NOW I remember...

[Kay/NC]

...what drove me crazy about this area when we moved here: Not being able to get quality work done, or even half-assed work done on time.  We basically had to become pretty proficient at doing things ourselves when we moved here, as there was no one to hire, or the ones we did were more trouble than thetywere worth. 

The Gas Man, who had no clue how to install the tankless water heater he sells himself, and didn't know what it costs either, is my current concern.  He was the one Mike hired well over a month ago, to refurbish the connections to the twelve hog houses, during our downtime. 

I have explained to my husband his #1 mistake: Giving the guy our stocking schedule.  He has apparently deided he can get each one hooked up as the pigs are arriving....

Showed last Friday to do the second set of four buildings,   lacking the four couplings he absolutely HAD to have to get the job done.  Mike saw him and spoke to him, and we expected him back later that day, or at least by this Monday.  It is Wednesday, and so far, he's a no show. 

I had not been keeping up with his comings and goings, until he crossed me up in the kitchen a week ago Monday. I agreed with my husband in hiring an independent businessman, but this one is TOO independent. 

He says that if he's not here by nine, he is going to call and tell him to get it into gear...we need to re-start heaters, and make sure they are all working for next week.  He  is very religious, so I am sure wouldn't dream of working this weekend.  He's had about six weeks to get this three-day max job done, so shouldn't have had to worry about it taking any overtime or riunning into a holiday...but, he's sure pushing us up against one. 

I have told Mike to give him a shorter leadtime for the next site, if he doesn't end up fired today.  As much as I want to help a family business guy, this is starting to feel too much like the HVAC company that cut gaping holes all throught the exterior walls of the house, and left for three days in July...the height of mosquito season, sixteen summers ago. 

Gas is the one thing we don't DIY at all...and the big gas company has cut back its service staff to the bone.  We are screwed if this guy gets any more sketchy than he has already been. 

So, if anyone wonders why I was up at three a.m., surfing instead of sleeping, I suppose this is it.  I can't think of any other reason, but that I am relying on the same sort of (lack of)  work ethic that drove me to distraction almost two decades ago.  Woke up, tried to get back into sleep mode, but nothing doing....

What wakes you up in the night, and keeps you awake in the wee hours?

[turkey feather]

I am now in that group that can't drink tea,coffee and cola after noon. Wakes me at 3 am! And I hate it. 

[Kay/NC]

Perhaps I will be able to rest tonight...the gas guy did show up, about an hour after Mike called to ask him if he still planned on doing the job or not.  He lives about 20 minutes away, so I guess that says something. 

Today, even though he hasn't got enough work for himself much of the time, he showed up with two helpers.  Told Mike he had been sick the past two days...these are the world's sickest people down here,  when it comes to working. 

 If I am slow - as in a week behind -  getting somewhere I have promised to be, due to illness or whatever, I call the people who are expecting me, so they don't worry...wouldn't you?  

Mike accelerated the rest of the repair schedule this morning.  I can't rest when I am worried that someone is going to let us down. 

[Nebrfarmr]

Been there, done that. When I was 18 or 19, we needed to redo out hog heater gas lines. He sent me to learn how to do the low pressure lines after the regulator. While I didn't get certified, we passed inspection (required when not done by a certified technician) with a perfect score. Inspector was surprised a 'kid' could get it right (had the book right there). Does your gas company have something like that, where you could plumb the lines, and then inspect it? You al, sound handy enough to do it, or would you just want it done? Don't expect it to be any better, as my experiences are that I take more time to double check, than the experts do.

[Kay/NC]

I am sure Mike coudlddo it...he can do almost anything.  The older we get, tehemore prone we are to saying, "Just write the check." 

Since we have a dozen buildings, and he is somewhat insecure about LP work, we did just that...and were trying to give this guy some work.  As you are well aware, no good deed goes unpunished. 

[chick06]

I know how hard help is to find. We have got to do more upgrades on our poultry houses and some work we will do, but their are only about 2 companies in our area, and both of them are so behind. I will not say what I think about their work. Bottom line, people do not want to work,and if they do they sure don't do the quality of work that you use to get from someone.

[suey1973]

There's a reason Tom has been overseeing and doing all the fixing of the 35 year old finishing building.  Since it is completely empty  we took off and replaced  both curtains the past week.    If there was anyone/business that you could get to come out here and:   put in furnaces/gas lines,   put in soaker nozzles and water lines,   take off and put on new curtains....  we would gladly write the check.       Hard to find a contractor to come out and redo a kitchen,  or bathroom,   an electrician to rewire a 100 year old house.   All they want to do is build new.   Sometimes  old can be fixed and remodeled.  

The pigs that go into this finishing building  came tuesday.   Too many came.   Nursery only should hold 470 and they sent 500.   That means I have to get them out quicker.    So my husband now has a deadline.   I want the building washed and disinfected in 3 weeks.  So he now has 2 weeks or less to have it ready for powerwashing.    We are paying to have it powerwashed. 

Got an unemployed member of our church to come out and help.   Both of us are in much better moods.   Next he has to put soaker lines and furnaces in the finishing building I already have full.   I was able to move the pigs on a nice warm day.. so we got by without the furnaces.   I'm afraid we'll need them the end of Feb.  before we get all the pigs sold out of the building.   

[Kay/NC]

It s amazing how much there is to fix in a building, when you have been using it continuously for so many years. We tend to have a baling twine sort of limp- along strategy sometimes, I think. The Quick Fix ends up being the Long Remodel...exactly what's happened with these gas lines, and a lot of what is dragging out the kitchen right now. Sometimes, too, it is a matter of learning that you CAN repair something yourself. That feed tank cone was a few hours' work. SIL brought over a friend, and the two of them, Mike and the hired man, had enough hands together the panels into place and bolted without a lot of difficulty. The salesman at Hog Slat told them two install crews had quit on one...but, didn't tell SIL this until AFTER the guys had cut away the cone that was bad but still functioning. So, we had a couple of tense days between the story and the solution. Your comment about new v reconstruction is so on point. I hear it several times a day. Add custom design to the equation,and the labor involved interring the old out, before you can even start putting the new in, and it has a way of dragging on. We and son are all exhausted with this kitchen right now. He and Mike had a productive day yesterday, after they finished cussing that unusual new faucet set. When they got it done, Mike looked it so much,, he told me buy the second one to match it, instead of re- using one of the old ones on the other sink. We are all taking off a few days, to resume on Wednesday. The extra time to recuperate will do us all good. I hate to drag him this far to help us, but we really have no choice. Maybe your re- do and mine will get done about the same time...just in time for taxes!!! Tell Tom we are rooting for him to get those pigs comfy. We worry about the animals before ourselves, don't we?

[wt510151]

The overcrowding was what I was worried about with you guys going to contracting. At some time in the future, you may have to put your foot down and say no more pigs off the truck. It will not only hurt everyone's bottom line to overpopulate a building, but it hurts the pigs ability to grow.

At night after route days, I am always worried that someone won't find their packages or I misdelivered an important letter. During this time of year, I am hoping that a sow doesn't prolapse. Even with plenty of bedding, sometimes the cold weather wins.

[wt510151]

On a side note Kay. I am getting a new bin from Hog Slat. All preassembled too. Have already done one myself before and like you, will write the check for that job. What do you think about their quality? They're priced better than others, so hoping that they are put together well.