Ok, so I've mentioned we had to have the phone line run from the corner of our subdivision to our property. We requested this back in July. We mentioned it several times to our property neighbors - mostly mentioned because months were going by and still not getting done. But we also said we had asked the telephone company about how they bring it in, as of course, no one would want them digging up neighbors paved driveway! No, they dig underneath it, we were told, and we told neighbors this.
So, without notice, but a phone call Tuesday morning from tele co that they were there (actually it was a subcontractor company teleco uses for this work). DH was out there for a bit, talking with them, but their "boring" machine that would go underneath the paved driveway broke. So DH came home. Last evening we got an email from property neighbors saying "we were so surprised to see teleco out there! They didn't call and tell us they were coming! But, while they were there M worked out a deal to get them to dig our ditches for the walnut grove trees we want to plant on our lot on the other side of us (they own first two lots)." I replied back we didn't know they'd be there today either, but we've only been trying to get them out there since July!
DH goes back out there yesterday morning and they were just finishing up. DH was really happy with how they "cleaned it up", even leaving the neighbors area looking better than it did. The lead guy (it's his company) says well, ya we try to.....but your neighbor wasn't too happy about us being here. Dh was like huh? WHY? Apparently after DH left there Tuesday, neighbor guy came home, screeched up to a stop and starts yelling at them "what are you doing on my property?! get off my property!". Well, FIRST off they were not on HIS property - they were in the Utilities Easement of the road in front of the 7 lots, where they have every right to be! They had bore (or were in the process at the time) underneath his driveway to pull the phone lines through to get them down to our property, as of course they would have to do (and eventually for all the lots). There is no other way. The lead guy says they deal with that kind of attitude and response from people all the time, so to appease him they agreed to dig the ditches for his trees! OMG! WTH?!! What is wrong with people? So neighbor didn't "make a deal" (as we assumed wife had meant he paid them a bit, since they were already out there on our job) - No, he bullied his way into making them feel like they had to appease him. That is total crap in our book. We do not operate that way at all. DH was pretty flabbergasted to hear this about our neighbor.
Tuesday, when DH was talking with the lead guy about who's building our house and who's doing the excavating, he says "so you're using H Co?" DH says well, I've asked for a bid......(wondering how he knew this?). Then yesterday morning, as DH is talking to him, DH asks him what all type of work his company does? do they do excavating type work too? He said yes, they do it all, even the rock retaining wall. DH says "well, if you are interested I'd love for you to give me a bid" He says well, if you are using H Co, he's actually a good friend of mine and I wouldn't want to step on his toes/local work for him (this guy is from city). DH says ya, speaking of H Co, how did you know I wanted to use him? "well, you told me" DH thinks to himself "um...no I didn't....". So, then DH says well, to be honest I have called H Co twice now and the first time he said he'd call me back Fri (two week ago) or Mon (last week) and he didn't and I let it go because it was holiday week. Then I called him again Monday and he was supposed to meet me out here yesterday and didn't and has never called me back. I'm not going to beg someone to take my money. So, I've already got another company coming out Saturday to give me a bid, and if you want to bid it, feel free. DH gave him a copy of his site drawing and he gave DH his business card. He got an email last night that they want to bid it.
This is a weird place to live..........LOL.
When things are going horribly wrong and not the contractor's fault at all, I have had guys do work for me just to help me. I was just about in tears and stressed, so they just "helped me out." Their idea, not mine, and I was not angry or demanding, just upset at what had happened or was about to happen. Once, a city employee came back on a Sat for four hours of his time.
ReplyDeletelike DH said today - this company that did all the free work to dig those ditches for their trees...you can darn well be sure it will now be padded in their bid to us...
Delete