It’s really the sickest feeling to have … There is just no way out of feeling low when you feel helpless. The rage is useless, the deep breaths don’t help, you just cannot do anything. That’s the sickest thing about feeling helpless.
And why am I writing about it ? Because since yesterday that’s how I feel and am unable to do a thing about that feeling. We wanted to redo the kitchen and the wardrobes in one of the bedrooms as our house was nearly empty. Things are enroute from Bangalore and we thought this was the best time to make the changes. Wrong !! And how wrong we were :(:(
We gave the contract to a young girl who had done work for a friend and came highly recommended. We liked her tremendously because she was the most responsive real estate related person we have ever met. She came on time, sent the quotes on time, was reasonably priced and seemed completely in control. We got back on Monday the 7th and I had given her some advance payment two weeks before that so they could start working from the 8th. Sharp on 8th the people were there to dismantle all the things and we were very impressed.
We had agreed that the dismantling will happen on the 8th and some portion of the 9th and the fitting will happen over 9th and 11th since 10th we had the elections. On 9th is when things started sliding … With the border restrictions in place things and people arrived only by 2.30 … And we have a restriction that work can happen only till 6 pm. So nothing much got done. Again our architect was super confident, that people will come in on the 10th a little late but work through 10th and 11th to complete it all. I got a call the movers and packers that our things had reached and will be delivered on the 11th… I pushed it back by a day because we thought things will get done by the 11th.
On 10th again nothing much happened since no material could be moved and just the existing wardrobes also got removed. I was promised that on 11th work will start early in the morning and get done by the evening. 11th came and the same 1130 am restriction didn’t allow things to reach from the factory before 2 and with a really old fashioned supervisor …. Nothing got done. Everytime the supervisor reached for his measuring tape, my BP went up a notch because this guy measured the same thing 25 times …. Don’t know why !! Finally the super smart supervisor came and got an earful from me and he promised to deliver everything on the 12th, which is today. Hmmm, so I again spoke to the movers and packers, paid some demurrage and shifted the delivery of stuff to the 13th.
You are wondering what happened to the smart young architect ? She lost a family member and so was out of action.
Anyway, coming to today. We are 30 minutes away from the deadline to stop work and it’s still not complete. The material finally reached at 4.30 pm …. And the super smart supervisor is not to be seen anywhere. He went at 1.30 saying he will be back in a couple of hours and it’s already four hours. To add to the misery his phone is switched off and all we can do is feel helpless and write these blogs … No, didn’t waste time, have accomplished a lot more during these days which didn’t involve others, but just feeling helpless in getting the work done in the kitchen and the wardrobes in the bedroom. My big problem – when the cartons arrive tomorrow and I don’t have space to put the stuff in …. And I have to travel on Monday for a couple of days – just acute helplessness because I don’t know how to fit drawers, shelves and carpentry !!
Never trust timelines given by any carpenter or architect, Kapil, you are an exception. Things never get done in the time that it is supposed to be done. And you will just feel miserable. The workers are uneducated guys, who don’t understand a thing about timelines and the architects sweet talk you into believing they will get things done. Actually, don’t believe in timelines, especially if you have competing deadlines – empty house, getting it done is fine. There is no pressure.
My BP is normal because my buddy with the measuring tape stayed at the factory today 🙂 Am practising deep breaths and writing my blog peacefully, not going near the driller, don’t want to drill through someone’s skull !! :):):)
I know exactly how you feel. The one person who you trusted had to attend to a death. And everything went topsy turvy. The problem with us people is ‘ A total lack of responsibility and commitment’ add to this the fact that the majority of workers are shirkers. Moral: Never ever expect things to go as per plan and always have a Plan B in hand.
I have lived all my life outside of India and when I finally decided to stay here, in India, I started getting stuff together for myself to be able to live. You are talking of one move. I have moved 5 places in 10 months, had clothes made worth 10000 rupees that were small in size…there is no way you can make something small bigger……bought a mattress which flattened in one day. got another mattress made by paying twice and it sank in the middle in one night….I refused to go and fight with shopkeepers and suppliers then….when passing the mattress store I was so angry because the man in charge of making it was learing at me giving me a sly smile and enjoying it. This is India. The police did nothing for me instead I was insulted at every incident in front of whole groups of people. This is India. Oh no…..so this is India, is it? I feel exactly like you….totally helpless and totally hopeless.