Duplex Walk Through - Trouble in Paradise
This is one for all the people who have trouble with contractors...
I use a guy as a general handyman and he's sort of ok, does good tile work and can fix most things but is a little too fond of saying "it's just a rent house." I take that world view as an insult and we've talked about it.
The other trouble is that he works for some larger landlords and tends to over-commit himself; saying I'll get to it in a day or two when it's going to be the next week or two. I know I need one or two more guys to do the work that is needed but meanwhile, he's better than nothing... most of the time.
Now that my re-fi is moving forward, I'm looking for bids on the historic duplex. One side has been sitting empty, it's probably a $700.00/mo property and I need to get it done. We had started just enough work to make it safe and secure but it's a long way from pretty. A few weeks ago, I gave my guy a key and asked him to re-frame a window that had been poorly hung, replace a damaged section of plaster with drywall and level the two up to receive trim. He said it was done, I paid and went on vacation.
I went to the duplex today with a general contractor and sure enough, the wall was patched and the window was re-hung. The trouble is, it's not remotely flush with the drywall, receding about a 1/2 inch at the top and sticking out about 3/4 at the bottom. The whole thing is going to have to be done over by someone who knows what the heck they are doing. I HATE it when people think that level of work is acceptable. Then, for the cherry on top, he and his workers left cokes on the solid wood original mantel and they leaked. Thank goodness for the two coats of paint on top, I think the mantel can be repaired. And did I mention both air conditioners were left on?
Life lesson - I own this one. I should have supervised more closely and I should have made the time to find a handyman that is more in line with my values and expectations. Lesson learned.
Comments (4)
I feel your pain. I have a vacant rental with freshly cleaned carpet. I had to have some paint touched up and asked my long-time handy man to remove his shoes when working. I even put up a friendly "please remove shoes" sign. Guess what? I went back to check the paint and there were bits of leaves and grass on the carpet. The kitchen sink had a paint ring. I need to address this. And next time I'll do a walk-through before paying. On the other hand, he's come through for me in a pinch and is very reliable. It's still disappointing when people don't meet your expectations.
Susan Gillespie, over 10 years ago
I won't say you were wrong...its just that when you start out, you want to believe everyone is as hardworking and persistent as you in getting a job done. I had to learn too that people arent all going to work that hard or take pride in their work...Thus, its a sad learning experience, and I do get a bit cynical, but that cynicism helps me size people up better in the future. If they slip in anyway on showing up, communication, responsiveness or professionalism, nowadays thats enough for me to can them, where i would have given them chances before. Its all a learning experience, and thus we go on Deborah :-) FYI: I had a reputable GC with great reviews and reference, said he would have my home done by the time i came home from a 2 week vacation. Needless to say, that wasn't happening, they didnt even touch the job...ugh.........And they were on the better side of alright, so its a continuous issue I think we try to mitigate to the best of our knowledge.
Lisa Phillips, over 10 years ago
All y'all are going to think the only thing I do is gripe. I really AM having fun and if I'm not actually making money, I can see dollar bills at the end of the tunnel.
Deborah Burian, over 10 years ago
Tuff pill to swallow when you know that YOU drop the ball on things. Good that you see it, admit it and will learn from it. The worst thing about any mistake is not learning from it.
Shaun Reilly, over 10 years ago