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Discussion Forum

On being a good client

TheDude | Posted in General Discussion on July 17, 2004 01:00am

I recently hired a very reputable company to refinish the antique longleaf pine floors on a new(1917) house we purchased. Each day brought a new level of concern as the crew du jour would show up and ask me what they were doing. A day of rough sanding was botched according to one of the more talkative crew members,doors left unlocked and calls left unreturned. Because of delays our baseboards were removed and taken to the shop instead of being done in place. Upon reinstallation of our 6 inch baseboards I came home to find that the sheet rock rested on top of the baseboard, not behind it. The result is that after being removed and re-installed, there is a rough edge of sheetrock that looks horrible.

Am I being unreasonable to bill the company for the repairs? Additionally, I have spent $900 to replace blown A/C and dishwasher circuits that I strongly suspect came from them accidently tying into my 110v first to power their sanders. I can’t prove that one but it seems obvious. Any input is welcomed. Thanks!

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  1. User avater
    dieselpig | Jul 17, 2004 01:56am | #1

    Have you paid them for their work yet?

    If you have.....why?

  2. FastEddie1 | Jul 17, 2004 01:58am | #2

    Welcome to the show.

    There's two sides to every story, but assuming what you're saying is correct, sounds like you're dealing with inept contractors.  I would call and send a letter, outling everything that happened, and tell him that you expect him to make it right.  Are you holding any money?  If not, it might be a battle.

    Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

  3. User avater
    hammer1 | Jul 17, 2004 07:01am | #3

    Nate, I'm sure there is more to the story but so far I would suggest this. Follow protocol. You hired the company and you should talk to the boss. Don't put a lot of stock in what a worker may have said. He may have just been looking at the job from his perspective of having to do some extra work. Who decided that the baseboards had to come off and who OK'd it? Were they able to remove, sand and replace the base in one day? Did anyone mention the possibility of complications? Did you see that there was a concern? If they were using 220 sanders it is not likely they could fit the plug into a 110 outlet, the sander would not run. DW's don't plug into a wall socket unless they are portable. 220 is usually accessed at the stove or dryer. $900 sounds like more than a circuit breaker. If a potential electrical problem was exposed you should be thankful it was fixed before a tragedy happened. Electrical systems are designed to blow the fuse if overloaded. If someone put in the wrong fuse or by-passed it, your electrician would know. Did you have a contract, written estimate or even a discussion about the scope of the work proposed and any limitations? Did you ask for proof of insurance? Do you have problems with the floor?

    I would not be too quick to judge workers who for the most part are doing what the boss told them to do. Unless one of them has been appointed as a representative of the company, you and they have no business talking business. Don't drive yourself nuts making a bunch of assumptions. Get in touch with the right person and try to resolve any issues you have peacefully, at least to start. Most contractors want happy customers.

    1. FastEddie1 | Jul 17, 2004 07:18am | #4

      Good points Hammer, but one of the red flags in his story is that the base was installed under the sheetrock, not on top of it.  Never heard of that happening.

      Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

      1. User avater
        hammer1 | Jul 18, 2004 07:30am | #5

        More common with plaster. They did not always go to the floor like we do today and rough framing added another element. Sometimes the base was shimmed to straight and used as a guide for the plasterer. Plaster can also get recoated over its life. Some may even mistake some of the plaster backing boards for sheetrock. Sounded like it was an existing situation. Possibly one of those that were unforseen, particularly a place from early 1900. What I wondered is why no one mentioned this when the first piece came off. Of course floor finishers don't often also take on finish work, somebody may have been over their head. Whatever happened, it did not seem that the communications were good. That is often the cause of trouble. First job would be to repair the communications I think. That way peoples minds don't wander into the high blood pressure zone.

        I'm not very eager to jump on the contractor bashing wagon. Seems that the general public assumes the worst and they are supported by other tradespeople that are quick to point out how much better they could have done it. Now my mind is wandering.

        1. andybuildz | Jul 18, 2004 07:55pm | #6

          Hammer

          Real excellent points. Stick around. you most certainly have a lot to offer.

          Be well

          andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!

          http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

    2. User avater
      rjw | Jul 18, 2004 08:17pm | #7

      >>Unless one of them has been appointed as a representative of the company, you and they have no business talking business. Don't drive yourself nuts making a bunch of assumptions.

      Maybe the worker has no business talking business, but I don't see where there is anything wrong with the homeowner talking to anyone working on his property.

      "It is as hard for the good to suspect evil, as it is for the bad to suspect good."

      -- Marcus Tullius Cicero, statesman, orator, writer (106-43 BCE)

      1. Schelling | Jul 18, 2004 08:37pm | #8

        There is nothing wrong with the HO talking to a worker on his property, but he may get misleading or incorrect information and drive himself into a tizzy. He should keep that in mind.

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