Monday, December 15, 2014

The fence fiasco!

When we bought this house, we wanted the fence to be
the first project that was started and completed....because we have 2 dogs that need a yard with a fence!
So we got a few estimates from local companies,
We also asked for a specific timeline 
(knowing that contractors will wait as long as possible before starting the work)

We decided to go with Lowes because they gave us the lowest estimate and they also gave us the shortest timeline, with the soonest start date......

Well, that timeline they gave us, has come and gone....
and yes, they sent us the bill and required it be paid about a month ago!

The posts have yet to be dug or set!

Last week they came to drill the holes for the wrought iron gate that would go across
the porch....it took them over and hour to drill 2 little holes , 4 inches deep (using our electricity and water, which ran the whole time).

Later that evening I went to get the laundry form the basement, to find that the basement corner of the home closest to the parts where they drilled, now had standing water (only about an inch, but still)

I than spent the next few hours trying to find someone I could complain to about this nightmare process, that was supposed to be over "by about the 2nd week of November"-Lowes Contractor
I spoke with the Lowes Manager, and the Lowes Fence Contractor....Neither one was sure why this happened.

They also had to custom build the wrought iron gate because they did not listen the first time
they came out....when I said we had a 5 lb dog that can squeeze threw tiny gates.
When they came to remeasure for that new "custom gate", I said the gate needed to be less than 2 inches off the ground....his reply "you have a 2 inch dog?"

They than called us a few days later to tell us we would have to pay a few more hundred dollars because the gate was going to be "custom",  we than told them that this fence was supposed to be installed weeks ago, and that it was their fault for not telling us that from the beginning...etc etc,
ps-we ended up not having to pay that extra amount!!

Lesson learned....always add more $ and time to the original quote you are given by a contractor!


There will be a fence dividing the driveway from the yard

There will be a fence with a gate here

They will reset the post in this corner because it is leaning

our messy yard...it was 80% garden when we moved in, but we ripped out everything except the raspberry bushes

This is where the wrought iron gate will be set, across the top step of the porch

cannot wait to clean up the yard this Spring

The fence will also be placed in part of the front yard so we can use as much grass for "play area"

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