Anyone interested in my renovation update?

[Fat Tone]

My girlfriend's mother is also amazed by the problems that keep surfacing... I really just want everything finished, that no workers have to be in the apartment anymore...

Not sure I know what you mean with Grand Designs in this context...

Grand Designs is a tv programme that shows on Channel 4 in the UK, written and presented by architect Kevin McCloud. There are a few spin offs and even major exhibitions based on the programme.

The essence is each programme follows the build of an unusual property. Some are restoring castles, some converting water towers, others underground, some made of straw and wood i a forest.

There are always issues with budgets, timescales, neighbours, materials, and you'd be amazed at how often there's a pregnancy involved!

T.

[VJ]

My problem was mainly with poor quality workers... and bad luck with different issues.
I'm now at my third electrician, and it is a good one. But really good... Unfortunately also expensive, but he has full knowledge on intelligent systems, ethernet cabling, satellite cabling, ... And he comes when I have a problem.
I also finally found a good group of workers (also my third group), and I will have them come in the end to tie up all the loose ends.

Now the only remaining struggle is with the kitchen installer, who - in all fairness - was also unlucky with the factory where he has the furniture made: lacquer in the kitchen was not done properly (was redone) and the lacquer of the bathroom cabinet has a fingerprint IN it (clearly a factory issue). So for a kitchen that measures 3.5m x 1.8m, he already came 5 day, and he will have to come at least 2 times more.

My girlfriend's mother is also getting a fed up with his explanations and poor timings, so she is loosing her patience. Which, in this situation, is good. She will be there when he comes on Tuesday... Could become interesting...

[cjolley]

Wow, you'd have been done faster and better if you'd done it yourself where possible.
Are you there when they do the work?
One thing we've learned is that you have to babysit even the best workmen anymore. It's weird.

[VJ]

My girlfriend's mother is there when work is done, and sometimes I'm there too. Main issue is the language, and the fact that in Polish culture, an older complaining has more impact/effect than a younger person complaining. A problem with the kitchen guy was that he seemed quite good at first, and my girlfriend's mother was blinded by that. His clumsy "performance" last Wednesday changed that however, so to me that is positive.

I've started to realize that for instance the kitchen cabinets would be entirely possible on my own: you can go to shops that make tailor made furniture and supply them Ikea style. Most difficult thing would be the fitting of the countertop, as it is a tight fit between cabinet and wall. I am quite handy though, and as a carpenter does it in one and a half days, I'm confident I could manage in a week (including weekends). One issue would be that because I moved to Poland, I don't have any tools of any kind, and no space for storing many of them on an apartment. But given all the issues I had, those last things should be possible to overcome.

[VJ]

Hey, GuchiGuh! Long time no see. Nice to drop in again. Looks like they are all coming back: first Zokespro, ...

Everything fine... Kitchen looks much better already. Well, theoretically, I'm not satisfied, but it is now at the point that under normal circumstances, the flaws are not visible. One thing got damaged in the last repairs, so we have to see how that turns out... Bathroomcabinet will be replaced, but it is a bit of a discussion with the factory that put the lacquer.

[Umfriend]

Everything fine... Kitchen looks much better already, the flaws are not visible. One thing got damaged in the last repairs, so we have to see how that turns out... Bathroomcabinet will be replaced, but it is a bit of a discussion with the factory that put the lacquer.

I just reminded myself about one of the funnier Dead Kennedys songs

[..]
Trust your mechanic to mend your car
Bring it in to his garage
He tightens and loosens a few spare parts
One thing's fixed, another falls apart
And the rich eat you
[...]
Trust your mechanic
To plug your holes
Trust him to make more
Somewhere else
Trust your mechanic
He'll always come through
And rip you off

.

He Guchi, how ya been?

[cjolley]

[Umfriend]

Roflmao!!!

[VJ]

Well, you'll have to wait a bit longer for pics...

Meanwhile...


This week, inspection for the ventilation came, and they told me I cannot have active ventilators in the bathroom. They fail to realize that the system that should be in place does not work AT ALL. In the kitchen, they also told me I cannot connect a cooker hood to the central shaft (no idea where it should be connected then). So that will take some negotiation with the building administration. We are already considering contingency plans for that: adding the recirculation kit, or asking the building administration for a hole in the front of the building as an exhaust (facade is scheduled for renovation, so it could be done together with that). In the kitchen, the latter option would mean guiding the hood's exhaust somewhere else, but that should be quite easy.


On the ceiling in the bathroom, I know have 3 wet spots, coming from my neighbour. A few weeks ago, there was the first one, and my girlfriends mother went up there to complain. The neighbour assured us that she has no water issue, but when my girlfriends' mother went to check the bathroom, there was water all over the floor. A plumber was sent, but clearly the issue is not solved. It seems to be periodic, about every week Thursday or Friday it seems to happen again. Part of me hopes it is a leak, because if it is a result of her cleaning or what not and just pouring water on the floor, it cannot be solved. So it will take some fights for sure. So today we will be in touch with my insurance and with the building administration.


In the mailbox was a note of a repo-guy, not in a closed envelope, showing the name of the previous owner, a case number and a contact. So we called the repo-guy. It turns out that the previous owner is stacking up debts (nothing new, we had many letters of similar cases in the past, from tax offices, other repo guys and banks), but she seems to have restarted again recently using my current address: she is using her old identity card which still shows her old address. She should have gotten it updated after moving, but apparently did not. Next week, we'll go to city hall to double check that she has not used some old or forged documents to re-register herself at my address, we will contact a lawyer on what steps to take, and will probably also inform police. We may have to start a court case for fraud and misuse of trust (even though I'm not a direct victim).


And if you are wondering: no news from the carpenter so far...

To be continued....

[Fat Tone]

I thought my life was complicated!

To be fair its mainly because we have SO much going on, yes a couple of struggles but nothing compared to what you are going through. I wonder how many would have thrown the towel in by now.

[VJ]

Well, throwing in the towel is not really an option... water problem needs to be solved, previous owner issue needs to be solved, ... Luckily, my girlfriend's mother is very helpful and she knows a lot of people.

The ventilator/cooker hood issue will probably be more discussion than anything else. If they cannot provide me with adequate ventilation, it is their problem: I'd be willing to give up the ventilators if their system would work (less noise for me, no power consumption, ...). But I can prove that my ventilation in the bathroom is below the legal minimum if I don't have ventilators. So I don't worry about it: it is between me and building administration, I have this one under control - just some hassle.

The previous neighbour issue is more worrying, as it will need bigger administration matters to settle it, but once we get to the right channels, it should be solved (they have national registers for such offenders and so on, we just need to get my address removed from the databases). I've noticed things can be quite efficient regarding consumer/personal protection once you reach the right channels.

The water issue is IMO the worst, particularly as the neighbour is not really the willing/helpful type. The plan is to have the building administration to send a plumber to investigate (they can do it, as she is damaging the building), and if she does not allow fixing or if the problem is due to some habits rather than a leak (which would be the worst case scenario), we could bring in my insurance company as means of pressure: I'm fully insured, so I can get things repaired under insurance, but the company will want the money for repairs back. And nobody wants to have to argue with an insurance company. I know it sounds mean, but I'm fed up with amateur night: relying on other people to do what should be done seems to be the wrong approach...

[VJ]

Ok, interesting and rapid turn of events...

Building administration does not care about fans or cooker hood (they say most people have them). They just asked to put some additional air inlet to the ventilation shaft in the kitchen, and that we can easily fix.

About the neighbour and water issue: the administration also told my friend's mother that he is getting in touch with my neighbour's son, or if that does not help with social care. This was decided on before my complaint; the building manager said that my neighbour is clearly no longer capable of not living alone, but did not elaborate on what she did to indicate it. He was very happy that I have insurance, as they can really put pressure on the neighbour's family.
So from the looks of it, my water problem is not caused by a leak but by her, and it now looks like she might not be living there much longer. (no more noisy TV as well! yesterday till 23.00, and today from 6.20)

[Umfriend]

Your luck just doesn't run out, does it?

[VJ]

haha... no...

Well, we went to city hall. The previous owner is not registered at my address and cannot register (as they always verify the documents), so that is reassuring. The debt collector who left his businesscard is one that is appointed by the court, and we called him to say that the person he is looking for is not living at this address for over 1.5 years now. He will inform the court about that, which is good: official channels will be notified of this fact as well. So I'm confident not too much problems will result from that.

Meanwhile, we also had a talk with the son of my upstairs neighbour. The flooding was caused by the washing machine: she forgot to put the drain in the sink... 3 times since September. He said he will pay for the damage. He also said that he is looking for a solution in general, as there are many complaints (we are not the only ones complaining about noise) and he was informed officially by the building administration that things need to be done, or they will contact social services. So now we should at least give him time to work out a solution (it is not easy to get elderly people to move or so). But this also looks like it will get solved in not too short amount of time.

I will have to call my electrician again, as the cable to the lights in the kitchen appears not to be connected properly, but I have to see when I can be home for that.

No news of the kitchen installer yet...

And we are waiting to call people to finish some other things, as we are both really busy at work (end of the year: deadlines and reporting) and just don't have time to do it now.