Handy Does It

"This member purchased a two hour Storefront Offer then contacted me saying he needed help with the two person job of installing a storage rack on the ceiling [not roof] of his garage. I arrived at the site expecting to see some sort of heavy or bulky item to be lifted in place. Instead I discovered the storage rack was a kit made up of small light pieces to be assembled in place. I really didn't know if two hours was a realistic expectation for installation of this item, but I sensed if it was going to happen within two hours, we would need to hustle. The member helped me sort through the various parts, and told me where he wanted the rack to go. I began installing the first mounting bracket but realized that if I continued, a corner of the rack would end up partially blocking an exterior door. This is how I "drilled holes in the wrong place." We stopped to find a better position for the rack but there was only a small area of ceiling space available, and the framing in back of it just didn't line up with any mounting points on the rack. I asked the member if he would be OK with bolting some framing lumber to the outside of the ceiling then hanging the rack from that. He said that would be acceptable and showed me some scrap 2 x 4s he had. We talked about doing this and that with his material but nothing seemed to be a very good solution, and he began grumbling about how long this installation was taking. I felt like I had better come up with something fast, so I asked if he would be OK shifting the rack over a few inches with one edge of it placed under a beam in the ceiling. The vertical legs of the rack were adjustable so that if one set of legs were mounted under the beam, and a longer set under the ceiling, the bottom of the rack could be leveled. "That ain't gonna work." he snapped. When I demonstrated it would, he said he was OK with doing the rack that way, and the installation proceeded. As I worked, he seemed to be losing interest in the project, stepping away a few times then just standing around watching when he returned. To get productivity up, I suggested he hand things to me. I guess this is what he is referring to when he writes he "had to" hand me tools. The installation finished up in about 2 1/2 hours, then the member asked how much he owed for the extra time. I told him to not worry about it. I left thinking the member was at least moderately appreciative that I found a way to make his storage rack work, and that I cut him some slack on the bill. Instead I read this review that says I "had trouble understanding the directions" for something too "technical." Yikes!"

"I think this review is intended for some other provider. I did a $90 Storefront Offer special for (Removed member name) last April where I installed a bathroom faucet, but that is all I have ever done for her."