# Help! Save me from homeowner who insists on "helping".



## Forry (Feb 12, 2007)

I thought to trade the kid my PB&J sandwich for what he was having

Holy cow!


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## fireguy (Oct 29, 2006)

I appreciate all the input, especially cleveman's suggestion! :laughing: 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.[/quote]

This post is worthless w/o pictures.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

fireguy said:


> This post is worthless w/o pictures.


I disagree. Pictures would cheapen it.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

This is what I do when the homeowner helps the price goes up. For example if I normally charge 1000 dollars and the home owner asks to help then the price is 3000 dollars. This keeps them away from me. To remedy the situation I would need to see it. First reaction is to tear it down and do it right because you don't want to deal with floats,poor workmanship,air bubbles or guaranteeing the job. The only thing I can say if you want to fix his work is Knock it down with a vacuum sander then use big rolls of fiberglass stucco mesh and plaster trowel over it then skim with joint compound. I still stick to rip out and redo first because I don't know how bad it is.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

i was on a kitchen and bath job couple months ago, similar situation, the general put me on the job by myself which was better for some things really bad for other things, the homeowner is handy, had no problem letting him help with the demo and lugging out debris to the trailer.

the big problems were with fixtures, and the ho buying different materials before we needed them. every day i would come in he had the new toilet, shower base, and cast iron rads sitting where they were going to be installed which was a major hastle for me because this was while i was still repairing the structure of the floor and putting down new floor ply, so id have to move all that out of the room, not to mention,he had bundles of insulation before demo was done and had them sitting in the line of travel to go down the stairs, among other things, he insisted on me using some of the 2x4 he had sitting in the shed which were more twisted than a hot wheels track.

not to mention the ho didnt have their gate unlocked or the door we were using to enter some mornings then complained i wasnt starting at the correct time, kinda hard to do when you cant get in.

needless to say this job drove me insane, by the end of the 4th day of 2 1/2 weeks i didnt want anything to do with it


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## dayspring (Mar 4, 2006)

This is one of my "Pet Peeves". From the get go I let the homeowner know that he/she can not help. I've turned down work just for this reason.

I'm not running a 30 minute TV show and what they see on HGTV (I hate that channel) just isn't the real world of professional remodels.

If you don't make everything clear up front, you are opening the door for confusion.

Put it in your future contracts, You do use contracts?

You did note that drywall wasn't your thing. With that being said and you are already in a spot. If you tear it out and redo it you best be sure you can do it better than the HO. 

Good Luck, Just remember this situation in the future. We live and Learn.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

if they wanna help, just tell em to make sure they have their paint colors ready for when your ready for it, same for tile and any special order fixtures


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## Dan V. (Oct 16, 2008)

> Put it in your future contracts, You do use contracts?
> 
> You did note that drywall wasn't your thing. With that being said and you are already in a spot. If you tear it out and redo it you best be sure you can do it better than the HO.


I absolutely use contracts. This is the first time I've an h.o. that wanted to help. I've already modified my form.

As I mentioned above, even though I don't do drywall exclusively, I've done a fair bit of it. I already tore his down and replaced it. It came out great and he is not only happy with the result, but sees very clearly now why I insisted on doing it.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

Tell them they are not covered under your liability insurance and your insurance company says not to work if anyone not on your payroll is in the room. That one works with the real pain in the asses as well as the kids who want to walk on your stilts.


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