And ??? !!!

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And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

This is a RANT given THIS is my bedroom at 3:30pm today. I spent the entire weekend cleaning out and clearing out ALL the closets, taking down all the pictures and getting all the furniture moved out the bedroom as the Flooring Installers were due to arrive 8am this morning.

8318

8317

So far they're a no-show. MORE than annoying and frustrating that not only are they a no show they've not called me nor have they answered when I called them.

This was a 2 and a half day job scheduled over the past couple of weeks with them making three other trips here to initially see and bid the job, come and unload and stack the flooring + check the moisture content and then arrive again last week when I notified them I had all the carpeting out (so they could see what was underneath it all). We settled specifically on today Tuesday as yesterday was a holiday here and we specifically talked this date given they were going to be gone all next week.

Sadly, unfortunately here cause we don't have lots to pick and chose from (in other words I can't tell them go fly a kite as there is nobody else readily available to fill in). This leave the Consumer often at their mercy and many Tradesmen are well aware they can essentially hold you for ransom by going really slow, never finishing a job and/or doing a sloppy job. Short of taking them to Court (which are non-responsive) and PROVING they DELIBERATELY messed up doing your job you just have to grin and bear it.

NOT Happy given the past couple weeks of prep work. Just hope they arrive 8am tomorrow morning prepared to get on with it! :dv :xx :dv


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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Horus »

Never mind :( bet it will be nice when its finished :up
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

The carpets are old, grey and of a commercial variety - like what you'd find in an office. They'll never wear out but they are starting to wrinkle on the floor so need re-stretching. Cause they're a plain dull grey they match nothing as I'm much more earth tones of shades of brown and green.

Am so annoyed at these workmen. You can never tell here who is going to actually show up and do the job and who won't.

I understand all the guys who do seasonal yard work. Most of them are simply a strong back and have no steady job or a work ethic but once you get into the trades I'd think there should be an expectation of, at least, showing up when agree. You can't get a paper contract here (and even if you did it wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on as it would cost an arm + leg to enforce it).

Annoyed big time.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

So to further the saga I went to the office and nobody there. Closed up without a light on......interestinger and interestinger.......BUT.......I've now called two other Businesses. One fellow is coming this evening around 5pm-ish no his way home. The other got left a VM.

I'm done with the first guy. He made three trips and the last with his employee to check the floor once the carpet was up to assess and see if he needed to do anything with it. Found two areas he thought might squeak so was going to screw down the plywood prior to putting the hardwood on top of it. Just a bit baffling why when we had specific dates and 3 home visits (if not four I've lost count) he was a no-show.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Grandad »

LLL, I can see all the packs of boards in your room. I assume you had to order them (and pay for them ) in advance of the floorers coming. Are they solid timber or interlocking laminate?
:gg:
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@Grandad - it is hardwood - Jatoba. The rest of the house is a hard wood and, whilst I tried, I couldn't find a laminate the would match up with the main part of the house. The entire downstairs will be a different story and that is going to be interlocking laminate ;)

The flooring installers came soon as the wood arrived and came back two more times to check it and see the bedroom floor without the carpet. They also saw the bed was dragged into the living room etc. And we both agreed to a specific date which was entered etc.

I did get another Installer and he'll be here on the 17th......definitely NOT happy with the other group. IF we had a Better Business Bureau or some mechanism to lodging a complaint I'd do it. Mostly I want to know WHY a bona fide company who I've communicated with by phone, email and in person just suddenly totally dried up and disappeared. I'd checked with the guys at the three building stores here and they all knew of this Installer and gave him a thumbs up so ???

As per a Better Business Bureau/BBB- we do have one (online anyway) but they don't really do anything. Businesses can join them voluntarily but most do not and unless a business is a member the BBB they keep no files and take no complaints on them. Really hard to check out a Company here - it all has to go by word of mouth.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

:D :D :D NOON Today :D :D :D

8333

Finally!!

The fellow and his wife who was his hired helper for the day finished just before 9pm this evening. Took him 12 hours to do the whole room but he took another job for tomorrow. They did take a lunch break and his wife explained to me that this time of year is their busy time and they hate to turn down any jobs because what they make now has to carry them through winter when work is scarce.

This I completely understand and I was fine with them working straight through 'til the job completed. I'd of been happy if they finished at MIDNIGHT so long as I can finally get everything back together vs having it strewn throughout the house. This job was one room so not a big job and if the fellow had a chance to fit in another job next day and make himself extra by working long hours - well - I actually admire that :)

On a sad note I have still never heard from the original Flooring Installer who was a no-show and left me somewhat stranded but I have heard via the community informal grapevine that his daughter died apparently of a fentanyl overdose. I haven't confirmed officially nor have I tried but it would explain his sudden disappearance and extremely tragic for him and his family if indeed his daughter did OD. I'd guess-timate this man at maybe late 40ies to early 50ies so his daughter could be anywhere from a teenager to maybe 30-ish. Such a tragedy if she did pass due to drugs. Can't imagine how this will affect the family forever. Very sad and I do feel for the man.

Will have the camera out for full photos tomorrow!! ;)
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Grandad »

That is looking like a really nice floor LLL. I laid laminate through the hall, kitchen and living room. My wife likes it because she has a steam cleaner and it is easy to keep looking good. We just have carpet in the extension (sitting/TV room, and on the stairs).
:gg:
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Horus »

Yes that does look really nice LLL, it can look really good in the right sort of room. I have never been a fan of it in my living room, I did once fit it in the kitchen but it suffered from a water leak that caused it to lift in one area, although the more modern stuff is proofed against that. Depending on the room it can make it sound hollow when there are no carpets to deaden the sound, especially with pets about, they clacking of doggy toe nails would drive you mad. :lol:
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Kiya »

It looks really nice :) .................& I do like the way they have covered your skirten boards to save marking , don't see that happening here when laying stuff.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

The finished floor :) Am very happy with it and even the bare playwood floor looked better than the old industrial grey carpet that has been laid throughout this house.

8334

Now to move to RANT #2!! I swear when it rains it pours.

I searched for two years or so since moving in here for flooring for the bedrooms. The main part of the house upstairs is this called "Exotic Brazillian Cherry" aka Jatoba. Trying to find this now is next to impossible and the cost - well just close your eyes and shudder. I tried contrasting flooring but that didn't work then one day I was just sitting and Googling and came across a Company back east in Ontario who had this in stock, same basic stuff and very reasonably (actually cheaply) priced.

Long story short "the plan" was to order and get enough for the one Bedroom cause I was kinda ordering sight unseen and their price with shipping was less than half of what I could buy it for here and if it looked ok (and it looks fantastic and IS a match) I'll get more for the other two bedrooms. The shipping is based on weight (i.e. .89 cents per pound so two orders is the same as one order).

The above being said YESTERDAY when the Floor Layer was here I get an URGENT email from the place I bought the flooring from saying I OWE another $126!!! because apparently when the wood was delivered to the house "I" didn't unload it myself directly from the truck which initiated the Driver having to use the tailgate - a COST of $75 and because he pushed the wood all shrink wrapped on a pallet about 10' into my garage that was another $26!!!

:xx :xx :xx

I explained that the Driver got out the truck said 'where do you want this?' I pointed to the garage and he said 'ok' and then asked me to sign the paper saying it was the receipt for the wood being delivered. Never muttered one word that I was signing for these extra charges!!!

So - was on the phone to the Primary Shipper back east. Will admit that man was VERY Customer friendly, explained the "TGC" which was beside where I signed for receipt of the wood meant in TRUCKER/SHIPPER LINGO that I was signing for the TAIL GATE CHARGE. He explained they contract out that and he has no control over Local Shippers, the charge is unfortunate, sadly I signed it ........ etc etc etc.

I said I paid for "Curbside Delivery" and he said "yes" and most people avoid this $126 charge by way of "hand bombing" the shipment off the truck themselves at the curb!!!

I said HOW was I supposed to do that when it was 1000+ pounds of wood flooring shrink wrapped on a pallet?!?!?!?! And definitely asserted this is nothing but a SCAM and that I would follow this up 'til the ends of time!

What was MISSING for all this is WHO IS/WAS this LOCAL SHIPPER?!?!?! From Memory the truck was a plain white box cube truck and I didn't get a copy of the delivery receipt as it all seemed an innocuous signature saying I got the wood. The Primary Shipper was to get back to me with this info so am expecting a call today.

Problem is the Shipper is NOT charging ME but IS going after the Company I bought the Wood from who is asking ME for payment.......

NOTHING is ever SIMPLE but this entire Tail Gate Charge is ridiculous. IF it is truly a charge it should have been included from the get go and I'd of been none the wiser OR if it was explained when the guy was in the driveway - well - It probably would have been an argument as the amount charged IMO is ridiculous!

Is it just me or does nothing seem to be straight forward anymore?
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Horus »

So technically as you had not signed anything to say how quickly you would have to unload the vehicle once it arrived, then you could have in theory taken all day to take off the timber one handlable piece at a time all by yourself. Now that would have cost the carrier more money in lost time and involved his driver and vehicle being out of service until you had finished the task of unloading if you had not used the tail lift, I would ask to see a copy of what length of time is stated for unloading purposes in the terms and conditions of their delivery.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I do intend to purchase more flooring for the other two bedrooms. Next time the carrier comes to deliver I wonder if their Insurance covers ME climbing up onto and into their truck, unwrapping the wood and then climbing up and down as I piece by piece unload it. It is also really heavy so I hope they have coverage IF I should fall off the truck, hurt myself lifting the wood etc...........

On another note - the primary Shipper was supposed to call me back today with the Company name of the local company. The truck was white and I don't recall seeing a name on it (not that I was looking for one cause I'd already paid for delivery of the wood to my house). By this afternoon I email this fellow and reminded him I'm waiting and then intimated that if I don't get it it isn't going to look like they cooperated with me when I connect with the Better Business Bureau(s), Transportation Canada Ministry, Licensing, Chamber of Commerce and any other place I can think of.......

I was born with a terrible sense of "right" and of falling on my sword on principle IF I think there is/was an injustice. I also realize that some people are not able to stand up for themselves and, unfortunately or not, I have the ability to go on and on and on and on and on IF I feel I've been wronged. In this case I believe this was nothing short of a complete SCAM and I will cost them more in time dealing with me than the paltry $126 they've charged.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Horus »

Go for it LLL, there is nothing worse than feeling you have been scammed. :xx
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

If it truly is a common policy practice to gouge Consumers $75 to lower a tail gate then $26 to guide a motorized pallet on a totally flat area like 6' AFTER you've already paid an arm and a leg to have a delivery to your home I'm gonna go for it. It isn't the $$ it is the principle that I'd already paid and the Driver said 'nada' to me about extra charges. I 'signed' for the delivery NOT as an acknowledgement I agreed to pay $126 EXTRA.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Ruby Slippers »

LLL, I absolutely love your choice of flooring! :up
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@RS - Thank you. I didn't pick it per se I just matched it to what is already through the house. The biggest task that took the longest was getting the original flooring identified. None of the stores here carry it anymore so I couldn't match the wood (I had a few pieces from around the fireplace I took off) to anything in the stores now.

Finally I'd given a piece to a Flooring Installer as he was going down island to Victoria. He checked there and they old him it was "Brazilian Cherry" and/or "Jatoba." I believe it is one of the hardest woods going.

Took a long time to find out what it was and then an even longer time finding a place that sold it. This new stuff is nice but it doesn't have nearly the variation of colours in it the older flooring has.
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by Mad Dilys »

LLL I was chortling while reading your rants as you are so much like me! The trouble is though it never bothers the accused as much as us, no matter what lengths we go to. ;)
Smile! It confuses people
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Re: And ??? !!!

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

@MD - I hear ya. "I" am the one whose blood pressure is raising up while the rest of the world is happily just walking about whistling a happy tune! ;)
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