Hooray

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

We paid for some builders to build a pergola out in the backyard about four months ago. They told us to wait until it rained and to let them know if there were any leaks or problems with it. It took a while for it to rain and then it did leak... oh boy. Now after three months of hassling the guy we were dealing with, finally the builder is now back around with his young son (I think this is called "on the job training") and they're actually fixing it.
Woohoo!

Metta,
Retro.

[Placid-pool]

cheers!

Glad to know that "Cowboy Builders" are not limited to the UK - it is a real problem there. Bright blessings on your leak-proof pergola

[mikenz66]

Hi Retro,

Good thing you had a better experience than when a retired couple in my city had to demolish their whole house because it was leaking so badly. And insurance didn't cover it... Lots of cowboys out here in the colonies...

Metta
Mike

[Ben]

Congrats Retro.
Did you get any of that rain overnight? I had forgotten the sound of rain on our corrugated iron roof. Waking up to it about 5AM. Nice. I reckon we got about 1mm!!
Cheers

Ben

[genkaku]

Once upon a time, I wanted to put a woodstove into the house. I called perhaps 10 contractors to give me a price on the chimney. A couple of them gave me estimates that would have required me to sell my children into slavery. But then there were a couple who gave me estimates that were more reasonable. Unfortunately, although the estimates were reasonable, the ability to keep their promises and show up on Tuesday, were not.

I called and called and finally ... I got angry: If they couldn't show up, I'd do the damned thing myself! Which I did. I might not have been the most skilled stone-layer, but at least I could keep my word... and if something needed to be fixed later, well, I knew who to call.

Luckily, nothing has needed to be fixed in the 10 years since the chimney went up and there was a small bonus: I wrote an article for the Washington Post about contractors who didn't keep their promises.

I hope the drips and drops are a thing of the past, retro.

[Placid-pool]

We had the same experience with this house 4 years ago - we are used to re-building houses ourselves but this time, with winter approaching, we employed a couple of tradespeople to do stuff that needed doing quickly.

We wanted a bathroom built in the barn that is part of the house, leaving the other half as a workshop for the Old Feller - the quote he gave us was nearly as much as I paid for the house, ruined as it was. I smiled politely, refused and the Old Feller built it himself from scratch - bathroom equipment bought from the local DIY store, fitted by himself, floor laid, tiles done ....... and so far, so good, big useable bathroom at less than half the quote.

[Ngawang Drolma.]

Greetings,

We paid for some builders to build a pergola out in the backyard about four months ago. They told us to wait until it rained and to let them know if there were any leaks or problems with it. It took a while for it to rain and then it did leak... oh boy. Now after three months of hassling the guy we were dealing with, finally the builder is now back around with his young son (I think this is called "on the job training") and they're actually fixing it.
Woohoo!

Metta,
Retro.

Woot!

[appicchato]

...do the damned thing myself! .

The secret to (or, at least, one of) a hassle-free life...