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fixing problems

| Posted in General Discussion on December 2, 2004 05:41am

I’m still relatively new to the construction buiz, and just starting to get into work which involves other contractors.  Heres a hypothetical question…

Homeowner, or gc is having a house built.  The window person has just installed all the windows, and the owner gave the trim guy the go ahead to trim them all out.  Trim guy does his thing, matching the casing up to the windows, but after completion, it’s noticed that one of the window units itself was out of level.

Ideally, the trim guy should have noticed this ahead of time, and skipped that one, but since he was given the go ahead to do the whole house, that’s what he did.

Obviously, the window installer needs to get back and fix his mistake, but, who would be financially responsible for re-trimming the window at this point?…  The homeowner, gc, who gave the go ahead to trim everything out – or the window installer who has to remove the trim so he can install the window correctly now – or the trimmer, for putting trim on a crooked window to begin with?

thanks…st

 

 

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  1. john | Dec 02, 2004 06:51pm | #1

    In my opinion, that one is down to the homeowner. The window installer will obviously have to repair his mistake FOC, but could hardly be expected to pay for the trim work

    John

  2. User avater
    BillHartmann | Dec 02, 2004 07:03pm | #2

    Who is working for who?

    If the HO contracted with the trim guy then he was responsible for seeing that the job was ready. And responsible for paying him.

    If the GC contracted with the GC then he had not authority to go ahead and trim and it is on the trim guy.

    Somebody needs to figure out who is in charge.

    1. housedktr | Dec 03, 2004 03:55am | #3

      On this one, the homeowner is the GC.  Actually the homeowner is a licensed GC, but dosen't seem to know much about construction.

      I'm the trim guy on this one, and the homeowner, just wanting to get the project over with, asked me to re-install the trim aound the window plumb and level, and he'll just live with the bad window installation.  It looks pretty bad, (strait trim with crooked window), but it only took me a few minutes to redo the trim, and homeowner is happy now.  I think he had some other bad experiences with the window people and just doesn't want to deal with them any more.

      I'm sure variations of this type of incident come up frequently with different trades working on the same house.

      I even have another one where I installed some drywall, customer later painted it herself with simi gloss paint, which has shown up a few defects she's not happy with.  I told her I would be happy to put some extra compond on and fix the defects, but she now wants me to repaint the wall to. 

      It's a small wall, and to keep customer happy, I may do that, maybe, but both of these situations have got me woundering what guidliness other contractors followed for dealing with such issues.

      thanks...st

       

       

      1. blue_eyed_devil | Dec 03, 2004 05:25am | #4

        Welcome to the world of remodeling Housedktr.

        You're learing the lessons the good old fashioned way!

        The window deal: Since you are now a businessman, you should have immediately offered your services to properly fix that window installation, the right way, including removal of the trim, resetting of the window and reinstalling of the trim. You could have charged enough for the resetting of the window and tossed in your retrimming free.

        The bad drywall job is on you. You failed to do a proper job and the semi gloss proved to be your undoing. finishing drywall is a skill.....skilled people know that drywall isn't finished..until it's finished. You left it unfinished....you weren't done, but got it done after she painted it. You should pay for the repainting.

        We all make mistakes. I'm willing to pay for mine and correct mine. I learn the hard way all the time!

        blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!

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