Farm Journal

Thoughts and images from life at Foster Road

Entry: March 19, 2010

Journal Entries

Marshmallow Walls

It looks like sheepskin has been tucked into every nook and cranny of the walls and the whole house has become quieter. Foam insulation is a little pricey, but a great way to get an air-tight barrier. Anyone who’s lived in a drafty old house can tell you that a small gap can feel like an open door when the wind blows hard in the winter.

But the journey here was quite a trip. Last fall, a man knocked on the door saying he could see we were doing renovations and would be happy to quote us on insulation, showers, closets… Admiring his pluck, I showed him around and asked for a quote. That was the last bit of inspired service I got.

In my recent intensive experience, contractors are often maddeningly rough around the customer-service edges. So here’s my top 10 for contractors:

10) Answer the phone yourself or hire someone. A message on your answering machine is not good enough.
9) Clean up after yourself. Better yet, don’t make a mess in the first place.
8) Call back. Every time.
7) Don’t try to hide your mistakes. Fess up and make it right.
6) Don’t bad mouth the competition. It makes you look mean.
5) Women are not stupid and don’t assume they have a husband who makes the final decisions.
4) Don’t wreck the work of other trades.
3) Show up on time, work a full day, close up when you leave. HINT: talking on your cell phone, smoking, and, chatting/griping are not work.
2) Say you don’t know when you don’t know.
1) Deliver quality work every time, even if you made a bad quote. Makes sure you crew does too. It’s your reputation and that’s your future.

In return you have the rights too, but that’d be your top ten.