Decorating Diaries - &*%*#%^ Contractors!

See the blood gushing down my forehead?  That comes from beating my head against a wall, trying to remain sane in the insane and utterly illogical world of contractors.

I was hot yesterday.  We've hired one bath design company from whom we've ordered our flooring, shower tile, tub basin, cabinets, etc.  The owner was at our home on Friday, roughing in the shower in preparation for the tile man, who he said would be here on Tuesday.  As he was leaving Friday, he said, "Will you be around on Sunday?  We really need to send someone out to finish this job so we can be ready for the tile on Tuesday."

I assured him someone would be here all day.  So of course, Sunday came and went with no one showing up and--what really made my blood boil--no phone call.  Are these people's  fingers broke? How hard it is to dial a phone? It infuriates me beyond all rational thought.  We arrange our schedule to suit them and they can't be bothered to call.  Makes me want to go buy an Uzi off the street and do something with it.

So 8 AM yesterday, I place a call to this company and get their voicemail.  I left a message that, well, let's say expressed my displeasure at the no show and no phone call and let them know in no uncertain terms I want this bathroom done, I want to know when they're showing up, I want phone calls, and I am through being nice about it.

So all day yesterday, I hear nothing from them.  My anger is on a high simmer at this point.  "Fine, don't call me back today," I'm thinking.  "But you'll have to call sooner or later and you will rue the day you blew me off.  " 

Finally, at 5:30, I get a phone call.  Very apologetic, and before I could say anything, she was reassuring me the owner and the tile guy would be here this morning and the tile guy was ours all week until the job got done and the minute the floor was set, they would move the cabinets in.  "Fine," I said.  "That's what I wanted to hear."  And I dropped it and now (for the moment) I'm being nice again.

But that's what irritates me above all.  I have to be a b---- in order to get things done by these people?  I don't like that.  But I'm not allowing any leeway at this point.  One no-show or delay and I'm going to be all over their ass.  Apparently being nice doesn't pay off in the misaligned world of contractors.