WARD SMITH REMODELING LLC

"Issues and changes not included in the contract are not performed unless payment is made up front, as stated in the contract signed by both parties. All of our sub-contractors are always paid on time or they would not continue to work on our projects. They date back to the 1970s. I regret our personalities were ill-suited to work together, and I regret I did not make more of an effort to accommodate the client's incessant phone calls, night and day, from the minute the project began. This project was a hard lesson in developing better customer relations skills required to accommodate the inevitable problem clients all business owners that work with the public encounter."

"This report is partially my fault. Not insomuch as inferior construction, but in getting to be too friendly with my customers. (member name removed) was home the entire project and watched every move we made. She bummed cigarettes from me every day at lunch and we sat in the backyard with the crew smoking and joking. I had no idea she was smoking behind her husband's back, and when I mentioned to him that (member name removed) and I had come to some decision over our lunchtime cigarette he short circuited. Evidently a very controlling man, he had forbid (member name removed) to smoke, but I was never clued into this truth. So, he was livid with me for giving her cigarettes and she was furious for me slipping and telling her husband about her lunchtime vice. My crew spent an extra week installing flat screen TVs, hardware, touch up paint to perfection, for no charge. None of these activities were in the contract. Some months after the project was finished the (member name removed) began calling and complaining about an exterior door that leaked. (member name removed) had already raked me over the coals on Angie's List, not to mention verbally, so it is true that I refused to return to check why the door was leaking in blowing rain conditions. In retrospect, I wish I'd sucked it up and returned and maybe she would've softened her criticism some. But probably not. Hindsight is 20/20. Another example of my failing to keep business separated from personal relationships with clients. Now I build a Berlin Wall to separate the trouble that can come with a personal relationship with customers."