A Hole Lot Of Trouble
My son won a
few dollars with a third place finish in an entry to the TV show “America’s
Funniest Home Video.” He used the money
to splurge on a fancy basketball hoop for his kids…and, mostly for himself. He got the best heavy duty adjustable backboard set he could
find.
This
backboard of thick heavy glass attaches to a large steel post which needs to be
bolted to a slab of concrete in a four foot hole 21 inches square. The lad did not want to waste a full Saturday
day off from work digging a hole and he wanted to be sure it was done right; so
flush with “AFV” prize money he contracted with a local company that
specializes in just such basketball pole installation.
They came
and in one half day dug the hole, filled it with concrete and prepared it for
pole attachment. Labor done, money well
spent.
Except.
When Matt
calculated the amount of dirt they left from digging the hole he realized the
hole was not dug deep enough and wide enough.
It turns out they dug to the specifications of lighter basket
installation.
He called
and questioned the contractor on the hole.
“Oh it will be fine; those specs are
always over the top. That hole is fine,
and that pole won’t budge come hell or high water.”
My son said,
“That’s just great, but I did contract
for the larger hole that the directions specified.”
“That pole ain’t goin no wheres, I
guarantee it!”
“That’s great, as long as you
guarantee it.”
“I do.”
“Could you just put that in writing?”
“You don’t trust me?”
“Well, I have known you for twenty
minutes, but I would like it in writing.
You know, just in case it topples over and crushes a car, or a kid.”
“I’ll have to check with the office.”
Today, two
weeks later, they came back to dig out the concrete and dig a new larger, up to
specifications hole. My son was
expecting it to be done on this Wednesday so he could erect the pole and
backboard on the weekend when he could gather several neighbors to help. The backboard is very heavy and very
cumbersome.
As it was
Grandpa Joe Wednesday, I was at his home to supervise.
They dug out
the old hole and started a new hole (my son asked for a slightly different
location.) They got down about two feet
of the required four feet and then filled the hole with water.
“We’ll be back on Saturday. The dirt is too dry and hard to dig; the
water will soften it up.”
So now the
basket cannot be put up for another nine days when there will be available
help.
Not
surprisingly, my son is a bit miffed.
I must admit
I’d never heard of people who dig holes for a living taking multiple days to
dig a four foot hole regardless of how dry the dirt is. I installed sprinkler systems for three
summers when I was home from college. Ninety
percent of the job was digging holes. We
ran into rocks, and sometimes had to tunnel under walks. We never found a hole we couldn’t dig.
Matt thinks
these guys are screwing with him in retaliation for his complaining about their specifications error.
I’m inclined
to agree.
It’s a
hole. It really is not that hard for people whose job it is to dig a hole, to dig a hole!
Well at least he got them to replace the original wrong depth hole.
ReplyDeleteDamn, I meant to say the original half-a-hole.
ReplyDeleteWorkmen aren't what they used to be, it seems.
ReplyDeleteSay what you want about "foreign born" workers, but I promise you they can work rings around just about anyone else. I was in Michigan once visiting my daughter and had an opportunity to watch a full city street repair crew. They screwed off an entire morning, getting less done than than 2 laborers would here in half the time. It was obvious they didn't want to work. That sounds like your hole digging crew. It's a sign of our times. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. My husband and I once dug enough four foot holes (and set all the uprights in place) along close to two hundred feet of fence line--in a weekend.
ReplyDeleteI think its cool your son's video won 3rd place. I hope eventually the hole is dug right and they get to enjoy the basketball hoop!
ReplyDeletebetty
Yep, they are pissed at him and are going to make it take as long as it possible can take. They should have done the job right in the first place. Next the city will come out and say he can't have the hoop there. I've seen that happen too, but I live in California. Weirdness is essential here.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
sounds like they were shirking all the way around.
ReplyDeleteThat story reminds me of my grandparents.
ReplyDeleteThey told me if I didn't pay attention and get good grades in school, I'd grow up to be a ditch digger.
The implication was ditch diggers are ignorant @$$holes.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhoops! Don't know how that happened.
DeleteIt's a good thing he can calculate the size of the hole based on the amount of dirt, i wouldn't have known the difference. Then, if it crashed, i'd have been on the hook!
DeleteAs for them taking as long as possible to do it, that is just in line with doing it wrong in the first place. No pride in their work.
Posted by messymimi to Cranky old man at May 28, 2015 at 10:25 AM
Think he is being snookered and hope he gets satisfaction eventually. Be firm. Hey, how about a link to his winning video. I watch that show all the time.
ReplyDeleteEveryone goes to college around here. Nobody even knows how to dig a hole.
ReplyDeleteSounds like what my husband refers to as a "government job." Taking way too long and still not doing it right.
ReplyDeleteThat's just wrong from start to finish. Grrr.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to your son on the video win! I'm with Patti - might we be able to see the video? I used to watch a lot with my kids, haven't done so in years now.
That's a nice neighborhood hoop and court! And I once had a contractor repairing a drainage like dig a 6 deep 12 long pit in my yard, then leave for a week.
ReplyDelete