I mentioned a while back, a long while back at this point, that we needed to get the master big tub out and give Rick a walk-in shower.
While our long-term care insurance would give us some money for home modification, we started the process. Knowing it was a small pittance compared to the actual cost, it was ever so helpful, nonetheless.
In July we called a few contractors - 6 to be exact. 2 showed up.
I did not like the first guy. He was full of himself and kept trying to talk us into those panels that look plastic to us and like tile. Rick's job before retirement told him that was not a good idea, because just like the company bathfitters, water gets behind them over time and there is always a very big mold issue. We wanted tile.
We talked to the 2nd guy and he said all the right things. We asked for a copy of his license, and he said he would bring it by when they begin. But in the state of North Hillbilly, I mean North Carolina, one doesn't need a contractor license if the job is under 30K. (a car inspection doesn't include brakes either, how wildly stupid is that?!)
He did not have tiles with him or take us to a showroom to pick out tiles. Instead, this was on his tablet. I asked if he wanted to write it down, I handed him paper and pen. He laughed, like I was a fool, and told me he'd remember.
They did not show up on the 8th of August as they were supposed to.
By noon I called Yani, the project manager, and he said they would be there eventually. They showed up in the afternoon to begin the demo.
All the supplies were delivered to our home and put in our garage. When they brought in the tile, I saw it and told them to stop. Which I have learned in Spanish it's 'detener.' Since no one spoke English, this was fun. The lead man, Meto, spoke English, but not well and he would sometimes drop his men off, so I was with men who only smiled at me. Frustrating as hell.
Thankfully Meto was here that day. I said, "Meto, that is blue tile and we picked out white marble with gray veining. The flooring was porcelain basket weave white and a light gray. You are to use unsanded grout that is light grey."
This floor tile is rough and a gray-blue. It's not what we wanted or ordered.
He called Yani. They discuss. Yani called me and said, "You ordered blue." He said this as if I was mentally challenged. I said, "Yani I would NEVER choose blue because it will look dated over time. I chose white with gray veining. Remember it was large oblong/rectangular tiles with points on both ends." He tells me I am mistaken but he will get new tile for me if I insist.
I insist.
He then calls me from a tile store showing me videos on his phone. I said, these are close, but they are porcelain. If we go this route to move this along, then I want my bill total to reflect the cheaper tile. He promises me it would indeed. I should have known better.
They begin. These guys would show up at 7:30a, sometimes 11am, who knew. Such fun for us right? They built a bench. I made peanut butter cookies that day and brought them into the bathroom for them. Then I saw the bench. It was so high I'd have to jump to get on it. I say this to them. They smile. I have Meto's number so I text him. Then I hear their phone ring and apparently he told them to stop until he returns. They sat and ate cookies.
Meto shows up and I show him the issue. While waiting for him Rick and I googled the correct height for a shower bench. It should be 17 to 19 inches maximum. I asked Meto if they could please put it down to 17 inches. He asked why this bothered me. I wanted to scream BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I WANT JUST DO IT DAMN IT. But, I did not. I said, "allow me to show you, I jumped to get my butt on it. I said that if I were wet that is dangerous and #2 is this - I lifted my left to show him me shaving my legs and how high it was. He laughed and said, "Oh I get it now" The men were not at all happy they had to tear it out and lower it 8 inches but too bad.
I'll leave a bunch out and jump to the tile work is completed and I see that there is a big square on the floor that is yellow. I show Meto. He says he can fix it and not have to call the tile guy. He gets the tile from the garage and comes out and says it's done. Rick and I go in and it's the wrong color grout. How does he not see that it is dark gray, almost black looking when the rest of the floor is very light gray. Rick tells him he can't live with that. I'm not happy but we can regrout it later was my thought. Rick is upset that this job was 24k and nothing is done correctly.
The next day they installed the frameless shower door. It is 2 ft too short. Yani measured it. What an idiot. So, they removed it and leave some nice holes in the new shower tile. The shower was complete just waiting on the door. (minus the wrong grout color in the middle of the floor) The 2nd shower door arrives and it's brushed nickel. No, the bathroom is all chrome. I paid for chrome, and I wanted chrome as did Rick. They ordered a 3rd door.
At this point it's Sept. I am so angry, but I continue to be nice and not a Karen, so they do their job and don't screw us. Meto called Yani and they are going at it on the phone. Next thing I know a guy named David calls and claims he is the owner. (online it's an Arabic name, perhaps David is his American name)
I tell David that we are most unhappy, Yani has done nothing but lie to us. He tells us communication is of the utmost importance, yet we can never reach him. He tells us he never got the call or text, or he was in a meeting, or his phone died. Always an excuse. I told him I did not want that man in my house again. David says I will make this right. I will reorder the door myself. He made a big deal of making this right and wanting us to be happy. I didn't believe him but went along hoping I was wrong.
Then he texted me to ask what kind of door. OH MY GOD.
I said frameless in chrome, and I said I have a picture of one from my previous home, something like that. I sent him the photo.
I then told him I would text him the punch list. (if you don't know what that is it is everything that they have yet to finish to be completed)
It stated in the contract that if they didn't receive one, we couldn't come back later and say it wasn't done.
David states that when the door arrives, he will come out to the house with the men as they install and go over all the issues and punch list.
He told me to text him when it arrived.
It arrived on Sept 22. I text him and he text back - STOP.
Just to be sure I text back, stop what?
Never heard from him again.
Now we are ghosted with the bathroom not being done. In the mean time while waiting on the door Rick tells me every time he is in the bedroom and I flush the hall toilet he can hear water in the shower. He is convinced they did not use a P-trap. Yeah, I don't know what that is either.
Rick insists on getting into the crawl space under the house to take photos and to see this for himself. The man could barely walk a block, his heart rate was 30 and he was gray. I did not wish for him to be in the crawl space, but the stubborn ass goes outside, and I followed. I told him I was holding his ankles and he laughed. I know the woman across the street must be wondering what the hell that was about. I'm sure it looked funny.
Rick got some good pics. We then call a plumber. The one we use in the neighborhood couldn't get to us as fast as we wanted to, so we called another. So that was more money put out for us. $110 for the estimate, photos, etc. Rick was indeed correct, no P trap, one pipe was too small into the correct size pipe, and one pipe was not in properly and it was escaping fumes. You know septic fumes which can be toxic.
There were more things incorrect as well. We saw all the photos.
The plumber said this could not have been done by a licensed plumber and asked if there were permits pulled. We assumed so because it was discussed before the contract was signed.
To fix all this would be $1,037 and change. $200 just for the permit. Great.
After the contractor told us to stop, we thought well we will just move along and finish this on our dime. Pissed but for the love of God Rick needs this and it's been since July that this was signed, and this is crazy.
The more we talked about this and read and reread the contract we had a fear that this company would put a lien on our home. We paid 18K and we owed money for the final payment. But if he subtracted the amount difference from the marble to the porcelain we'd be even or better.
Finally, we decided it was worth the pain in the ass to see an attorney. We found only 2 attorneys who deal with construction law. We called them both. 1 called us back. The other just called us yesterday. Too late lady.
The firm was in Garner where we live. We were happy about that. After speaking to the person she said the person who would handle this is in Smithfield. Oh no! was our first thought.
As we were driving to Smithfield for our appointment we were laughing and saying judgmental things like, Oh God I hope this isn't Matlock or worse. (Smithfield is a Podunk town far south of Raleigh of 11K people)
We did not have much hope. We were bringing all the color pictures from the plumber and our photos of what was done incorrectly, the contract, the list of things that they did not do, and what was done incorrectly.
Thankfully, we were just bad people being judgmental because he was great. Mr. W., we will call him, was young, he stated 39 at one point in our conversation. He did not have an accent so we could understand him, which we were thrilled about. He was so very helpful.
He explained things so we could understand. He answered all our questions and then some. He asked to read all my texts to Yani and David. He told me I was nice and nicer than he'd have been. But all of that was in our favor so he was happy to see that I was so nice. (I'm not)
The bottom line is that it is best to let it go.
The company has 120 days to put a lien on our home for the last payment we did not make. 120 days from our last contact (the text telling me to stop) However, the attorney said they would be foolish to do so because what you owe is about what they owe you in the difference in marble to porcelain. The money to get the work done, the plumber, the door installed, and the baseboard and the quarter round wouldn't be enough to fight this. (about 3K) Better to let it go he said. To fight it his retainer is 5K. @#$%!
Now if they do put a lien on our home, they have to procure (sp?) it.
He said that in his experience and his firms, this has never happened.
With our friggin' luck, it would but we are going to go with it won't and be optimistic even though we have no reason to be. LOL
So, I called the plumber to schedule the job. The owner tells me without going to the county inspector and filing a complaint stating they were unlicensed; he can't do the job. I said I don't think I can do that. I called the county inspector; I asked if the company would know it was us. He told me that they would indeed know it was us by the address. Our names would not be used. I then called the attorney and asked his thoughts on this. Rick and I felt we shouldn't do that until our 120 days are up. The attorney called back and said, "No, don't do that. I assume the plumber won't do it for liability reasons, but then find another plumber."
Oh, for Pete's Sake.
So now we must begin looking for a new plumber. Will this bathroom ever be done?
I'm leaving a lot out. Hard to imagine right?
Like the stress we are under isn't enough.
I would love to leave some reviews on this company but again the attorney says not to until my 120 days are completed. Why poke the bear?
Are we having fun yet?
Oh, oh, get this. That gorgeous marble tile showed up on the 23rd of September after we were told to stop. We had them send it back in fear that he would charge us. We were tempted to keep it and sell it. It is so gorgeous, and Rick kept saying, let's keep it. I reminded him that he could charge us do we really wish to go through that? We kept one piece in case we needed to show them, or an attorney and the man took it away.
