Yesterday, I used to be reminded as soon as once more why it’s so laborious for me to pay individuals to assist me with something round my home. Work ethic, for probably the most half, appears to be a factor of the previous, which implies that I’ll simply find yourself having to do the roles myself anyway. Right here’s what occurred.
I lastly made the choice to rent a handyman to assist with small- to medium-sized initiatives round the home that I simply don’t appear to have the ability to work into my schedule. I made a protracted record that included issues like ending the fake stone skirting on the front porch…
Different issues on the record embrace shifting the entire desktop-level retailers and switches up about three inches in the studio…
Since I modified my plans and decided to go with IKEA cabinets as a substitute of built-from-scratch cupboards, the desktop goes to be about three inches increased than I had initially deliberate, which implies that the entire retailers have to be raised to make room for the next countertop.
Different issues on my record embrace small issues like rehanging a shutter (one of these that I made a while back) that fell throughout a storm with excessive winds, and putting in two outside retailers, and putting in the lights within the carport in order that the beadboard ceiling can lastly be put in and completed.
About 4 weeks in the past, my mother was over at my home serving to me with some issues, and she or he known as a handyman to return to my home to haul issues away. He got here and bought half of it, after which texted me to see if I may go forward and pay him since he needed to pay to take the issues to the landfill. After which he mentioned he’d be again the subsequent day to get the remaining. I went forward and paid him since he had completed work for me earlier than (simply putting in a rest room) and he appeared like a pleasant man. However then he by no means got here again the subsequent day, and now 4 weeks later, he nonetheless hasn’t come again.
Like I mentioned, this was truly a man who had put in a rest room for me some time again. Whereas he was right here that first time, I confirmed him another initiatives I’d like for him to do. He gave me a value and mentioned that he would get again to me quickly to schedule the work. That was most likely a 12 months in the past, and I by no means heard again from him.
So clearly, I wasn’t going to name him to do extra work. I ended up placing a request on Nextdoor, making it clear that I’m a perfectionist 😀 and wished somebody who was conscientious and took delight of their work, and who truly had time to do the work. Virtually instantly, I bought two or three responses from males providing their companies, and nearly instantly after that, I began getting non-public messages from individuals (principally widowed ladies, so far as I can inform) warning me about one specific handyman.
The frequent theme of their tales is that he’s a really good man, however he makes guarantees that he doesn’t hold. He might say {that a} job will solely take a couple of days, however then he doesn’t present up when he’s imagined to, or he drops off different individuals to do the work who don’t actually have the talents for the job, and 45 days later, the job remains to be not completed.
I skipped proper over that handyman and regarded on the relaxation. One specifically stood out to me, so I known as him. On the cellphone, he appeared very good, skilled, and arranged. We set an appointment for yesterday at 3:30, and I may hear him typing all of my contact data and handle into what gave the impression of a laptop computer laptop. I used to be so hopeful!
So yesterday, I made certain that I used to be prepared and ready in the lounge at about 3:20 in order that I wouldn’t miss him. I waited. And waited. And waited extra. By 4:00, he nonetheless wasn’t there, so I gave up ready and turned into my work garments in order that I may begin engaged on the studio. I used to be livid. And I truthfully wouldn’t have been bothered by him being late if solely he had communicated with me! However he simply left me sitting there questioning if and when he was going to point out up.
At about 4:15, I bought a message from him by Nextdoor saying, “I feel we had an appointment at 3:30 as we speak. Name me and we will reschedule.” Ummm…what? There was no clarification of why he didn’t present. There was solely an assumption that I’d be keen to reschedule. I simply responded and mentioned, “I’m afraid I don’t have time to attend round for individuals who don’t respect my time and no-show for appointments. My time can be priceless.”
I simply don’t perceive why that is such a typical and acceptable factor with contractors and handymen. And I’m not a lot pissed off for my very own sake, though it does make me indignant when individuals don’t present since I rearrange my schedule round them. However so far as the work goes, I’m nonetheless young-ish, and I’m a really succesful DIYer who has the flexibility to do all of those initiatives myself. I used to be simply wanting to rent them out for the comfort, and in order that issues can get completed sooner.
However I’m particularly pissed off on behalf of these older ladies and widows who wrote to me and shared their experiences. I do know that for each that contacted me, there are lots of extra who’ve comparable tales. I’m certain that they’re not DIYers who’re able to getting these jobs completed themselves. They’re truly relying on different individuals to do them, and if these individuals don’t present up, the roles don’t get completed. I really feel so dangerous for these ladies. I want I may go over and assist them myself. It’s a horrible feeling to be on the mercy of somebody who has made commitments, however doesn’t appear to present a care on the planet about different individuals’s time, or guarantees made, or schedules, or something like that.
I simply can’t wrap my head round it. And I do know that most likely each single one among you has the same story about how a handyman or contractor didn’t present, didn’t do the job proper, didn’t appear to care about guarantees made, didn’t appear to care concerning the high quality of labor completed, didn’t stick with a schedule, confirmed up hours late with out contacting you to let after they’d be there, and the record goes on and on. I really don’t perceive what has occurred to make this stuff so acceptable now. What occurred to work ethic, and the way will we get again to that?
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
