Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Oops
The one word a contractor should never say when moving a house....When we were giving away the house to our neighbour, the one caveat was that when they moved it they had to preserve our "Finnish White Oak Tree" on the lot. I had planted this tree that was smuggled in from Finland over 30 years ago and it has grown into the most beautiful Oak you have ever seen. So, just for the hell of it, I decided to visit and see the progress as the house was moving across the property. Well all I had to do was walk on the site and take one look at the tree and the house, and it was clear. Oops was an understatement. The house was not going around the tree but straight through it.....
.
No problem I said to the contractor and neighbour. Just leave the house where it is, the deal is off. No tree, no house.....
Twist and Turn
After a short discussion with the neighbour, the contractor replied, no problem, we'll just give the house a little twist and turn.....
.
The deal progressed, a little twisting, and turning, and cursing (That I was there) and the house slipped off the lot and on to our neighbours with but a 2 day delay to move around a tree...
"Greenpeace here I come! Tree Saved !"
David Copperfield anyone ?
In their rush to re-position, it just appeared like the house wasn't quite as flat and steady as one would like it.
Ok... Maybe its just an optical illusion....
Yes, the house has successfully been moved to the neighbours lot !
1 down and 1 to go !
The work begins
Oh crap ! Yup remember that frozen load of Sh...it. Well it had to go... and go it did... As the contractor let me know it was really no problem moving the septic system but it did (Hmm... how did he put it..) stink while it was coming out....
Move my new house ?
Within minutes of getting to the site the contractor jumped on me and said boy its great that you are here. We have just a few questions (PROBLEMS). Is it OK if we move the house over a foot or too he asked with a grin? "So after spending something like $1,000 big ones to get Land Surveyor drawings meticulously drawn, approved by the city, and stakes strategically positioned within millimeters, he asks if he can move the house a few feet ! Let me also say that he delayed starting by 1 day so that these stakes could be positioned by the surveyor ! He went on to say that he needed more clearance on the left side of the house for his "CAT Shovel" to dig....After a brief review, knowing that we were still within code, I allowed him to move the house a foot or 2.......
Shake, rattle and roll
Next he asked where I wanted my old deck, as this CAT Shovel tossed it in the air, with beams shuttering and cracking....
By the shed I responded.... as he tossed it over....
A Little Rock
One more little detail he said, come here and stand in the mud he instructed me (In my shoes), as I sank about a foot....
He goes on to say this foundation will not hold up in this mud. Its too soft ! Well NO Kidding, as I try to pull my feet/shoes out of the mud...He then says it'll cost me a little more for the foundation that we had initially discussed. He said we'll need to buy a little more rock. Maybe 3 or 4 THOUSAND DOLLARS worth. Ok ?
Well now how do you respond to a statement like that, no go ahead and let the house sink in the mud !
He was nice enough to say that this would be the last time he asked for more money....
(But did he mean that day, week, or for ever ?)
Well there went another 4 big ones...
Pat it down
Looking Good !
Remember I said I needed Cement & alot of it....
Cement Truck One
Cement Truck Two and Three
Cement Truck Four and Five
Too bad that my buddy at Nuvo didn't come though with a good contact for discounts. It was Lafarge deliverying the load...Looks like 20 big ones are gone.....WOW that's alot of cement !
And we're not renewing your contract !
Just had a brief email exchange with our realtor and after reading a few paragraphs of explanation why our house hasn't been sold, I responded with a by the way we are not renewing your contract at the end of the month. We can only hope and wish you the best with selling our house in the next week....... Now after over 2 months without a single showing at the house I rec'd a call today for approval of a showing tomorrow.... Time will tell.....
The one word a contractor should never say when moving a house....When we were giving away the house to our neighbour, the one caveat was that when they moved it they had to preserve our "Finnish White Oak Tree" on the lot. I had planted this tree that was smuggled in from Finland over 30 years ago and it has grown into the most beautiful Oak you have ever seen. So, just for the hell of it, I decided to visit and see the progress as the house was moving across the property. Well all I had to do was walk on the site and take one look at the tree and the house, and it was clear. Oops was an understatement. The house was not going around the tree but straight through it.....
.
No problem I said to the contractor and neighbour. Just leave the house where it is, the deal is off. No tree, no house.....
Twist and Turn
After a short discussion with the neighbour, the contractor replied, no problem, we'll just give the house a little twist and turn.....
.The deal progressed, a little twisting, and turning, and cursing (That I was there) and the house slipped off the lot and on to our neighbours with but a 2 day delay to move around a tree...
"Greenpeace here I come! Tree Saved !"
David Copperfield anyone ?
In their rush to re-position, it just appeared like the house wasn't quite as flat and steady as one would like it.
Ok... Maybe its just an optical illusion....
Yes, the house has successfully been moved to the neighbours lot !
1 down and 1 to go !
The work begins
Oh crap ! Yup remember that frozen load of Sh...it. Well it had to go... and go it did... As the contractor let me know it was really no problem moving the septic system but it did (Hmm... how did he put it..) stink while it was coming out....
Move my new house ?
Within minutes of getting to the site the contractor jumped on me and said boy its great that you are here. We have just a few questions (PROBLEMS). Is it OK if we move the house over a foot or too he asked with a grin? "So after spending something like $1,000 big ones to get Land Surveyor drawings meticulously drawn, approved by the city, and stakes strategically positioned within millimeters, he asks if he can move the house a few feet ! Let me also say that he delayed starting by 1 day so that these stakes could be positioned by the surveyor ! He went on to say that he needed more clearance on the left side of the house for his "CAT Shovel" to dig....After a brief review, knowing that we were still within code, I allowed him to move the house a foot or 2.......
Shake, rattle and roll
Next he asked where I wanted my old deck, as this CAT Shovel tossed it in the air, with beams shuttering and cracking....
By the shed I responded.... as he tossed it over....
A Little Rock
One more little detail he said, come here and stand in the mud he instructed me (In my shoes), as I sank about a foot....
He goes on to say this foundation will not hold up in this mud. Its too soft ! Well NO Kidding, as I try to pull my feet/shoes out of the mud...He then says it'll cost me a little more for the foundation that we had initially discussed. He said we'll need to buy a little more rock. Maybe 3 or 4 THOUSAND DOLLARS worth. Ok ?
Well now how do you respond to a statement like that, no go ahead and let the house sink in the mud !
He was nice enough to say that this would be the last time he asked for more money....
(But did he mean that day, week, or for ever ?)
Well there went another 4 big ones...
Pat it down
Looking Good !
Remember I said I needed Cement & alot of it....
Cement Truck One
Cement Truck Two and Three
Cement Truck Four and Five
Too bad that my buddy at Nuvo didn't come though with a good contact for discounts. It was Lafarge deliverying the load...Looks like 20 big ones are gone.....WOW that's alot of cement !
And we're not renewing your contract !
Just had a brief email exchange with our realtor and after reading a few paragraphs of explanation why our house hasn't been sold, I responded with a by the way we are not renewing your contract at the end of the month. We can only hope and wish you the best with selling our house in the next week....... Now after over 2 months without a single showing at the house I rec'd a call today for approval of a showing tomorrow.... Time will tell.....
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