Well, Dear Reader: there it is! The parts and bits and pieces that will become my garage! And the Garage Guy has even started to put together some walls, which you can sort of see resting on top of the garage pad on the far left of the photo....it is very exciting!Lazy Gnome, who admittedly gets excited because she is not really all that big on surprises, sometimes finds projects a bit perplexing. For instance, although she spent many hours in person at the Store and even on the phone with the Store last week, there are a couple of mysteries about the Delivery. The minor one is this: LG was advised many, many times that the whole package comes at once, "except the car door which is delivered later/ on a separate truck" because it is often damaged. Even yesterday when LG was on the phone with the actual delivery division of the Store's organization, this is what she was told. So, upon her arrival home, she expected to find the door. Well, no: it comes a few days later and in fact sometimes you have to arrange for its arrival on a later date. Fairly significant distinction to the surprise-averse.
The second one is the biggie, however. The time spent in discussions with the Store was related to complications due to LG's changing of her mind on the siding. The complications seem to have arisen because she confirmed her siding on a different day, and paid for it all at once. Thus begat a second and separate invoice. Then, later, LG wanted to change the colour of the downspouts but the sample siding colour that she had chosen was no where to be found. So, LG changed to a less expensive siding in a colour they could produce for her at the time. Thus begat what is called a refund. However--well, to spare the reader the details, LG is still unable to have anyone of three of the Store's employees actually find a way to explain what happened to that refund. But, she has been reassured by senior sales staff that everything is in order with her order, and that all would be well. She neither owed money nor was owed money.
Okay; so, the purchaser has 24 hours to confirm the order has arrived....
Well, there ain't nothin' out there that looks like siding to LG.... and so, another round of discussions is what LG foresees for herself tomorrow. It is very unlikely that Garage Guy hid the siding somewhere or removed it from the property; after all, he left his battery charger plugged in outside.
The extra window is there, the name on the shingling looks like the one on the invoice....but, no siding.
The Store, which LG hopes she has left nameless to this point, has never had LG's business before. They appear to be prepared to deal with contractors, not actual people; certainly not people who have never done this type of thing before. They have all been exceedingly nice--that is not my concern (although one I trust not and would actively suggest anyone avoid)--however, there is a chasm between what they know about the business of ordering and construction and what their clients do; lots of room for improving customer service. Plus, the computer system and payment processes are archaic; perhaps they awaiting a systems upgrade, which would probably save their own staff a huge amount of heartache....
Anyway, as my neighbour said, "well, at least you've got lumber!"
And so, the lesson here: LG should look away from projects for that long desired serenity...
