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Glad to hear the counters are fixed.

We have a slide in range and the counter guys omitted the strip at the back. But it was against the wall and they made a return trip and fixed it quickly. Same mistake in that we already had the range in the house and they didn't pay attention.

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This is the apartment. It's the counters in my house that are messed up.

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I totally missed that. UGH.

Frickin' lazy utility workers.

I had the service and meter connection scheduled for today I got an email from my provider (TXU) indicating CenterPoint was unable to complete the work order. The work order was closed and they canceled the order for the following:

• Ladder not long enough
• Holes in breaker box
• No ground rod connection.

Funny thing is, it's a recessed, flush-mount breaker box that is sealed up and locked out/tagged out and the ground rod connection is immediately below the meter can.

Yeah, those guys either didn't show up at all or their ladder was too short and they made up some BS to blame the customer so they didn't have to come back.

The problem is the canceled order backs out my utility account and TXU completely deleted it, so I had to start over and get a new connection order, which is another wait of 7-10 days. CenterPoint is getting an earful from me tomorrow.

Wow!

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Frickin' lazy utility workers.

I had the service and meter connection scheduled for today I got an email from my provider (TXU) indicating CenterPoint was unable to complete the work order. The work order was closed and they canceled the order for the following:

• Ladder not long enough
• Holes in breaker box
• No ground rod connection.

Funny thing is, it's a recessed, flush-mount breaker box that is sealed up and locked out/tagged out and the ground rod connection is immediately below the meter can.

Yeah, those guys either didn't show up at all or their ladder was too short and they made up some BS to blame the customer so they didn't have to come back.

The problem is the canceled order backs out my utility account and TXU completely deleted it, so I had to start over and get a new connection order, which is another wait of 7-10 days. CenterPoint is getting an earful from me tomorrow.

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Call in and go on a profanity laced rant. Let them know who is boss.

And to think CenterPoint is seizing land from Waco to Houston for high voltage wires so they don't have to build new generation facilities in Houston for a fake demand increase for 2018. Not surprised at all.

And it gets better. I ended up on the phone with a manager last night and even sent her pictures of the breaker box and ground rod connection. They sent a lineman out to my place within an hour or so. He confirmed there was no way in hell the crew even attempted to do anything, and he agreed there was nothing wrong with the breaker box or ground rod connection. he did, however, point out that the order was entered incorrectly - as a move in (existing meter) instead of a new meter order, and when they pulled the meter for demolition, it was entered as a temporary disconnection, not a meter pull.

So ... the second order was cancelled.

Still on the phone with TXU and Centerpoint after more than an hour.

As someone who has the honor to deal with them on a weekly basis on getting meters set for homes under construction and/or for meters for temp poles, they suck. From losing permit releases to claiming they never got the order from Reliant, when I have email confirmations and backup. And when they turn down the order and it gets canceled and you have to restart the process. I'm suprised they sent someone out last night.

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As someone who has the honor to deal with them on a weekly basis on getting meters set for homes under construction and/or for meters for temp poles, they suck. From losing permit releases to claiming they never got the order from Reliant, when I have email confirmations and backup. And when they turn down the order and it gets canceled and you have to restart the process. I'm suprised they sent someone out last night.

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If my one connect has been a ****show, I can't even begin to imagine what it's like doing this all the time. The nice thing in all this is TXU gave me a $100 credit for my trouble.

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And it gets better. I ended up on the phone with a manager last night and even sent her pictures of the breaker box and ground rod connection. They sent a lineman out to my place within an hour or so. He confirmed there was no way in hell the crew even attempted to do anything, and he agreed there was nothing wrong with the breaker box or ground rod connection. he did, however, point out that the order was entered incorrectly - as a move in (existing meter) instead of a new meter order, and when they pulled the meter for demolition, it was entered as a temporary disconnection, not a meter pull.

So ... the second order was cancelled.

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Similar thing happened when my folks built in Montgomery County. Don't remember whose name was on the side of the truck but it sounds like the same knuckleheads. Folks live on a couple of acres so the home sits about 300' off the road. Service to the wooden temp pole in the front yard by the road needed to be disconnected and moved to the utility pole (underground service to the house) and the meter relocated from the temp to the box on the side of the house. I come out the next day to dig up the temp pole to sell it. Already had a contractor in the area that wanted to buy it from us (we bought it new). Meter connection has a plastic cover and is locked/tagged out and the service drop is still connected.

Yes indeed, the knuckleheads claimed their work-order was for a temporary disconnect. REALLY MORONS? Moving the meter from a wooden post in the front yard to the new homes primary breaker box and moving service from a 4x4 post in the middle of the yard to a buried line with conduit and a weather head strapped TO YOUR POLE is TEMPORARY???

So it appears that the only thing that has changed in 12 years is probably the mowing/trimming that is in worse shape on their easements!

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As someone who has the honor to deal with them on a weekly basis on getting meters set for homes under construction and/or for meters for temp poles, they suck. From losing permit releases to claiming they never got the order from Reliant, when I have email confirmations and backup. And when they turn down the order and it gets canceled and you have to restart the process. I'm suprised they sent someone out last night.

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If my one connect has been a ****show, I can't even begin to imagine what it's like doing this all the time. The nice thing in all this is TXU gave me a $100 credit for my trouble.

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It ain't any better on the commercial side either.

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As someone who has the honor to deal with them on a weekly basis on getting meters set for homes under construction and/or for meters for temp poles, they suck. From losing permit releases to claiming they never got the order from Reliant, when I have email confirmations and backup. And when they turn down the order and it gets canceled and you have to restart the process. I'm suprised they sent someone out last night.

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If my one connect has been a ****show, I can't even begin to imagine what it's like doing this all the time. The nice thing in all this is TXU gave me a $100 credit for my trouble.

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It ain't any better on the commercial side either.

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Wooo Austin Energy! You mean the door hardware we specified for our vault requires our techs to turn the key an additional 1/4 of a turn further than "every other vault in the City" before the door will open? Nonsense, go find another piece of $6,000 hardware so that we can not show up and unlock the door for you to install it on three separate occasions before we decide the original hardware is OK but you already have the new stuff so you might as well install it whenever we can come back out.

**** ****ity **** **** ****

I'm at the "I hate my builder" stage. They didn't bother to confirm the direction of the tile before laying the floor and it's all in the WRONG direction. This is the second big mistake that's resulting in having to tear something out.

This and the fiasco that has been getting the electricity hooked has me really pissed off.

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Hopefully that means we get paint started today or tomorrow.

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It might even be the right color!

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Well I was kinda close.

And RTT, there's no way on God's green I would have anywhere near the patience to do what you're doing. Hatin cuz I'm jelly.

On a side note, I hope this has been educational for anyone who's ever thought, hmm, I bet I could be my own GC and build my new house.

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Well I was kinda close.

And RTT, there's no way on God's green I would have anywhere near the patience to do what you're doing. Hatin cuz I'm jelly.

On a side note, I hope this has been educational for anyone who's ever thought, hmm, I bet I could be my own GC and build my new house.

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And I was thinking about getting a cabinet/bookcase built into my living room. Finding a piece of furniture seems like it might be less of a headache after all of the home improvement threads.

RTT, I commend you on your patience. I would have probably bust into tears by now as that is how I seem to cope now with frustrations. Although in some cases a hysterical crying woman does spur one into action I never intend to do that to anyone.

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And it gets better. I ended up on the phone with a manager last night and even sent her pictures of the breaker box and ground rod connection. They sent a lineman out to my place within an hour or so. He confirmed there was no way in hell the crew even attempted to do anything, and he agreed there was nothing wrong with the breaker box or ground rod connection. he did, however, point out that the order was entered incorrectly - as a move in (existing meter) instead of a new meter order, and when they pulled the meter for demolition, it was entered as a temporary disconnection, not a meter pull.

So ... the second order was cancelled.

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Good lawd that is dumb...

Haha and my friends say I'm crazy for wanting to start a home building company

Well I think we're getting back into a good place. I've decided to just let the tile problem go. I'm not going to be living there, so it's pointless to delay the project to have it ripped out.

Tile will be done today
Electrical will be done today
Floors will start tomorrow or Monday
Plumbing trim-out will be the end of next week

I had a situation similar. I walked into one of my homes the tile guys had started early that day a little after lunch. He had laid 18" tile in most of the family room and breakfast nook area and was making his way into kitchen and entry foyer area. He had finished laying the floor in the master bath with 12" tile. His question to me was where all the 6" tile went. That's when I realized he would no longer be laying tile for me. It was suppose to be hopscotch/pinwheel pattern everywhere, with those 3 sizes mixed together. Luckily for him he was able to salvage some of the tile off the floor. I know it doesn't help your situation and it seems as though your GC has had his share of oops on your build, but it happens to all of us unfortunately.

A couple teaser pics until I can get in there tomorrow:

Niiiiiice

Picture time!















There's even a small amount of attic space:


I almost forgot to add that we moved our house meter to the back of the garage and ran it underground so we can get rid of the service pole in the middle of the backyard. I'm a little annoyed that they didn't line the meter cans up. It looks sloppy.

Looks great!

Good job

High ceilings. Very good idea.

Floors got stained today, and I'm pretty sure I hate it.



This is the thumbnail from Sherwin Williams:

Pine floors?

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Pine floors?

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Yes.

I'll just advertise the floors as a luxurious faux shou sugi ban finish.

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I'll just advertise the floors as a luxurious faux shou sugi ban finish.

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I'm slightly scared to look that up.

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I'll just advertise the floors as a luxurious faux shou sugi ban finish.

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I'm slightly scared to look that up.

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It's a Japanese wood preservation technique that involves burning it.

that looks really yellowish

I think it looks good! Where did he get the pine? I recall really liking the floors of some of his previous builds I've seen. And I remember him telling me they were relatively inexpensive.

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I think it looks good! Where did he get the pine? I recall really liking the floors of some of his previous builds I've seen. And I remember him telling me they were relatively inexpensive.

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He uses 2X6 tongue and groove from Montalbano lumber.

The only way I can find it acceptable is if I think of it as "vintage farmhouse chic" or something. It's just too busy for my tastes.

Does sherwin williams recomend that stain for pine? Thinking about it, all stained pine I've ever seen has the same look to it. The difference in sap wood vs older growth is why the stain took differently. Also...how soft is the wood? A woman wearing heels is going to bang up a pine floor, not to mention normal wear and tear. I'm thinking of all the pine log cabins I've ever been in.