Went to a lady’s house today to look at doing a bunch of stuff, and during the tour and conversation she said that she had bad experiences with 2 other contractoirs not completing the work and doing chitty work. And she’s right. And I don’t understand how ghuys can stay in business doing this kind of work.
She had the tub surround retiled cuz it leaked. They re-installed the sliding glass doors, and now one side doesn’t work well. I managed to get it open, and there’s black crap all over the bottom of tyhe track … it’s where the aluminum of the door frame is grinding against the track cuz the wheels are screwed up … they bent the top-mounted wheels so they don’t ride in the track anymore.
She pointed out grout on the side of the commode and side of the tub, and asked if it could be removed. I wondered why it wasn’t wiped off when it was fresh.
The built a patio cover … pretty nice too … but never painted it. They filled the nail heads, some of which stood proud of the paneling, but never wiped off or sanded smooth the excess filler. And they left the old gutter and downspout laying in the yard.
They installed a new patio door, but managed to chip the edge of the slab pretty badly, and made no attempt to patch it. And they didn’t caulk or touchup paint the new trim.
Made me mad and embarrased to see all that crap.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell’em “Certainly, I can!” Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Replies
I see it all the time. People trying to save a buck. I just tell them "I can fix that". Next time they call me first.
Kip
I was in a house last week that would qualify as a great example of bad contractor workmanship, most of it done before the current owner moved in. The one I liked best was the tub/shower surround where the corner pieces were installed upside down. All the washclothe bars and shelves were at the wrong end. I tried not to laugh. Bob.
I worked for a painting contractor once.we were redoing a bath in a historicaly rejesterd home,of course my boss didnt have a permit,but when it came down to installing the crown moulding no one knew how to cut it.i was just starting out so i mentioned that i hade a book at home with the miter saw angle and that i knew copeing was envolved.needless to say the next day i got to work to see,and i kid not,crown cut 1/2 inch short on each side and 1 inch of caulk filling the gap.and there sat my book in the truck...
This may not be the case here, but this might be a problem customer. I'd try to get some more info before jumping into this one. Maybe the patio cover didn't get finished because they didn't get a scheduled payment. Maybe she annoyed the crap out of them when they were trying to work. Just a thought.
I invented skepticism.
I've considered that Green, but I think she's ok. She's a retired school teacher, but works almost full-time in varous school districts on contract cuz she has experioence in some unusual field. And, apparently she sold a large home in a very nice neighborhood and moved to a 1500 sf duplex ... all the kids are grown, with their own kids, and the hubby is gone, expired I think. So for the moment she is adequately funded, and wants to get the house in shape and done her way while she can.
Her tastes are practical. She wants new kitchen counters, and says formica is fine. She had it in both of her previous custom houses, and liked it. Doesn't want tile cuz of the grout, doesn't want to pay for solid surface.
I met with her for about an hour and a half, and I didn't get any bad vibes. She is a little wishy-washy on exactly what she wants, but part of that is the cost variable.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Lack of payment or pestering the contractor might explain unfinished jobs, but isn't any excuse for poor work on the parts that were finished.jt8
Yeah, of course you're right about sloppy work. A great deal of this sounded to me like possible almost finished work. A lot of the stuff I do looks sloppy until the very end when it all pulls together. If I didn't get the last day's worth of tweaking and cleanup done, I'd be accused of sloppy work sometimes.
I invented sloppy.
If I didn't get the last day's worth of tweaking and cleanup done, I'd be accused of sloppy work sometimes.
Can we just go ahead and acuse ya abd be done with it???
Then ya could say BTDT....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
I just finished putting 3/4" quarter round down on a laminated floating foor job. We had to use quarter round because the flooring installers were so sloppy shoe wouldn't work. Now the HO is asking me why the 1/4 round looks so big...LOL
This had to do with cheap home owners and bad installers who don't have to be good, or even care about being good. They got paid, and someone else cleaned up their mess. Why do they have to do a good job.
These folks don't have to do a good job, all they've got to do is get the job. They're going to retire way before we do, and it doesn't matter if they're hacks 'cause they don't care if they're hacks...most of the folks here, on the other hand, take their livelyhoods, and work, rather personnaly...big mistake, bizwise<G>
I gave up worrying about why other people do bad work a long, long time ago...go to tag line<G>
Don't worry, we can fix that later!
Can we just go ahead and acuse ya abd be done with it???
You can accuse me of anything you want to. But, if the glove does not fit, you must aquit. I can't say "BTDT" because it doesn't have any vowels in it and I don't know what it means.
My point was: If I had to walk in the middle of a job because of non-payment or other circumstances, my work might look sloppy. There's always two sides to every story and usually about half of each side is true.
I wish a robot would get elected president. That way, when he came to town, we could all take a shot at him and not feel too bad. J. Handy
All of my work looks that way...it ain't over 'til it's over, or until I bill ya<G> Don't worry, we can fix that later!
didn't say it was true or had any foundation...
just asked if we could...
tried for some humor...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
tried for some humor...
Yeah, I realize that, I just don't know what "BTDT" means and no one will tell me. Let me in on the joke, please, please, please................
It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man. - J. Handy
Been There, Done That
Been There, Done That...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Once you've BTDT there's no need to go there again... Usually...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Gotcha - somehow I should have been able to figure that out.
"Pat, I'd like to buy a vowel".
I invented Vanna.
You having one of those 2 for 1 sale weeks too???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
shoulda INVERTED Vanna..much more fun. Hey, it rained here today..but you knew that right?
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Yup- we on for tomorrow?
"Pat, could I buy a bowel, please?"
I invented the lower intestine.
If it is dry, I will head up there. I have a window to install asap at the church..mebbe do that Sat. too lazy to do it today..lol
edit: do I need to spell out asap? {G}
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
Edited 10/13/2004 4:15 pm ET by SPHERE
Looked at several projects (4) over the last several weeks that one remodeler did...
24"OC - 2x2 trusses... 14 to 16' gap....
CMU's aren't rebared and none of the cells are poured / filled...
No bar in the footers...
Small undersized footers..
No tie-beams...
All the CC work is honey combed...
Nothing strapped...
No anchors...
3/8 ply for the roof deck...
Flowing rain water thru the crawl space...
All the work is a year or so old and they are falling down - caving in...
I said doze it and start all over again...
The HO's are some real unhappy campers...
2 had vynal toilets, sinks and tubs...
Never saw that before...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Vinyl toilets? Never seen one.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
A 1st for me...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Vinyl toilets? Oh gawd what a visual. Something like you'd find in a motorhome?
2x2 trusses? 24" on center spanning 14-16 ft?
People shouldn't have to work in an envirorment like that. Could affect yer sanity.
Whew! And I thought 60s tract houses were bad.
that wouldn't be national homes would it..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Down south there are miles of old 50s 60s tract houses in major disrepair.
Low sloped roofs you have to be careful to move around on cause they're....squishy. No gutters and little overhang if any.
Masonite siding with who knows how many layers of paint.
Horrid old cracked slab floors. One block stem walls with cracks against the slab wide enough to house the colonies of cockroaches.
Old metal single pane crank out windows or tiny metal single hungs that look like they came out of a 60s mobile home.
Cone hall lights on the walls with as much Bin and paint spray on them as the walls. An occasional new doorknob shining without the paint.
Flaking particle board kitchen counters underneath the beautious linoluem with a metal ridge. Sometimes painted, the counter and the ridge. Nice plastic chromed faucet handles going into that copper that goes to the pvc which goes to the corroded galvanized maybe some black pipe thrown in the mix.
Plastic drains going to rusted chrome s traps going into galvanized going into verticle lead in the walls. Years of accumulated plumber's putty, and others.
Particleboard vanities in the bath with attractive woodgrain imprints soggy at the base on the loose selfstick tile squares.
At least there isn't painted paneling in the bath, very often.
Gotta love the smell of an enclosed building with bug spray and whatever else.
Yep, limbs hanging on the roof digging holes.
Hey, fresh coat of paint outside and folks start driving by wanting to know if it's for rent.
"Ring Ring. Hello. You want me to go in and do what now?
"You mean while people are living in there?
"No, I don't do plumbing.
"I don't do plumbing
"I know, but I don't do plumbing.
"I'll call ya.
Sounds like nationals....
Humongous crown and inside corner mouldings...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Hey things are looking up....
Those houses we looked at have felt under the shingles..
And flashing around the windows...
Still no hose wrap, ice edge or felt under the bricking / stone work...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Sometimes progress is measured in small increments!
Or the short cuts / penny shaving hit their wallet....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Just hung 14 interior doors, (all had to be custom cut, etc.), and when I plugged my cord into the outside outlet, couldn't help but notice that it was an ivory plate, over a non-gfi outlet, (one of two)....licensed electrician...the tile guy, did a great job in kitchen, but didn't put extension boxes on outlets/switches, and just left them open, and didn't bother to put up the baseboard after he had been paid for it. She can't get a call back just to find out where he got the tile so she can get more to continue tile thru a hallway. Spent some time, finished the jobs left by "contractors'" and can safely say that the customer's weren't looking for the "low" bid, are very easy to work with, (pay on time), are open to suggestions and not at all demanding. Are these people contractors?? Yes...are they professional?? no...My reason for writing, is I am currently studying for my contractors license, and I am always intrigued by the comments often here on b.T. concerning DIY'ers, and the many less-than-complimentary comments about the "hackers" they are. I started as one of those "hackers", and have spent much time/money educating myself, and investing in a tool collection that many have/would appreciate. So often the DIY'er is painted with such a broad stroke, as pretty much a bumbling idiot who has no business doing what he is doing. True??? Yes, much of the time. Much like the "contractor" who has filled this thread with things none of you would do. My point? I guess, it's to vent...(been a long day) , and perhaps give pause, for all of us, DIY'ers and contractors alike, to remember where we came from, and perhaps where we want to go, with some gentle guidance, forceful prodding,and the words of wisdom many of you are so very good at. BeckRe-Home Solutions Inc.
I can't say "BTDT" because it doesn't have any vowels in it and I don't know what it means.
LoL!
Don't say that around Czechs, they can go whole paragraphs without a vowel <g>.
That being said, "btdt" probably has a high "spit factor" (especially after a pivo or 6 . . . )
BTDT = Been There, Done That.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
similar situation now with a drawing in the works. I am revising their own botched up design job to make it workable, and sent them a concept layout - the first of three steps to a finished design.
Within 18 hours, the son sends along a long winded listas of all that is wrong and how I forgot to place any windows, for crying out loud. I hadn't even thought of wasting time placing windows unless they liked the floorplan layout but he he was criticising a half finished plan as tho it was the end all be all.
I gave him a terse reply that this would all come in due time, as I had told his father and that he should direct future correspondence that way as well. Didn't get to the point of mentioning that my rates are double for working with a committee.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Kitchen redo-lots of cut & paste drywall patches. Mostly butt ends, of course.
I had a neighbor throw me off a job after the first coat of mud (and tape). Said it was not smooth, and that there was a ridge (at the butt joint of course, which I explained to them before I even started.) 2 or three more coats to feather it out and it would have been invisible. I just wanted to get the tape in there on the 1st coat!
Of course, there was more she was P'd about before. I scratched her fridge, her lovely brand new fridge, and even though I replaced it with a brand new one at a cost of $1200 out of my pocket, there was no pleasing her after that.
I installed a new outlet, and lined it up with the one closest to it. OOPS. She wanted it lined up with one a few MORE feet away on the other side, which was a 1/4" off. So I fixed that, and explained why I did it that way, but it was her call.
She didn't like that I left the straps on the appliance dolly strapped to her stove when I moved it out of harms way. Heck, I even padded the shackle so it didn't scratch anything.
Then I left a dusty footprint (dust from her garage floor, not paint, drywall mud, caulk or anything. Something you could wipe off with your hand!) on her 1970's carpet. OK, I'll go through your front entrance, risk damaging the front door and hallway, per your request..
Guess it was all downhill after the fridge.
She was also the one who had "other contractors" come in and look at my work and give her a price to "fix" it. An electrician told her I didn't have to cut out drywall to remove conduit (although I still cannot see how to pull 4' of EMC through a foot and a half of vertical attic space).
I told her that the first thing a LOT of contractors will do when called in the middle of someone else's job is to badmouth the previous contractor. This does two things: 1) it's what the customer wants to hear (because they're angry and miserable, and that loves company) and 2) it gives the new contractor an "out" for anything that goes wrong. (Oh, that looks like crap because of what the previous guy did!)
Anyway, she joins the long list (of one other) customer that I could not please and that has screwed me out of $$. But, I'm glad to be done with her. I'm sure she'll never be happy with her kitchen. By trying to cut costs, it's going to cost more and take longer, and everytime she has a cup of coffee in there, the bad energy will be everpresent. I wonder how the other guys fared?
Pete Duffy, Handyman
>(although I still cannot see how to pull 4' of EMC through a foot and a half of vertical attic space).
Not suggesting this is the best way, but... if the "other guy" wants to run you down he can easily say "I can do that" just on the possibility of lifting the emt 15" and cutting off that section, then repeat until the whole thing is out. Maybe more work than he really wants to do but it makes him look better in the HO's search for ways to criticize you.
I too have seen this a lot. The common denominator is always someone trying to save money. We work for a lot of seniors and this seems to be a pattern with them. But here are the groups I see in these types of situations:
Wanted to save money so took low bid, hires us and loves us we gain a new customer.
Wanted to save money so took low bid, wants to hire us but we cost too much.
Wanted to save money so took low bid, hires us but only for the repair of the screw ups, then goes back too cheap guys.
Hired a cousin or a guy someone new and just got screwed.
Hires anyone they can get and they drive the contractor crazy either by hanging over their shoulder or bitching constantly or nit picking the bill/work into the ground. We only work at these one time. DanT
I've paid my dues with these types of people. I can usually sniff them out now and if so, up goes the price, or I just tell them I can't do the job. But, if I do get caught nowadays in a "while you're here" list, the first thing I say to them is that it's extra. 90% of the time they understand and it's fine. The other is true too, if it takes 15 minutes to repair something, well just do it no charge. You have to be the judge. I was a schmuck for that sort of thing for many years and came to be known for that. No more, I've paid my dues.
I think in many cases, the "Contractors who don't care" are also the contractors who bid the lowest, or close to it. Lets say a homeowner gets 3 bids (free estimates :-() on a job. One is $12K, one is 12.5k and one is 17.5k. Being an "educated consumer" the Homeowner picks the $12.5k contractor, and get the proverbal chitty job. When I hear about these situations, I always wonder if the homeowner wonders what the $17.5 k job would have been like, and which job would be the best value. Not defending the chitty job, and agree there is no excuse for poor workmanship, but I think many homeowners think the kind of guy who gave the $17.5k bid drive Lexuses... Me - I drive a Ford, get underbid a lot, and am proud of my work.
Ed, I'm feeling that same thing from the other side of the spectrum now, (my boss-investor keeps asking me to try to use old lumber pryed out of the structure) I keep having to tell him the dozen or so reasons why that idea sux... meanwhile he is 'swallowing the camel whole' on plumbing and electrical alterations he doesn't need...
Scribe once, cut once!