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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| My husband and I recently purchased a farm and we hired a contractor to build our barn back at the beginning of July. We also hired a fencing guy at the same time and the plan was to build the barn with a run-in shed first and the fencing second. The contractor agreed to have the barn built by the 3rd week of August. Well, august came and went.. we call the contractor that 3rd week in August and he said I have a big job I am finishing and I should be headed your way the first week of September. Labor day came and went and we heard nothing. So, we called the man and left 3 messages-heard nothing. Finally my husband called the company this contractor works out of and cornered the man. He goes on to tell us how he has had 100k jobs come up and doesn't have time for ours any more. After my husband explained this was indeed a smaller project, we were planning to built a big barn in the spring. The contractor goes oh well in that case I will build your little barn, but don't call me anymore. I will call you the day before I come!
Excuse me?? You. are. fired. So the contractor left us in a bind as we are expecting a baby soon and we need to move the horses from the boarding facility (where we pay hundreds monthly to keep them and a house payment) to our farm and get them settled in.
Do people really need money anymore? How ungrateful is my thought!
So now we are trying to find another contractor to build it.. might be another 3 months before any of them free up.
Thoughts? Encouragement? Advice?
Maybe tell me it will all be ok!! Bigger problems in the world :) |
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 Do You Feel Lucky Punk?
Posts: 3156
   
Location: NM...the Land of Manana | Why can't you put up some pannels and move your horses now? |
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Regular
Posts: 55
| It may be a bit to late but when you make a contract maybe put in a penalty for non completion by a certain date. Then it is costing them to not finish your project. This is what my sister did on a remodel of her house and it not only ended up saving her money but the contractor was there and finished on weekends and holidays once he realized it was cutting into his pocket every day he was late.
Just and Idea I do not know the legality of it or how it worked.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| Definitely will be doing a penalty in the contract!
Our budget was maxed out with the fencing and barn at the moment. We did talk about a round pen of some sort-but those cost. The land right now is bare. I think we may move ahead with some of the fencing.
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| oh uck!! Chin up!
I had a lil portable aluminum car port that I put tarp around 3 sides to let my 2 run in outa the weather ... It was ugly, but did the job. The SO dropped t-posts in the ground to tie shelter to and we weighed it down further with cinder blocks ...
Dang sure was ugly, but got me out of a crazy situation and allowed a lil shelter for my 2 for not too much ...
Maybe ask some neighbors for recommendations about who'd they would recommend for the future barn? |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | My horses lived 2 winters with nothing but the trailer for shelter and I live in ND! It was a pain for me to feed/water etc but they did fine. Why not buy some electric fence and park your trailer for a wind break?? A couple months not boarding should cover that! Even if you have to put it on a credit card, pay your boading fees to the card for a few months. I would also invest in panels as you can never have enough of them. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| Thank you all so much! You are so encouraging!! Great ideas by the way! |
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Do You Feel Lucky Punk?
Posts: 3156
Location: NM...the Land of Manana | A few pannels are surely cheaper than a couple months boarding and you will own the pannels for future use. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| I don't have any advice other than this sounds like EVERY CONTRACTOR STORY I HAVE EVER HEARD! I can't even IMAGINE building a house! Isn't it crazy - people make promises then don't even CARE if they follow through or not?? I'm sorry you are having such a time. Maybe ask around and see who has a better reputation for showing up and doing the job. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| So frustrating. I don't why they can't just call you and let you know they won't be coming so you can make alternate plans. |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | look on craigslist, sometimes people will give away fencing etc...if you take it down!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| Thank you!
That is what blows me away the most-is why didn't he just call and say he couldn't make it weeks ago? That is what is frustrating!
My dad said that yesterday on the phone-he said building a house was a huge headache lol!
Plus I think I am overly emotional because of being pregnant and the feeling of not being able to do everything myself right now!
Edited by Blueridgedreaming 2014-09-04 11:21 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| Lightfoot - 2014-09-04 11:07 AM
A few pannels are surely cheaper than a couple months boarding and you will own the pannels for future use.
Definitely! I think we are going to do this. We need to be able to pull them off the grass at night, so we are thinking of putting the fencing up and making a pen with panels. They should be fine in the rain and such! Just need the barn before the snow and ice :) |
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Do You Feel Lucky Punk?
Posts: 3156
Location: NM...the Land of Manana | You know we will be expecting pictures when it is all done! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| Lightfoot - 2014-09-04 11:22 AM
You know we will be expecting pictures when it is all done!
I will for sure! :) It might be a little while! |
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  Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| Sounds like you are in Oklahoma... that is what happened when I went to have my house built... What a joke with the contractors in this state. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | We contracted USA Barns to build our 30 x 50 barn, they scheduled when they would be there & had the barn up in 2 days. It was just the shell, we outfitted the inside, but the had it all done & cleaned up their mess in 2 days!!!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | All i have to say is good luck! we are trying to get 2 small (8x8) decks done on our house. We started calling in july i think to get estimate. we had many people who said nope too small. One gave us a quote but we wanted a few other. The next no-showed 2x and the only reason he called after 2nd time was because i wrote a review on his FB about it. 3rd one who we had come put us off and finally gave quote which is alot but we just want them done!! So hes doing front and well call original place (who was cheaper) back to do back and fencing. It really is a pain to deal with them!
I do know people who have put up carports as run-ins, temp or not temp. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | We built a run in shed with just a roof and posts & aside from the posts used sawmill seconds and seconds on tin. We used a day worker and had very little cost building it -- they'll need something to get under, especially if they're not used to not having shelter.
If you're fencing a larger area, T-posts (with caps) and electric tape or rope is the cheapest and safest way to go - much cheaper than panels. It'll go up in a day. Around $100 for the charger $80 for 700' of tape or rope. Not sure the exact rate on T-posts, and you'll need the plastic keepers - around $100 for that. You'll pay $80 minimum each for one 12' panel. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| Fairweather - 2014-09-04 1:01 PM We built a run in shed with just a roof and posts & aside from the posts used sawmill seconds and seconds on tin. We used a day worker and had very little cost building it -- they'll need something to get under, especially if they're not used to not having shelter.
If you're fencing a larger area, T-posts (with caps) and electric tape or rope is the cheapest and safest way to go - much cheaper than panels. It'll go up in a day. Around $100 for the charger $80 for 700' of tape or rope. Not sure the exact rate on T-posts, and you'll need the plastic keepers - around $100 for that. You'll pay $80 minimum each for one 12' panel.
This is definately the way to go on the fencing - you can even use a solar charger if need be but this is a quick, safe, inexpensive way to fence - AND they don't LEAN on it! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| Racer4eva - 2014-09-04 12:29 PM
All i have to say is good luck! we are trying to get 2 small (8x8) decks done on our house. We started calling in july i think to get estimate. we had many people who said nope too small. One gave us a quote but we wanted a few other. The next no-showed 2x and the only reason he called after 2nd time was because i wrote a review on his FB about it. 3rd one who we had come put us off and finally gave quote which is alot but we just want them done!! So hes doing front and well call original place (who was cheaper) back to do back and fencing. It really is a pain to deal with them!
I do know people who have put up carports as run-ins, temp or not temp.
This is about how we feel! It is crazy that people don't even want to make a little money! Small job or not.
Thanks for all the great advice! |
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Encouragement, vent, advice=all in one please!