(OT) The Horror (construction)
Melissa Northern Italy zone 8
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roseseek
last yearMelissa Northern Italy zone 8
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Comments (8)You're a BUILDER Jon_dear. As such, you build houses for a living. That means you've entered into contracts to build houses multiple times. Your customer is likely to be having his/her first and only house built. That means YOU ARE THE ONE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE to forestall the very kinds of misunderstandings you are complaining about. Simply ensure that the written contract and associated building documents spell out in writing and in detail what IS and IS NOT included. YOUR customers haven't got the experience to know what kinds of things even need to be specified. YOU DO or at least should. Trust me, if the contract documents specify in writing that the kitchen will have formica counter tops your customers are not going to expect granite or 3" thick wood custom counter tops for the original price quoted. But if you show them a home with granite counter tops and tell them you'll build it for them for $XXX, they have a right to get upset when you later tell them, "oh, for that price you only get formica counter tops. The granite was a special upgrade in that house." In my experience (admittedly limited), it is builders who want the contract documents to be as vague as possible because that give them wiggle room when they discover they didn't figure their costs correctly. In my case I wanted to include specifications detailing everything from the style, size, material, and finish of the baseboards to the manufacturer, style, color and warranty length of the roof shingles. I already had a 20 page spreadsheet with all those details when I first went looking for a builder. NOBODY wanted to pay any attention to it and nobody wanted to incorporate that spreadsheet in the contract. "Too complicated," they all said. The builder I hired finally convinced me that we didn't need to go into all those details because "you'll change your mind anyway or the exact item you specified won't be available when we need it." He assured me that he fully understood the level and quality of finishes I wanted and had priced the house accordingly. Then (for example) when it came time to build the decks, he insisted that the contract price only included treated pine for the decking and that cedar or anything like that would be an upgrade... and this was on a half million dollar house! Fortunately I had kept the emails between us where we had discussed the possibility of upgrading from cedar decking to Ipe and ultimately concluding that the contract price would be based on cedar and, if we decided to go with ipe, we would pay an upgrade price. Somehow, by the time he was ready to order decking materials, he had forgotten those emails even existed and I was the one who was "trying to get an upgrade for free." Same kind of disagreement would have happened with the cabinets if I hadn't already fired my builder before it was time to get them built. As our disagreements progressed, my builder revealed that he had budgeted $15,000 for "custom" cabinets for my kitchen, mudroom, 5 bathrooms, laundry room, TV room, and the almost 30 feet of floor to ceiling bookcases in the great room and library. And he had the gall to claim that that $15,000 should have been plenty. According to him, the $45,000 I actually wound up spending (after getting quotes from a half dozen cabinet makers, going with one of the least expensive woods available, and cutting out several wall cabinets entirely) was because I had "upgraded" from what we originally agreed on. Yeah sure! I had price quotes from the local big box store for the cheapest particle board pre-made cabinets available and, for the kitchen and mudroom alone, they would have cost over $10,000! Bottom line... Stop whining and start more clearly specifying IN WRITING exactly what is and what is not included. You'll be a better businessman and your customers will thank you for it....See MoreIs it supposed to take this long? Tell me your horror stories.
Comments (28)Most of what has been posted, definitely agree with. Esp life events. If you are purchasing materials, supplies, have them on site prior. In previous projects, I went according to others timeline. Being deadline driven, I made decisions because I 'had to' make them by a certain date (be a team player mentality), not because I wanted that particular item. Often I was unhappy before project completed and then the 're-do' thoughts would creep in. This time, I am forcing myself to take a different approach and have been working hard with myself to get over the 'deadline driven' mentality. Although I've already made some decisions I've already regretted, I just try to focus on the overall big picture...I'll be using the kitchen 10 times longer than the downtime. Nothing is worse than stepping into a space daily and regretting a decision that becomes a financial investment to replace. The other thing, listen to your gut. I found out completely by accident that my current heating system (rads) would not play well with toe kick heaters. Listening to my gut, I terminated my relationship with GC I had already given the job to, and had to start that process over. I went out on my own (was never part of project scope since I didn't know) and found a reputable contractor and had the furnace end done prior to demo and will have part 2 done at appropriate time during remodel. Also consider lots of added time for weather delays. With our bitter temps here (and snow), I have not let them cut a hole in roof until temps above freezing. Although we're due to go up to 39 degrees Friday, it's anticipated we'll get 8-12" of snow on Thursday. (Was 5 degrees this am). We sleep above a currently unheated kitchen (2 rads removed) and the hole coming thru our bedroom to go thru a smaller roof, I couldn't handle. Can't find portable heaters locally anywhere). So it has created a lull, and put plumbing inspection on hold. I keep reminding myself...you'll be using kitchen longer than downtime. Meanwhile, tick-tick-tick goes the storage fees. All unanticipated expenses, including the big tick up in heating bill, as heating system overcompensates in other rooms....See MoreSD coming home...the horror
Comments (63)LOL Sweeby. Thurman, just be the 'bigger man' - be the grown-up. If, for every slight she gives you (and you must admit, they're pretty mild slights, for a 'monster' - she's not sidling up to you and saying unspeakable things to you) turn the other cheek. Treat contempt with sweetness (don't overdo it or be sarcastic) and don't sweat the small stuff. If your wife had big-time Alzheimer's, and asked the same question every five minutes, would you a) just answer it, and accept she doesn't know/can't help it or b) bust a gasket, become enraged, rant and rave because she 'ought to know better?" What would be the better approach, and which approach would be better and healthier for you? You get back, what you give out. Sweeby has hit the nail on the head (thank goodness for copy+paste) If you ignore these tiny perceived slights, and behave absolutely normally, if sd continues her 'monstrous' behaviour, 1) you will be the better person 2) perhaps wife will notice, and prepare the wooden stake or whatever, or, most likely, 3) relations with sd will improve, and, regardless, you will feel better because you won't be getting yourself into a state. If sd is in med school, there's an excellent chance she's not socially well-adjusted. Highly intelligent, highly educated people have often become so at the expense of other skills. Again, be the grown-up....See MoreOT: Felt like an OT type of day
Comments (3)We have used the same contractor for many large and small jobs in two houses. We secretly call him "Eldin" - we're going on seven seasons now. He does fastidious but slow work. Took him a week to tile a shower with 4x4s on the diagonal - every one got tap,tap,tapped until it was perfect. His work is excellent or we'd never put up with him. :D He's coming back in a month or two to do another bathroom. We will never learn. lol...See Morebart bart
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