Always make friends at your local building supply store they tend not to recommend the contractors that owe them money.. native Vermonter here. Keep up the great work
This story was classic. I’m sorry you had this experience. I have horror stories too, but more as an Architectural Artist/Designer who worked with some of the contractors. I learned, after some terrible experiences, to work as an independent contractor . That wasn’t easy. A lot of my tools were stolen (I painted all the handles hot pink. No one touched anything after that. ) and my work was sabotaged. I set up cameras and caught some of the people doing damage, showed them to the homeowners. Whoa. Contractors, the bad ones, can be scary people. What a shame people like that hold the homeowner hostage. This was a good cautionary tale. Thank you for telling it.
Alison is correct about the toilet. Most people do not want to be exposed in such a big space when using the potty. Put up a privacy wall. And, definitely paint the room. If you have the bucks, move the vanity next to the toilet and add a laundry tub. By the way, love your videos. You do have a story telling ability. You are becoming a farmer and entertainer.
And educator. With me, while in school, it was always those types of teachers who pulled me into their lessons, because when they related their story and experience, then you put yourself into their shoes and begin to really dream.
I feel so vulnerable in toilets like that. Especially my toilet is in a tiny room with just a toilet and disabled handlebars (from helping my family through cancer). If I can’t touch the walls with my knees I feel so exposed.
I’m so glad you decided to do this video. Many people respect you and you probably just saved someone the same hardship or worse. Never be ashamed for being good trusting people. You just educated many of your good and trusting viewers that support and wish you all the best.
I’m glad you said this. I’m a single lady. When I lived in TN I renovated an 1877 farmhouse. And boy did I get ripped off. I didn’t have much money. Instead of being helpful they took advantage. No problem to rip people off
I feel like there is a special place in hell for people like that, I really do. The worst thing is, they live the high life with their expensive trucks, and they take from little people who have barely any extra coming in. And they think nothing of it.
@@bettyboop6292 That and the vehicles the contractor drives gives you a good warning sign to look out for cowboys. Thanks for this learning experience!
My wife & I experienced the same attempted gouging by local contractors when we bought our seasonal retirement home. The only difference was that I was prepared for them. I originally came from Long Island & my wife is European, so when we moved to the Adirondacks the house was our 5th house. We knew what needed to be updated but found ourselves facing a village full of contractor cousins' clubs. There was no competition among them and strangely enough, they all knew how to do only certain stuff well "but had a cousin" who knew how to do what I wanted, better. It took two years but contractors from Albany who originally refused to travel, suddenly could now make time to come 40 miles north (because customers were now unemployed everywhere and struggling) and could do what was needed for a "negotiated" fair price. When one isn't in a rush to get stuff done, it become economical to accomplish.
I'm a contractor and I agree 100%. You have more rights as the homeowner. I ask several times if they are happy with the work and if they see anything we missed before asking for the final bill.
@@bland9876 if there is anything left i won't ask for anything. I'll work a extra day, get it done then ask to be paid. Any honest contractor won't need YOU to pay for the final touches thats what the down payment is for. If its a small job they should pay for everything and include it in one final bill when they're done. If the job is under a certain amount we won't ask for a deposit.
@@cgtow2759 this is a good thing you sound like a reputable person if I was in Gold Shaw's position I would have probably paid half but not the amount that he made it sound like he paid I don't know if that would have been good though. I'm guessing no
@@bland9876 never pay until the job is done unless its a deposit for materials on a big job. The only exception is if you add on to the job that usually is a bad idea for both parties. Wait till they're done then ask for more stuff to be done on a separate bill
For a job this large, hire an Architect. They will incorporate all your dreams and desires into a quality plan. You will have drawings and specifications clearly identifying what work is required. They also have access to quality contractors. Well worth the money.
I was looking for someone to point this out. This was the single oversight that cost them most dearly. Architects (and accountants) are generally well worth the fee charged if you can't do the work yourself.
The siting of every element...the toilet, for instance...would have been thought through an specified before the work started. It's nuts you had to make such decisions in the middle of chaos.
There's really no silver bullet. My architect experience was far from perfect. I was also too far away to check on things myself that time. Living in the space during work is hell, and doesn't always allow proper surveillance either when the contractor is of bad faith and/or incompetent (correcting a thing in the first instance, verifying it, and then finding out he went right back to the bad practice for the rest). Lockdown was the perfect excuse to not finish the job (and there began a serious descent into despair. Attorneys and experts haven't helped either. sigh)
As a professional in this industry, my advice is to hire a local designer to help you cement decisions so there are no delays waiting for you to decide on a paint color for example. Many will also act as PMs and stay on top of your GC as far as materials deliveries and scheduling tradespeople. Or seek out a design/build firm with great references from people you know personally. More importantly, be sure you're paying the subcontractors (plumber electrition HVAC) directly and the GC separately for his services and general labor. This eliminates the biggest problem, which is ALWAYS cash flow between the GC and the subs.
Agreed. I once hired a site / project manager and gave him an agreed budget to get the job done (commercial build) His salary was generous and he had a slush fund for imponderables. Half way through the build I found out he was adding a third to the cost of all the contractors and sticking it straight into his own pocket. Lesson? Agree pricing direct with the subs, no matter how much you trust your PM talk to the subs and suppliers yourself so everyone is singing from the same song sheet.
@@outdoorjo6752 good point about supplies and materials as well. On bigger ticket items like lighting fixtures and expensive marble (not talking about high-hats and subway tile) have an agreement that purchases over a certain amount must have transparent pricing. Generally what works for everyone is the net trade price plus a commission. A third is pretty normal but it should be agreed. And pay for the item yourself so you know the order is placed. The supplier should honor the net trade price if the GC asks them, but they'll probably add sales tax which is not a big deal. This is the model decorators use and it's becoming more common with builders because it saves a lot of headaches and builds trust and accountability.
I agree. I have friends, who bought a modular home with some changes, including adding basement. The builder they hired completely defrauded them. The house failed occupancy inspection 4 times. Multiple legs on the front and back decks failed to meet the footings, staircases failed to meet code, he failed to pay his subcontractors, used the upfront money to pay for a different house’s renovations and his license was his dead brother’s not his. He filed bankruptcy when my friends went to sue. And NJ AG office decided not to prosecute. They had to rebuild the front and back decks, put in a french drain, redo the kitchen floor because the kitchen flooded due to leaky pipes. The house cost them tens of thousands of dollars more to repair the shoddy work.
@@jpbaley2016 sorry that happened to them JP. The business model for contractors needs to adapt or perish. What worked in the 80's and 90's has been dying a slow death since the 00's. On the flipside, I truly feel for these guys who put their livelihood on the line hoping they can fulfill a contract, but it's almost impossible for most small businesses these days. Doesn't excuse dishonesty, of course, like I said the business model needs to change.
@@emanonfox1709 I have a friend, Frank, that did the builder’s taxes. When my other friends were looking for a builder, he gave them the name with the caveat that he didn’t know anything about how good he was as a builder. My friends tried to blame Frank, who also got screwed because his landscaping company did all the sod and when the builder went bankrupt he barely got pennies on the dollar, I nipped that in the bud by reminding them he told them he knew nothing about how good he was. I’m just angry that NJ declined to prosecute leaving them with no way to go after the builder personally.
I know a contractor that closes roofing businesses and reopens them almost yearly. He writes fake reviews for google. He goes without insurance and someone fell off a roof and was paralyzed from not having the right safety equipment. He's finally in jail but he ripped off hundreds of people for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
1.NEVER trust someone, who hasn't finished their job and wants the money. 2. Be with the workers- recently I renovated my bathroom and the guys working on it had some pretty good design ideas :)
Also, when a contractor gives you a proposal make sure it is in writing. If it takes them a couple of days to get the proposal, so be it but start hunting around for competitors because some of these guys aren't even licensed even though they say they are. (Some are actually cheating their bosses by doing side work with his tools & products) If you get the proposal, tell them you want to study it, don't say "okay" too quickly. Take their proposal, write down a counter proposal and don't be afraid to list name brand products such as "Pella" windows or Kohler plumbing products. Be sure you know what the retail price is on these products are and be sure you list "model numbers" because simply having the name brand could get you their base model when you've been expecting the top model. Never, ever pay anything in advance. (the guy who says he can't get the materials unless you pay first is probably a fly-by-night). You pay when the job is done and after you've inspected everything. Don't be afraid to tell them you're not satisfied and make them correct shoddy work.
Exactly! The pity storyline is real. When someone asked me to recommend him and I told the truth, all of a sudden I was the bad person, trashing his reputation and taking food from his babies mouths! While I live with a fence that the boards all curve out at the bottom, the gates are hard to close and the repair work to shore up the dirt so it doesn’t flow out after every rain was only done on the first section. Seems like contracting scams are more the norm than being proud of your work and doing a decent job!
@@briquetaverne I agree with everything mentioned, except "Never, ever pay anything in advance." Expect to pay a DEPOSIT when working with a contractor. Preparing for a project uses up time and resources. If you are not a serious buyer that is willing to pay a deposit, a contractor can instead push up another client on the schedule. Find a company that is transparent and honest with their work, but don't be a "Karen".
I've been ripped off by every contractor I've ever had. Being a single woman, I swear they rub their hands together when they see me coming. Contractors should be registered like newly released convicts and pay a fee to get a "parole officer" assigned to them, which is an inspector, and they get him on the job to approve the work step by step and you pay. All contractors I've met are crooks. Something really should be done.
Aw, that's sad. My Christian brother-in-law is a contractor. He's honest and does such a good job, my friends have him booked for jobs and I can't get him over to replace our windows until the end of the year!
same, contractors just lazy assholes in my experience the only contractor that I know who hasnt ripped me off was a paid under-the-table immigrant from the Philippines who did such a damn good job in such an insane amount of time i ended up tipping him 50 over his bill
As someone who works in construction, there are bad salesman out there just as any industry, there's also good ones and everything inbetween. If you are going to pay for one, get multiple contractors to give you bids. Whether it's a doctor, a new car or a roof, getting a second opinion (or more) will help you learn what you actually need. Rant time 😂 There's two patients, one goes to a cardiologist, the other goes to a neurologist. The cardiologist believes his patient has heart disease, the neurologist believes his patient is in risk of a stroke. The one that went to the cardiologist ends up having a stroke and the person that went to the neurologist has a heart attack. They both lose. Be the unmentioned 3rd patient that goes to both types of doctors.
You have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about! The contractor bears all the shame and someday, what goes around, will come around. You have a beautiful operation/home--don't look back, just enjoy today.
The way l did it was ll wrote a long list of the things that needed repair and the price for each repair. I stayed in the house doing a lot of cleaning and other projects. Then l always paid him based on the jobs that were getting completed. I also had an old Mazda covered in my garage that this guy really felt in love with. When everything on that long list was completed I asked him how much he would charge to paint the house exterior. He brought down the prize tremendously when l offered him the car as a part of the payment. I was so lucky this guy stuck to his word. Then my neighbor asked me for a reference which l gave him an outstanding and he hired him to make a renovation were he made $40,000. After that he continued getting jobs in my neighborhood, not even a year later he retired to follow his dream which was to open up his own Peruvian restaurant. He helped me tremendously!!!
I appreciate you sharing this with us. I know it may have been difficult, but it's so important for stories like this to be shared with people who either want to purchase their own property (house, farm, etc).
There is no need to feel any shame, just realise scammers have far more experience at what they do than ordinary folks. In the UK, closing the company is called phoenixing and is actually illegal under insolvency law. Getting an experienced building project manager really worth considering for the peace of mind that the job is done right.
I love how you were about to call them out on this, I understand your lawyer said no but you really came for them, as you should! People preying on the ones who need help are the worst
Never done a renovation but I've worked in the building trades. Avoid "builders" at all costs. That's a guy who may have a crew or just may stop in the parking lot of home depot to get some guys every morning. Who knows. Get a company specialized to do the job you need done. If you need structural repairs get foundation guys. If you want insulation done there are guys who do that. Kitchen contractors etc. Don't have some builder taking a cut for hiring his buddy the "kitchen contractor" or the "electrician" Get people who really do the work and have real BBB profiles and for those who are unionized actually are in the union in good standing. If the plumber says he's a Master Plumber call the union and check. The only supervisory type job you should ever even think about hiring is an architect/engineer. If you're doing a whole home renovation then having someone with the knowledge to know what needs to be done to get the results you safely is pretty important.
BBB is a private company and you can pay them to remove negative reviews. Has nothing to do with the government or any official capacity, no different than any other review site. I wouldn't trust BBB profiles whatsoever.
@@rdizzy1 ? No you cannot pay to get a negative review taken down nor can you get a negative rating changed. No idea why you believe that nonsense but stop spreading bullshit.
@@KenS1267 The BBB is a private non-profit organization. It’s a business review and complaint mediation service. It isn’t a government organization and they don’t have any legal authority. Businesses do have to pay about $300 to respond to complaints and improve their score. Their funding comes almost entirely from the accreditation fees they charge businesses. At its core, the BBB is a fancy version of yelp.
@@MA-zg2pz So? WTF does that have to do with anything I've posted? They are very reliable and in the building trades they are just about the only source of information on contractors and tradespeople. Spreading idiotic counterfactual disinformation is just going to lead more people to get scammed.
@@KenS1267 What is counterfactual about it specifically? Nothing. IT is NOT reliable. The businesses that pay the most get their negative reviews removed extremely easily. It is no more reliable than Yelp or google reviews. There are no review sites that are reliable without an add on to weed out fake reviews (still not reliable, really). Also, negative reviews do not effect BBB grade score, quote from BBB. "Q: Do customer reviews affect a business's BBB rating? A: No. Customer reviews and information contained in them are not considered as part of the factors that determine a business's BBB letter grade." There are many businesses with very high scores while being criminally charged with fraud, scamming , etc. Pay the yearly bill for the top service, get a good grade, pretty much. I would trust Angies list before I would trust BBB, BBB is like a piece of shit covered in gold, looks good on the outside, but still a piece of shit.
I loved the idea of being a DIY'er as a younger person thinking "Ya, I can do that!". So, my husband and I bought an older home that needed a lot of work. That was 14 years ago and it is still needing a lot of work! Thinking that we could do the work of a qualified tradesman was our first mistake!
@@amberforsey5187 : It’s a bit of a dilemma, because as codes have come in and require signing off for standards and codes, those codes are no certification for the aesthetic quality of the work - only that it meets technical standards. You have better control over that a standard tradesman - especially if the job has some “eccentric” features - if you can do it yourself.
Lol if it makes you feel better my parents did the same thing. About 25 years later the place is still a disaster. Only my dad was an electrician and stuff, and that was the problem. So many short cuts were taken to get the house "livable" it has become an issue. To this day non of the walls in the house are even painted lol. My mom still doesnt have a door bell 😂.
One risk of large renovations is mechanics liens. That happens if the general contractor uses sub contractors for specialty trades like electrical, plumbing, etc and doesn't pay them in full after completion. Always make sure to trade a final release of liens from all involved entities before handing over final payment.
I had this issue with roofers - when I asked for a lien release, they said we don't do them. I said then I don't pay. Funny how they came up with one which I filed with county court house. I worked for a GC years ago and he said that was one of the most important things to get. He had experienced a trade company owner who didn't pay his supplier and we had to pay the supplier directly to get the releases. If you don't get the releases then they can file a 'mechanics lien' on the property which is a 'cloud' on the title. Serious stuff.
Yep , sitting here thinking how to rectify problem without moving toliet. ... 1. make a full or half wall 3-4foot wide as a divider as focal point. Maybe put a mirror with or without tiny table for a vase of flowers?. 2. Build a "water closet" around toilet , could be fully enclosed with a door or three sided with window view, have shelf or cabinet facing toilet to store toilet paper packs and cleaning supplies, plunger etc. 3. Have an interior designer help turn room into a multi use room of laundry station, storage, half bath room. 4. Get a computer program for 3D home design and play with many ways to beautify the room.. P.S. room seems to have nice window lighting add some hanging plants, floor potted big plants and hide toilet behind a bamboo screen. Good luck anything is possible with creative imagination.
@@fallingspark2258 thanks :) I was just giving a few ideas. @possum, sorry that's confusing to you. As I am a elderly woman and have owned many houses. No old house ever has everything just perfect. So it's fun redesigning its flaws. And yes science studies have shown for ever word a men tends to use, women tend to use a dozen, being better detailed.
Thank you so much for this! It's hard to be vulnerable and admit regrets but giving advice from it is the best most constructive thing you could do and we really appreciate that. (SIDE NOTE) Turns out me and my brother have both been watching this channel without knowing it so now we often talk about the latest episode of Goldshaw Farms like Mavel nerds.
@@Suburp212 if people don’t have the money yet, they work hard and the Projekt is their priority. If they have the money, they don’t work as hard. Plus, if you pay in advance, it’s harder to change your plans.
I've always lived in a bit of a construction zone, currently we are finishing up hardwood floors (like one tiny strip left my dad has to finish) and we will be renovating our kitchen soon(next few months). We have done so much work in the past 16-17 years, from roof to septic to a whole new deck, it's pretty crazy how much we've done.
Man I sure hate to hear of those problems unfortunately The older I get it seems almost impossible to find any good trustworthy people to do work for you and that's not good
As we continue into the pandemic, I’ve got a hunch that a lot of these shysters are going to meet their karma very soon and very hard. I’ve learned that when we trust too much our expectations can be crunched, I.e. Texas. This month’s National Geographic addresses the issue of our “man-made disasters. Quite an eye-opener.
I was going to say the same thing! And the following is for anyone: If you don't already have one, purchase a full length standing mirror and have it mountable to the wall, but still able to take down with little effort. Being able to walk 5-15 feet up to and away from such a mirror can give you a whole new perspective on the hang, drape or "flow" of your clothing from shoes to accessories to hairstyle. Even though most men won't care, the women in your life will love having it.
Or extend the shower wall to the other side of the room and create an air-lock. The sink and laundry appliances in the air-lock space. Toilet and shower on the other side. The door between air-lock and toilet should be a single cavity sliding door instead of a single swing open door to prevent issues with the door taking up room space when it opens. Can also nest full height shelving on the new wall facing the laundry appliances.
Yeah. My wife and I were saying for all that space they could have had a soaker tub, stand up shower, toilet, bidet, large vanity, cabinetry, etc.. etc... But, hey, live and learn...
I legit started laughing at the lone toilet with 10 feet of clearance on either side. I've seen bathrooms that were perhapas a smidge too small but I've never seen one with so much empty space. Morgan explained it well and I get where he's coming from but it really got e when they just cut to it.
@@thewisefool4049 This is what happens when you are cornered by Morgan and a contractor both saying "POINT TO WHERE YOU WANT THE TOILET RIGHT NOW!" Mistakes were made. Tears shed. Now, onto healing and bathroom rehabilitation.
My kichen remodel taught me that just cause your husband's friend says he's good at kichen modifications, doesn't mean he is. I could smell that one hatching after 2 hours into a job that should have taken 30 minutes. 🤥 Love the honesty of your videos
Could have been worse. We have had a small construction company in Vermont for over thirty years. We have had one job at a time and have never advertised. Although our crew was small we always carried liability insurance and workers comp and paid all our taxes. Most of our clients have been within a few miles of our house. Most have been old farmhouses like yours. All of our jobs were from client referrals. We were never afraid to answer our phone. We did not take any jobs that were not a right match for us. This we would establish in the early phase of discussions. These are all just good sound and reputable business practices. Construction is a business and usually involves a lot of money, but for some reason people don’t think of it in that way. A contractor should present you with an explicit contract. A contractor should provide proof of insurance for liability and all other applicable insurances. Any subcontractors on the job should also have the same obligation in terms of proof of insurance etc.. The contract should have deadlines and information about change orders. For instance, if the second bathroom was for a shower sink and toilet and the client wanted to add a tub, “change of contract” and should be in writing. Who is responsible for what should be spelled out. If the contractor needs a bathroom plan by a certain date to keep the job moving that needs to be spelled out. A contract is an agreement between two parties. You must hash out all the details and leave nothing to speculation to the best of your ability. Also, in all those years our construction company has never owned a pick-up truck. If we ever needed one for some reason we borrowed or rented one. We ordered all our building materials to be delivered to the site and had them delivered before we needed them. If your contractor or some of the crew are hopping in their trucks to get something, they are not on the job, and they are wasting your money. So if you are disappointed that your contractor is not showing up in a big, might I add expensive truck, just ask yourself, “who is paying for that truck?:
there's a saying that goes something like "if your marriage can survive a renovation, it can survive anything" how long past the estimated end date did the house take to be done?
Next steps: 1) create a google account, use VPN if that is what your lawyer advises and leave a very detailed and honest comment about this Michael ‘the ripper’ guy so other people can be aware and avoid if possible. 2) Put a wall in that bathroom and separate the washing area from the actual bathroom, creating more intimacy and at the same time adding some segregation of duties :-). And thanks for your great videos! Hope you come one day to Switzerland so I can invite you for a beer.
I agree with you 100% on putting a wall in the bath. I had a large bathroom in a house I once had with a bedroom that had been turned into a guest bath. I felt like I was in a gym when in there. Put up a small privacy wall and used the other half as a changing room with racks for cloths and dressers. Put in a few nice chairs and it actually made it look upscale.
Great comments and suggestions- one thing I learned- my lessons/learnings aren’t usually free and I should expect to pay for them. We all try to avoid mistakes and wasting money but the things you learn in life are kinda like college - you pay a lot for what you are taught
We have been house hunting for our first homestead and this is what we fear the most. Thank you so much for making this video, so very helpful! We actually considered an old home with a weird bathroom and kitchen and decided to pass mainly because of that. We plan to do most of the work ourselves with the help of an hourly handyman that’s worked with a family friend on real estate flip projects but even so, it makes us nervous!
Never pay the full money before everything is done. Also credit checking contractors and seeing how long they have been in business is also a good thing to do. Its sad how the construction business is full of these kind of guys that go out of business to delete debt, only to reopen a new company and they keep scamming people.
We have been in Vermont since 2017 - and we took the last 3 years to become familiar with the property BUT we are going to try to start our renovation adventure.. thank you for sharing this. My favorite is when everyone disappears for Deer Season! NOW THAT BATHROOM.. . we have a throne room too - you sit there as if you should be on a dais and people/dignitaries should be bringing you gifts. Love your suggestions.
In my 30s and 40s I renovated two diy, with a little help on projects I felt were better left to the pros. The do the work in phases also gives you control over reassessing dictions as the underlying bones are exposed and boy do old houses contain surprises. 😉
Absolutely brilliant! Especially Point number 4. We moved into a restoration home (and garden) here in France. So much work needs doing on the house but we started on the garden - because we have ducks and they required a home asap more than us. Focusing on the garden meant it gave us time to consider our options on the house, get to know the community and who could we hire, (and trust), etc. So so much better way to do it. Yes, we have to live in a barely habitable home, but it also provides inspiration for our plans and dreams. And we take one chunk at a time. So your points absolutely resonated. Thank you for putting into words what we were thinking. As always, love watching your videos.
I've been doing renos for both myself and others for 40+ years. Your story is so common. As learned, you have to be a part of it, daily keeping an eye on it at least and know what you need. And that last payment is the kicker, make it big enough to keep the contractor on site but make sure his subs get paid. Good luck.
Sorry Morgan but I must agree with Allison about the toilet. Have your carpenter enclose the toilet into a seperate 'water closet.' He or Allison can design something pretty. Thanks for sharing. Love your channel. 🙂🙂🙂
Sometimes it's just easier (and cheaper) to learn how to do some of the smaller things yourself when things like this happen. We had trouble just getting anyone to do the work. Over here in Australia businesses got handouts if they could prove they took a hit from covid, so they just avoided work to qualify for the handouts. Half the time they never bothered to show up for a quote or just dragged the whole thing out as long as possible.
Hey is a great video thanks for sharing. My wife and I recently completed building a new home here in south Mississippi and experienced very similar situations. The experience left a bad, bad, bad feeling for the contractor that we had to overcome. The contractor took off at the end and I had to complete a lot of the remaining work myself plus getting another contractor to come in and do some siginificant rework. I stumbled on your channel a couple months ago and really like watching. Keep up the good work and may God keep Blessing you and your wife.
I feel you on the reno process - we had an almost identical experience (old farmhouse, lots of issues, etc.). The details are a little different but if leaves you feeling pretty filthy. Glad you came out on the other side able to reflect on your experience. And your house looks great!
Thanks for talking about the pain you went through. Your suffering has offered knowledge and insight to others about these sorts of things. I wish you and your wife the best going forward with the house!
Never ever EVER agree to give the full/final payment before you’ve been delivered what you’re paying for. NEVER. That’s true for construction work and for everything else too. Doing otherwise is just asking to be scammed, with a contractor suddenly disappearing or declaring their company conveniently bankrupt, as you learned the hard way.
My brother works as a contractor and unfortunately there is another part to this position. People just don't pay the last payment and you're stuck with debt/obligations. I think what Morgan did was smart to some extend - gave them a part of last payment, only he should've just kept more than $2k. Maybe divide it in half.
Allyson, I'm sending you long distance hugs 🥰❤️. I would be in this exact situation. It's extremely kind of you both to share like this. I think it's very helpful for other people to see how challenging this is. Xoxo
Mr. Blindings Builds his dream house! I can't remember exactly the movie with Myrna Loy and Gary Grant, but the movie was made in the 1940's, and the modern movie was "The Money Pit" with Tom Hanks. Hilarious! But your farm house, was it bought "as is"? If so, you can't expect it to have been almost perfect. The motto for today's world has always been Pay More Get Less!
Thank You for talking about your struggles with the farm renovations. It makes one think and connect to real life when more of the whole picture is shown.
...and, follow the money. There should be a BBB as well as State of Vermont Department of Corporations. I worked for CA and they make sure the business is real and thriving.
I had the same issue, my family bought a very old house with a lot of added on attachments just before covid lockdown in canada, around March 2020. Instead of minor electrical and insolation work, we learned it needed some heavy foundation work and got stuck with the only company still working.. It left us with sloppy work at the end of the contract job that we are still completing since they only did the frame work for us. Not a straight wall to be found. Certainly some hard lessons to learn but hopefully someone can see you video and be spared the difficulties of reno work.
Alison, I agree with you about the colour. A warmer colour would give it a better feel good factor. Lots of different shaped frames could turn that large bare wall into a gallery. Think thrift store and rub n’ buff to make all the frames the same colour.
It is so refreshing and Nice to see somebody in RU-vid that he is mature enough and advanced Character-wise that can accept his Big Mistakes/Screw ups with a smile and not afraid to appear ripped-off and outsmarted a bit. Instead of that you share with us your Experience and all the invaluable lessons you've learned with the intention to provide Help and Knowledge to others. This is becoming very Rare you know in our Society of 'All Knowing Alpha Males' that never...ever fail in anything and who they know and they win in everything they do from the moment they are born.
I am having many things done in my home. Thanks for the sound advice. It sounds like my story but not quite as expensive or big! Love your videos! Thanks for being so social and so honest!
I built my own home myself. My wife and I agreed on the floor plan. Then after that I had the finial word on everything. Yes dear. We're both happy and been married 33 years. When Ma Ma's happy I'm happy. ;-)
As a couple from the city who moved to very rural Upstate NY, this brings back some "fond" memories. 😬 We found that our local contractors (mostly ex-farmers) had two price levels--one for locals, and much higher prices for those wealthy city folks. Definitely better to get to know locals and the area for a while, before having anything done. AND become a DIY--may not be as easy, but it's zillions times cheaper! Thank god for RU-vid videos--we've picked up A LOT of skills!!
First, regarding the photo at 12:39 - where is the halo? You completely left that out. Secondly, I hear you, and I thank you for warning people about this. I have had three different contractors at my sister's cabin. Three. And the work is sub par. In the first instance, they charged $3500.00 for the work. Three years later, every. single. thing they built fell apart. They didn't do right. And I feel like I have no recourse or even protection. The third group I had out, they did some electrical work. They installed some electrical boxes that were very much needed. But they completely left before they turned the power on to the upstairs. I was SO sick (not sure, probably the flu) when they came to do the work. I couldn't check on the work. By the time I checked up, they were gone. And they won't answer texts, and they won't come back. I guess the next contractor I hire will be from Louisville. I'll pay them to drive the drive if they JUST DO THE WORK. My neighbor down the hill, she needs extensive work on her house, and I will try to help her find someone. But I am afraid for her. Thirdly, I am grateful to you that you didn't let your shame take control such that you didn't talk about it. These a-holes hide in the dark corners and they depend on others not telling their stories, so they perpetrate their crimes again and again. And that's what it is, a crime. It's theft, and for some reason they don't go to jail. Your story is not uncommon, but it seems to be the wild west when it comes to hiring contractors. Oh, and fourthly: you could just build a thin partition to hide the toilet. I have an old house too but the previous owners did that. It was a little confusing at first, but later, when I talked to them, they explained why. It didn't look out of place, but I noticed the second-floor toilet was sort of built a little outside the original perimeter of the bathroom, taking up a little bit of the closet that was on the other side of the wall (basically a linen closet in the top floor's hallway). I think you guys could do this artfully and without too much fuss. As always, I have enjoyed your videos. Someday take us around your orchards to see how your chestnuts and fruit trees are growing?
Morgan if I may, you can add a few details to your bathroom like low cabinets under the windows for toilet paper and cleaning stuff storage. The wall color needs to be changed. You can have fun realizing a theme like a boat interior design with a big brass anchor and dolphins painted on the wall. Something that can make the room fancy and unique.
My husband and I do remodeling and we do know what we are doing we have great references from our clients and we take great pride in our work and would never treat our clients like that. Im sorry that happened to u.
Im so grateful my mom helped me in deciding and planning my home renovation. All space are all maximize (since i have more or less 30sqm floor area) everyone who visits my place is very happy and amaze though there are still some repair to make 🥰 i think it is still best if we have someone to ask for advices rather than deciding alone
It happens. You hand over keys to a contractor , and not being around to supervise the work, you were liable to be taken advantage of. Don’t feel bad, it happens to all of us. Unless you have a background on the construction trades, you are going to be taken for granted. Take solace you bought a decent plot of land, so the farmhouse was a bonus on your deal. Assuming you paid below market rates for the acreage. You wanted in, you paid the price on land and lack of previous experience. It is all sunk cost.. Just move on. Now, it looks like this place had a revolving door for wannabe farmers , and you definitively do not want to be on that list. In essence , you became a part time granger , looking to eventually become a full timer, and in doing so, ditching the bosses. You will need a specialised income source, and all the others are to become subsistence sources. Meaning , if you are getting a cow, it’s for the household consumption. Too many dairy farmers in Vermont , and those Upstate New York Coops will kill you on their cost structure. Chickens, unless you have a few places to send your flock and eggs , say places that actually pay a decent dollar per pound for free range chickens, you are going to be in indenture servant to places like Tyson, Perdue. That is not the situation you want to go towards after quitting your day job. Ducks, Geese, there is a situation that might develop. I assume the price per pound is worth your while, if you can improve on volume. Look forward to do business with the Ethnic Chinese in the US. The permaculture, well chalk it up to land management for a while. It is a long haul to actually bring in income. That’s my 5 cents. Thx.
Wow you have really gone through a lot to get where you are at. You both should be proud of how far this new life has come and what y'all have accomplished!! Thanks for sharing.
Yes, and it was known locally as the Shaw farm. So thats why they decided to keep that in the name. Even tho the previous owners were not named Shaw. Morgan and Alison as owners now, before that there was some organic farm for some years(They altso named the farm with the shaw name), then was a vacation home for abit, think shaws owned it before the vacation home folks. Not 100% sure tho, might have messed up my Gold Shaw history :P
I laughed at the bathroom too.....it definitely needs a table/storage shelf next to the toilet......along with the privacy wall or screen...a potted plant in the corner for air freshening live foliage.....and a carpet on the floor.
@@carrieh9956 Carpet in a bathroom. That sounds disgusting :P Remember my grandparents having "fur" on their toilet seat. Talk about a bed for bacteria to flourish.
@@MrDanisve it's nice to sit on the toilet and have a little rug to put your feet on....not the entire floor, but something that can be thrown into the wash as needed. 😂🤣
@@carrieh9956 and for when you step out of the shower (since my bathroom is tiny, one little rug serves both purposes, tile/lino/wood floor can be chilly on the feet!)
You need a big corner cabinet next to the toilet under the window.. its odd being empty! I love construction, I have done a lot myself and enjoy the craziness. We built a room onto the side of our house, I put a new roof on. All sorts of stuff and loved it all.
I absolutely love your approach to the animals you take care of and people you get to interact with. Sending lots of love to your family, Toby the dog and the whole farm ❤️
Your home is beautiful and you should feel proud that you preserved an original old home with a story. Many would have just tore it down and built new. Much love and respect to you and your wife for the work you did preserving the house and making it a home again.
Hey, you truly are a neighbor/friend to all who you share with here! I too at least want people not to have to experience the pitfalls I've experienced throughout life so I appreciate where you're coming from. As for the bathroom, I know you've gotten several suggestion in the comments...also am aware that your lives are full Enough as it is and that you will get around to more modifications in time. Well Being
Great lessons and super relevant to my life right now, lol! We just had to buy a house sight unseen due to the pandemic. We move in next week and I've already been thinking of all the renovations I want and need to do! My spouse has already told me we've gotta wait, do it in pieces, etc. so your video was more a good reminder for me....I'm the one who, like you, is very visual and I always think I know exactly how I want it because I can see it in my head. My spouse is EXACTLY like Allison and needs to be in the space before making any decisions.
Compromise suggestion for you and Allison regarding the bathroom. As it stands, it's a bland open space. Put down a tile mosaic on the floor and some murals on the wall to improve the space, then add some furniture like a small armoire for towels and a bookcase of reading material.
That’s what’s wrong with our world today, you can’t prevent someone else from getting ripped off because you might get sued. I don’t blame you, too many lawyers and too little common sense.
Lawyers can be very useful if you know how to use them. A close friend bought a large old house at auction that needed a lot of work. He went to a lawyer he knew and had him make a list of all the lawsuits and bankruptcies that every contractor in the area had, it cost him 800$ . He then almost 90,000$ to fix the house up using contractors that had good reps and had been in business for more than 10 years. He had few problems and made a handsome profit on the project. Remember it is always better to start with a lawyer than to finish with one.
Yep happened to us too. Don't be upset with yourself. We got taken for an extra 50,000. Ours went under and reopened in another name also. Chalk it up to experience. Love Alison and your farm, be happy with what you have achieved. We made it to 39 years of marriage, I wish you many happy years!!
You live and learn, Morgan. Very good tips, for sure. I'm thankful that my hubby is a pretty good handyman and very meticulous. (So meticulous it makes me insane. LOL. But it's better to be done well and right versus half assed and wrong.) And way to go calling the contractor out, even though you legally couldn't. There are so many out there that take people for granted. They need to be exposed.
The good thing is that this is a learning experience we always learn with our failures at hand. It’s good I got things like your videos for reference on what to be aware of thank you!
Understand your concerns. We did just a small kitchen renovation,but got ripped off for about the same reasons you listed. You have to stay with the contractors. Your house is beautiful. Been with you from the start and always wondered how it all came about. Thanks for sharing.
The bathroom definitely needs a remodel which would probably include partitioning. Also, of the two laundry machines the one beside the door would need to be moved because there is no room to step nor stand to adequately get in and out of the room via that door because the machine is flush with the door frame. I love all your videos particularly because of your story telling ability. Your VPN message was good and I liked that your screen shots showed Australian cities.
Your bathroom looks large enough to install a decorative screen to block the view of the toilet when you open the door. If you collaborate with a local artisan you could end up with something unique that you would both like. Having the second floor laundry is a great idea but I would add a laundry sink if possible, they’re very useful. You might also look on Houzz for ideas for combining a laundry room with another function you might find some useful ideas for your situation.
Very important to be closely involved and be your own GC if possible. You'll save money and have much more control. Also super important to buy materials only upfront, then pay labor after it's completed to your standards. Thanks for sharing your experience!!! Most people have no idea how to navigate something like a home reno. I didn't before I got in real estate.
Thanks for sharing. We bought a 1965 build one level rancher. The number of people that have tried to rip us off is just incredible. I like the idea of breaking things up into chunks. We’re on an island, living in a small community with lots of sharks that are accustomed to exploiting elderly people, not quite there yet.
