#1) Don't show up.
#2)
#3)
#4)
#5)
#6)
#7)
#8)
#9)
#10) ....Does it really matter after you've decided not to show up?
I met with the first of three contractors we were planning to obtain estimates from first thing this morning. He was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. He showed us beautiful pictures of some of his previous work. He assured me that I ought to give him my "pipe-dream" list, because if I didn't, I'd be calling him later to redo the estimate once I saw how far under budget he was going to be. He comes very highly recommended by my inspector. He gets most of his projects, roughly two or three per month, as FHA 203K rehabs. He was on an episode of HGTV's "Save My Bath" in 2006. He didn't even take offense to my occasional sarcasm or mock my occasional drooling stupidity, which I am known to indulge in every now and again, especially that early in the morning.
I like him very much - to the point that, barring some ridiculously overblown estimate, I think I've already made up my mind as to who I want to hire to do my renovations. And I would feel bad about that, feel guilty for wasting the other gentlemen's time...
...If not for the fact that I spent an hour standing around outside in the late summer sun waiting for a contractor who not only couldn't be bothered to show up, but couldn't be bothered to tell me he wasn't coming. Brilliant! Of course, it is possible he called my office number after I already left work to meet him, but what good is that going to do if I'm standing out on the front stoop for an hour, being stared at by all the neighbors? Not much.
On the upside, I did have the chance to meet several of my neighbors while waiting, including the block captain of our neighborhood's civic association and her co-captain. Neighbors are endlessly useful sources of information, providing such tips as:
1) Trash pickup is included in our property taxes. They pick up in the alley behind the house, not in the street out front, so get your car out of the way on Monday mornings if you want to get out of your garage.
2) The city doesn't bother plowing either the alley which leads to the garages or the streets in the event of a snowstorm, unless it's declared an emergency. If you have a snow-blower, everyone on the block will like you.
3) A total of four (yes, FOUR) city police officers, as well as firefighter, live either on our block or on one of the two cross streets. We couldn't have picked a safer block unless we bought a house next to the police precinct.
4) Several of the ladies in the area do their flower-shopping together every spring, which is part of why the tiny little lawns are all so lovely and compliment each other so nicely. And once a few people start planting, the whole neighborhood gets into it.
5) There's a block party on September 3rd and a civic association meeting on September 7th. Although we haven't even closed on the house yet, we - as in my boyfriend and I - have been invited to attend. So much for my father's fears that we wouldn't be welcome, given that we stick out like sore thumbs!
Lesson of the day? Since today seems to be a day for lists, lets go with another one of those!
1) You're not going to get hired if you can't even show up.
2) Sometimes, what seems like a massive waste of time can turn out better than you expected.
3) Always - always! - make nice with the neighbors.
PS - While showing the contractor around the property, we also discovered a glow-in-the-dark rosary hanging up in one of the closets. It's a perfect match to the glow-in-the-dark Virgin Mary in the kitchen. Apparently, it's becoming something of a theme in the decor.
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