More than just Broken Glass

From Janelle:

It is not prudent to leave town while remodeling but long term plans to visit friends and family in the Pacific Northwest beckoned and we departed with strict instructions to the contractor not to do any work for the four business days we were gone.

Approaching the front door I asked “Why is there glass in the door when we left there were wood planks?  And WHY is it installed with the textured side on the inside rather than the outside???”

 Fuming I called the contractor and he explained that glass had been installed “correctly” and “logically”. A call to the glass company owner resulted in an additional explanation that the glass had been installed “correctly”.  She clarified that they “always install windows with the texture on the inside” and I patiently inquired if that was perhaps because the textured side is the pretty side and didn’t she think that when guests approach my front door they should see the beautiful pattern, not the plain flat shiny back surface???  “Oh, well, I see your point.” Ugh!  $250 is the fee to re-install the panels “correctly” and hopefully not one of the sixteen firmly siliconed panes will break. 

Light reflects off the non-textured glass

Ready to rumble I told Lewis that we would send the bill to the contractor since it was against our explicit instructions that work not be done while we were away and finally Lewis fessed up, “Well, I think that maybe I MIGHT have told him it was ok to come into the house and install the windows”.  Smooth move ex-lax.

From Lewis:

Confession!!!

Yes, Janelle did not want anyone in the house and demanded it.  Due to a mix-up at the glass store the wrong size was ordered and they busted their asses to try and get it ready to install ASAP because we were leaving town and wanted the house to be secure.  For temporary security plywood was installed in the door openings.  As we were getting ready to leave I had a conversation with contractor Don and we discussed that it would be better to install next week but if there was a scheduling problem and it needed to be done I said go ahead but don’t tell Janelle.  Better to ask forgiveness than reason with a stubborn woman!  I figured how could installing glass go wrong unless it breaks.  Well we returned home and I thought the door looked great.  Janelle is pissed because someone was in the house although we have given the contractor that we trust a key and alarm code.

Now to prove a point and that she is in charge she got the decorator to agree it is wrong and is now demanding it be changed!!!  “I cannot live with it!” First of all you have to see that it looks good on both sides.  A couple buddies of mine were over and totally loved the door but did not notice the windows were in backwards.  I’m guessing that the installers did a professional job and sealed those in to last forever unless broken. Soooo to take them out risks the possible scratching of the door which scratches easily and breaking all the tempered glass trying to remove them from the seal but I guess it doesn’t matter!! I’m staying out of it and hope it works out.

From Janelle:

NOW he wants to stay out of it????????????????????             

1.            I do trust our contractor.  Our outside project contractor a couple years ago insisted that we allow him to re-pour the concrete stairs in the front entry and against my better judgment I acquiesced to his and Lewis’ pressure to do it while we were out of town.  Every time I walk through the doorway I cringe at the wrinkled and lumpy concrete. 

Lumpy concrete

2.            “The guys” (ie contractor, contractor’s lead man and Lewis) have run this project with little input from me.  We dug to China to replace a main sewer line in the kitchen, headers were installed to the perfect height, electrical wires and plumbing lines were run.  That is their department and I knew they had it under control. 

3.            When we began this venture  I had a conversation with “The guys”.   Since I am not home during the day and Lewis is, “the guys” and I agreed that I would have final sign off on anything in the design arena and that if something was done that I didn’t want or didn’t like or didn’t ask for when I got home if I didn’t like it we would rip it out.  We would then discuss who would pay for it.  It would depend on the situation and thus, we all have a vested interest in good communication.

4.            Nothing good could come of work done while we were away.  Why risk duplicating the crimped concrete disaster?  

5.            The glass was supposed to be installed the day before we left.  It wasn’t.  So?  The installation could wait until we returned.

6.            No one asked me, the Homeowner with the Dream how I wanted the windowpanes installed.  His buddies think it looks good?  My designer and every woman I’ve spoken with agree; the textured side should be seen from the outside!

7.            My husband and I are supposed to be a team, us against the world, an impenetrable fortress against all outsiders and evil.  Our armor has been pierced and blood has been drawn.  Replacing broken glass will not fix that.

            How do you resolve conflicts with your partner?

Textured glass mutes and absorbs light reflections