I realize this could go under the pet peeve post, but I think it is a specific topic. I put it under the "no good deed goes unpunished" category.
I own an old cabin with my cousin, who is also one of my best friends.
We have managed to stay friends while sharing this place. Not always easy.
We don't have a garage, and we decided to build a nice new storage shed.
He is a contrator/carpenter, and I'm capable enough to help him with that, and do painting and electrical work.
The neighbors are a nice older couple. They heard our plans, and started talking about having one built too. We like these people, and we decided what the hell, we will build one for them at the same time, right next to ours.
They just have to pay for the material.
We are being good neighbors, and friends with them. This is the fun stuff. It is also efficient to build the second one at the same time. All the tools and materials are gathered, which is half the job, and we will just get this done over the summer.
I also opened my big mouth, and said I would paint both of them. She talked about having some electrical outlets and lights, and we decided that sounded good too.
The end of summer results: Both sheds are built up, each has a coat of paint, waiting for a second coat in the spring. The electrical is roughed in, and will be finished in the spring. No big deal. Other than a few long days at first, most of the work has been done on bad weather days up at the cabin. The sheds are very nice. Cousin even built up some awesome shelving inside both units.
Cousin told me recently that our neighbor friends haven't paid him for the material. We are both thinking WTH. I talked with the neighbor lady last weekend about something else, and she handed me a check for half of what she owed my cousin. She is holding back full payment until the shed is 100% completed.
Note: Her shed is 100% built, and all that is remaining is the free work I offered her to complete the paint job and electrical. Our's is in the same state.
I reminded her that all she is paying for is the material, and that all of our labor was free. She is looking at us like we are her hired contractors who have not fulfilled their requirements. All she said, was that she understood the labor was free. Her husband was standing behind her, and I think he might be on my side of this, and thinks she is being silly.
Anyway, I will most likely proceed to complete the painting and electrical on both units in the spring, per my word, but the fun and happiness of doing a good deed for friends sure went away. I would also say our relationship will never quite be the same. Maybe I will get over it.
I suspect we got what we deserved, being nice to someone we didn't know that well. Like I said, no good deed goes unpunished.
My cousin deals with customers all of the time. He is a calm, honest, good man. He is also a very talented carpenter. He just said, he is used to that kind of stuff. Didn't seem to bother him too much.
Thanks for listening to my whine.
JP
I own an old cabin with my cousin, who is also one of my best friends.
We have managed to stay friends while sharing this place. Not always easy.
We don't have a garage, and we decided to build a nice new storage shed.
He is a contrator/carpenter, and I'm capable enough to help him with that, and do painting and electrical work.
The neighbors are a nice older couple. They heard our plans, and started talking about having one built too. We like these people, and we decided what the hell, we will build one for them at the same time, right next to ours.
They just have to pay for the material.
We are being good neighbors, and friends with them. This is the fun stuff. It is also efficient to build the second one at the same time. All the tools and materials are gathered, which is half the job, and we will just get this done over the summer.
I also opened my big mouth, and said I would paint both of them. She talked about having some electrical outlets and lights, and we decided that sounded good too.
The end of summer results: Both sheds are built up, each has a coat of paint, waiting for a second coat in the spring. The electrical is roughed in, and will be finished in the spring. No big deal. Other than a few long days at first, most of the work has been done on bad weather days up at the cabin. The sheds are very nice. Cousin even built up some awesome shelving inside both units.
Cousin told me recently that our neighbor friends haven't paid him for the material. We are both thinking WTH. I talked with the neighbor lady last weekend about something else, and she handed me a check for half of what she owed my cousin. She is holding back full payment until the shed is 100% completed.
Note: Her shed is 100% built, and all that is remaining is the free work I offered her to complete the paint job and electrical. Our's is in the same state.
I reminded her that all she is paying for is the material, and that all of our labor was free. She is looking at us like we are her hired contractors who have not fulfilled their requirements. All she said, was that she understood the labor was free. Her husband was standing behind her, and I think he might be on my side of this, and thinks she is being silly.
Anyway, I will most likely proceed to complete the painting and electrical on both units in the spring, per my word, but the fun and happiness of doing a good deed for friends sure went away. I would also say our relationship will never quite be the same. Maybe I will get over it.
I suspect we got what we deserved, being nice to someone we didn't know that well. Like I said, no good deed goes unpunished.
My cousin deals with customers all of the time. He is a calm, honest, good man. He is also a very talented carpenter. He just said, he is used to that kind of stuff. Didn't seem to bother him too much.
Thanks for listening to my whine.
JP