Wanna see my kitchen?

[Rain Man]

And my attic, too. Photos attached.

[StcChief]

Originally Posted by bogie

Holy crap. Your architect might want to invest in a tape measure? Who will be re-working the cabinets to make the frig fit? Who will be paying for that?

so your remodel was her first paying gig. OJT at it's best....


As long as they haven't been paid you have leverage.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by SLAG02

so was it splinters and air matresses or NASA's best Sleep Number Craftmatic Adjustable Waterbed?

Operation Bedroom Winch was a great success, other than my wife's disapproval of the code name Operation Bedroom Winch. It was particularly successful for me because the construction guys did it before I could get home to help. I was pleased that I didn't have to do anything, but at the same time I would've liked to have seen them do it.

The cabinet thing is quite frustrating. I honestly can't go back on my incompetent architect on all of it, because she got escorted to a seat by the window weeks ago. The decision to cut that critical three inches out of the cabinet was mine. (However, one of the cabinet doors still wouldn't have worked even with her original design, and I had to cut out the three inches because of another design weakness on our drawings.)

I'm optimistic that we can lose a day and shuffle the refrigerator and the pantry, which are right next to each other. If they can be reversed, we have no problem. Right now, I think that'll be possible and hopefully not even that hard, but I haven't heard back from the cabinet people to confirm. We're using pre-fab cabinet boxes that are being custom-installed, and it looks to me like we can remove about six feet of cabinetry and reverse it without having to replace materials. I sure hope so.

[Rain Man]

4 months ago

Granite saleswoman: May I help you?

Me: I want to buy granite countertops.

(Conversation ensues.)

Me: I want the backsplash to look like this. It's kind of unusual. Can you do that?

Granite saleswoman: Yes.

Me: Then we have a deal.



1 month ago

Granite cutter: Here's your granite. How do you want it cut?

Me: Like this.

(Conversation ensues.)

Me: And I want the backsplash cut like this. It's kind of unusual. I want to make sure you understand exactly what I want.

Granite cutter: You don't have a backsplash on your order.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite cutter: No you don't.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite cutter: No you don't.

(Calls ensue to granite saleswoman, messed-up stuff gets fixed.)

Me: I'm going to send you a drawing that details exactly what I want on this.



2 weeks ago

Granite measuring guy: I'm here to measure for your countertops.

Me: Cool.

(Measuring ensues.)

Me: Are you clear about how we want the backsplashes to be installed? They're kind of unusual.

Granite measuring guy: You don't have a backsplash on your order.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite cutter: No you don't.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite cutter: No you don't.

(Calls ensue to granite saleswoman and granite cutter, messed-up stuff gets fixed.)


Yesterday.

Wife: The granite got installed today.

Me: How does it look?

Wife: It looks great! But why is there no backsplash?

Me: There's no backsplash?

Wife: No.

(Ring, ring.)

Granite installer: Hello?

Me: Why is there no backsplash?

Granite installer: You don't have a backsplash on your order.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite installer: No you don't.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite installer: No you don't.

(Ring, ring.)

Granite cutter: Hello?

Me: Where are my freaking backsplashes?

Granite cutter: What backsplashes?

Me: The backsplashes on my order! The backsplashes that we talked about in detail and that I sent you the detailed drawing for! I want my freaking backsplashes!

Granite cutter: You don't have a backsplash on your order.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite cutter: No you don't.

Me: Yes I do.

Granite cutter: No you don't.

Me: Look at the fax that I sent you. The one with the drawings.

Granite cutter: What fax?

(Ring, ring)

Granite saleswoman: Hello?

Me: You stupid, ugly, piece of feces! I want my freaking backsplash! I want it now! NOW!

Granite saleswoman: Who is this?

Me: It's Rain Man! RAIN MAN! I WANT MY *******, ********, ********* BACKSPLASH! NOW! OR I'M GOING TO COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND STRANGLE YOU WITH A PAIR OF YOUR OWN PANTY HOSE! NOW!

Granite saleswoman: You don't have a backsplash on your order.

Me: ************** ********** ****** YOU AND YOUR UNBORN CHILDREN! ****** AND YOUR MOTHER AND ******* AND A BUCKET OF FRIED CHICKEN! ****** ****** *******! *****!

Granite saleswoman: I'll look into it.

(Ring, ring)

Me: Hello?

Granite installer: Hey...uh...your order didn't show that you were getting a backsplash, so we didn't load it. We found it in the warehouse where it had already been cut, and we'll install it today.

Me: ****** YOU! *******! ****** - oh, wait. That's fine.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Granite saleswoman: May I help you?

[Dartgod]

You're like some kind of incompetent moron magnet, aren't you?

Originally Posted by Dartgod

You're like some kind of incompetent moron magnet, aren't you?

This industry is full of them - including myself at times. There's a million details one needs to be aware of while remodeling. Some of them inevitably slip through the cracks. The mark of a professional is how well he or she can adapt to these challenges.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

You're like some kind of incompetent moron magnet, aren't you?

This is a whole train of incompetent morons. It's like I fell through a looking glass into a land where everyone is incompetent.

Oh, and I just got a call from the granite saleswoman. She says that it's going to cost an additional $445 for the backsplash because she never had it on our original order. I'm going to find out where she lives and slash her tires.

[StcChief]

Granite installer: Hey...uh...your order didn't show that you were getting a backsplash, so we didn't load it. We found it in the warehouse where it had already been cut, and we'll install it today.

Somebody got the FAX....just happened to be the person that needed it.
You got lucky.

These folks sound like they could F'UP a One car parade.

[Hoover]

I hate all contractors.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Phobia

The mark of a professional is how well he or she can adapt to these challenges.

This is where the incompetent part of the moniker comes from.

[bogie]

I had a similar incident with custom windows. Unfortunately, this happens quite a bit when you custom order things. If you can use stock items, it will prevent quite a bit of hair pulling. Has your chandelier arrived?

[patteeu]

Dang, Rainman. What did you do to deserve this kind of karma? I hope the rest of the project goes more smoothly. Are you sleeping in the new bedroom now?

[InChiefsHeaven]

This part of the thread is worthless without pics...

[Rain Man]

Here's the letter that I just faxed to GRANITE DEPOT:

Granite Depot

To Management:

I am enclosing an authorization for additional charges to my credit card to obtain the backsplashes that have been part of my order for months, despite the fact that I disagree strongly with the additional charges. Please know that, due to the extremely poor service that I have experienced with your company, this authorization will be valid ONLY if the backsplashes are cut and installed to the specifications that I have given to both the installer and to Victor Marble. I have been told that the backsplashes were cut according to those specifications, and I will need to see it with my own eyes before I believe it, since I have become accustomed to having my work done improperly by Granite Depot.

As background, we initially purchased granite from your company for our countertops several months ago. At the time, we discussed the backsplashes with your sales staff, and we received a price for installation that was represented as including our complete order.
We then met with Victor Marble to handle the templating, and they said that they did not receive notice that a backsplash was included. I had to correct it on the spot, and detailed both verbally and in writing what we were expecting.

The measurement person then came out to template the countertops, and when we confirmed the backsplash with him, he said that he had not received any notice that a backsplash was included. We had to explain it again.

The countertops were installed yesterday, and no backsplash was included. Victor Marble once again informed us that they had no paperwork documenting the backsplash. Presumably they needed something from Granite Depot, since I had already spoken with them and sent a notice in writing.

I am now being told that you wish to charge me an additional $445 to install the backsplash, or to use the words of your salesperson, “slap it up”. I have spent quite a bit of time correcting your errors on this problem, and it will cost me even more money to have the contractor present to have the backsplashes installed. This is not merely Granite Depot’s error; it is your repeated error that I have repeatedly attempted to fix, apparently with no success. I recognize that mistakes happen sometimes, but good companies fix the problems.

I will offer you a choice on this matter. If you feel that you really deserve the $445 in payment to fix your own repeated errors, then you can charge my account. If you do so, I will also inform my contractor and my architect of my bad experience with Granite Depot, and I will recommend against any other people I know making a purchase from Granite Depot. I should note that I am a consultant and one of my clients is a homebuilding association and another is a developer, so I know quite a few contractors. Or if you prefer, you can do the fair thing and fix your error and install the backsplash at no charge. If you do that, I still cannot speak positively of my experience with Granite Depot, but I will pledge to not speak negatively of your company. It’s your choice.

At any rate, please be advised that I will ONLY authorize this additional $445 if the backsplash was indeed cut to my specifications and is installed correctly.

Rain Man

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by bogie

Has your chandelier arrived?

No.