Oh Yeah... This is Why I DIY

Hi all! For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you may remember seeing this:

You see, I've been so busy with real estate and, quite frankly, was so burned by Lubbock that I just didn't have it in me to DIY. I decided that I needed to finish projects but didn't have the "want" to do it. So I decided to hire a GC. They were installing the crown in my half bath and redoing my stairs. Total cost: $550. Not cheap, but better than doing it myself.

The guys came and got to work. It took about a week from start to finish. The guys left and I thought "but wait, they aren't finished." I called the GC and told him the workers hadn't finished so he came by and checked it out. I showed him the unfinished work and pointed out a few problems like the pic on the right. What is that? Apparently the worker decided to cut my rod iron pieces on my limestone retaining wall outside. The result? About a third of my rods are missing paint. And guys, these things weren't cheap. I had special ordered them online because this is the last time I'm messing with the stairs so I wanted it done right. So there was that.

Next, I took him into the powder bath and showed him this:

You may be wondering what in the world is that?? It's the uber expensive light my mom got in Italy that I begged her to let me use in my powder bath. And no, that's not how it is supposed to look. It's missing this:

That is the cover and 90% of the Italian crystal that were inside the light. Sigh... When the worker was doing the crown I walked by and saw the ladder was leaning against the light fixture. I asked him to move the ladder but by then the damage was done. About 2 days later the fixture cover started falling off. So now I need to hire an electrician to uninstall the light and pay to have the light fixed. 

And then there were the things that weren't finished. Not a lot, but the finish out.

The GC informed me that was unacceptable and he would be back next week to finish - that was over a month ago and I haven't heard a word from him. But don't worry - I hadn't paid him. If Lubbock taught me anything, it was that you do not pay for a job until it's done the way you hired them to do it. Of course by the time I get the light fixed and with the damage done to the rods I'm looking at well over $550 out of my pocket. Luckily, though, that's all it is.

Although I'm pretty miffed that my powder bath was FINALLY finished and now it's not because of the light, at least it can be fixed.

The best part of all of this is that it renewed my DIY interest! I'm ready to get back in and finish up what he didn't. I'm hoping to knock it out in the next couple of weeks and have pics for you guys! So yes... I was finally reminded why it was I became a DIYer to begin with - no one will put the love and effort into it the way I will so why pay someone to do something halfway? :-)