It was one of those nights you know? The kind where you fall asleep by 1am, but are wide awake at 3:30am…stay up til close to 5:30am before falling asleep again, and at 8am? Roofers start pounding! >_<
Now, the pounding is not anything I am upset about, it’s something I’m grateful for, because it means this roof is just about on. And getting this far has been a bit of a fiasco! And it’s been in such flux that I haven’t even attempted to post about it, afraid that the situation would be completely different the next day!
Contractor #1 – Nice guy…gave him 1/2 the money up front to buy supplies…they did all the pre-roofing work of removing the old shingles, removing the skylights, replacing the damaged plywood, did a TERRIBLE job of reframing the inside where the skylights were…like…this area of 2X4’s hangs 1/2” below where all the other studs and supports are…how are we supposed to sheetrock over THIS?! ((As Quilters, we worry about things being 1/4” off? Boards that hang 1/2” farther down than the rest of the room is a PROBLEM, Y’all!))
And ---- we sit! For a MONTH ---- with NO ROOF, no phone call, no nothing. And it’s the rainy season, and things are leaking in that sun-room when it rains.
Finally, a call to Contractor #1 gets through ((after many attempts)) and we find he hasn’t even ORDERED the roofing supplies yet that we paid for! So let’s just say that DH blows a gasket and we part ways with Contractor #1, and he charges us only for the work he has completed, albeit not that great, and we are on to Contractor #2.
After much searching around and looking for reputable contractors, DH decides that we are NOT going to get a metal roof after all --- they are booked too far out, we need a roof NOW, and so we are going back to shingle. Okay fine. By this time I don’t care, just get a roof on.
Contractor #2 ---Asks us to purchase the supplies, and they will pick them up. Shingles are purchased at Lowes, and the next day when contractor goes to pick them up…..half of them are missing. Lowes sold them out from under us after we had already paid for them. This delayed the job ---DH had to go get a refund for the missing shingles from Lowes, and then go to another Lowes to purchase them…..and now we are at the END of this contractor's list since we missed our window of opportunity or some such thing. Plus they don't have any trucks available to get the shingles, we have to pay to have them delivered….whatever it is…DH already has a short fuse, and he fires contractor #2. *SIGH*
In the mean time we have a boat load of shingles being delivered by Lowes…but no contractor! And come to find out from the delivery driver that THAT Lowes was also short on the shingles we had ordered and paid for and he had to go to a third Lowes to fill in the order!
Thanks to a referral from a work buddy, Contractor #3 stepped on the job right away and the whole crew has been super. They show up on time, they work hard, they get the job done….Only…..
We ran short on shingles! So the job stopped early on Saturday --- yesterday was Sunday ---and here they are this morning at 8am on the dot to finish up.
You probably can’t tell, but this is what I saw Saturday evening after returning home…the whole left side is done….and on the right side, in the trees, you’ll see a step-board they were standing on. It’s quite a steep roof! Above the step board is where we were short on shingles.
They are getting that job done, and I must say these shingles REALLY look nice. They’ve got a 30 year warranty…..and I’m happy to have the job done, no matter how badly I wanted a red metal roof on my cottage in the woods!
It’s pretty steep up there! And he is balancing on just the peak of the roof! Yes, it’s a blurry pic, but the sun was shining pretty brightly as well and I think the cam focused on the gutter, not the guy! Next up? New Gutters. Our house was built in the 70s and I think everything ON this house is VINTAGE! When you have lots of trees, as we do, there is always debris and stuff that gets in the gutters unless you have the kind that have guards on them…..
As for me? Guess what I spent part of last evening doing? Of course I should have been busy with other things, but OH! I have an idea I want to try! so out came the string basket, and I started pulling out all the brown/rust ones!
What a fun mess to play with! Does it look like it could actually turn INTO anything? We shall see! And the other question is....what to make with the rest of the crumbs/strings that are around here? I think I could sew with them for the rest of my life and never deplete them! But I love the challenge, and I have no intention of ditching them.....I'll just keep working on sewing them up into something.
Oh, and please send some good thoughts this way. DS Jeff left yesterday to go to Columbia SC --- He has a friend who may have an “in” on a job for him. He wants to move out, get a job, get on with his life. ((!!!)) I am fully aware this is only the first step and that revolving door may revolve around a few more times, but at least he is showing some motivation on getting his life in GEAR!!!
29 comments:
Bonnie,
So sorry you've had all that trouble with your roof. We just got our floors finished and it took longer than expected, but my husband was doing them at night.
I inherited all of my grandmother's scraps and I have a large laundry basket full of strips and scraps, all vintage material. Little by little my daughter and I are going through and ironing them (I had to wash them all...oh what fun). Haven't decided what I'm going to do with them. I look forward to seeing what you are going to do with yours.
Builders, roofers, and anyone in the construction business is hurting around here... hard to believe that folks up your way are messing with you like that... word of mouth means something.
Glad your work is finally getting done.... I know you will be relieved when it's all over!
Sorry that you had such bad luck with the roofers. But they say third time is a charm. The roof looks good, hope the gutter installation goes well also.
I will be sending positive thoughts your son's way, that he will be successful in his job pursuit. It is hard to see them struggle.
Glad you're finally getting that roof on. Your post just reminded me that no matter how desperate we get to find a house, we will NOT build!
Roofer are notorious for flying by the seat of their pants. As you experienced hard to find a reliable one. Same goes for gutter installers.
Waiting to see what you do with the strings...
Having a husband in the construction business with a crew that does NOT advertise, "word of mouth" is EVERYTHING!!! I often find myself worrying about things that don't even come to his mind (ie: if he hasn't been able to get to a job in a couple of days because materials haven't arrived, if he's been in contact with the homeowner while he's off working on other jobs.)
Your first contractor-----ANNOYANCE and frustration is expected. Very uncalled for.
Your second contractor experience----sadly happens all too often that the supplier causes frustrations for everyone :0(
I'm glad you were finally able to find a crew who got busy right away!
Sorry to read about all those troubles, but what a beautiful house and setting looks very inspirational. Love reading these blogs, about your life and quilting and inspirations.
So glad your roof is about done. I'd be about DONE if I'd had all of those problems. When we're looking for a contractor for any type of work I send an email out to the girls in my quilt guilds asking for recomendations...and names of anyone they have had unfavorable results with. I figure if they are happy with them it's a very good starting place. As to your gutters, My husband replaced ours when we put in our new windows and siding (yep, we did it ourselves). The new ones are the better quality vinyl that are sold at Lowes...and I wish I had my old aluminum ones back. These have too much flex, and sag even thouh they are installed as per manufacturers instructions. MR just didn't want to have to paint the old ones. Now I think we're going to have to replace these, ARGH! Good luck with yours.
I'll keep your son in my prayers. It is good that he is taking another step towards his future. It can be so hard in these economic times. I still have concerns for my son. Work is hard to find where he lives in TX.
My husband "built" our house--subcontracting out whatever he didn't feel he could do, so we have been this route on So-o-o-o many things. Just getting bids to finish the last bathroom. Both of us are tired of the whole thing and want to hire someone to do it, but my DH can't stand to pay someone to do what he knows he can do himself and I don't know if I am up to the battle again.
Good news about your son. Hope the momentum keeps him going in the right direction!
The roof on half our house is 16 years old. We built the addition to the house and put the roof on ourselves. The other half of the house was what we bought and we re-roofed it ourselves about 4 years ago. But someday in the not too distant future, we would like to have the whole house re-roofed with metal roofing. I hope we have an easier time getting it done than you have had!
So glad to hear your son seems to be taking some steps to get on with the business of becoming a responsible adult. Do you think your being on the road so much lately may have influenced him....mom's not their to keep him company or take care of him at all?
Oh Bonnie..good for you and good for your son. First steps are always slow and before long they are running!!
Soooo now that the outside is about done... how is the inside of the ceiling?
Yeah for DS... making that first step is a problem sometimes... but you know, it can be just like when they were babies... with baby steps! Here's hopeing that is keeps moving forward!
Even your string look orgainzed! See your doing great.... and it's only Monday!
Good thoughts headed Jeff's way. Hope it all works out for him and that he can be on his way to being an "adult." (not that it's always all it's cracked up to be :))
The shingles look good...but wow, going through two contractors before you find a good one...be sure to write his name down somewhere & send him all the business you can.
I've about decided to throw out the crumbs. I have enough other stuff to last the rest of my natural life and keeping those little things is making me feel like a hoarder.
Been there done that with the roof. Frustrating! Glad it is done. My new theory on kids. When they leave home, move, burn the house down and leave no forwarding address. Well maybe in my next life.
Our roof is about 20 years old and the warranty is running out. We thought about a metal roof too but they want way too much.
So glad to hear Jeff is on his way! It's been a long road.
Congrats on the Aussie magazine; hopefully I'll be able to find it locally.
Do you know anything about the quilt pattern that Janet O. has on her blog? It's called Eye Fooler but it looks so familiar. Do you know it by another name?
Thanks,
E
Yahoo on the roof, a new project, and Jeff's step in the right direction! Celebrating with you and sending continued prayers. We need a new roof too and I have my heart set on tin too, however, I am afraid we'll run into construction chaos like you did. Sigh.
Glad that you are under roof. Hope your construction woes are behind you now.
Sending good thoughts to your son. Hope he finds some work and gets up and moving.
The shingle shortage is probably due to all the tornado damage--I'll bet Lowe's diverted a lot of supplies like that to the areas that were hard hit by tornadoes.
HUMMMM..... strings and crumbs.
Sounds like a recipie for another great scrap quilt.
I see that your strings get kinda messy in sorting. I bet the kitties love (would love) to help you dig through them. I cannot leave mine out that way as Bess likes to eat loose threads.
XOXOXO Subee
Bonnie, you are great, i love reading you almost every day!
Your fun, patience, and woman life as many of us give me smile! Thank you from a french quilter! And please continue share.
Sophie
Oh man.....I hate that stuff.......just do your job!
Oh I hope things work out for your son.
Happy scrappy sewing
That IS a very steep roof! Boo hiss on Lowe's for selling merchandise that you already paid for. They should have been responsible for re-assembling the order for you and throw in free delivery in the name of good customer service. I got a much needed new roof over my bedroom annex this month! The things we celebrate, LOL! Best wishes to Jeff. Cheers! Evelyn
Hi, after all that awful drama with the roof, I hope you give a big "public" shout out for the good guys It's the bad ones that everyone remembers!!
Love your blog and follow you everyday!
I'm keeping my fingers crossed on the job for DS.
And I thought I was the only one who had weird sleeping habits. Last night went to bed at 11 woke up at 3, fell asleep at 4 and had to get up at 6 for work. Is it age????? Or menopause??? What I thought I was over that
I am so happy for you that Jeff is 'getting a move on'! I know that was a tremendous weight on your shoulders! Yippee, and we're crossing our fingers for that job opportunity!
Congrats on the roof....finally! Keep that #3 guy on your speed dial! Don't lose him! He's definitely a keeper!
So sorry to hear about the troubles you have had with your roof. A few observations from a relatively new North Carolinian- 1. Contractors work when they feel like it, at a very slow place, and not a second more. 2. Whatever is easiest for them is what you get. 3. Figure 20 years behind the times on all materials and workmanship. i.e. A home built in the '90s is like a home built in the '70s in the North. 4. Forget about anyone actually returning a phone call in a timely manner.
man oh man, what an issue for you with the roofers!!! I would have been hopping mad at this stage..glad they are working out now..and you know..my son took a while but he doing great now..i wish your son the same!!
cheers
I think one of the best things about being married is that DH has a shorter fuse for workman than I. This translates into me just having to stand back and watch him go off when needed. Its a very handy system.
Good for your DS!
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