The Window Struggle Is Real: First company sent a total flake. I suspect she may no longer be employed there, but I never heard from her manager either, which is a pity because I liked him and liked the windows.
The second company stood me up completely. After 45 minutes of no-show, I called their office. A woman told me that “they” were actually doing an “open house” and was I sure I wasn’t supposed to take my own measurements and go there?
I was quite sure I was not supposed to do that. She looked it up and said that Tiffany, Brittany, whatever, had indeed booked an appointment on a day that she shouldn’t have, because open house at showroom. She really was nice and empathetic when I vented at her that I was ready to buy windows and can’t find a damn window company that has any basic professionalism.
I made it clear that I didn’t blame HER at all, I was just venting, and she got it when I said I was not ready to reschedule with them, because Jesus, I lost half a Saturday Waiting for Window Godot. (If you got that, you might have been an English major.)
Seriously, this should not be this difficult. I am not remodeling, I am replacing. I am far from fussy. I want windows that keep the weather out and can open and close. That’s literally IT. I want to buy windows, I am ready and willing and able to buy windows, somebody please sell me some windows, FFS.
Homeowners insurance on the “investment property,” otherwise known as the family home my daughter and granddaughter live in, the only home granddaughter has ever known: Former insurance company says they’re not renewing, so I’ve been in search of new insurance in my ample free time. NONE of the local agents could help me, but a friendly Farmers’ Insurance office in North Florida did reach out and quote me something reasonable, and gave me good advice about getting inspections.
So. I have insurance lined up, we had a really nice and helpful inspector come out and do the wind mitigation and 4 points inspections, everything is fine, but it’ll cost more to insure unless I can get somebody to do a “third nail” wind mitigation upgrade. (I’ll spare you the details, but the roof attachment wind mitigation requirements have been upgraded, and that’s fine, I certainly want the roof to stay in place, but we are not on the coast. Yet, we apparently have to do it too.)
And so far this “third nail” mitigation fix – which is literally a third nail added at connections to keep the roof on the house, the equivalent of the straps required in new construction – only seems to be available on the coast. I’ve contacted three companies so far and asked if they covered my county. Crickets.
I’ve owned homes in Florida for nigh onto 40 years. I’ve never dealt with shit like this before.
And this is my “free time” stuff. I’m starting my new job on Monday, YAY! But because it’s still in the same company where I’ve been contracting for six years, my old job is dragging behind me like an anchor. I’m annoyed. If I’d found a new job outside the company, or won the lottery and retired, or fucking DIED, they wouldn’t be able to ask me to do two jobs “for a while” until they filled the other position.
This isn’t rocket science: find a person with relevant experience, pay them what they deserve, make them an employee with all those great benefits: problem solved. Instead, it’s going to be another contractor position and they’ll sift through hundreds of irrelevant resumes hoping to find someone I can train (while doing my new job), and in the meantime I’ll be divided between two entirely unrelated roles.
I’m going to talk to my new manager and discuss boundaries. I will of course help out as needed, but as I keep saying, “What if I’d been hit by a truck? You have NO backup for this position!”
So, anyway, that’s why I haven’t been updating much. Life is a bit full, and exhausting. Hoping it will slow down a bit so I can write about other things I want to do. Like knitting. And yoga. And using my camera regularly. I am sick of crisis mode.
I worked for Farmers for 43 years. They are more expensive but their claims service is reportedly superior to any other. I hope it works out that way for you. Don’t they have any advice about the “third nail” procedure? Also in my experience of the last 10 years or so, contractors are NOT what they used to be! Every time I’ve had to hire one I’ve had a very frustrating experience.
I worked in various paralegal roles that involved working with property adjusters involved in construction defect claims at times, and I still remember that the Farmers people were the nicest, most responsive, easiest ever to work with. The agent did give me advice, but I haven’t been able to find a company in Central FL. They’re all in South FL on the coast, and I guess we are too far away to be worth it for what is about $1,000 job.
I saw a snippet of Robin Williams and Steve Martin doing “Waiting for Godot.” I will probably spend the rest of my life waiting for the rest of it to drop. Sigh.
I don’t know what’s with contractors. “Oh we have so many jobs and we can’t find people to work” seems like an excuse that’s gone beyond its sell-by date.
I certainly hope you can get the window situation resolved? Amazing that it is so difficult, but right now it seems getting any “construction” work accomplished is tedious. I just want to replace my front retaining wall and I have a list of “contractors” and they are all booked (& the ones that aren’t I really don’t want around). My husband periodically mentions relocating to St. Petersburg and even though the weather would be preferable to Montana’s winters I’m just not inclined to move to Florida don’t think I could deal with the “politics”! The very best of luck with your new job and I really hope it isn’t too stressful! And Samuel Beckett was extremely talented!
Honestly, the politics look worse from outside. This is a purple state with a corrupt state capital, but I really believe change is coming here. The weather is the negative image of Montana. Our summers are as insanely stormy and HOT and miserable, and they start in April and last until Thanksgiving. I can see wanting to get out of Montana winters, but I’m not sure I’d come here, TBH.