Contractor Log

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Contractor Log

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

This is the sort of thread that will only be useful after a year. I am going to log every contractor we have a negative experience with.

Start: 8/30/2016
Job: Upstairs bathroom remodeling
Finished: 9/20/2016

We paid a contractor a $1,000 retainer. We wanted a contractor to handle everything that needs to be done to get a new bathroom put in.

After we paid him the retainer, we literally did not hear a single word from him through text, phone or e-mail. Melissa went to one showroom to look at tile, which would have been fine but:

1) The guy wasn't there
2) The tile she wanted wasn't there
3) The tile they were trying to sell her on was $8 a square foot more expensive than she could get at Lowe's.

Melissa wrote the guy yesterday telling him that we are firing him. He wrote back to say that he is sending a refund to us.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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RealNC
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Post by RealNC »

Why would you ever pay beforehand O_o

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Billy Mays
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Post by Billy Mays »

Since I didn't see you mention who it was, I can only assume that it was that worthless degenerate pinback.

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

RealNC wrote:Why would you ever pay beforehand O_o
Contracts ask for retainers, the idea is that you give them money to show you're serious, if you're paying $10K - $90K on your house. (We aren't spending anywhere near that.)

The system breaks down when the contractor ignores you. Reminds me though of...

Date: Sometime in 2015
Job: Installation of a bathroom sink
End: This one I'll admit ended quickly, the guy came right out

We bought the cabinet and the marble(?) sink ahead of time. Just needed a guy to install it. He managed to chip the wood of the cabinet and when he installed it, he put it straight against the wall. Though we had the tile guy install the floor in the bathroom 3 times, it still wasn't perfectly level.

The contractor in this post, when faced with this dilemma, elected to install the cabinet against the wall SO THE FRONT FEET OF THE CABINET WERE OFF THE GROUND. I can't do this justice, you either visualize it or can't believe that someone would do that and go, "Yup! It's how they want it!"

I came home to check on it before paying him, but I didn't notice that the front feet were an inch off the ground.

The guy demanded more money to come back and fix it.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Billy Mays wrote:Since I didn't see you mention who it was, I can only assume that it was that worthless degenerate pinback.
You would like him a great deal if you got to know him. For whatever reason - and it is not a reason I approve of - he is not particularly nice to new posters here.

If you have friends that bust each others' balls, that is a good frame of reference. Think of Pinback as someone you have known for 20 years and give him shit in return. He just bypasses all the rich building of memories that get people to that point.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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Billy Mays
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Post by Billy Mays »

I believe I have resolved my hostilities towards pinback.

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Tdarcos
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Post by Tdarcos »

Billy Mays wrote:I believe I have resolved my hostilities towards pinback.
You sir, are a fool; if you let your guard down against him, he will betray you again.

Oh, Jonsey, by the way, dishonest contractors are the reason insurance companies sell performance bonds. You include the cost in the job, which might be about 10%. In exchange, if the contractor flakes on you, or leaves the house half done, the insurance company picks up the tab. Thus there's someone to go after if you are stiffed by the contractor.

Larger contractors even carry a permanent bond and will present it to you on request. Hell, my sister runs a dog walking service, and she carries insurance against injuries to the dogs or her stealing from her customers (some of them leave her the keys to their home when they go on vacation so she can take care of whatever pets they have). It's one of her selling points.
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Billy Mays
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Post by Billy Mays »

Tdarcos wrote:
Billy Mays wrote:I believe I have resolved my hostilities towards pinback.
You sir, are a fool; if you let your guard down against him, he will betray you again.
pinback is a good enough guy according to ICJ, and he has been participating meaningfully to my pitch post. You however, have a death pool that goes back many years on this forum, which makes it difficult to take your advice. Also, you either own an insufficient amount of fridges to cover your Bodyweight fridge index, or you are holding out on Knuckles' very reasonable request...I'm just saying that I am going to need to play my cards a little closer to my chest here in regards to who I trust.

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RetroRomper
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Post by RetroRomper »

Pinback is a good enough guy, just don't ask him for a liver transplant as that is a nonstarter.
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Tdarcos
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Post by Tdarcos »

Billy Mays wrote:Also, you either own an insufficient amount of fridges to cover your Bodyweight fridge index, or you are holding out on Knuckles' very reasonable request...
We have one refrigerator here, and it belongs to the landlord. I am not exactly sure what you are talking about, unless you think I'm supposed to promise Knuckles that when I die he can have something that I have no right to give to him.
I'm just saying that I am going to need to play my cards a little closer to my chest here in regards to who I trust.
Oh, so you're saying I would be more trustworthy if I gave away other people's property without their knowledge or consent? Last I heard, that's stealing.
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Billy Mays
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Post by Billy Mays »

Tdarcos wrote:We have one refrigerator here, and it belongs to the landlord. I am not exactly sure what you are talking about, unless you think I'm supposed to promise Knuckles that when I die he can have something that I have no right to give to him.
Just give him the fridge now, you selfish prick. What do you have to lose by telling Knuckles to bring his truck over in the middle of the night, and park it where there aren't any cameras?

1. You just have pizzas and soda delivered to your apartment 5 times a day. What do you even keep in there? Do any gallons of ice cream even survive the bus ride back?

2. Bolted down fridges are the reason Sawzalls got invented.

Tdarcos wrote:Oh, so you're saying I would be more trustworthy if I gave away other people's property without their knowledge or consent? Last I heard, that's stealing.
1. What do you have to fear? You're an atheist. In fact, if anything, you can slip away with that warm feeling of fucking over another human being that you apparently also get from this forum.

2. Are you worried about your landlord finding out before you pass? One, you probably aren't going to outlive the eviction process anyways. Two, do you honestly believe there is a single police station in the world that owns enough handcuffs to make a long enough handcuff chain to detain you? Not likely. And three, if you are concerned over a loved one that is living with you, do you know how many millions of dollars they are going to get suing the fuck out of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Ruggles Ice Cream after the funeral?

Think about someone other than yourself for once in your life.

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pinback
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Post by pinback »

See, now that was a great post.

Billy Mays. I always liked that guy.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Yeah, I gotta give him credit for that one.

Paul, will your fridge to Knuckles after your death. It's the least you can do for a community that's given you so much.
the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

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Billy Mays
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Post by Billy Mays »

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:Paul, will your fridge to Knuckles after your death. It's the least you can do for a community that's given you so much.
No, the least thing he can do is what he is doing now, that is how he got in his current predicament.

Come on now, it is not like Knuckles is asking for Paul's mini fridge, which we all know he owns, that is easily within arm's length of his bed, and is packed somehow with like 8,000 candy bars inside, which he has conned some enabler to restock as part of their morning routine.

No, he is merely asking for a fridge that Paul probably doesn't even remember where he saw it last.


Here is the start of a text adventure that I was thinking about making, but I haven't learned Inform yet, so I am gifting the idea to whoever on this forum wants to make it:






You are standing in the bedroom of an economy class apartment. The 900 pound "man" laying on the bed in front of you is moaning "Leave my apartment" in an increasingly agitated tone. He is currently immobilized by decades of unhealthy living choices. The light coming in from the window to the south is letting you know it's midafternoon. You can also hear the sound of gunshots in the not too distant distance, which confirms your suspicion that you are on the wrong side of town.

The rooms to the East and West are blocked by Pizza Hut boxes that go from floor to ceiling, the door that leads North will take you out of the apartment.

You can see a bed, on which resides a man-whale, adjacent to that bed is a desk, on which rests a computer, you can also see a mini fridge, a wheelchair, and a 5 gallon bucket.

>i

You are carrying:

a lock pick
a large canister of powdered dietary meal replacement

>give meal replacement to man

The large man angrily shoves your gift off the side of his bed, nevertheless, you did the right thing:

Your score has just gone up by 1 point


>x desk

Particle board that's defying both time and gravity. A drawer is hanging on for dear life off to one side.

>open drawer

Whatever was keeping that drawer connected to the desk, no longer is. Looking down you see it contains a card of some sort.

>take card

Taken.

>x card

The faded pastel colors and worn out crease indicates that this "Get Well Soon" card is probably at least a decade old.

>read card

"Paul: Everyone here at Jolt Country is overjoyed by the news that you are getting your health back in order, and we are all looking forward to the day that you are able to return to posting your insightful and generous comments! Get well soon good friend!!!!" it is then signed "-Robb, Knuckles, Rob, Ben (pinback?!), THE LOVE YOUR HELPFUL POSTS AARDVARK...and about thirty other names you don't recognize". "Huh" ,you wonder, as you try and figure out how and when things could have spiraled so far out of control there...

>hit Paul

Violence is not the solution here.

>x mini fridge

There is nothing special about this mini fridge, except for the fact that it is positioned easily within arm's length of the bed.

>open mini fridge

Sure enough, 8000 candy bars.

>take candy bars

I don't know what you are trying to accomplish here, taking the candy bars would just end up bankrupting the man's enabler.

>close mini fridge

Closed.

>push mini fridge

Moving the candy bar packed mini fridge up against the opposite wall should now decrease his caloric intake.

Your score has just gone up by 1 point

>x bucket

Well, at least you now know why you can't see any clear paths to any bathrooms.

*****You Have Died*****

You can now RESTART, RESTORE, QUIT, or UNDO.

>UNDO

You are standing in a bedroom.

>x computer

The computer is on, and the CRT monitor is displaying an almost finished post being fine tuned for maximum "gotcha" affect on the Jolt Country BBS. You can't be bothered to read this blowhard's encyclopedia of useless knowledge, but a quick skim reveals that user "tdarcos" is trying to somehow tie in "how copyright law, programming in MIMIC, and string theory (the textiles one, not physics) all come together to prove his point about"...who gives a shit, nobody is going to read it anyways you wisely conclude.

>x wheelchair

Oof, sometimes life deals you a bad hand, and sometimes you deal yourself one. The only thing that's certain is this wheelchair is gigantic.

>take wheelchair

Taken.

>throw wheelchair at computer

Lifting that wheeled monstrosity over your head takes the strength and determination of Atlas to accomplish. Its almost cruise missile like trajectory impacts the computer with a satisfying 'chring-crunch' sound as shards of broken glass and chunks of beige plastic erupt from its spark emitting core.

Maybe now he can focus more on that dietary powder you gave him.

Your score has just gone up by 1 point

>open door

Opened.

n


You leave the apartment, and possibly saved the life of a complete stranger in the process!!!!

You managed to achieve a final score of 3/3.



*****************You Won******************

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Post by pinback »

Magnificent.
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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Post by Tdarcos »

Billy Mays wrote:
Tdarcos wrote:We have one refrigerator here, and it belongs to the landlord.
Just give him the fridge now, you selfish prick.

1. You just have pizzas and soda delivered to your apartment 5 times a day. What do you even keep in there? Do any gallons of ice cream even survive the bus ride back?

2. Bolted down fridges are the reason Sawzalls got invented.

Think about someone other than yourself for once in your life.
I don't know where to start on this. Your message has got to be the funniest post I've ever seen on this board. The non-sequiturs, the exaggerations, and the rampant illogic make me want to nominate it for the Best Of category on this board.

What was amazing was how you, as a Christian, are condoning stealing while I, as an atheist, was taking the more moral course. And my statements to respect other people's property was condemned by you as thinking only of myself by not encouraging knuckles to come over and loot the place.

Okay then, I will take your advice. Knuckles, when I die you have my permission to go over to Billy Mays place and take his refrigerator or anything else you want.
Alan Francis wrote a book containing everything men understand about women. It consisted of 100 blank pages.

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Tdarcos
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Post by Tdarcos »

pinback wrote:Magnificent.
One time Ted Kennedy was announcing during a broadcast on CSPAN how he opposed a bill to create a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning. What either amazed or sickened me was that I agreed with every point he made.

I am now either amazed or sickened that I have to agree with Pinback, Billy Mays fake adventure game starring me was even funnier than his previous example.

Oh, by the way, Billy, I really appreciated your gut-busting funny parody of my existence. Fuck you very much.
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Post by Billy Mays »

Tdarcos wrote:I don't know where to start on this.


How about you face plant into an entire chocolate cake, and then guzzle down a full 2-liter bottle of cream soda? That seems to be how you start off a lot of things.
Tdarcos wrote:What was amazing was how


I nailed every grim detail?
Tdarcos wrote:you as a Christian, are condoning stealing while I, as an atheist


should get down on your knees and pray to whichever god is listening, because only a miracle at this point would prevent your heart from blowing clean through your ribcage by year's end.

Tdarcos wrote:And my statements to respect other people's property was condemned by you as thinking only of myself by not encouraging knuckles to come over and loot the place.
Yeah, like when your landlord is having to get the shit stained carpeting tore out, and the walls removed due to all the black mold, I'm sure he'll be thinking to himself "well, at least the fucker didn't give away my fridge."

Tdarcos wrote:Okay then, I will take your advice.
To call anyone you still keep in contact with, and let them know that you love them?
Tdarcos wrote:Knuckles, when I die you have my permission to go over to Billy Mays place and take his refrigerator or anything else you want.
I don't think that gives me enough time to clean up my place.

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Post by Billy Mays »

Tdarcos wrote:Oh, by the way, Billy, I really appreciated your gut-busting funny parody of my existence.
It was meant to be a tragedy.

In all seriousness, everyone here loves you, go consult with a surgeon, this shit isn't funny.

Plus, I'm not looking forward to the inevitable two weeks of hanging around this BBS with nothing good to post before I just go find something else to do.

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Post by pinback »

Billy Mays wrote:In all seriousness, everyone here loves you, go consult with a surgeon, this shit isn't funny.
Weeeeell...
I don't have to say anything. I'm a doctor, too.

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