Again..Waiting on contractor.....

Allegheny · ‎03-19-2010

I just don't believe this. We contracted to have our retaining walls repaired three months ago. The individual is an authorized installer by the stone company. He sent us his written contact a month ago, which we signed and returned along with our initial deposit.

He was scheduled to come last Monday but did call to alert us that due to wet weather he would come today instead. My DH and I were very impressed with him and his follow thru compared to the guy who originally installed the wall who was also a contender for the repair job.

So today is supposed to be the day, we got up early, and here we sit. Its 10am, no call, nothing. Its cloudy but there is no rain in the forecast.

We checked our call answering system to see if he might have he left a message while one of was using the phone yesterday There is no message.

I just called his cell phone and left a message for him to call us.

This is too frustrating! I am going outside and take out my frustration weeding.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I once had a contractor remodeling my kitchen - we had foolishly agreed to pay him by the hour - he was hardly ever at our house but would send us a weekly bill for hours worked that was a total lie! So one day I went to the airport to pick up a customer for my DH and drive him to a local hotel and - who do I see in the hotel lobby but the guy I am paying to be at my house working - he was checking in with a woman! OMG - I went to his room and banged on the door and fired him then and there! We then sued him and we won that case easily - we got back all we had paid him plus a penalty amount. We had to find another contractor to finish the work but we got all our cabinets and counters for free since they were already at the house and he had to return to us everything we had paid him.

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

I hear you! We moved from San Diego (where contractors are on top of each other competing for jobs) to a very small town. The difference in caring/intensity/getting the job done is remarkable and in five years we''ve seen an incredible (mostly, not all) lack of desire.

One big project was a fence for our back yard. We moved to a new house and needed a fence, we decided on a metal fence with bars so our dog could see through it to the rest of our property. We contacted the local Lowes, selected the item, the guy came our and measured the area, we signed the contract, no deposit....($8k total btw!!).... and he never called us back. We called and called, no answer. Finaly called the company and told them that we considered the contract null and void and would not accept any attempts by Lowes to continue with this project. We actually got a better fence (not aluminum, but steel with powder coated exterior) for $3k less....

Similar problems arose when we had our barn built. They did a great job but it took MONTHS. Not kidding....

We also had landscaping done.... they'd arrive between 8 - 10, took lunch at 11:30, was back by 1:00 and left anywhere between 3 - 5. They did a nice job but It also took MONTHS.

It took our youngest son over 2 years to find a job here and when he did he would arrive early, make sure he was available at all times, stayed late..volunteered, took every job offered.... his boss finally asked him why he was like this! He said where he came from, if he didn't work like that there were 15 people waiting for his job! The kid has developed a GREAT reputation there over the 3 years he's had the job.

I've found this difference in work attitude very interesting.....

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

That's why we take care of everything ourselves if it's something we can do. If we have to hire someone we also ask the guy we had install our tile floors. He does very good work & knows who to recommend depending on the type work. We also got a recommendation from him when we had new windows installed because DH did not want to deal with it. Would never leave someone working in my home without me or DH being home while the works being done. We want to make sure it's getting done & done right.

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@151949 wrote:
I once had a contractor remodeling my kitchen - we had foolishly agreed to pay him by the hour - he was hardly ever at our house but would send us a weekly bill for hours worked that was a total lie! So one day I went to the airport to pick up a customer for my DH and drive him to a local hotel and - who do I see in the hotel lobby but the guy I am paying to be at my house working - he was checking in with a woman! OMG - I went to his room and banged on the door and fired him then and there! We then sued him and we won that case easily - we got back all we had paid him plus a penalty amount. We had to find another contractor to finish the work but we got all our cabinets and counters for free since they were already at the house and he had to return to us everything we had paid him.

Good for you.

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@Q4u wrote:
I hear you! We moved from San Diego (where contractors are on top of each other competing for jobs) to a very small town. The difference in caring/intensity/getting the job done is remarkable and in five years we''ve seen an incredible (mostly, not all) lack of desire.

One big project was a fence for our back yard. We moved to a new house and needed a fence, we decided on a metal fence with bars so our dog could see through it to the rest of our property. We contacted the local Lowes, selected the item, the guy came our and measured the area, we signed the contract, no deposit....($8k total btw!!).... and he never called us back. We called and called, no answer. Finaly called the company and told them that we considered the contract null and void and would not accept any attempts by Lowes to continue with this project. We actually got a better fence (not aluminum, but steel with powder coated exterior) for $3k less....

Similar problems arose when we had our barn built. They did a great job but it took MONTHS. Not kidding....

We also had landscaping done.... they'd arrive between 8 - 10, took lunch at 11:30, was back by 1:00 and left anywhere between 3 - 5. They did a nice job but It also took MONTHS.

It took our youngest son over 2 years to find a job here and when he did he would arrive early, make sure he was available at all times, stayed late..volunteered, took every job offered.... his boss finally asked him why he was like this! He said where he came from, if he didn't work like that there were 15 people waiting for his job! The kid has developed a GREAT reputation there over the 3 years he's had the job.

I've found this difference in work attitude very interesting.....

If you have Angie's List in your area it is a GREAT resource.

Allegheny · ‎03-19-2010

Thanks all for sharing your experiences and letting me vent.

He did call us right before lunch and apologized that he forgot to call us to let us know he would have to reschedule for later in the week. Apparently he was finishing up a very large job and the client added to the project. I know, he should have told them he would schedule it in the future, but I see his point. This other guy was spending $70,000 and just best to finish the job while they are there.

He told DH that would send out some laborers to deconstruct the wall ahead of time to get a head start, but personally, I would rather not have them piece mill the job in the event we run into a rainy spell, I just see all the dirt spewing down into my flower bed.

Like another poster mentioned, we usually get our referrals from others who have served us well.

We are very understanding people and just ask for the common courtesy of a telephone call. And we make a point of mentioning that whenever we are discussing the job.

aubnwa01 · ‎03-09-2010

At my previous home, I had a contractor who I dealt with for over 20 years & whatever I needed done, if he didn't do it himself, he knew someone who did that had he had subcontracted to to do it on his projects over the years & since he'd been in business a long time, he knew a lot of the various trades. I was always pleased with every tradesman that he'd recommended. The tradesmen always did a good job at a reasonable & fair price, as they knew if I was displeased, it would get back to my contractor & then he might not use them again on his projects in the future.

10 years ago, I moved to a different state & it's been a process trying to find trustworthy people to do things. When I spoke with a designer at a kitchen store about installing new quartz counters & backsplash in my kitchen, she told me that it would save me money to just deal directly with the contractors she dealt with, since i wasn't changing the layout of the kitchen that would need her design expertise. She gave me the phone number of the stone mason she uses & also the tile guy, so I had them do the counters & the tile backsplash & the counter guy in turn had a plumber that he subcontracted to do the plumbing for the kitchen sink & I got his business card & have since used him when I had plumbing issues earlier this year. When he was here working on my problem, my next door neighbor was having problems with her drains running slow & had called one of those rooter type places & the guy had quoted her like $4K to fix it & she was in tears. I told the plumber about it & he walked over & took a look & told her she didn't need to have anything done & the rooter guy was trying to take her to the cleaners & gave her his card & told her if her drains started to run slow again to call him & he'd come out & fix it. She was so relieved that she wasn't looking at a huge plumbing bill, she hugged me!

It's taken me awhile, but I've developed a list of good people to do house stuff that I trust, from AC & plumbing & electrical, to painting & yard work, but it's been a process!

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

OP, I hear ya. It's.... a nightmare find reliable, hardworking contractors that do excellent work.

Brooklynny · ‎07-08-2010

Tell me about it! It's called "contractor-itis." It's a widespread genetic defect shared by the majority of contractors. Sometimes, if you're really lucky, you'll find one who has a rare mutation that causes him or her to actually return phone calls, and miracle of all miracles, actually show up to do the work as promised within a reasonable time, start to finish, and do it well.