WAY OT [OT] Speak Landscaper

I say: Unless you have a signed contract stating differently, you will get your payment after you have finished the job to my satisfaction.

Joe

On Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:47:45 -0700, the infamous Winston scrawled the following:

See? You should have taken -Spanish- in high school, suckah. As a Vietnamese lady cow-orker once said "I speak very English!"

Oy vay!

Buy the idiot a LEVEL, Winnie.

Did he match it to the actual openable width, at least?

But he's licensed and insured, right? Take him up on it and/or don't finish paying him.

And now a word about going with the lowest bidder... (insert implied wisdom of not doing so HERE)

P.S: You could always take him back to HD and get a refund.

-- No matter how cynical you are, it is impossible to keep up. --Lily Tomlin

Reputation counts too. My wife uses Angie=92s list and I like to hear the =93word of mouth=94 recommendations. I also try to judge people on how they answer open-ended questions before saying what I=92d like done. What would you do here? Have you come across a job like this one before? Etc.

Standard disclaimers about teevee, but... "Holmes on Homes" (HGTV) would seem to indicate a fairly standard contractor response would be to slap a lien on your house.

Winston, you're probably one of the two people here (the other being Larry) who is going to recognize an obscure literary reference to Vladimir Nabokov's memoir.

snip funny incident...

Coulda been worse, how would you like it if your house builder did this?

technomaNge

On 3/18/2010 3:58 AM, Joe wrote: (...)

Good idea!

--Winston

(...)

He's got a very nice 4' level. It worked real well on support posts but somehow has a problem with grades. :)

It took me only 3 hours to shovel the overburden off the original grade. It's gonna work much better, now.

I recovered from that. Walked outside with the sketch. Looked at the forms. Looked at the sketch. Looked at landscaper with quizzical grin.

He says "Oh, you want it like *that*? I smile and nod.

(Remind me: Why did I give him a print to begin with?)

Forms come apart and get reset into nearly proper position. I now have a place for all my feet and the landings look very nice.

Well, it's all recovered now and very near to plan. I'm about as happy as I can be. :)

This guy cost me 30% more than the lowest bidder would've.

Naah that would have been the *lowest* bidder.

--Winston

(...)

All the while watching for the schmoozer that repeats stuff back to you so you think he's understanding.

Grrr. :)

That Russell guy was brilliant!

--Winston

Yup. It happens and you might not find out about it at a convenient time.

--Winston

You think too much of me Ed. :)

"Imagination, the supreme delight of the immortal and the immature, should be limited. In order to enjoy life, we should not enjoy it too much."

-Vladimir Nabokov

--Winston

I would've been, too.

--Winston

I don't think so. Speak, Memory. d8-)

(...)

I claim it's completely inadvertent.

Like the time I was invited to a retrospective of Indian Couture but had a prior commitment and was heard to observe "Sari".

:)

--Winston

OK, I believe.

Something deep inside is controlling you. d8-)

On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:14:10 -0700, the infamous Winston scrawled the following:

That's why you always get a written agreement and only pay half the money as a downpayment--unless the materials cost is more than half the job price.

If you draw up sketches or computerized plans, have the contractor initial them as having seen the copy. If he screws the pooch as badly as this guy did, you'll have something with which to go after him since he saw what you were after. If he's licensed and bonded, repayment is immediate. Small Claims Court takes time. (I'm claim-free and hope to remain that way for as long as I own the business.)

-- Adults are obsolete children. --Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel, 1904-1991)

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On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:29:21 -0700, the infamous Winston scrawled the following:

Those are the worst type, but I thought all of them were busy selling their special driveway sealant.

Ah, a lovely and cynical curmudgeon. I can relate.

-- Adults are obsolete children. --Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel, 1904-1991)

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On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:30:31 -0700, the infamous Winston scrawled the following:

In many states now, if the contractor can put a lien on a house, he has to first present you with the pamphlet or sheet stating that fact _before_ starting the work. It's usually work valued at $2,000 or more. You can also have the contractor sign a lien waiver, but only if he wants to. Check your state for current practices.

-- Adults are obsolete children. --Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel, 1904-1991)

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On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:44:12 -0700, the infamous Winston scrawled the following:

Don't stand. Don't stand so. Don't stand so close to me... (Sting's words regarding that -other- book by Nabokov)

-- Adults are obsolete children. --Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel, 1904-1991)

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