Please, someone, give me patience.

flatcoat2004

15 years ago

Because I am nearly out. I was so frustrated last night when I got home that I screamed. I actually screamed.

The new guy I hired to finish Jailbird Contractor's project seems fast and conscientious, but is MESSY and THOUGHTLESS. He leaves the dishwasher and the range smack dab in the middle of the kitchen so everyone has to squeeze around them, rather than just putting them back in place. I would be OK with that if it was overnight, but he is off on a four-day golf vacation, leaving me with no temporary countertop, a kitchen and bathroom strewn with appliances, fixtures, sawdust and tools (some his, some Jailbird Contractor's). Still no water or gas in the kitchen ... at least I have some lights now, I guess. The deck outside the kitchen is FILLED with his tools, to the point where I can't get through it to get to the yard. Or my gas grill, which is the only way I can cook. And to top it all off, I asked him to install the locks on my French doors, which he must have done, but now I can't unlock them ! I guess no grilling for me this weekend :-(

The hard part is that I am getting flashes of what the kitchen will be, and it is wonderful. How efficient and pleasureable it will be to work and live in. How fantastic it will be not to have to wash vegetables in the bathroom sink, walk them back to the kitchen, chop them very unsafely on top of the uninstalled dishwasher, take the stairs through the basement and out through the yard to the deck to get to the grill, cook dinner (and make several trips back through the basement into the kitchen for forgotten ingredients), trip over tools and various trash ..... No-one will appreciate a working kitchen more than I will when it is done.

I am sick of taking "vacation days" from work to try to organise for my poor house to be fixed. I am sick of workers not showing up when they say they will. I am sick of living in sawdust and grout and filth. I'm sick of eating out because I have no alternative.

Oh yeah, yesterday new contractor discovered major plumbing snafu that old contractor had made in the bathroom. Looks like I get to pay to get that fixed too. Hopefully that can be done by cutting through drywall in the adjoining room, rather than going through tile and 1" of mud that Jailbird Contractor insisted on using. Argh.

Please someone give me their patience. Long-awaited soapstone is due for install next Wednesday. Be patient, be patient, be patient .... ommmmmm, ommmmmm, ommmmmmm .....

Thank you for listening to me rant. I'm just having a pity party this morning :-(

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Comments (10)

deedee-2008
15 years ago
And gosh, that's a well-deserved party you're having, too. I've read your posts since the beginning of problems with Jailbird, and don't blame you one bit for cracking. Even without the extra "drama" your renov has, "ordinary" renov makes everyone snap at one time or another. I do remember the pics you posted a ways back of how stunning the rooms/moldings, etc looked. Please hang in there...we all are pulling for you!
weissman
15 years ago
You know, if you're happy with the work he's doing, forget about the messiness - it's a minor blip in the whole thing. Also, forget about cooking or grilling - treat yourself - go out to eat or bring in takeout - or go away for the weekend and relax - it will all be over soon!
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igloochic
15 years ago
We're in sort of the same boat, and fortunately it's not sinking (though the leaks have been huge!!!) My contractors aren't in jail, but they have been fired, left the country, blah blah blah and now I'm using a great guy, but he's so dang busy it's hard to get him on the site...and I now have a real deadline for finishing (Aug) so I had to have a difficult meeting with him this week to force the job DONE!!!

And I'm so stupid that I start house number two in September LOL How's that for goofy!!!
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15 years ago
Cyber hug at ya!

(seriously, I hope it all works out and will be over sooner than later. I hope you are able to re-read your great writing soon- sitting in your delightful finished and efficient and gorgeous and homey and correctly done--- kitchen... and remember when)
ilovetn
15 years ago
Romans 5:3,4

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that TRIBULATION worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience hope.

Moral: be careful when you ask for patience, you only get it through tribulation. Seriously, I've been there, washing dishes in the tub, dripping coffee down the hall to the bathroom sink. And where in the world do you drain the pasta! I've had the experience and I KNOW that things will be better for you (there's the HOPE part!) Just try to keep it in perspective. Your family is (hopefully) healthy and this WILL get better! You are in my thoughts and prayers!
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15 years ago
We had messy contractors and I did something really pretty daring...I spoke to them and reminded them that the area they were working in was our home. And I pointed out that I didn't appreciate having to clean up their mess daily so that other workers could come in the next day to work. I was very polite, but they knew by my tone that I wasn't kidding.

That's all it took. I spoke up and they were excellent at cleaning up after that.

Just regularly tell yourself 2 things...1)it's always something and 2)it'll be over soon.
Jean Farrell
15 years ago
Hang in there, you are making progress.

We did demo in mid-February, and I have not had a functioning kitchen on any level at all since then. My contractor is not in jail, thank goodness, but sometimes I wish I could put him there! Not really, but there have been mistakes and delays galore. This is the second time I've done a kitchen renovation, so I know that it will seem like it will never be done, but eventually it will.

So be patient a little longer. I finally got my granite installed today, and a back door (but not steps so I can't go in or out the back door). When I get home tonight, I may actually have working sinks in my kitchen, hallelujah. So I won't have appliances for ages, but I may be able to wash a dish in my new sink! But only before the sun goes down, because we don't have a single light in the kitchen.

I actually am finding it harder to be patient now that we are getting closer. That light at the end of the tunnel is so enticing!
flatcoat2004
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks everyone. I think my pity party is over now. I decided I just gotta "cowboy up" and I am perfectly capable of moving the offending appliances myself !

And you all are right about just eating out/getting takeout for a couple more days. A couple more days. A couple more days ... I keep buying nice new kitchenware in anticipation of kitchen completion; the longer it takes to complete, the more I forget what I actually own (in storage) and the more I buy ! LOL. That first weekend with a new kitchen will be a cook-fest/bake-fest. I might have to hold a bake sale to dispose of it all !

At least my new lights are purty ...
mmme
15 years ago
Your new lights are splendid.

And honestly, you will save yourself a lot of stress if you just give up cooking for a few days. Sandwiches are a fine meal. So is take-out. So is prepared food from the grocery store. And everything tastes best on a paper plate too.

You are almost there!!!
jen4268
15 years ago
I just gave the same kind of vent today here when I "hit the wall". It really does make you feel better to have it out there- it's like you can release it and let it go.......

You can make it!

Please, someone, give me patience.

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Please, someone, give me patience.

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