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Subject

Author

Date

Cat and Mouse

Michael Bulatovich

09-25-2007

tbasc@bellsouth...

Michael Bulatov...

tbasc@bellsouth...

Michael Bulatov...

3D Peruna

Michael Bulatov...

3D Peruna

Michael Bulatov...

3D Peruna

Michael Bulatov...

3D Peruna

Michael Bulatov...

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Posted by Michael Bulatovich on September 27, 2007, 9:15 am

> Michael Bulatovich wrote:

>>Worse yet, the client *is* the builder, and looks you in the eye and says

>>he won't fix it.

> hmm, sounds like someone wants to get away with less than standards and

> codes and transfer their liability to you for doing so in the process.

> As far as what may have been covered up: Perhaps a simple letter

> expressing your "concern" over the specific items covered given the lack

> of the builder's concern over code/standards?

I avoided it yesterday playing Yosemite Sam, so, one way or another, I'll
deal with it today.

Posted by 3D Peruna on September 25, 2007, 6:35 pm

Michael Bulatovich wrote:

> I basically would like to like builders, and have a lot of respect for

> people who make things, so I really resent it when they try to make me out

> to be 'the bad guy.' The only redeeming moment today was when I found a

> lovely set of arts-and-crafts-inspired bed linens for sale at one of the

> sites....one of the sales people told me to come back in a month during the

> 'family and friends' sale and I could be her 'friend' and save $150 on

> them... : )

I feel for you... I've experienced the same. Of course, now it's your
fault for the delay in the project. It's your fault these things are
all wrong. Didn't you pull out the tape measure and check this stuff
during framing? I just hope there was a liquidated damages clause in
the owner-contractor agreement....

Posted by Michael Bulatovich on September 26, 2007, 9:10 am

> Michael Bulatovich wrote:

>> I basically would like to like builders, and have a lot of respect for

>> people who make things, so I really resent it when they try to make me

>> out to be 'the bad guy.' The only redeeming moment today was when I

>> found a lovely set of arts-and-crafts-inspired bed linens for sale at one

>> of the sites....one of the sales people told me to come back in a month

>> during the 'family and friends' sale and I could be her 'friend' and save

>> $150 on them... : )

> I feel for you... I've experienced the same. Of course, now it's your

> fault for the delay in the project. It's your fault these things are all

> wrong. Didn't you pull out the tape measure and check this stuff during

> framing? I just hope there was a liquidated damages clause in the

> owner-contractor agreement....

Thankfully, measuring everything is not within the scope of "field review",
but so many of these 'guys' are of the 'wise' variety, it makes you shudder
to think of all the stunts they get away with....

My wife sums it up pretty well when I whined about 'how my day went':

These types only hire you because they have to. They have to because the
government says so. The government says so because they want someone looking
out for the public interest, because 'wise guys' all over the world are
ready to sacrifice the well-being of others to line their pockets with an
extra nickel. The government will yank your ticket if you knowingly let them
get away with this sort of thing, yet it's not the government who contracted
you in he first place- it's (sometimes) the guy you are expected to police.
These guys will move on to another architect if you give them what they
think is a rough ride, until they do find someone they can push around. When
they do, you will read about it in the disciplinary proceedings at the
association....better him than you. Think of these guys as 'one-time'
clients.

BTW, our self-run insurer puts out regular cautionary stories about guys who
got into trouble and how. They humorously change the names, but tell the
stories in good narrative fashion, and they are pretty funny, in a dark sort
of way. I should scan and OCR the next one and post it. The writer's pretty
good.
--

MichaelB
www.michaelbulatovich.ca

Posted by 3D Peruna on September 28, 2007, 12:27 pm

Just talked to a contractor friend. He told me of a guy who bought two
very expensive "lake" properties (more of a cliff down to a channel
between two lakes that they can put a dock into). They had surveys done
and approved site plans.

The city came out to do a septic system compliance inspection at the end
of construction (very typical). Something wasn't right. They started
to pull tapes to measure stuff.

The first house was built 17' feet too close to the lake and the 2nd one
18' fee too close to the lake. They completely ignored the approved
site plan and built whatever they wanted.

Posted by Michael Bulatovich on September 28, 2007, 12:42 pm

> Just talked to a contractor friend. He told me of a guy who bought two

> very expensive "lake" properties (more of a cliff down to a channel

> between two lakes that they can put a dock into). They had surveys done

> and approved site plans.

> The city came out to do a septic system compliance inspection at the end

> of construction (very typical). Something wasn't right. They started to

> pull tapes to measure stuff.

> The first house was built 17' feet too close to the lake and the 2nd one

> 18' fee too close to the lake. They completely ignored the approved site

> plan and built whatever they wanted.

It's pretty unusual for a bureaucrat to use a tape....Now what? Committee of
Adjustment? or does a Conservation Authority have jurisdiction?

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