i can do that for you, part 2
When people hear our renovation story, many want to know how we ever got involved with this useless crew to begin with. Friends of ours had actually referred us to a much larger contractor than Diane of "I Can Do That For You." A very nice, well-meaning man named Fred, with a contracting company that completes entire jobs on $8-million brownstones top to bottom (from the dormer playroom to the climate controlled wine cellar) in just under three months, gently patted us on the head and let us know that our job was too small for him. He referred us along to Diane with the thought that she and her crew were better suited to the renovations we needed in our little 900 square foot apartment.
We met Diane and her guys soon after we closed on the apartment in late January. She and Fred came to the apartment for an estimate and brought along the two college-educated workmen Charlie and Scott, and Nagy the licensed electrician. While we already sensed that Diane herself was inexperienced with larger renovations (her brochures focused more on gardening and air conditioner installation), the former clients of Fred, Charlie, Scott and Nagy that we called for references were all very positive and Diane at least seemed good at follow through, like writing letters, contacting us, and communicating with our co-op's managing agency.
That was January. She had far less to do in January. By the time the co-op's engineer finally approved the job in April, she had taken on far too many other jobs and had lost her men. As yesterday's post described, we were not informed that Scott and Charlie were no longer with her. Unlicensed Mahesh and his aging father Zai showed up on the first day as our crew of two, which soon dwindled to a crew of one for a few hours each day, to a crew of no one on some days.
When we complained, Diane sent two lesser guys: Mahesh's brother Sat (another ironic name as Sat was always on his butt and on the phone whenever we walked in) and a well-intentioned plasterer named Danny, who received no instructions or supervision. Poor Danny would plaster diligently each day...right over things that weren't supposed to be plastered. When Mahesh and Zai returned they had to rip out his mistakes and redo them.
May became June, June became July, and bigger problems began to become apparent. That's when the variations on Diane's company name were born, like "I Never Said I Could Do THAT For You," "I Can't Take Criticism From You," and "I Can't Even THINK Straight." More in the next installment.handy helper, Diane, Diane Engel, Engle, Mahesh Pershaud, carpentry, carpenter, construction, painting, painter, kitchen, bathroom, tile, electrical, electrician, plumbing, plumber, wall, ceiling, patch, plaster, cement, brickwork, masonry, hinges, cabinets, air conditioners, ceiling fans, shelves, closets, bookcases, closet, kitchen, organization
We met Diane and her guys soon after we closed on the apartment in late January. She and Fred came to the apartment for an estimate and brought along the two college-educated workmen Charlie and Scott, and Nagy the licensed electrician. While we already sensed that Diane herself was inexperienced with larger renovations (her brochures focused more on gardening and air conditioner installation), the former clients of Fred, Charlie, Scott and Nagy that we called for references were all very positive and Diane at least seemed good at follow through, like writing letters, contacting us, and communicating with our co-op's managing agency.
That was January. She had far less to do in January. By the time the co-op's engineer finally approved the job in April, she had taken on far too many other jobs and had lost her men. As yesterday's post described, we were not informed that Scott and Charlie were no longer with her. Unlicensed Mahesh and his aging father Zai showed up on the first day as our crew of two, which soon dwindled to a crew of one for a few hours each day, to a crew of no one on some days.
When we complained, Diane sent two lesser guys: Mahesh's brother Sat (another ironic name as Sat was always on his butt and on the phone whenever we walked in) and a well-intentioned plasterer named Danny, who received no instructions or supervision. Poor Danny would plaster diligently each day...right over things that weren't supposed to be plastered. When Mahesh and Zai returned they had to rip out his mistakes and redo them.
May became June, June became July, and bigger problems began to become apparent. That's when the variations on Diane's company name were born, like "I Never Said I Could Do THAT For You," "I Can't Take Criticism From You," and "I Can't Even THINK Straight." More in the next installment.handy helper, Diane, Diane Engel, Engle, Mahesh Pershaud, carpentry, carpenter, construction, painting, painter, kitchen, bathroom, tile, electrical, electrician, plumbing, plumber, wall, ceiling, patch, plaster, cement, brickwork, masonry, hinges, cabinets, air conditioners, ceiling fans, shelves, closets, bookcases, closet, kitchen, organization
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