HOMESTEAD OUTFITTERS LLC

"COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS, BOTH INBOUND AND OUTBOUND, ARE CRUCIAL TO ANY PROJECT. THERE WERE A FEW MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROJECT AS IT PROGRESSED AND EACH OF THESE WAS COORDINATED WITH THE OWNER IN ADVANCE. BEFORE THE PROJECT BEGAN I CONSULTED WITH THE OWNERS ON THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRICK IN THAT THE SIZE AND COLOR OF BRICK ON THE HOUSE COULD NOT BE MATCHED EXACTLY. I PROVIDED SEVERAL SAMPLES AND USED THE BRICK SELECTED BY THE OWNER. IT WAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SHADE AND I OFFERED TO HAVE EACH BRICK HAND PAINTED TO PROVIDE AN EXACT MATCH; MY OFFER WAS DECLINED AS THE BRICK WAS "CLOSE ENOUGH." THIS WAS ADDRESSED EARLY ON IN THE PROJECT AND I FEEL THAT I ATTEMPTED TO DO ALL POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE AN EXACT BRICK SIZE AND COLOR. ANOTHER CHANGE MADE BY THE OWNER WAS ON THE COUNTER TOP. ORIGINALLY, THERE WAS TO BE AN CANTILEVERED BAR ON ONE END OF THE GRILLING AREA. THEY OPTED FOR A TILE COUNTER ENCLOSED WITH BRICK WHICH CANNOT BE CANTILEVERED DUE TO WEIGHT AND STRUCTURAL ISSUES. I ADVISED HER THAT BY CHOOSING TO CHANGE THE COUNTER SHE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP THE CANTILEVERED BAR AND SHE INDICATED SHE UNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION. IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN UNTIL THE FINAL DAYS OF THE PROJECT AND I WAS ACCUSED OF MAKING CHANGES ON MY OWN WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. DESPITE MY EXPLANATIONS AND RECOUNTING OUR CONVERSATIONS IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNICATIVE FAILURE. I OFFERED TO PROVIDE, AT MY COST, A CUSTOM WROUGHT IRON BAR/SITTING AREA OR TO TEAR DOWN THE KITCHEN AND REBUILD IT FROM THE GROUND UP AT MY EXPENSE. NEITHER OPTION WAS ACCEPTABLE TO THEM, THEY PAID THE INVOICE IN FULL AND HER HUSBAND TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PREVENT ME FROM GAINING ANY ADDITIONAL BUSINESS IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. I NEVER ARGUE WITH ONE OF MY CLIENTS AND AGAIN OFFERED TO REBUILD THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND WAS TOLD "NO, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH." I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS ABOUT MY PRESENCE ON THE JOB SITE AS I OR MY PARTNER WAS ON SITE DAILY AND MY WORKERS DID HAVE COPIES OF THE PROJECT PLANS, THE SAME PLANS PROVIDED TO AND APPROVED BY THE HOMEOWNERS. I FEEL WORSE THAN THE OWNER'S TO LEARN TODAY, NEARLY TWO YEARS LATER, THAT THEY ARE SO DISSATISFIED WITH THE PROJECT. UNFORTUNATELY FOR BOTH PARTIES MY OVERTURES TO CORRECT THE AREAS THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH WERE REJECTED. HAVING OFFERED MULTIPLE TIMES TO TEAR IT DOWN AND START AGAIN I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO INSURE THEIR SATISFACTION. THE LESSON I LEARNED FROM THIS JOB IS TO FULLY DOCUMENT AND REQUIRE WRITTEN APPROVAL OF ANY CHANGES FROM AN ORIGINAL PLAN. THERE ARE ANOTHER HUNDRED OR MORE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE THRILLED WITH THE WORK WE HAVE COMPLETED AND ARE VIABLE REFERENCES."