The Revelations Just Keep On Coming...

This week the General Contractor in charge of my house admitted to us that:

1: He has no previous experience with contracting and used to be employed by a cable company (until he got fired).

2: Even with his limited knowledge he could do a better job fixing my roof than the hired sub-contractor. All he needs is a buddy and a six-pack.

Interesting.

Siding: Take Two

It's wrong. Again.

What's a girl to do?

(PS it's Day 29)

Small Steps

(Day 22)

I arrived at noon to find the backyard steps finished--How unexpected!

I asked for custom railings (I saw the style on some old tenement fire-escapes)...and I was nervous that maybe it wouldn't work at all--but I'm really happy with the result. (wait a sec. --did I just say I was "happy"???)

AND! They installed a fixed ladder for the roof (for scaredy cats like myself who can't seem to climb a normal ladder without freaking out)

The National Grid Part 2, and a poll...

Hooray!-I managed to get a new appointment to have the meters put in and as soon as alternate side parking was over, I covered the gas-access plate in the street with my own car for safety. After 3 and 1/2 hours of waiting a fairly old, VERY Russian, service person shows up. At first I was entertained by his varied muttering, singing (in Russian ), and shouting, but then...It got weird.

It started with his insistence of standing within 2 inches of me at all times.

Then we discovered that my old stove, after the royal beating the contractors gave it, is having trouble lighting...but I didn't really need him to refer to it as a "piece of sh*t" that "maybe" came out of a museum.

And then (at the very end) when my non-english speaking plumber tried to ask him (in an admittedly confused way), if he should turn everything back off....He shouts (insert crazy Russian accent here): "Now is your problem! F*ck you!"

Hmmm. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the only one who has cause to curse out my contractors (and although it sometimes takes quite a bit of control-- I don't).

My question to you is: Report him, or let it go?

Quite unprofessional if you ask me.

Twenty-Ones Days....

and counting. Past the date we were supposed to be done, that is.

Today I waited from 8AM until 1 PM for the National Grid to come and install gas meters.

Of course the guy doesn't show until 12:45...only to find that the gas is currently off, and the plate to access the line is located in the street...under a parked car. One of my (ridiculously nice) neighbors calls a friend of another friend only to find that the owner of the car is away on a cruise.

But supposing someone will move it tomorrow for alternate side parking I called to make another appointment, which they now refuse to do saying I never should have been allowed the appointment I already had as there is a record of "theft of service". You would think that it might be attributed to the squatter who never paid her bills, but no! Apparently my contractor finagled the gas for an inspection and got caught...and now they want to open a case against them.

Today was supposed to be easy. Stand and watch someone attach a meter. What the hell happened???

Steps that won't make you bleed.

We just got back from being away for several days, and while I was pretty disappointed at how little had changed while we were gone, boy oh boy was I happy to see that the correct backyard steps have been put in. Not quite done...but it's a start.

Just in case you're thinking of breaking in...

(perhaps you'd like to make off with some of my contractor's home-made tools) I just want to warn you that we have a very sophisticated security system which involves a piece of wood. Yeah, I know, daunting isn't it? And just look what it's done to the brand new door. I can relive this moment every time I look at the giant dent in the panelling.