house wasn't impatient to get into her new home, though!!

I would put the pressure on in a very non-emotional way, but a matter of fact way. Such as, "I'm sorry that you're having so many problems, I need to protect myself too and found out that my rights are xxx. I've contacted the State Contractor's licensing board and found out that you should have this done within xx days to be within the law" Or something to that fact. I wouldn't be nasty, but very nice. And, once he sees that you mean business and knows that he can't push you around, he should take you more serious. It also gives you some control which may help you feel better. I feel like crying when I'm angry and when I don't have control over a lousy situation - which sounds like yours. But, once I start taking action, I usually feel better. Hugs and sorry he's not following through with his promises.

Just to give you some ammunition in case you need it. I had custom cabinets made and they told me it would be 4-5 weeks, this was after the plans were drawn up. So you have every right to whine. That is all it took. Especially in this economy, they all should be on schedule.

God! That sounds exactly like the experience I had with my cabinet guy 2 years ago. The kitchen that was supposed to take about 8 weeks took nearly a year from beginning to end and it was all because of the cabinet maker who couldn't comprehend a plan that used different finishes in different areas and couldn't get anything right the first time.

Even when he actually showed up on site, he would sit there and explain why what I had ordered wasn't really possible while his Hispanic installers (who probably weren't making NEARLY the share they should have gotten) would stand behind him making an effort to actually do it.

So far as I could see, all the cabinet maker did was take the order, screw up the measurements and then deliver things that had the wrong doors, the wrong finish or had the room's angles cut on the wrong sides of the boxes.

I repeat all of my horror story to reassure you. As awful as the experience was at the time, today my kitchen is done and it's beautiful and it works like a dream. I hated it all at the time; I'm so glad now that I held it together until it was done and done right.

I hope you've got a good GC to back you up and push on your behalf. And I hope it won't be long before you're reassuring someone else that it will all work out in the end. Good luck and don't give up or compromise!

Hi Kathy! I am in SC too, and did just what you are doing....DIY a house and paying as you go. I know the stress of that whole process....we did it 3 times. This house took 6 years of work and it's still not done, but it was all worth it. It will be for you too, once you get over this hurdle. Do you live near Columbia? If so, contact Channel 10 (WIS-TV). They do a segment called "count on WIS" that helps consumers out with bad business dealings. I think they have similar programs in other large cities. Nothing lights a fire under a contractor to get things done like seeing their bad business dealings broadcast over local television stations! Best of luck to you!

Thank you all for the support. It really does help knowing that someone out there understands how frustrating this can be.

While lying there not going to sleep last night, I decided to take a detour on the way to work this morning and visit the shop that makes the doors. They just happen to be within 10 miles of my house. I decided that if all of the doors weren't really being made this time, then I would contact the BBB and Consumer Affairs today.

Lo and behold, guess who was pulling out of the driveway of Doors Galore as I pulled in at 7:45 this morning? Yes, my cabinet man. It was kinda funny but I don't think he was too surprised to see me there.

I did go into the shop and the only employee there said yes they were working on some paint grade maple doors for him. Now my husband wonders if the cabinet guy may have rushed over there to place the order and head off my inquires. I had told him last night that I would be calling the door shop today. Normally we are not cynical people but we have been told several times that the doors were being ordered.

I can only hope that isn't the case. Either way, the door employee says that the estimated delivery date to the cabinet guy is Friday 5/21.

That gives me hope that there is a light at the end of this tunnel and hopefully we will get there soon. I'm also going to visit his shop after work today and see what kind of progress has been made on the hood unit. I'm not looking forward to that but it has to be done.

Oh and I am going to call a new cabinet shop to have them come out and measure for the bathrooms and built in's in the family room. If I just make it thru the kitchen with the original guy, I will consider myself a very lucky woman!