Help! Save Me From Homeowner Who Insists On "helping".

Dan V.

I'm working on a pretty major kitchen remodel where the homeowner (who is somewhat handy) insists on helping out after I leave for the day. The kitchen was down to bare walls, soffits over sink area removed, wall between dining room and kitchen removed, popcorn removed from ceiling, etc. This left some areas of the walls and ceiling needing drywall. The homeowner decided to go out and pick up the drywall himself, but got 1/2" rather than the 5/8" I told him we needed. I found this out after I arrived yesterday and discovered that he had already cut and hung most of it, leaving some significant height differences and large gaps between the old and new drywall, especially where the dining room wall used to be. He went ahead and applied mucho mud to these areas, thinking that the more the better and we (I!) could just sand them level later.

Any suggestions on how to go about salvaging this situation without ripping it all down and starting over? My drywall experience is a bit light since I don't do it for a living and remodels generally don't require much. Any advice would be appreciated!

progressive-pa.

wow. good luck. i would start ripping it down!! it doesnt matter how much mudd you put on there. the ceiling will never be straight. i hate to tell any one how to runn there show, but you need to be clear with your customer. get him the hell out of there and explain the mess that he made. thats why your the pofessional and he is the HOMEOWNER.. this is your job that you do every day and im sure he wouldnt be so satisfied if he walked in his office and seen you sitting at his desk answering the phone.. if you dont pull it down, he will think its no big deal and wont understand the sevarity of his mistake. take the hit, pull it down, return the leftovers and give him a bill for the extra materials. but i wouldnt bill him for the extra labor as you may not have been too clear with him on staying out of your way. i personelly never have a customer pick up materials. if i dont have the money to get them then i make them right me a check and give them the reciept. but thats rare or never as i want to make money on the materials. even if its just a few bucks.. it shouldnt take too long to remove. youll probly lose a day and a half at the most. even if its more. no big deal as long as the end resoult is picture perfect.. good luck and let us know what happens

skymaster

Dan I agree rip it out!!!! Remember this it is your butt he is NOT going to pay when it looks like crap and says it is all your fault!!!!!!!! He wants to help eh FINE here is the deal HO rips it all out while YOU go and get the 5/8 you wanted.

Dan V.

No other solutions, huh? Not that I didn't expect it, but I was really hoping to avoid the demo and redo. Should I at least try to knock off the high spots and try skimming before I go that route, or am I just asking for cracks down the road?

Double-A

I can't show the love for a good drywall hanger enough. One that actually uses multiple lengths to their advantage and will minimize seams is like mana from heaven.

The art of drywall, and yes, it is an art form, as many of our trades are, is one if illusion. You take something that ain't so and make it appear what it isn't, all while saving money.

The finishers love a good hanger in as much as the seams are easier to reach, over good structure, well secured and as few as possible. When you let someone that is inexperienced do this job, you affect everything that comes after it. Every trade that follows now has a challenge to meet if they have any product in that new work. This translates into more cost for everyone.

I have a buddy here that has had electricians pull off the job and go back and pop him for extra money because of the crappy job the drywall folks did. It was going to cost them to fiddle with stuff to make their work look correct and be correct, so they just pulled stakes and called the boss.

He doesn't use them anymore... I, on the other hand, asked them to consider working for us as a sub. I love a sub that will do it right.

Your Hommie is no sub. Stick to well defined homework, like sanding, scraping, lugging, cleaning, demo (light demo) etc.

He is costing himself time and money in his efforts and you have to just put your foot down firmly and let him know its not the right time or place to do it.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

progressive-pa.

you can skim that ceiling 10 feet. with diffrent lighting you will still see the wave. besides, the first kid jumping on the upstairs floor, it will crack. how long will it take you to rip it down? how long will it take you to skim it twice and sand just for it to be one of those "cant see it from my house" jobs.. think about it.. it doesnt matter how good the rest of the job is. if the ceiling sucks,, it sucks.. you said it your self. its a big job wich meens good money?? if it was my job, wich its not.. i wouldnt even have thought about it. it would have already been down. rope off the kitchen. the only productive job a customer has is picking the colors and righting the check..

Tscarborough

I would make him rip it out, and stay the F out the work area.

__________________
It ain't Rocket Science unless you are building rockets.

Brocktologist

That's write Progressive, tell the HO it's his job to right the check!

Anyhow, you may want to put up 5/8" so it does not sag between the joist later on and comes back to haunt you. I doubt you can install 5/8 over the 1/2" and have the electrical boxes come out right, write? I'd probably tell the HO that we need to install 5/8" to make it up to code since a lot of fires start in the kitchen and you don't need the Fire Marshall paying you a visit. That way it saves the awkward conversation and saves him face.

Dan V.

Great replies! Thanks, guys. It'll come down in the morning.

Celtic

Have you offered to pay him $5/hour?
Maybe he'll get the hint with an insult.

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cleveman

what does the guys wife look like? Might as well "escalate" the situation.

Celtic

That's what I'm talking about

LMAO

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Zendik

Yet another reason I stay away from home remodals...

Rose Estimator

At least remodels that are occupied by residents. Tear it all down and do it right.

send_it_all

I see what you've done here....Brutal.

AtlanticWBConst

Wow....that is pretty bad, he came in and tried to do the work himself without checking with anyone.
Doh' -

It's good to also have a clause in your contracts to cover that (example): The Client and Property Owner Agrees Not to perform any work on the contracted project without written agreement from/with ***XX Remodeling, Inc.

__________________
- Build Well -

tinner666

I've been working for 4 different versions of the same type for 8-10 years. Like being on retainer for the same households.
Never a signed contract. Just verbal 'scopes of work' with all 4. Whenever THEY mess up, they just ask " How much did THAT cost me?" I'd make repairs and give them another bill. No hassels with these HO's.
In one household, the wife will give me a scope of work, I'd do the job, get paid and the hubby would hire me to demo it and do something different and pay on time also.

Been a steady source of income for over 10 years and going strong. Just added a 5th. HO that's doing the same thing evidently. After 7 proposals, he had somebody start the work and asked me to come over and start. Very little to do with what was written. I said it would be easier for me to just do what needs doing and give him a bill. He agreed and gave me a downpayment. Still hasn't signed anything! ( We used the same procedure on his last house too.)

This kind of arrangement isn't for everybody though!

__________________
Frank Slate Roof Repairs, Richmond, Va.

Dan V.

Well, here's the outcome. I arrived very early today so as to make sure I caught him before he went to work. Pulled him aside and had the heart-to-heart about the reasons he hired me in the first place (professional, affordable, great references). I told him that he was not going to be happy with the end result if I continue on with the mismatched drywall, regardless of how much time and effort is spent on trying. I informed him that the only solution is to demo it and start over. I offered to pay for the drywall (only 3 sheets) because that's how strongly I feel about it.

After looking sheepish for a few minutes, he agreed with me, pulled out a $100.00 bill and asked me to keep it between us. I'm guessing he doesn't want his wife to know that he f***ed up.

All's well that ends well. I pulled it down today, replaced it and finished up the taping and first coat of mud by 4:30.

I appreciate all the input, especially cleveman's suggestion! She's relatively hot and she will occasionally breastfeed the youngest kid while I'm in the house. A couple of days ago, I thought to trade the kid my PB&J sandwich for what he was having, but decided that I didn't really know them well enough for her to appreciate my warped humor.

Snobnd

I charge $$ to do the job- I tell them if you watch it's $$$ and if you help it's $$$$ - BUT if I ever came across what happend to you it's Now $$$$$ + to remove and replace>
I hope that helps...

woodmagman

You are the contractor, take control now or loss your shirt later......