Week 89: Problems and Solutions
A solid foundation in all walks of life is the most important thing to have, this could not be more so when working in property. The floors are still giving us problems. We have been calling around so many companies after looking at the different types of slabs they have but they were all coming back too expensive. So many beautiful slabs, various colours and shapes and textures to choose from, but with a hefty price tag. We need something that will go with our dark navy blue kitchen, something light to create a contrast and bring out the old with the new. After non stop searching we finally settled with one that was reasonably priced and had the look, on screen at least, that we wanted.
The order was placed and will be delivered for 14 September 2021 between 9am and 12pm. If we went with what the project manager suggested, which was to wait for the screed (someone he had spoken to) to be delivered on 24 September 2021, then we would only have six days to get the kitchen and stairs put in. Meaning, more than likely we would have missed the second deadline set by the lender. After speaking to the project manager about the timescales and how we wanted to move forward and by what dates we need things done by, because we want the valuer to come out by the end of the month, he then gives us a date for the plumber to come out on 4 October 2021. Sometimes I think is he trying to make us miss the deadline?
We had a discussion with the PM and spoke about what jobs need to be done and we really need to move fairly quickly. So we delegated jobs, what he will be doing and what I will be doing etc to get this over the finish line and keep each person updated every week as to what has happened during that week and if anything has been booked. When we received an email from him highlighting who will be doing what, it seems like I’m the PM and he is the apprentice. He only has one task to complete and I have seven out of the nine jobs that need finishing. I know I said I wanted to learn on the job but this is ridiculous! The screed has been removed so he doesn’t need to think about it anymore. Talk about getting lucky, I don’t understand what I’m paying him to do, this is a very crucial time right now and I really need him onboard. I only felt some progress after I had sent him a lengthy heart-felt message as to what is going on and how much this project means to us.
When I told him elderly members of the family had contributed and that there is no exception that these individuals will need to be paid back only then did I witness some movement/empathy in him. LIke when someone is waking up from a coma and you see a flicker of the pupils as if he’s coming back to the awakening. The biggest challenge to date we had to face was the laying of screed to complete the floors. It was so unexpected as we had handled bigger tasks of structural issues with greater ease. This one came from nowhere and took the most amount of time to correct. It tested our patience as we had to find ways of dealing with this while at the same time keeping our cool with the culprit involved. We managed in the end to bring the task to completion by going unorthodox and trying something alternative.
This is proof that no matter how big the problem, there is ALWAYS a solution. You just have to work your way through a few to get to it.