Monday, September 16, 2013

deciding the siding and biding the sliding with some chiding

WARNING (Danger, Will Robinson):

Picture- and yap-heavy.

We picked out our siding an age ago.  It might have been the Age of Aquarius.

And as we all know, the best-laid plans of mice and men often turn to crap-ola.

Deciding the siding:

I changed my mind from having 50 Shades of Taupe:




...to having a gray home 


 (since I couldn't wait to get out of our current gray home).



I just wanted to update you in case you were late to the party.  And if you were, I hope you brought beer.

The siding has been sitting in our garage for about 2 months now.  The color is called Granite.  It's the only granite you'll see in or on my house since I'm not getting granite countertops.  I know.  I'm freaking out all those "House Hunters" people out there.

Biding the Sliding:

Phil met with our siding guys on July 16.  They were "2-3 weeks out" on their scheduling.  But it was actually more like 4 weeks.  They were scheduled to start on August 12.  Except they didn't.  The schedule was rapidly slip-sliding away.

Some Chiding:

Philly used to build houses for a living, which means he's used to the WORST part of building a house: subcontractors.

Do you think they showed up as scheduled?

Hell nope.

After beating them to a bloody pulp (I did that--in my mind), they finally showed up on Friday, August 30th.  Apparently they were 7 weeks out on scheduling.  Then it was supposed to take 5 working days.  They hung the last piece on Thursday, September 12th.

How do you miss by that much?

In the end, the boys did a great job.  And I have one shirtless photo for you.  This is probably the last shirtless opportunity we're going to have on this little venture, so soak it up.

In fairness, they do NOT compare to shirtless boy IN THIS POST.  If you missed that, I highly recommend you bring me MORE beer and read this post.

But I have to have another bitchy moment.  I should have labeled this as a delusional rant, but someone already made my title too long as it is.

Apparently these guys don't know how to run a business (obviously), and after all their BS and lies about when the job would be finished, they actually had the stones to demand payment the day the job was finished.

It was the ONLY time they ever called us.  They never called to let us know they would not be there as scheduled.  They never called us to tell us they would be a month later than what they promised.

Huh?

Every other sub has sent a bill and we either had net 15 or net 30 days to pay.  Not that we couldn't pay that day, it was just the principle of the thing.  Completely ballsy.

And here's the other thing.  The boys who did the actual work told Phil they weren't going to get paid the "full amount" since there was a box and a half of siding they didn't have to hang (the guy who measured ordered too much).  They get paid by how much siding they hang; not by the hour.

But was that discount applied to our bill?

Hell nope.

And this asshole screamed at Phil on the phone that payment was due upon completion because they had to pay their guys. 

You run your business hand-to-mouth?

Where was this verve when it came to starting and finishing the job when promised?  Then he sent his brother TO OUR HOUSE to pick up the payment.  He wouldn't wait for a check in the mail.  And he didn't have the stones to pick it up himself.

To quell any misconceptions that I bitch about everything, our framer/roofer did a good job; our electrician was fantastic; our plumber was plum dandy (although Phil did go back and improve on a few things).

Just be aware that if you're going to be the general contractor and build your own home, be prepared for a bunch of disappointment.

(And if you aren't the GC, prepare for even more disappointment, because the GC will never care about your new home as much as you do.)

I'm not going to stoop so low as to name names.

But look!  They were kind enough to leave a sign in my yard, so I'll go ahead and show you that.  Do NOT use these people, people.


(Please remember the crew who actually did the work was great...it's the management who sucks.)

Okay.  Let's look at the siding progression, shall we?

(Lotsa pic-a-tures now.)


Shirtless...









OMG!  Where's his head?!



Oh.  There it is.



Woohoo!  Shake that siding!


And that too!


Nearly there...


Finished!  And they came and did the final grade, too!



This last pic is a bit dark and shadow-y since the sun was behind the house.  I'll get some better ones, I promise!

Let's do a before, during, and after:









Pretty?  I think so.  Next up...bloody vampires.

Or...the front door gets a new look...



18 comments:

  1. I say it was all worth it for the photo of the shirtless guy. I suspect I would have come up with a reason I couldn't pay that day. I've done that before.

    Love,
    Janie

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  2. I prefer the vampires, but I have afeeling it will be a door. My house is also going to be one of the fifty shades, but I'm going pastel-ish with the doors. The ones out back are a buttery yellow, but the one out front might not be. I'd love a turquoise or chartreuse door out front, just for fun.
    And I won't be using those guys, because they are too far away in a midwestern place.

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  3. Pretty! Glad you went with the gray instead of taupe. :P

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  4. Love!! I love the gray!! I'm all outta witty things to say at the moment...I only have love :)

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  5. That is one big grey house.
    It took me a while to figure out what siding was. Turns out its stuff that goes on the side of stuff! Should have known really. In the UK we just have bricks on the side of all our stuff. We like bricks.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, we love brick here too...but it's so darned expensive to do a whole house in it. I'm honored by the visit Ash...!

      -andi

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  6. Arghh! Frustrating! But...your siding looks gorgeous and perfect with your brick and roofing! Things are moving right along and soon you will be too!

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  7. Ok I guess the grey looks good........but I did like the first brown look......but not my house so what I think doesn't matter at all............and my house I have no say about since I rent.........

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    Replies
    1. I don't think I can paint the brick...I know I can't paint the siding. Guess I'm stuck with the gray! :P

      -andi

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  8. Your house is looking fabulous! Can't wait to see what you do with your front door. You guys must have miles of patience to even go through building a house period. I can't even imagine all the frustrations that go along with it. I'm really lovin' the grey!!

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  9. It's looking food, can't wait till we move in.

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  10. The balls of some people! The workers did a good job, though, and the house looks fabulous. I was thinking a red door would be awesome, but then I love red accents--LOL! :)

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  11. I will remember not to use them. Damn, where's Jamie Fraser when you need him to hang some siding? He would have done right by you, I guarantee it.

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  12. Far out they called and yelled on the day??? What a joke, it does look good though, where exactly did that head go?

    It's done now so move on, feel free to rant it's what we are here for :)

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  13. How exciting! Loved reading your blog. It's my first time here and very enjoyable. From your newest follower, Linda

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  14. I know very well that we're often disappointed when people work for our darling houses! Your house is really looking like a house, now. And thanks for that last shirtless post... I had a very long day, I have an awful headache, but I feel a little better, now!

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  15. Ah yes....the joy of building a home.....I LOVE the gray......gray is a good neutral, goes with ANY color front door!! Speaking of doors.....the folks we bought our interior doors from are out of business and hubby can't remember the name of the company....sorry!

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