Share Your Pain with Us - Page 2
Of course, just hiring a contractor or designer is no guaranteed protection against ‘Creatures from the Black Remodel.’ Kern said she and her husband thought they had a reputable painting contractor, but he showed potential vampire-like tendencies: An employee of his started complaining that he was not being paid on time.
“Although our contractor did great work—we had worked with him before—he was a poor businessman and couldn’t manage his finances,” she said ruefully. “We ended up having to pay the assistant out-of-pocket and hire a different painter to finish the job. It set us back three weeks, because we couldn’t find another painter, and that held us up from putting our house on the market.”
Kern said other common remodeling nightmares include failing to solicit enough competitive bids, not reviewing the entire job with your contractors, and being inadequately informed about materials you use.
“A friend was obsessed with white Carrara marble countertops. She installed one, but was soon hating the fact that they are so high maintenance,” she related. “While the countertops are beautiful, the reality is that they are very finicky work surfaces that etch at the slightest touch of lemon juice and stain from a drop of red wine or balsamic vinegar.
“That was an example of how you really need to think about how you live, and the needs of the space, before committing to materials and surfaces.”
California mid-century modern homeowners who want to contribute their experiences to Tanja’s upcoming story, and become a part of the summer issue of CA-Modern, should contact Tanja by e-mail at kern.tanja AT gmail.com before March 15, 2016. Respond with your phone and e-mail contact information and a brief written outline of your remodeling woes and regrets.
