A friend (NOT EXBF) uttered these words in exasperation after I mildly complained about how he was making a mess and doing this all wrong.
Then, "this house is a piece of shit anyway, so what does it matter?"
Have you ever seen someone who just skips a step or does something entirely wrong if you don't keep an eye on him? Or, her?
I went inside before he started on the window to get the glass for him then brought back a rag. One pane was missing. The rest of the panes were either gone or had a 1/4 to 1/2 inch crack between the glass and wood. The tornado sucked them loose or out. He replaced two of them several weeks ago. FEMA said I could replace or repair them myself. It was explained that anyone could do this. Well, the bottom of this kitchen window is 9 feet from the ground. The panes are caulked to the outside, so this cannot be done from the inside. If so, I would have done this two years ago. I have an 8 ft ladder and a 21 ft extension ladder. I cannot climb either safely. Actually, even if I climbed either, I could not stand on the ladder.
So, a friend was going to do this for me--replace three panes of glass and caulk. And, at least put caulk on the loose panes to hold them to the window. I bought the glass and caulk. I have two caulk guns. When the wind sucked out two panes several years before the tornado, I bought enough panes so that I would have enough and had two left for this project yesterday, plus I had the panes sucked out but not broken. Two weeks ago, he replace two panes. That left one pane missing and the rest loose for him to fix on Saturday.
I was not present when he started, but two minutes after the job was begun, I arrived outdoors with a rag he requested. He was holding his hand flat against the pane and trying to hold it in place while he caulked. Immediately, I knew he skipped a step. He did the last pane several weeks ago and did it correctly. I know because I watched.
This time, he decided to skip the caulk that holds the glass to the window. He was just going to save time. NO. FAIL! He just kept working and finally said, "This job is not that particular." I got his attention and gave him a stink eye. Finally, I said, "And, I suppose when I write letters that are perfect for you that I should not take the time to compose them correctly?" He looked at me and held the caulk gun toward me, "Do YOU know how to do this? Here, take this and let me see you do it. You need to do this since you know how."
"Hmmm, then I suppose you will have to spell every word I type for you. And, you can tell me where the punctuation goes." By the way, he cannot spell well enough to even attempt the word and let the computer guess what he wants to spell. He cannot spell, seriously!
He turned around and took off the pane he was working on, the really messy one in the picture. He turned it over and tried to make it stick with the caulk he had gotten on it while trying to caulk it to the window! I yelled at him, and he took off the pane and put caulk on the wood outside the window, just like he could have done 15 minutes before. In the meantime, I am left with a window I cannot reach to clean.
He used a whole tube of caulk, a tube with 10% more. AND, I still have window panes still not free of breeze, flies, and cold air.
This person makes messes for spite to show you he can do the opposite of what is supposed to be done. This would not be so bad if he were truly incompetent. He is having work done at his house. He and he guy who is a woodworker do the job together. My friend knows how to do the job, so makes sure it is perfect, just lets the other guy do the work. He demands excellence.
On the window on the right, he finished the job by putting caulk on all the wood, using the wood to scrape caulk. See how white it is. He swears it does not have caulk on the wood. He did not have paint up there with him, so why is the bare wood now white?.
We barter but not on a strict trade off. So, he can get on the ladder, use a razor and get this mess off if I ever touch a keyboard again for him. However, he correctly pointed out to me that I only said do it, not how and not how neatly. So, it is all my fault. Really, honestly, I take all the blame for assuming he would do a job correctly, efficiently, and not half-ass do a very simple job. Oooo, I would love to repeat those words back to him when it is time for me to compose an important letter for him. Yes, I know that is nasty, not nice, and tit for tat, not a game I like to play.
For about 8 panes, he used a whole tube of caulk. Only one pane was out. The others were just ready to fall. Now, folks, that just cannot be right--8 panes for $8 worth of caulk?! This is not the first time I have purchased caulk for a job. No, he is not taking it, just dripping it all down the ladder and on puddles on the grounds and squirting it all over the ground. So far, I have spent about $30 on caulk. I went and got the last tube and it is awaiting his return. Thankfully, the friend who helped me with the plumbing was generous and I had enough left for the window supplies.
AND, he managed to get caulk all over the gun. I realize that happens, but this must be cleaned off because the silicone will not get hard. The old stuff did dry to a hard lump. Not this! Here, 24 hours later it is still tacky. I know that getting caulk on a caulk gun happens all the time. But...that would not be bad, but our hands were sticking to the gun. Neither of us could shift our grip once we took hold of the tacky guy. Have you ever tried to handle the grip on a caulk gun the day after silicone caulk had been smeared all over it?
Whew, I feel better. No, not really. But, this is the quality of work I have come to expect as a single woman, especially as I get older. I found a screw left from another job, just half screwed in. I asked why and was told the screw was 1/2 too long and that it would be okay like it was. WHEN?
When I have helped someone out for free, I can tutor, give educational advice, sew, or write resumes. I never have just done a half-way job even for the poorest person. I treat volunteer work like I would a job and do my very best.
Now, I do not mind a volunteer being slow, not an expert, or grumpy. However, to deliberately waste material, time, and money is mean-spirited at best. Yes, there are other angry women who relate how he destroys things before fixing. Sometime, he just throws out items for his girlfriends because he does not want to do the job, just say he did it. We girls talk. Okay, they complain to him and to me.
Update: The cardboard in the window was what was taped there and retaped for the last two years. I have gotten it down now.
Another update: A commentor reminded me of points used to hold the window in place. No one that has fixed this window has been willing or knew how to use the points I bought for this occassion! The caulk in the gun was the only thing they would consider. Don't blame me for not knowing. Just blame me for being too broke to afford proper help.
Your turn
Do you subscribe to "beggars can't be choosers" when it comes to handyman offerings? Have you ever felt that you had to watch someone to assure the job is done correctly? I know guys do this with cars? Am I being overly-critical when I see vital steps skipped and only hear, "This is good enough for you?" It is hard being poor and desperate.
