Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Ways to get me to not consider your bid for our home improvement project

We're pricing patios. We need cement poured and a cover built. I hate the way I'm treated by contruction workers. I'm the one doing the research, I'm the one that'll be home when it's being done and I'm the one who knows what I want. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean that I'm incapable of making a decision about 'manly things' like concrete...

#1 Refusing to come over unless my husband is home will almost automatically kick you out of the running.
#2 Coming over and telling me stuff- then the moment Steve walks in the door saying, 'oh good, the boss is home!' (To which Steve replied, 'um, she's the boss' - he knows the right answer!)
#3 Insisting that your product is different then Alumawood (made from aluminum). When we ask what it's made of you reply, 'aluminum'. So when I try to clarify that it's the same material just thicker you insist that it's not made from the same stuff... Apparently we're not communicating.
#4 Ask me repeatedly if my husband is going to pour the concrete. When I inform you that it's not something he is planning on ever doing you ask again. Like by virtue of his testosterone he has innate knowledge about all things construction??
#5 Quote me double the price of every other estimate- then talk trash about the competition.
#6 Be creepy
#7 Be way to interested in my kids and keep asking them, 'do you want to come home with me?'
#8 Try to 'close the deal' by saying you'd take us out to the buffet at the Rio when the project was completed. Yeah, not really a selling point.
#9 Ignore me and my opinions/questions once Steve is present. Thank you for valuing me as a human being.

So yeah- we didn't choose him. BUT we did choose someone else and construction will start in a week or so. THEN we'll get our grass in! The lawn guy is already figuring up and estimate for us. YAY!!!