The Contractor who was Not Meant To Be

After months of consideration, I had mentally shortlisted Alan from Alan Design to do up my bathrooms. His quotation was $2k above my budget, but he seemed sincere and had arranged to view his workmanship within a week I requested.

Incidentally, a few weeks ago, he smsed me to ask if my bathrooms had been renovated when I was just thinking about how to let him know that I would like to engage him for my bathrooms after considering for more than three months.

I thought it a sign that he was for me.

He came down to my place again to tend to my queries of whether I could install two rainshowers in the separate bathrooms, and to suggest designs that serve form and function eg. hollow blocks to hold shampoo and shower cream, where to place the rainshowers, what to do with the niche on the vanity cabinet.

Before he came down to my place, I had asked him via sms if he could start the renovation during the March holiday and when the toilet bowl could be installed (so that at least the toilet/s is/are in functional mode). He gave a date: 20 March. I was pleased.

Unfortunately, when he came down, he told me that the earliest that the toilet bowl could be installed would be the last day of the holiday ie. 24 March. And he would have to take a month to renovate two toilets. I struggled with myself for a while before I said yes to him. He did suggest that I renovate the bathrooms 3 months later, during the June holidays, but I said no.

After that, we arranged to view and select tiles for my bathrooms two days later. He said he would sms me to let me know his available time-slot.

I went out to buy a Grohe rainshower that weekend.

I waited, but he didn't contact me.

I went to look at the tiles on my own nonetheless. Even shortlisted a few tiles.

I waited for him to contact me again within the next following days to confirm if he was coming to hack my common toilet the Friday before the March holiday. I gave him the benefit of doubt that he would apply for a hacking permit for the toilet.

He didn't contact me. He didn't apply for a permit. Or perhaps he did. He just didn't contact me.

On the day the toilet hacking was scheduled, he called me at 5.30pm.

I didn't pick up the phone.

I didn't know what could be said. Obviously, he was not going to complete the hacking and tiling of my common toilet within the March holiday. I didn't want to listen to lame excuses.

I would not have the time or energy to monitor the renovation or clean-up after the March holiday, when school reopens.

I was reading up Renotalk Forum and realised why he was so lacklustre in his response. He has quite a few resale flate renovation projects under his belt.

I guess he doesn't need my business.

So the search for a contractor for my bathrooms starts again.

I am pissed that he wasted my time.

Renovation is somewhat like getting married. You need some impulse to do it. I wanted to do it while I have the impulse. You ask me to wait till June holidays. I may lose my enthusiasm and impulse to do it by then. If you can't do it, don't make promises. If you are not interested, don't waste my time.