NOT SO RANDOM THOUGHT
NOT SO RANDOM THOUGHT
Never hire a contractor to inspect your main contractor’s work.
Cause here’s what’ll happen:
Contractor 2: Who did this? You paid money? For this?
Me: uhh…yes.
Contractor 2: Deep sigh. Look, I don’t even know where to start. But we’re gonna have to break these walls and rewire the entire living room.
And then when he leaves, you have to find another contractor to evaluate Contractor #2’s inspection, because that fuck accidentally set fire to your brand new albeit still unfinished kitchen cabinets and well, he just doesn’t inspire any confidence.
March 29th, 2006 at 6:42 am
C’mon, how did “that fuck accidentally set fire to your brand new albeit still unfinished kitchen cabinets”?
March 29th, 2006 at 2:29 pm
Why you used “fuck.” But seriously i hope things work out, is there no one you know who can vouch for a respected contractor? I know people…but they are in Boston so i’m no help.
March 29th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Sigh. That’s always the problem with trying to make the transition from poor to rich. Everyone you know is poor and has no need for contractors and the like.
March 29th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
The first contractor did a ton of stuff for me and all of it was excellent. I can’t vouch for his, or anyone’s, reliability but the quality of his work was always very good.
March 29th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
You want the number of the guy I used? Ask Karol if she approves of my kitchen.
March 29th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Have you considered checking with some of the partners in your office who are sure to have had work done on their park ave apartments? (While I am generally not of the opinion that simply charging more makes one a more suitable contractor, it strikes me that you’ve been jobbed by going the cheap route thus far…)
March 29th, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Yeah, but after last night’s experience, I suspect that anyone I bring in is going to be of the opinion that everything needs to be done over — i just don’t have the money to pay for the original guy plus the second guy to 1) undo and 2) redo everything. It’s gonna be like paying 50,000-60,000 for what will only be like 15,000 worth of renovations/increased value in my property. I am so frustrated. Frankly, it’s breaking my little spirit. I can totally see myself just saying fuck it and going back to live at my mom’s. I can’t take it anymore.
March 29th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
I hear you, Dawn. I hear you. The only sound I hear when a walk around my house is “cha-ching.” But the register isn’t mine.
March 30th, 2006 at 8:49 am
Dawn…sorry, but Enter The REALTOR. Your REALTOR, who helped you get the place, better darn well have a good long list of dependable EVERYONEs. EVERYONEs! I do. Period. That’s part of our job (whether SF or NY, there’s no diff in this dept). It may very well be the case that this New Contractor will “undo” what the previous contractor advised or actually did. But Girl, you have to do some (city code check, bleck, or get your Realtor to to the check) research on it and make sure you know what you are getting into. Or, find a man right now who will want to tackle project stuff for you (in SF, I happen to be [unfortunately] more educated than most men on this account, so I am in charge of corrections myself, much to contractors’ chagrin). I know it’s work a lawyer shouldn’t have to do (er, maybe you should tell them upfront you’re a lawyer so they know you can sue their asses?), but you have to either trust your REALTOR or find people yourself.
On that note, something I should have said eons ago, toss The Russe. He has no idea what he is doing and his crew is lacsadasical at best. Taking advantage of “The American Dream” at $150/hr with few repercussions is never, never acceptable.
March 30th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
really? I didn’t think she would have anything to do with me once the deal was closed. Maybe I’ll give her call. Se has been bugging me about whether I have friends who “are looking to buy or sell.”