Handling Renovations
September 27th, 2009 |
Some things in life make me think too much. Why do people promise something can be done quickly and then take their time?
I always rush to make sure I fulfill promises I make. I would feel badly if I could not get something done ‘on time.’
The contractor said my office floor would be done on Friday when in fact I began to see there was no feasible way to get that done without him working a full 8 hours.
He arrived late. (around 10:00 am) He had said, ‘We will start working at 8:00 AM.’ Then, after going out for lunch for a good hour, he wanted to leave my house at 2:00 PM.
I took over and said, ‘This is a holiday weekend. Are you coming back tomorrow?’
He told me he does not work Saturday or Sunday and Monday is a holiday so he’d see me Tuesday.
I looked at him and asked him why he had told me my office would be ready Friday? Why was he leaving so early? Why he made promises impossible to keep?
I said, ‘You and the plumber want to leave without giving me a functional bathroom and an office floor. You are going to leave Particles of under-padding and cutting in my house and you are planning to leave for 3 days.’
He used his shop-vac and cleaned up some of the mess.
So, now he came back yesterday, (Saturday) the plumber stayed all day but he strolled in and said he had an emergency. A family member broke a foot and was in the hospital.
Do I believe this man? I think not. Once burned twice shy, as the saying goes. (now I know why this saying was made up)
He came back and and showed me that although I had no office floor he had brought in the wood to get acclimatized. My bathroom had no dry wall but it was functional.
I am still on my laptop with no desk. Well, I have a desk, it is sitting in my hallway with my shoe racks and bookcase and my printer is in my living-room with my filing cabinets and and other miscellaneous office furniture.
It is Sunday now. I would never ask people to work on Sunday. I did however say, ‘Since you could not meet your obligation to at least finish my office floor, I think you should work Monday.’
He is coming here on Monday with the plumber to do my office floor.
I took action. Was I mean? I spoke nicely and never raised my voice. I stated facts.
I acted like I was in control. (inside I felt like crap …no office) I got some compromise from the workers.
Is this what it takes in life to have others be honest and not make promises they cannot keep?
I think so. I wish people just acted the right way to begin with.
Daveda Gruber
Useful Links:
Do away with your overdrafts with a clever online budgeting tool.
