|
|
Go to page 1~2 [Next] | ||||||||||
Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
I feel horrible! I mean how awful to fire someone but your own brother! Urg ! That's gotta be on the list for horrible things to have to do.
It all started when my brother found out I was planning to hire a painter to paint the hallway, living room and dining room in a home I planned on selling. I hesitated as my brother has been known to partake in some mind enhancement stuff since his teens and doesn't always have the best judgment. However, he lives with my mom and the money he earned would indirectly go to my mom so I hired him. The first few days I stopped in to check how he was doing, bringing him dinner and other treats. He said the job would take 10 days. Day 3 I became concerned as he had huge tubs of paint in the living room which he was mixing, assuring me this would be unique. I should have been more concerned. Day 5 the tubs in the living room increased as they now numbered 20 or more. I suspect he was using left over paint from other jobs to create his own unique color. Day 6 he painted the bathroom. I didn't need the bathroom painted as that was just completed a few months ago. Day 7 I saw the living room was still not painted but had large swatches of color of every hue (he told me he was testing the color combinations.) I told him I just wanted a pale yellow and I'd pay for the paint I wanted. He got upset and told me I was wasting money. In the meantime I was paying him 100 a day. Cheap he told me compared to other painters that charge 300. I figured yup but other painters would have finished by now. I give him 200 to buy paint in the color I chose. Day 8-25 He's still there and now I tell him I can't afford to pay him any longer. Besides the place I moved into has had a flood and workmen are there at all hours so I need to move back in my previous home for a while. He tells me not to bring my %$%$# dogs there. I can't any how as there are now aprox 50 cans of paint in the living room. Egads they are multiplying! The doors in the entire house have been painted with flat paint and little colored squares in the middle. It looks like it's from the 60's. I wonder how many hours it took him to paint them. I'm still calm and tell him again that I needed the living room, dining room and hallway painted. However at home, I rant about those awful doors that I spent hours painting myself with high quality paint just weeks earlier. Day 40....he won't leave and I continue to tell him I can no longer pay him. I notice he has now melted the back of the stove. He tells me it's my fault I left a plastic bowl too close to the burner when he turned it on. Grrrr. The bowl caught on fire and melted the back of the stove which now resembles a melted blob of plastic. Day 41 I stop in and once again tell him I can't pay him any longer I've run out of money. I notice he has painted the kitchen pink and the cupboards which had also been freshly painted weeks earlier. I tell him that's it tomorrow is his last day as I don't have any more money. I had given him hundreds of dollars for things that didn't need painting. He tells me that's okay you can pay me later when you sell the house. He won't stop. Day 42 - I see my beautiful piano is all smashed on top from which he had laid heavy boxes on top. The workman are still working at my other place , electricians, contractors carpenters , ect ripping out a room which has been flooded, but that's another story. I just want a place I can hang out after work with my dogs but the other place now has 50 cans of paint and drop cloths everywhere. Day 42-Day 60 He's still there but now has painted the hallway, dining room and living room but none are the same color. Oh no! I find furniture in the hallway that who knows where it came from. I wanted to stage my home after he painted and think he pinched someone's junk pile. Day 61 I see swatches of paint in the rooms downstairs on all the walls as if he was testing paint...gasp they were just painted last month. They now have to be repainted as well as all the doors, stove replaced and piano is trashed. He leaves me notes that he needs all the closets emptied as no one will buy my home with unpainted closets. I call him and tell him I'm not worried about the closets (priorities like the stove are more important) he tells me oh just tell the new owners you'll knock money off the selling price. I can only shake my head. Day 61 I collect all his paint cans, bring them downstairs, along with all the "stuff" he brought over and leave a note that I'm moving back in tomorrow. I notice the hallway, dining room and living room are all different colors. I quess he didn't mix enough paint of his special mixture. Egads! It very noticeable that I now have to have the rooms repainted. Day 63 I call him and have to hold the phone away from my ear as he rants and raves about I've mixed up his paint. I have no choice but to fire him. Well not really as before I can get the words out he says" You know what, I'm taking all my stuff and that's what I get for helping you out". Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Day 64 I stop in at my former place and all my neighbors are there to greet me and as the small crowd surrounds me they all comment I must have had a huge reno at my place. They are surprised too as they know I spent the last year fixing the place up. They all want to come and have a look. I bring them in and show them.....they all give me a hug. They are amazed at how long those little squares on the doors must have taken, and they are all different colors! LOL Chrystal |
|||||||||
Slartibartfast Loyal user Southern Illinois 230 Posts |
YIKES! You are a saint. I wouldn't have lasted past day 6.
If you can pull it off in a biker bar without being violated by a corn dog, more power to you.
-- Gwyd, the Unusual "YOUR Signature...speaks volumns (sic) as to your lack of understanding." --T.V. |
|||||||||
Outbreak Monkey New user Brisbane, Australia 59 Posts |
Is this for real? It's a fantastic story!
I'm sure you have a very unique place now though? Unbelievable! |
|||||||||
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
Anyone in the business could have given you a whole host of reasons why you never hire family to perform a remodel... unless you have excess times and money to throw away.
Sorry it did not turn out better. |
|||||||||
Big Jeff Loyal user 300 Posts |
Me and my Dad are closing a deal on a house today that we plan to fix up and rent out. Luckyly we don't know how to do anything that needs to be done so we are hiring someone and it should only take him about 3 weeks.
I may start demo, ripping out the carpet and the kitchen floor Saturday. I MIGHT hire a friend to come and help me paint (teach me), that would be more of an excuse to have him come and hang out after work. We have plans ( and investors) who want to do 2 houses a month. Hopefully this is just the start. |
|||||||||
Bob Clayton Loyal user 245 Posts |
Wow Chrystal, that beat all of my remodeling stories.
|
|||||||||
Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
Hi Again,
Outbreak Monkey that story is sadly true but some day I'll be able to laugh about it! Startibarfast - Nope not a saint and while I remained calm, I would swear like a trucker every day after viewing the mess on my drive home. The people in the other cars probably thought I was singing to music. Tom - Your absolutely right - it's the reason given why never to hire family or friends when $ is involved. They also say not to purchase another place before your own home is sold and I broke the rules twice even though I knew those rules. No regrets however, about buying the other place as it was such an incredible deal and perfect for my animal rescue . Too bad about the recent flood - long story but it was the city's fault and they are taking responsibility. It's just a tad stressful having two places under renovations. Some day I'll laugh about that too. Big Jeff - Best wishes with your purchase and if I could give any advice is: many Home Reno stores offer free classes on everything from installing sinks to laminate flooring. I've taken advantage of many of these classes. Not that my advice is worth a grain of salt after my story..LOL but I was able to save thousands doing things myself and discovered a new found passion along the way. I have a garage full of power tools that most men are jealous of. Bob - I think every homeowner experiences some kind of remodeling horror story...come to think of it - we magicians also have at least one show horror story. I had planned on putting the house up for sale last month but with all that mess to fix it will set me back a few weeks but still trying to be an optomist. In these tough economic times, I still feel lucky so not complaining although I needed to rant in my post. (smile) Overall, it could have been worse as I often think of Magic Santa's guy on the couch story who ate his food, didn't pay rent, and refused to leave for a few years. At least my brother only stayed for two months so yup it could have been worse! Thanks for allowing me to rant . Chrystal |
|||||||||
Outbreak Monkey New user Brisbane, Australia 59 Posts |
Chrystal, again. Amazing story...
Don't they say never work with children or animals, or family members? Well I'm sure you're right.. It's a great story, and one day you'll be able to laugh about it! Hang in there! Monkey. |
|||||||||
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Why we rent.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
|
|||||||||
Xaethia Regular user Australia 124 Posts |
I can't believe you lasted that long! Wow!
"Technique beats skill. Psychology beats technique. Philosophy beats all. Think about it." CrdShk
|
|||||||||
Slartibartfast Loyal user Southern Illinois 230 Posts |
[offtopic]
It is amazing how funny these comments become if you add "That's what she said" after them. [/offtopic]
If you can pull it off in a biker bar without being violated by a corn dog, more power to you.
-- Gwyd, the Unusual "YOUR Signature...speaks volumns (sic) as to your lack of understanding." --T.V. |
|||||||||
daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Chrystal, sounds like the Cat in the Hat came to your house!!
I think you should have shot him long about day 6 or 7 and just put him out of his misery.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
|
|||||||||
airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
Chrystal, blood is thicker than paint.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
|
|||||||||
Slartibartfast Loyal user Southern Illinois 230 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-04-17 11:06, airship wrote: ...so you only have to use one coat.
If you can pull it off in a biker bar without being violated by a corn dog, more power to you.
-- Gwyd, the Unusual "YOUR Signature...speaks volumns (sic) as to your lack of understanding." --T.V. |
|||||||||
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
--Overall, it could have been worse as I often think of Magic Santa's guy on the couch story who ate his food, didn't pay rent, and refused to leave for a few years. At least my brother only stayed for two months so yup it could have been worse! ---
For me it is far worse. I moved from California to Nevada and the guy on my former couch showed up and told my wife "Please, I need to stay for two weeks, just two weeks, until I get my own place". That was April of 2007 and he is still on my couch here in Nevada, still refuses to do anything around the house, and if asked to pony up some money (he is the only one with a job) he has a fit and threatens to call the sheriff etc on me and I don't need that headache. My life sucks.... Chrystal, I do need a job and if you need your place painted I can do it. |
|||||||||
thorndyke Regular user Canada 147 Posts |
Jeepers! Once again an illustration of the effects of a narcotics enhanced lifestyle can have on family dynamics. Hope this financially blows over quickly for you - and check on mom to make sure he hasn't siphoned off of her.
|
|||||||||
Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
Gasp, Magic Santa that guy is still there??? Yikes!
If you lived closer I'd take you up on your offer to paint ...at least you'd have a break from the guy on your couch. Today, I spend 12 hours at the house - anger is a wonderful thing if directed in the right place! I was moving and lifting furniture that would have been normally too heavy for me to move. (flexes muscles). It also gave me energy to tackle some of the jobs. In the daylight I see the living room, hallway and dining room are 4 different colors not 3 and there is a huge blob of pink paint in the middle of the hallway. Most of the new blinds and floors have paint on them as well, which I gingerly had to scrape off. That only took 5 hours of my time. Groaners I'm still trying to think positively as everything but the stove can be fixed , although the piano will never be the same. In the end, my brother who is much older than me really thinks he did me a favor. To keep the family peace I'm not going to make a big deal out of it but will never ask him for his help and I'll pay my mom his rent so that she does benefit and he feels I've squared up the rest of the money he thinks I owe him. OutbreakMonkey - I always work with kids and animals! LOL! However no more with family members. Airship - Yup blood is thicker than water and luckily I have thick skin too. DaffyDoug - You had me chuckling as you got it bang on - It was like the Cat In The Hat House! Thorndyke - You're right and while I sympathize with his situation I also made sure he has been giving my mom some monies for his room and board. Doug - I've got a nice place for you to rent should you ever move! That is if you can live with pink/blue/green/beige and yellow squares on doors! Chrystal |
|||||||||
balducci Loyal user Canada 227 Posts |
Chrystal, I was impressed with your careful logging of what happened on what day. Did you really keep a log, or was this a guesstimate?
Big Jeff, where do you live that investors are wanting to get into the housing market?
Make America Great Again! - Trump in 2020 ... "We're a capitalistic society. I go into business, I don't make it, I go bankrupt. They're not going to bail me out. I've been on welfare and food stamps. Did anyone help me? No." - Craig T. Nelson, actor.
|
|||||||||
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
Everywhere, now is the time to get in.
Painting party at Chrystal's!! |
|||||||||
Big Jeff Loyal user 300 Posts |
Balducci,
I live in Bakersfield Ca, the prices here are so low that we really couldn't resist anymore. We got a 3 bedroom 2 both house for 49,900 and it needs about 10K in improvements and our realtor thinks he can sell it for $94K. It should be on the market in 3 weeks. We found hardwood floors under the carpet, by refinishing them we should save about $500 over recarpeting. Our goal is to make about 10K profit on each house, not a lot but if we do 2 houses a month that will add up. If we can't sell them after 2 months we will rent them out for a couple of years until the market really goes up. |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Not very magical, still... » » So..., I fired my brother (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.05 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |