[Farmall] Only Slightly off topic: Shop and Storage building for Farmall Tractors

Wed Apr 12 11:27:09 PDT 2006

John,  Thanks for the heads up.  Always happy to learn from the 
experiences from others.   It seems it all to easy for sleazy contractors 
to change names of their business and then go and take advantage of other 
people.

Larry

Larry Hardesty
Kearney, Nebraska 68849-2240
308-865-8535
308-865-8722 fax
hardestyll at unk.edu

John Junkroski <jpjunk at mc.net> 
Sent by: farmall-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
04/11/2006 06:19 PM
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Re: [Farmall] Only Slightly off topic: Shop and Storage building for 
Farmall Tractors

Larry,

While I would agree with Mr. Umland about the savings of doing 
whatever finish work you can, I feel I must caution anybody 
considering this kind of job NOT to hire any "local boys" who happen 
to need the work. The "appropriate skills" are not the only required 
qualifications.

I do not think I am an un-sophisticated person. I hold several 
university degrees and have successfully negotiated the sale/purchase 
of several homes and other parcels of real estate. I spent a career 
negotiating contracts, and built a 24 X 35, cathedral ceiling great- 
room onto my home, doing all the flooring and interior finishing myself.

I made the sad mistake of hiring a local boy to build a pole barn/ 
workshop on the basis of one informal reference. He bought much of 
his material at Menards, as I could have done, but unfortunately, he 
hired his crew out of the local saloon, where he apparently conducted 
all his business and spent most of his days. Some days they showed up 
at noon, some weeks they showed up not at all.

When we signed the contract he told me we could have the building up 
in 11 days.

Eleven months later, after consulting two lawyers, I got the building 
finished. We couldn't get the final papers notarized because he had 
no identification; his drivers license was being held by the court.

Fortunately for me, most of the subs he hired (to do the concrete, 
electrical, excavating, etc.) were honest and competent, so the final 
product is minimally serviceable, but the finish is poor and a whole 
lot of things had to be re-done. What was supposed to be my 
retirement present to myself, and the place where I could work on all 
my projects, turned into a nightmare.

Along the way I had a lien placed against the title of my home, 
because he had not paid for materials.

All things considered he was a very lucky crook; I don't own a gun.

Please, do yourself a favor. Get several references from people who 
have COMPLETED projects. Get several credit references,  talk to 
banks, suppliers, sub-contractors, etc. Go out and look at buildings 
he has completed and talk to the owners. If there is the slightest 
doubt, RUN!

There are hundreds of good contractor/builders out there, and just 
enough sleaze-bags to require caution.

John

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Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"

John,  Thanks for the heads up.
 Always happy to learn from the experiences from others.   It
seems it all to easy for sleazy contractors to change names of their business
and then go and take advantage of other people.
 
 Larry
 
 Larry Hardesty 
Kearney, Nebraska 68849-2240 
308-865-8535 
308-865-8722 fax 
hardestyll at unk.edu
 
 
 
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<td width=40%>John Junkroski <jpjunk at mc.net>

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04/11/2006 06:19 PM
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<td>Re: [Farmall] Only Slightly off topic:
Shop and Storage building for        Farmall
Tractors</table>
 
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 <tt>Larry, 
 
While I would agree with Mr. Umland about the savings of doing   
whatever finish work you can, I feel I must caution anybody   
considering this kind of job NOT to hire any "local boys" who
happen   
to need the work. The "appropriate skills" are not the only required
  
qualifications. 
 
I do not think I am an un-sophisticated person. I hold several   
university degrees and have successfully negotiated the sale/purchase   
of several homes and other parcels of real estate. I spent a career   
negotiating contracts, and built a 24 X 35, cathedral ceiling great- 
room onto my home, doing all the flooring and interior finishing myself. 
 
I made the sad mistake of hiring a local boy to build a pole barn/ 
workshop on the basis of one informal reference. He bought much of   
his material at Menards, as I could have done, but unfortunately, he   
hired his crew out of the local saloon, where he apparently conducted   
all his business and spent most of his days. Some days they showed up   
at noon, some weeks they showed up not at all. 
 
When we signed the contract he told me we could have the building up   
in 11 days. 
 
Eleven months later, after consulting two lawyers, I got the building   
finished. We couldn't get the final papers notarized because he had   
no identification; his drivers license was being held by the court. 
 
Fortunately for me, most of the subs he hired (to do the concrete,   
electrical, excavating, etc.) were honest and competent, so the final   
product is minimally serviceable, but the finish is poor and a whole   
lot of things had to be re-done. What was supposed to be my   
retirement present to myself, and the place where I could work on all   
my projects, turned into a nightmare. 
 
Along the way I had a lien placed against the title of my home,   
because he had not paid for materials. 
 
All things considered he was a very lucky crook; I don't own a gun. 
 
Please, do yourself a favor. Get several references from people who   
have COMPLETED projects. Get several credit references,  talk to   
banks, suppliers, sub-contractors, etc. Go out and look at buildings   
he has completed and talk to the owners. If there is the slightest   
doubt, RUN! 
 
There are hundreds of good contractor/builders out there, and just   
enough sleaze-bags to require caution. 
 
John 
</tt>