Well, I overdid it on Friday/Saturday, and I'm still paying for it. My right arm is just about useless, except in creating pain. But we had an appointment with a kitchen contractor last night to come give us an estimate on replacing the countertop in our new condo (new to us, it's 17 yrs old), so I wasn't home resting like I shoulda been, and what a mistake that was!
I shoulda known on the phone, when the appointment setters were so insistent that both me and my husband would be present and that the "free estimate" would take an hour, that something was not right. I'd already gotten quite a few estimates by e-mail or phone based on the detailed information I provided to other contractors, but I wanted to try one more estimate. The company I called has been around for decades and is presumably reliable.
Well, when the guy walked in, it was clear he doesn't ever get his hands dirty. He started out schmoozing us and asking all about our jobs...as I now realize, so he could size up how much we'd be willing to pay. I tell him exactly what I want in the countertop and he seems a little put off, especially when I pulled out an offer from his company's website that he wasn't aware of. So he takes about 2 seconds worth of measurements and then spends about 10 minutes rifling through his big pack of papers. He tells me they do everything...removing the old countertop, installing the new, and the plumbing connections, but that he's going to break out the price for me. Sounds good. At this point, hubby is getting bored so he goes to sit in the living room.
So the salesman finally gives me his price, which is more than double of anyone else I have talked to. But I don't blink. He doesn't start to break it down. I start by saying, "if we were to sign the contract tomorrow, how long would it take to do templating and then installation". Well, how presumptuous of me to think that the offer would be good for more than 5 minutes!! The guy started lecturing me about whether I thought they really wanted to waste their time coming back out here to sign a contract...what's the problem, leave the contract and I can mail it back to you? Do they really think people are going to decide on the spot without talking it over, getting other estimates, etc? He said how he was "giving" me all these special offers and that they wouldn't be good if I called back tomorrow...ok, so they post an offer on their internet site, with no fine print or expiration date, and they're going to refuse to honor it? He kept asking why I wouldn't want to sign the contract...umm hello!! I said I was uncomfortable with contractors who don't honor their estimates the next day. He then accused me of getting indignant and started to get rude. I asked him to leave and had to practically shove him out the door. I didn't expect fly-by-night treatment from a company that has been around so long and is so well known.
Anyway, hubby missed most of what went on, but he knew that I wasn't the problem here. But I was just SO FURIOUS
Thanks for letting me vent. Maybe if I can get rid of all the stress with the remodeling and the move and the stupid contractor, I can finally start to feel better!
Oh boy, I SO understand what you're going through and feeling right now. I will NEVER build another house because of the nightmare it became when it came time to having the finishes installed. The builder and other subs were fine, only minor issues here and there. The real trouble started when we had to have the carpets, cabinets, etc. put in. Thank goodness not every one messed up, but I had no idea how aggravating it is to deal with people who don't do what they say they'll do and then try to make you think YOU'RE the one who is being difficult. As we speak I have a guy here trying to fix the blinds that came in wrong. Fortunately, my contract stated what I was to have so they have to fix it, but they still try to make me feel guilty. I guess you know you pushed a button here, right? The only good thing about this is I've learned not to be so hard on myself when I mess up because there's so much messing up out there being done by other people and they're all working on my house! LOL Ya gotta laugh or you'll start screaming. Hang in there and stay away from that sleaze-ball. He's bad news. How lucky for you that you saw him for what he was ahead of time. Imagine if you had actually signed a contract with him! Yikes! Then you'd really have problems.Sorry to hear you found one of the seemingly endless conractor / sales people. Sounds to me like youe were more polite than he deserved.
I have had a few days were my arms hurt regardless of what I did. It has been a while but I do remember it s--ked. Hope you feel better soon and trust your gut with the contractor. Or better yet leave that job to your husband.
Was he from t**sersRus?
Oh th*t's m*de me l**gh! I swear I gave T o ss er a capital T
So what kind of countertop are you going to get? In spite of the aggravations, isn't fun picking out what you want and designing your home to fit your tastes?
Yes, that's what I should focus on...how great it's going to look when it's done!
The existing 17-yr-old countertop is a solid-color tan laminate that is desperately in need of re-sealing (or grouting or whatever)...or better yet, replacement. I want a Corian countertop, in the Moss color (the best of the less expensive colors IMHO) with a 4" backsplash (we're not tiling) and a stainless undermount sink. The old beige walls will be painted "sun-kissed peach" and the existing medium-oak cabinets are going to stay...amazing how much better they looked after hubby gave them a good scrubbing.
Plus we're re-doing all the lighting, and adding some cabinet hardware (currently there aren't any knobs or drawer pulls).
Here's the countertop color (not a great representation, it really is green) and the faucet we purchased (on clearance!) and the cabinet hardware that looks great with the lighting fixtures:
I think I'm starting to feel better already....
Thanks for the tea and sympathy, all. But Tinker, what is a t**ser?
My husband got their names from some friends who had used them for their work. We still got other estimates, but these guys were the most reasonable for the work and were willing to do exactly what we wanted.
We had one guy who built and installed the cabinets. He built them exactly as we wanted. My husband had full-extension drawers put in the bottom, instead of cabinets, to make it easier access for us. They are great. Another one came and stained and varnished/sealed the cabinets.
We also had a stone guy who made the templates and cut, finished and installed our granite tops. He also did our limestone floor. We had gone to the stone place and picked out the two slabs of granite we wanted. We also bought our limestone 16x16 tiles.
If I can figure out how to post a picture, I will.
Good luck. It sounds like you know how to handle these high-pressure guys.
Be well,
Nini
Suzanne, that is going to look beautiful! What kind of floor do you have? Sorry if I'm being nosey, but I want the "full" picture in my head, LOL!Ack, how rude!!! We went through similar issues when we got new windows a few years back. In our state there is some sort of law that says you have something like 48 hours or so to change your mind on a contract, I forget what the exact law is called here but keep it in mind if you do make a choice that you realize was the wrong one! I hope you find someone honest and good without too much more hassle.Bleargh!!!!!! What a magoo this guy is!!! People must really be gullible tho. Glad you are not one of them!!!!
I can't wait to see pics of the condo when it is done. I know everything is a big pain in the tush right now...but you are going to be so happy when it is all done!!! I am just so happy for you and your husband that you are able to do this remodeling and really make this condo "home". You guys deserve it!!!
Innerglow, when I saw your pictures I was reminded of a great message board that is fun and very informative about all things house and decorating related. Google HGTV Message Boards and the link will get you started. Enjoy! I had the same thing go on when we were looking for a contractor to do the deleading of our home. He must have thought he saw Stupid written on my forehead because he actually suggested that I should get a loan before I got an estimate. Now who in their right mind would go get a loan for ,000 when all you need is ,000. Not me at any rate. I live in a historic home over 100 years old that has some of the most beautiful and ornate wood work. He wanted to rip it all out and put up new. I nearly fell off the chair when he said this. According to him,"no other way". And for him to rip everything down ,000. Then I did fall out my chair.But back to the "picture"...the appliances are all Kenmore stainless steel. The patio doors will have vertical blinds...possibly peach fabric, but that's still up in the air. Above the cabinets was terrible lighting with terrible plastic panels in front which we've ripped out, and now we're working on a solution that hopefully won't cost a fortune.
I took a "before" video of the condo with my digital camera (there's a link in my MySpace blog), and when we're all done, I'll take an "after" video to see how far we've come.
For awhile I was getting really excited by everything we're doing, but right now I'm in one of those modes where I just see the problems and everything I want to do seems to cost too much money and time. Plus we're only ten (yes 10!!) days from the movers and I have so much packing to do. Hubby's been bringing small boxes of stuff over to the new place, but I'm afraid it will all be in the way when we go to move the furniture.
This is just a really bad time for my arm to decide it's had enough...
There's been exposes of such sharks in the UK. Some of them actually sit it out for hours in peoples living rooms while they have their dinner! They just won't budge until they get a contract signed. I do wonder why those people didn't call the police say, an hour, after 'no thank you' had been ignored?
Whoa betide anyone who tries it with me
By the time hubby got home, I had worked up a good pissed off. Never again will he schedule something like that and not be here for it. I told him in the future, I WILL sign a contract right off the bat for the most expensive whatever and have the guy out of here in 5 min. He knows I was serious.
Wow, I can believe that some guys will wait for hours and refuse to leave...guess I got off "easy". The other contractors have worked out so far...the HVAC guy and the window guy were great....so I guess I was due for a bad one.Good luck from now on. I love the fixtures you picked out!