Hitting a brick wall, so to speak....

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I went through all the business cards I've collected over the years. I have a large section of property reconstruction and general contractors. I tried doing an online search for these companies and they've either gone OOB, passed away, moved out of the area, changed their specialties or retired. Same with the realtor business cards. One card I had form a woman restoration construction consultant. I ran her name through Google and came up with two obits and they indicated that she has passed several years ago. Another Google search off a business card indicated the business was closed (can't say if temporary because of the pandemic, or permanently because of other reasons). I emailed some last week and have not received any response. One card had only the business name and a phone number, so I actually called. He said he was recovering from a accident and may not go back to work, at least in the construction field. This is getting frustrating.
 

I have to admit, many were obtained shortly after my mom passed, 14 years ago. I obtained others from people that stopped at my estate sales because they though I was moving, especially the realtors and contractors that though I was going to sell and needed to fix up the house.
 

I'll have to have another sale. ;)

I wonder where my neighbors advertise their sale? Every time I looked today they had a least one car there. When I went over today, there was a couple there loking at things and when I left, another car was just pulling up.

When I have a sale, if 4 cars stop in a day, that's a good sale!
 
A roofer came this morning and I didn't get a good impression right off the bat. Called me last night and asked for directions. I took a long time to explain them. He said he'd be here at 9 am. His speech was so slurred I could hardly understand him. Then he called at quarter to 9 this morning and asked for directions again. I repeated them. He told me where he was and it was 5 minutes away. I waited 40 minutes and he didn't show up. I called him and he said that his GPS sent him to the wrong place. I mentioned that I had given him verbal directions twice. Why did he use his GPS, then? He just said he be here in a few minutes. About 10 minutes later I saw a truck with a ladder go by, it went way up the street and turned around an parked. My phone rang and he said "Where are you on XXXXXX St?" I said I'd go out and stand at the end of the driveway and to come back down the street.

Well, he finally got here after almost an hour of fumbling. Looked at the job, said he'd email me his estimate and left. Thirty minutes later I got a call from him asking if I has seen his wallet. He was back in my yard thrashing through the bushes with his helpers. Of course, I hadn't seen any wallets. I even opened a window and looked out on the roof where he had been thinking it might have fallen out while he was there, but I still didn't see it. I don't think he was convinced. I hope he doesn't think I found it and was keeping it. He seemed so disorientated anyway, he might have dropped it anywhere he has stopped during the morning on even in his truck, although he said he looked and it wasn't in the truck.

This guy just gave me the willies.
 
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debodun said:
A roofer came this morning and I didn't get a good impression right off the bat. Called me last night and asked for directions. I took a long time to explain them. He said he'd be here at 9 am. His speech was so slurred I could hardly understand him. Then he called at quarter to 9 this morning and asked for directions again. I repeated them. He told me where he was and it was 5 minutes away. I waited 40 minutes and he didn't show up. I called him and he said that his GPS sent him to the wrong place. I mentioned that I had given him verbal directions twice. Why did he use his GPS, then? He just said he be here in a few minutes. About 10 minutes later I saw a truck with a ladder go by, it went way up the street and turned around an parked. My phone rang and he said "Where are you on XXXXXX St?" I said I'd go out and stand at the end of the driveway and to come back down the street.

Well, he finally got here after almost an hour of fumbling. Looked at the job, said he'd email me his estimate and left. Thirty minutes later I got a call from him asking if I has seen his wallet. He was back in my yard thrashing through the bushes with his helpers. Of course, I hadn't seen any wallets. I even opened a window and looked out on the roof where he had been thinking it might have fallen out while he was there, but I still didn't se it. I don't think he was convinced. I hope he doesn't think I found it and was keeping it. He seemd so disorientated anyway, he might have dropped it anywhere he has stopped during the morning on even in his truck, although he said he looked and it wasn't in the truck.

This guy just gave me the willies.
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So long as the man does good work and his price is right, I say run with it.
 
Deb if you do consider him for the job, ask for references and if he gives them be sure to check them out. He may have been having a stressful day or two. But he doesn't sound very professional.
 
I had all kinds of weird people do contract work for me. As long as they got the job done in a reasonable time, I didn't care if they didn't know what day it was and couldn't find my house. Most couldn't on the first try by the way, except one guy didn't even ask for directions, a few minutes later the phone rings and he says he's at my front door. He couldn't do anything about my problem, but wanted me to pay him $20 for coming to look. :rolleyes:
 
Sorry to generalize but a significant number of contractors enjoy an occasional drink if you get my drift if and your guy shows every sign of being a member of that clan. Avoid him.
 
"He couldn't do anything about my problem, but wanted me to pay him $20 for coming to look." Unless he stated beforehand that there was a service charge for coming out to look and you agreed, he has no right to try and charge for that.
 
Becky1951 said:
"He couldn't do anything about my problem, but wanted me to pay him $20 for coming to look." Unless he stated beforehand that there was a service charge for coming out to look and you agreed, he has no right to try and charge for that.
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Ha. No kidding. But hey, he was prompt and had the credentials.
 
Had a father and son crew come put in a furnace for me. They had no respect for me as a woman, argued and cursed a blue streak, and kept hitting their heads on the pipes in the cellar, but they did the job right, on time and charged a reasonable rate. I didn't care about the rest of their crap, I had a furnace. Same with the guys that put on my roof, fixed my chimney, cut down trees, fixed my car and so forth.
 
debodun said:
I just got a call from a painter that said he's booked up the rest of the year and is scheduling for next year already, but will come and look to see what's needed for the job. At least he didn't sound drunk or on quaaludes.
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If he shows to look at the job, ask him if he knows of anyone else that paints and who can see to the work you have now.
 
So-called "contractors" that charge to give an estimate seem like scammers to me. They can always say they don't want the job, then charge for "their time and gas." They can make money that way and never have to do a lick of work. That happened to my mom and a plumber once. Charged her $80 even before he looked at the job and then said he didn't want it. I was there, so I remember that, but I don't remember his name, just he was a really old guy. Of course I've had that happen with a clothes washer repairman. But at least he told me up front when I called that he charged for a service call even if he decided he doesn't want the job.
 
debodun said:
So-called "contractors" that charge to give an estimate seem like scammers to me. They can always say they don't want the job, then charge for "their time and gas." They can make money that way and never have to do a lick of work. That happened to my mom and a plumber once. Charged her $80 even before he looked at the job and then said he didn't want it. I was there, so I remember that, but I don't remember his name, just he was a really old guy. Of course I've had that happen with a clothes washer repairman. But at least he told me up front when I called that he charged for a service call even if he decided he doesn't want the job.
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I have yet to encounter a contractor that bills for a drop-in estimate, however, if I were to, they would automatically do themselves out of work with me. That would be a 100% no-go.

As Becky, mentioned, unless a contractor is clear and upfront as to any/all charges that apply (first communication with you), they have no right requesting payment for their time and/or services.

As for the plumber who charged your mom an $80 service fee, then declined to follow-through with the job/repair, I would have refused payment to him.
 
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