I hate #!@#&*( Contractors

[b-boy]

Finally - I just got confirmation that my new pole barn is going up!

I hired an Amish guy to do the build, and another contractor to do the concrete. I'm pretty happy with my selections. Both guys seem very direct.

I won't do any electrical or plumbing until Spring.

So far, getting the permit has been the most painful part of the process.

It will be interesting to see how things go.

 

[littletommy]

Wow, just read through this thread, sorry you had to deal with all that! I consider myself lucky that I can do most remodel tasks myself, except hardwood floors, did a few years ago, and I am perfectly happy letting a professional do that job!

We had a large tree fall and damage the front of our house back in June, and other than the fact of having to spend several weekends working on the repairs, I really enjoyed fixing the damage. I even took down the rest of the offending tree and split and stacked a bunch of firewood!

Oh, and my wife was very impressed with my carpentry skills, it had been 12 years since the last time I did any major construction work.

 

[b-boy]

Not really a contractor story, but a really dumb phone repair guy story. I think it fits.

On New Years Eve a truck clipped the phone line to my house and pulled it off the phone pole across the street. The wire fell across the road, but was still connected to the pole and to my house. This is the 2nd time it's happened since I moved in. The wire is obviously too low.

I called Verizon. They told me they were too busy to fix it. I told them that the cable was lying in the road, and that it was a dangerous situation. Of course no one showed up for 2 days.

The Verizon guy finally showed up, walked over to the cable, and proceeded to pull on it. The result of this was that the wire lifted off of the ground about 2 feet. This wouldn't have been a problem, except for the fact that a car was driving down the road at the time. It was doing about 50 when it's bumper caught the cable. I heard a zipping noise as the cable was dragged taught, followed by 2 loud bangs as it was torn from the side of my house and under my porch. The cable whizzed by me and just clipped my right arm. If it was 6 inches higher, it would probably have decapitated me. It tore my jacket, ripped pieces of siding off of the house, and gouged my porch railing as it was pulled into the street. The car just kept going.

I looked at the repair guy. All I could say was 'What the ****?'. He freaked out, started apologizing, and told me Verizon would pay for the damage. He asked if I wanted the cable re-attached. I told him no way. He dragged the cable to the pole and took off. I filed a claim with Verizon for the damage.

I saw him pull the cable, saw the car coming, and knew what was going to happen. It felt it was in like slow motion. It felt, and sounded, like one of those scenes from Final Destination - Except I lived.

Verizon needs to teach their people the meaning of 'cause and effect'.

 

[ncbrewer]

You have all the luck. And don't try to give me any.

 

[Homercidal]

Trying to understand why you didn't just pull the cable across the road onto your side and out of the street.

 

[b-boy]

It was still attached to my house and to the pole across the street. The truck simply pulled off whatever attached it high on the the pole. My house is on a hill, so the cable was draped between my house and the pole. There must have been some slack in the cable where it attached to the pole.

I would have needed to cut the cable to pull it across the road. If it was my cable, I would have done that. Since it was Verizon's cable, I didn't want to mess with it. As long as you didn't pull it, it laid flat on the road.

 

[Homercidal]

I see.

 

[Kharnynb]

The phone company tried that joke once near our cottage, after 2 days, i took the cable off the pole myself(licensed electrician)

3 days later when the phonecompany guys showed up, I handed them a bucket with 1 inch cable bits and a note with their t&c that states a 48 maximum repair time...

 

[Homercidal]

Contractors.

Friend's son fell off a roof. I wonder how/if the contractor he worked for can/will cover medical expenses. I half expect there won't be any workers comp.

I mostly wonder who in their right mind does roofing in winter in Michigan!

 

[b-boy]

On the flip side, my pole barn is done. I'm really happy with the guys I worked with. It took longer than expected, and I wasn't thrilled about pouring concrete in December, but it came out really nice. I used Angie's List to vet the contractors I used. That's how I'll do it going forward. No more word of mouth recommendations for me.

 

[b-boy]

Contractors.

Friend's son fell off a roof. I wonder how/if the contractor he worked for can/will cover medical expenses. I half expect there won't be any workers comp.

I mostly wonder who in their right mind does roofing in winter in Michigan!

Hope he's OK.

I wonder who in their right mind does roofing. I helped my Dad do one roof. That's the hardest job there is.

 

[MeatyPortion]

Contractors.

Friend's son fell off a roof. I wonder how/if the contractor he worked for can/will cover medical expenses. I half expect there won't be any workers comp.

I mostly wonder who in their right mind does roofing in winter in Michigan!

Not a contractor, but I found this:

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/responsible-private-contractor-injured-place-business-77747.html

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Hope he's OK.

I wonder who in their right mind does roofing. I helped my Dad do one roof. That's the hardest job there is.

It's what I do all day everyday for twenty years and counting. Somehow I still enjoy it. We rip,clean,roof, magnets for nails, blow off the driveway and leave the place spotless in one day. Pic is 10 AM and 4 PM with new skylights. I Pride myself on never taking a deposit and never having a single complaint.

 

[Homercidal]

It's what I do all day everyday for twenty years and counting. Somehow I still enjoy it. We rip,clean,roof, magnets for nails, blow off the driveway and leave the place spotless in one day. Pic is 10 AM and 4 PM with new skylights. I Pride myself on never taking a deposit and never having a single complaint.

You, Sir, are what every homeowner wishes they had in a contractor.

I haven't talked with his parents again yet, but I am curious to know what kind of insurance he is likely to have. I wonder if this was some sort of pay-under-the-table "I never met this kid before in my life" kind of employment.

From what they said, he was using a leaf blower to clear the snow. I have no idea what kind of safety harness they had or why he didn't have it on. Even if he was the kind of kid to say "I don't need this stupid thing" the employer should be forcing him to wear it. Because I would like to think that the employer is responsible when this kind of thing happens. I think all too often the safety rules are ignored by the fly-by-night type contractors.

 

[b-boy]

It's what I do all day everyday for twenty years and counting. Somehow I still enjoy it. We rip,clean,roof, magnets for nails, blow off the driveway and leave the place spotless in one day. Pic is 10 AM and 4 PM with new skylights. I Pride myself on never taking a deposit and never having a single complaint.

I wish you lived in Buffalo.

 

[Homercidal]

No idea about his employer situation. His stepdad didn't even know the name of the business or person who hired him.

But he's on his feet and carefully walking around some. He's started eating solid food again. He may be coming home tomorrow, less 1 spleen and with a very righteous scar running up the middle of his gut.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

No idea about his employer situation. His stepdad didn't even know the name of the business or person who hired him.

But he's on his feet and carefully walking around some. He's started eating solid food again. He may be coming home tomorrow, less 1 spleen and with a very righteous scar running up the middle of his gut.

I hate hearing stories like this. I never talk about getting hurt or people getting hurt. It brings it too close to home.

 

[bleme]

I'm in California so most of the laws are different. For instance, a California contractor can't require more than 10% up front (although I met a roofer who tried). I also know that here you have to post a $10,000 bond with the State to get your license and going after that is the fastest way to get attention/results.

I've still run into the same problems getting quotes. I requested quotes from 6 roofers and only 1 showed up. And one of the asshats who failed was my wife's cousin!!!

 

[Hophunter]

From this point forward, I'm watching every installer/contractor like a hawk. Still waiting for insulation guys to come back and install attic zipper door thing. Have a mind to show up at their office and demand my $200 back.
Most recently, had carpet installed in the basement (no water probs). Found two lumps and a couple of spots where it wasn't stretched right. Pulled back the carpet near one lump and found a piece of pad. Called them back out. Unfortunately I couldn't be home. Didn't fix the second lump and the two loose spots are marginally better. Pulled back the carpet and found a small piece of pad under the pad. I almost feel like no one takes pride in their work anymore. End rant.

 

[Dan65]

I have the opposite problem then most of you. I deliver to contractors and they expect us to do just about anything they want. One contracter tries to get our boom truck drivers to set steel i-beams for them(that they didnt buy from us), another wants everything carried inside, blah blah blah. i can go on and on.

On the other side of the fence, there are some contractors that show there are some good ones left
One contractor gave their client from a new house $5,000 beacuase it met some energy efficiency rather then pocketing it themselves.
Other ones just have clean jobsites, keep their extra supplies clean, never want to go back to a house to fix something because they want everythig installed correctly the first time.
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