**Hermes Chat**
- Thread starter mistikat
- Start date
Congrats on your good news Odette!
Mindi- January seems to be dragging but otherwise everything is good.
MissP decided limping would be a good way to end the day on Wednesday. Didn’t seem to be in pain and her paw was OK. She was still limping in the morning but was sound by the time I went to work. She’s fine now.
Mindi- January seems to be dragging but otherwise everything is good.
MissP decided limping would be a good way to end the day on Wednesday. Didn’t seem to be in pain and her paw was OK. She was still limping in the morning but was sound by the time I went to work. She’s fine now.
Odette,It's looking like a good weekend for me.I had a health scare over the holidays and I was at the hospital numerous times for tests. With that, inevitably, I caught the flu bug. I just got over flu and got good news today that all of my biopsy results are benign.
My C24 is keeping me company today.
Glad to hear you're OK. Many of us have gone through the same thing. Lots of sympathetic peeps here. (((Hugs)))
BTW, your Constance is stunning.
This week was renovation Hell week.
Monday: They moved my electrical box and installed gas lines for my fireplace. But when they were going over the outside of the house, they said, "You know Mrs. EB, your solar system looks like its been never turned on." The solar installation completed in mid-September and all the inspections were done by the first week in November. I wrote a very direct and professional letter asking why my system was never turned on. They were very surprised, sheepish and apologetic about it and wrote me a check for the difference in energy costs. I wondered why my bill was so high and was going to inquire about it, but I figured there may be a lag time for the solar to catch up to the bill.
Meanwhile, Monday evening DH and I go to sleep at 9:30 PM. We are awoken at 10:00 by an burning electrical smell. Panicked we run around the entire house inside and out trying to find the source. After airing out the house, the smell did not come back. Tuesday AM I contacted the general contractor and asked him to thoroughly look into it.
Tuesday: We had a minor septic flood. Nothing like what happened in December and did not require a Servpro visit. But it pointed to that the source problem had not been corrected. I also noticed when I was outside my house inspecting it for the electrical smell, the septic people did not cover the PVC pipe they excavated, so it was in open air for all that frigid weather last week.
Wednesday: I was woken by my husband screaming and swearing in the shower at 5:00AM. We have no hot water and the septic alarm is going off and there's another flood in the basement from my husband's shower. Again not enough to call Servpro. But enough to know I can't flush a toilet or take a shower. When they moved the electrical and gas lines, the pilot light on the hot water heater went out.
At this time, DH and I are contemplating going to a hotel until this stuff is resolved. Luckily the hot water is restored and our septic field is pumped. But they still need to re-run the PVC pipe from the house to the septic field. I'm still hesitant to flush.
The General contractor almost finishes work on the basement. They need to bolt my weight lifting rack on the floor. But before they do that, I want to make sure of the correct location. All the gym equipment will hopefully deliver tomorrow (Saturday).
Thursday: Hooray, the septic line is finally fixed. I can flush with impunity.
Even with the best contractors, things can get screwed up. Luckily, they were responsive, polite and corrected the issues promptly. But Tuesday-Wednesday were definitely an adventure.
Monday: They moved my electrical box and installed gas lines for my fireplace. But when they were going over the outside of the house, they said, "You know Mrs. EB, your solar system looks like its been never turned on." The solar installation completed in mid-September and all the inspections were done by the first week in November. I wrote a very direct and professional letter asking why my system was never turned on. They were very surprised, sheepish and apologetic about it and wrote me a check for the difference in energy costs. I wondered why my bill was so high and was going to inquire about it, but I figured there may be a lag time for the solar to catch up to the bill.
Meanwhile, Monday evening DH and I go to sleep at 9:30 PM. We are awoken at 10:00 by an burning electrical smell. Panicked we run around the entire house inside and out trying to find the source. After airing out the house, the smell did not come back. Tuesday AM I contacted the general contractor and asked him to thoroughly look into it.
Tuesday: We had a minor septic flood. Nothing like what happened in December and did not require a Servpro visit. But it pointed to that the source problem had not been corrected. I also noticed when I was outside my house inspecting it for the electrical smell, the septic people did not cover the PVC pipe they excavated, so it was in open air for all that frigid weather last week.
Wednesday: I was woken by my husband screaming and swearing in the shower at 5:00AM. We have no hot water and the septic alarm is going off and there's another flood in the basement from my husband's shower. Again not enough to call Servpro. But enough to know I can't flush a toilet or take a shower. When they moved the electrical and gas lines, the pilot light on the hot water heater went out.
At this time, DH and I are contemplating going to a hotel until this stuff is resolved. Luckily the hot water is restored and our septic field is pumped. But they still need to re-run the PVC pipe from the house to the septic field. I'm still hesitant to flush.
The General contractor almost finishes work on the basement. They need to bolt my weight lifting rack on the floor. But before they do that, I want to make sure of the correct location. All the gym equipment will hopefully deliver tomorrow (Saturday).
Thursday: Hooray, the septic line is finally fixed. I can flush with impunity.
Even with the best contractors, things can get screwed up. Luckily, they were responsive, polite and corrected the issues promptly. But Tuesday-Wednesday were definitely an adventure.
EB, that sounds horrible. I am in awe of your good humor about it (but I guess that's all we can do when things go awry like that?). I am glad you are all back together.
Oh my, EB! Sounds like something from that movie The Money Pit. You’re much calmer about it than I think I’d be. Hopefully it all gets worked out for you. You deserve the peacefulness.
Yeah, I do not share EB's zen approach either. Just reading about these "adventures" makes my blood pressure go up. I'm not kidding. These people are idiots. This is what they DO, is it not? Then why are they unable to, you know, DO IT?!
Sigh.
Sigh.
At the time, I was not so zen. But, I’ve done numerous renovations on my house with both good and horrifically bad contractors. So, after the initial disbelief and outrage, my project manager hat came on and I said to myself, “What is the best solution to the current problem?” and worked backwards. In my experience, calling people morons, idiots and screaming (however satisfying) does not lead to the best outcome.
DH commented on how good my emails to the solar company were—and he doors conflict resolution for a living. I’ve learned a lot from his wisdom. Find the end state you want and then work backwards.
But my contractors are the good guys, though hellishly expensive. But, their carpentry in magnificent, they come when they say they’re going to come and do good work. They were also really helpful when I had real septic problems in December.
In a nutshell, I’ve learned that patience is a virtue and being professional and unemotional is the best way to handle home renovations so that you don’t pull your hair out. Also, spend the $ and do it right. Cutting corners doesn’t work, because in the end you have to live with your decisions.
DH commented on how good my emails to the solar company were—and he doors conflict resolution for a living. I’ve learned a lot from his wisdom. Find the end state you want and then work backwards.
But my contractors are the good guys, though hellishly expensive. But, their carpentry in magnificent, they come when they say they’re going to come and do good work. They were also really helpful when I had real septic problems in December.
In a nutshell, I’ve learned that patience is a virtue and being professional and unemotional is the best way to handle home renovations so that you don’t pull your hair out. Also, spend the $ and do it right. Cutting corners doesn’t work, because in the end you have to live with your decisions.
Pursey, My house has been in disarray since December 1. I am so looking forward to it being completely finished so I can enjoy it.
And I want to sit by the fireplace with a nice glass of wine, some yummy cheese, crackers and charcuterie and perhaps have a fun show on TV. But the fireplace delivers on the 29th, the cleaned and restored carpets deliver the 27th. My new furniture delivers in early March.
EB, I completely agree with everything you've said. Eyes on the prize, don't burn your bridges. State clearly what you need and expect, be firm but polite. Yup. And for the most part, I think I tend toward that more professional standard of conduct when the chips are down. The swearing and screaming are done privately. And of course it makes a big difference that you are, overall, happy and confident in your contractor.
I fear I am just, frankly (and not at all proudly), a rather vengeful person. I want to see people who do bad--or avoidably stupid--things punished and I hate to see the innocent suffer. And while I know that (1) this world is not a meritocracy (hoo-boy, don't get me started) and (2) home renovations don't rise to the level of life and death, I still feel aggrieved that people claiming to be trained and licensed to do X often seem startlingly inept at actually doing X. And if they then give me attitude on TOP of that (which it sounds like your guys, thank heavens, did not), well,
I fear I am just, frankly (and not at all proudly), a rather vengeful person. I want to see people who do bad--or avoidably stupid--things punished and I hate to see the innocent suffer. And while I know that (1) this world is not a meritocracy (hoo-boy, don't get me started) and (2) home renovations don't rise to the level of life and death, I still feel aggrieved that people claiming to be trained and licensed to do X often seem startlingly inept at actually doing X. And if they then give me attitude on TOP of that (which it sounds like your guys, thank heavens, did not), well,