The Daily Peeve / Rant

[SteveinMN]

Over the years I've hired many handymen (have yet to find a handywoman, but that's another thread). Why is it that every handyman has this seemingly-pathological need to cr@p the bed?

I've hired guys who are recommended but don't return phone calls. Or show up late, without explanation, for estimates. Or show up once and do good work and require the services of the CIA to find them again when you have more work for them.

Today I have a handyman at my mom's place. I've hired him several times in the past and he's done very good work. Our first conversation on-site was about an entry door that is out of square and drafty. I told him I didn't know if it needed shimming or weatherstripping or anything up to and including a new door (that's why I'm asking for his opinion). I know The Right Fix may not be cheap. But I got lots of chin rubbing and hemming and hawing about having to line up help and order doors and how this is a warm-weather project (it'll be 55-60 degrees today). And a bid for the job that has me calling window & door installers because it sure sounds like an "I don't want to do this job" price.

My mom also has one of those IKEA-style DIY medicine cabinets she wants built and attached to the wall. I get that this is not a fun project -- I could have done it but knew it would have taken me all day and likely would have included a few sharp words. The handyman is mumbling and fumbling about the "hundreds" of pieces in the box (hyperbole much?) and the large-ish bag of undifferentiated cam locks and screw covers which will require time to sort out (and hope were packed in sufficient quantity). Nobody was paying me to get it done; I'm paying him by the hour.

So what's the deal? Why not just swallow hard and let me know that it likely will take several hours to get this all sorted out and together and hooked onto the wall? Why leave me feeling like he's doing me a favor by getting paid for this task? Or is it that he lacks the guts (or the respect for me) to tell me flat out that he doesn't want some or all of these projects? From my business, I understand there are some jobs which you don't want to (or can't) take on. But he seems like one more handyman who does good work at a fair price who behaves in such a way that I'll think twice (or forget entirely) about calling him next time. Why is this so endemic?

[Float On]

So what's the deal? Why not just swallow hard and let me know that it likely will take several hours to get this all sorted out and together and hooked onto the wall? Why leave me feeling like he's doing me a favor by getting paid for this task? Or is it that he lacks the guts (or the respect for me) to tell me flat out that he doesn't want some or all of these projects? From my business, I understand there are some jobs which you don't want to (or can't) take on. But he seems like one more handyman who does good work at a fair price who behaves in such a way that I'll think twice (or forget entirely) about calling him next time. Why is this so endemic?

I had a mower like that once. He complained every single time he came to mow. I was very thankful when I could take over the job again. Just dreaded him pulling into our driveway.

[iris lilies]

DH, retired handyman, regularly did not return calls. I hate that. Whenever I got one of these calls for a new customer I would suggest that perhaps, if DH didn't call back soon, they should try someone else. Then they would ask if I had any suggestions and of course the other guys I know who are good are also too busy to take on little jobs or new customers.

its a legitimate beef.

and then the "complaining." DH does some of that in that he talks it through what he will have to do on a job and I have come to the realization that is his "process" for working through the job in his head,to arrive at a price. Sort of. I tell him that people don't care to know what he has to do, what pieces he has to buy, etc.

[iris lilies]

Steve--
today the " ikea problem" came up here because our neighbor wants DH to put together an IKEA cabinet and she will pay him, of course. He started reciting the IKEA lament about a many pieces, missing parts, questionable instructions, yadda. It was kind of funny because we had just been talking about the issue here.

so I pinned down DH about why this seems to be such an issue and he said it's because he can't estimate how much time it will take to put together this IKEA stuff. I asked why that mattered since he was being paid By the hour. He said that it is impossible to,plan his day if he's working on one of those IKEA build things. Now that he is retired that's not a big thing, but for people who have several customers who want them right away as well as an close estimate of the cost, it's not good.

DH has put together several IKEA kitchens and he doesn't mind those.

[SteveinMN]

so I pinned down DH about why this seems to be such an issue and he said it's because he can't estimate how much time it will take to put together this IKEA stuff. I asked why that mattered since he was being paid By the hour. He said that it is impossible to,plan his day if he's working on one of those IKEA build things. Now that he is retired that's not a big thing, but for people who have several customers who want them right away as well as an close estimate of the cost, it's not good.

Thanks, IL. I certainly can understand how difficult it can be to estimate something one hasn't done many times before. In this case, the handyman said he'd planned to be there all day. Maybe it was just a reflexive habit.

For what it's worth, he got the cabinet in (very nice job; there were a few spanners in the works for that task) and the exterior-lights installation done. And then went home without calling me to write his check. He'll be back for sure to do more work (my mom has a list she wants done for herself) though I have two door installers coming on Monday to give me estimates for the back entry.

[Lainey]

A "peeve" on Thanksgiving is not a good thing, but it's one we've discussed before: Apostrophes everywhere whether needed or not. The latest was in an obit I happened on which described the deceased woman's "three son's" Oy.
Apparently the papers are running obits exactly as submitted because I've seen typos and misspellings before, but this is a new one.

[SteveinMN]

Apparently the papers are running obits exactly as submitted because I've seen typos and misspellings before, but this is a new one.

For what it's worth, most of the larger papers here have farmed out obituaries to a third party -- often the same one. So mistakes in their listings seemingly will propogate among many papers.

[Williamsmith]

I have often thought being a proofreader might not be too bad but it appears these days nobody really cares if there are some misspellings. So there are probably no jobs.

[Lainey]

Yes I agree the papers probably eliminated the proofreader positions, but it seems it would be a kindness for the person taking the information to do simple editing in an obit which is a permanent record.

Saw another one story today where someone was describing their "parent's" I give up.

[CathyA]

Steve.......about the handymen..........I think that's what a lot of men do, when they can't hold down a "real" job.......or don't have the skill. I had a handy-man type build a shed for me once. What a mess. I ended up having to hire a "real" builder to fix it all. Maybe it would be better to call certain service groups (builders, electricians, plumbers, etc) and ask if anyone there does side jobs??