@all, the only regret I had on this project was ever taking up this job in the first place.

The video revealed a lot but all of this things are afterthought which I was really confused about.

For instance, the washing machine plumb work in the kitchen came up after the tiles had been laid and was never part of the project. see picture below
The partitioning of the bathroom was also the same. It was never part of the project.

The socket in the living room was removed on client's request. We intend filling up the hole immediately but we were prevent from doing so.

No sane man would fix a door and a solid frame for N18k - the budget is there.

I tried preventing all this but I didn't get the support needed. I remember telling my client to visit the site to see how the colours look on the wall only to be greeted by 'I know what the colours look like when I see them answer'

If you check through this thread, I post in a place that 'Pictures can be deceptive atimes'

When a project lacks specifications, this is what you get. I just can't imagine why I would leave 1 pipe outside after burying 100 in the wall.

Let's not forget - we have completed all block works before the issue of the flooring was reviewed, which means we had to start patching up to make up the areas affected.

Many atimes, I was asked if I can do my house like this. NO!
I won't but I will always take professional advice.

I'm very sorry about this but GOD knows better.

The was a cup or glass issue raised in one of the bath - my client specifically asked us to move the cup into the other bath. The video didn't show that.

We all have right to complain but we need to understand ourselves better to make this world a better place.

One thing I know is that there's a budget and I wasn't paid to build a new house. I did my best to give the dilapidated structure a new look but my best sure isn't enough. Its not about some people going up on the internet to rip people off. Its just a matter of a bad business - the one that lacks clarity.

__________

@aventures, I can still remember vividly your statement back then. Here, I am. May God see me through.

I saw my client driving off the site yesterday morning and made a telephone call to him to let him know I'm around.

We could have walk through all this issues together and maybe he'll get a bit of explanation than coming here to post the issues.

There are established process for making change request stated in the contract document. None of this process were observed.

Now, its obvious from the video posted that my client must have rested on the shower enclosure while trying to prove a point or show the world how shoddy and unprofessional we are. The frame had been standing over 2 months without a problem - till yesterday. Who gets to fix that - NextHome?

What is missing in this project is a simple understanding and lack of trust. I was prepared to do all that it takes to make sure my client is satisfied; even if there had to be compromises but all efforts seems to prove abortive.

The structure is very old and weak and as such work needed to be done with utmost care to prevent a major structural damage or collapse.

_____________

@my client sir, since this platform is where you choose to treat your issue - what should we do to end this issue?
I have the 2 bathroom doors awaiting installation today (Monday). I can halt the installation and wait for your final word.

Thank you for your patience and time to post the video. I only need half of that to sit down with you to tidy up the loose ends even if that will mean inconveniencing you a bit. Please bear with me.

I'm sure its better than all the time wasted.

@ Nexthome,  Pictures may be photoshopped but videos are more real.
It is not about renovating a house or starting a house from foundation. It is all about the finishing touches.
Either you are not using competent workmen or you are not supervising the competent ones and they leave the job to their apprentices/trainees.

The blue room looks a quite better than the red room. Were they done by the same workman?

As a Building Contractor Always Follow these Basic Principle (for any job you accept to do):
1. Have a clear definition of what you are need to do before you start.
2. Procure all the necessary materials required.
3. Employ competent workmen to optimally use the materials for the job.
4. SUPERVISE AND SUPERVISE AND SUPERVISE. Shine your eyes and always give feedback to your client. (Communication is very important)
5. Finish the job to Perfection, as you promised.

If you cannot use these 5 basic principles, then be ready to take whatever you see from your dissatisfied client.
Also remember your reputation cos that's what keeps bringing new clients.

Goodluck.

Bros, my client made his choice to paint the room Red. I tried to convince him against that (if you need pictures of what I sent to my client for the living room, I can forward them to show what I planned to do with the room) but the he insisted all red.
You can like Red but that doesn't mean you go RED. I intend using the Red to create an accent in the very small living room.

We choose the blue colour by ourselves. He told me to play around with shades of blue and that's what I did. I had free will in the bedroom. You can check the colour scheme sent on this thread to confirm that.

The same workman did all the rooms.

Also, on this thread somebody said something about red colour and I said one man's fufu is another man's akpu.

I told my client on one occasion that if we go by what I'm seeing on the site, that some room will be OK than the others based on their finishes even though they have different budget.
You can't compare a screeded wall with a plain wall.

In all of this, I'll making too many excuses but the way forward is what I pray you help me find. If we need to be fired, so be it. And we proceed to how refunds will be made.

____________

I doubt I'll photoshop real life (as-it-transpire images), the video is true but not all of the things shown are within the scope of the job given.

This issue is a case of a business gone wrong.
I've really been away from the property section for too long.
Firstly, speaking as an architect and a builder, i'll apportion some blame on mr brabus.
My brother, where did all these go wrong to this extent. Lack of supervision? Or lack of specification.
Were your workers not supervised by you or what? Are these the same workers you were using for other works or new workers entirely? How did you get your workers? By recommendation? Or by i am a painter,(let me show you)!
In any contract, it is the contractor that the client knows not the painter or carpenter. As i read in one of your post where you were blaming ''kola'', the carpenter. That is very wrong. To the client, both the carpenter, painter, tiller, all are BRABUS! That is why you dont need to ''test run'' a worker on a client's work! It produces bad results.

Watching that video and reading your last post will explain the need for ''SPECIFICATIONS''. My brother, never leave any issue to chance. By involving the services of a quantity surveyor, you will discover that every item will be spelt out and addressed while negotiating for the contract.
Address everything in details(both the ones you deem as unimportant)
Its called ''specification writing'' and it is attached to the bill of quantities. Always consider ''contingencies'' thoroughly because they can be bigger than you expected.
It is better to lose a contract that was not spelt out well than to be choked along the way. Clients will always want the contractor to quote below the contract sum, and happy when you collect little for a contract. Please, a house is a capital project and must be followed and treated as one. Dont be deceived by millions, one or two blocks and they are finished.

Also, seek the client's consent at all times. Like i said before, leave nothing to chance. You will not know what your client will love or detest.

Oga ahoranai, please, the damage has been done, but issues are better settled amicably. This is not an issue that cannot be settled by arbitration. Cool your temper,

Mr brabus, this is not the end of the world, but a stepping stone to meticulous and careful works in the future.
Dust yourself and arise to greater things.

The purpose of this video was not to lay allegations but to display the project for all to view and judge if I have been unduly rash or generous in my dealings with Brabus.

NextHome:

Just finished watching the video. Interesting!

If my client had come around 4pm today as agreed - maybe the video won't be the same. I told him we won't finish as agreed and the reason.

- Kitchen Cabinet installation is incomplete and its obvious because the shelves are not even installed. No light!
- Bath Partition was only hanged and not permanently fixed to the wall. No light!
- Door frames - now covered.
- Socket in the living room - installed


Pictures

1. The MDF Board for the uncovered part of the kitchen waiting to be installed. No light!
2. The toilet door from the lobby.
3. The toilet door that didn't lock - now locked.
4. The Bathroom Door - awaiting delivery and installation.

I paid a surprise visit and believe me I wont have seen any different at 4pm.

I have highlighted the portions where he has fixed and that is acceptable.

NextHome:

@all, the only regret I had on this project was ever taking up this job in the first place.

The video revealed a lot but all of this things are afterthought which I was really confused about.

For instance, the washing machine plumb work in the kitchen came up after the tiles had been laid and was never part of the project. see picture below

I stated clearly that I wanted all the piping to come out of the wall and not from below the kitchen sink. I remember him categorically saying they would fix a tap temporarily until the washing machine was available. Instead, there only the waste pipe was placed in the wall and tiled over. I raised the alarm immediately that that was not what I said but he kept explaining it away and away. Today you see the result.

NextHome:

The socket in the living room was removed on client's request. We intend filling up the hole immediately but we were prevent from doing so.

I asked that a dummy switch be placed there instead of filling it up and painting. How hard is it to replace a switch. He shouldn't forget that I said he should take one of the silver switches from next to the guest bathroom door and place it there.

NextHome:


I tried preventing all this but I didn't get the support needed. I remember telling my client to visit the site to see how the colours look on the wall only to be greeted by 'I know what the colours look like when I see them answer'

This statement creates a wrong impression. He blatantly painted the kitchen pink against my instructions instead of red. Even a child knows the difference between the two colours. I don't need to visit him to make sure blue is blue as he's a full grown adult who should be able to do the right thing. I have never complained about choice of colours on walls elsewhere. However if a wall is not painted properly do I not have the right to request that it be done properly and that streaks be cleared up? All the repainting was due to the fact that his painter did not do a good job and I insisted that the quality of work must be at the same standard at which it was started.

NextHome:


When a project lacks specifications, this is what you get. I just can't imagine why I would leave 1 pipe outside after burying 100 in the wall.

Let's not forget - we have completed all block works before the issue of the flooring was reviewed, which means we had to start patching up to make up the areas affected.

Many atimes, I was asked if I can do my house like this. NO!
I won't but I will always take professional advice.

There were specifications. We spoke at length and I clearly articulated all my desires and you said you were fully aware of them and would implement them so please do not come here to speak untruth.

Block work did not affect the flooring. All that was needed was to lay the floor on existing surface. Your statement here does not hold any value.

If you cant do your house like this then why are you handling this job this way?

NextHome:


The was a cup or glass issue raised in one of the bath - my client specifically asked us to move the cup into the other bath. The video didn't show that.

I laugh at this. I don't quite remember the details but if I try I believe the cup holder hadn't even yet been installed.

NextHome:


One thing I know is that there's a budget and I wasn't paid to build a new house. I did my best to give the dilapidated structure a new look but my best sure isn't enough. Its not about some people going up on the internet to rip people off. Its just a matter of a bad business - the one that lacks clarity.

I rather take offence at this statement. The building was in no way dilapidated. Old as it was, it did not require a major overhaul for it to be liveable. I decided to embark on a major refurbishment so as to increase the value of not just my flat but the entire building as a whole. Renovation of my flat was only the first step. Due to your tardiness you have missed out on a larger scale of work from me in that building than you would have expected. Not just there but elsewhere.

I never said you set out to rip me off, neither have I ever doubted the fact that you are into building and refurbishment. Truth be said, you started well but you derailed and badly at that too. All I have ever maintained is that you handled this job poorly and have tarnished your reputation.

I feel offended that you would come here and say the project lacked clarity because you and I know that I was very clear about what I wanted and you remarked that my taste was very high. Yet you said you were up to the task.

NextHome:

I saw my client driving off the site yesterday morning and made a telephone call to him to let him know I'm around.

We could have walk through all this issues together and maybe he'll get a bit of explanation than coming here to post the issues.

There are established process for making change request stated in the contract document. None of this process were observed.

I saw him walking but chose to drive off because I was very upset and wanted to address him with a clear mind.

I posted the video so he could view it over and over again and note the areas of concern. I am tired of reminding him of his outstanding issues.

If he choses to go by change requests, can I please have the change requests for the following alterations he made without my authorisation

1. Demolishing the existing bathroom wall
2. Laying pipes to pass below the kitchen sink rather than from the wall.
3. Supplying 1.5HP a/c instead of 2HP a/c
4. Painting the kitchen pink instead of red
5. Power control sockets for TV
6. Blocking off the a/c vent in the guest room - I asked him to board it off with plywood not fill it up with blocks and cement it off.

The list is endless so lets not even go there.

NextHome:


Now, its obvious from the video posted that my client must have rested on the shower enclosure while trying to prove a point or show the world how shoddy and unprofessional we are. The frame had been standing over 2 months without a problem - till yesterday. Who gets to fix that - NextHome?

I'm sorry but what does this mean? I never complained about the shower enclosure. Is there an issue with it?

NextHome:

The ugly incident we met on site today.

I've only just gone back to the previous page to find out what happenned. I'm in shock.

I'm amazed that you would accuse me of damaging my own property and passing the blame on to me. As at the time I left it was clear that the partitioning was in full condition. Why would I destroy it and ask you to pay for it when I know that you are currently unable to finish the job due to lack of funds as you say.

I can say categorically that I did not touch the partitioning. If it was damaged by an means other than sabotage, then it means it was not properly installed in the first place.

NextHome:

____________

@my client sir, since this platform is where you choose to treat your issue - what should we do to end this issue?
I have the 2 bathroom doors awaiting installation today (Monday). I can halt the installation and wait for your final word.

Thank you for your patience and time to post the video. I only need half of that to sit down with you to tidy up the loose ends even if that will mean inconveniencing you a bit. Please bear with me.

I'm sure its better than all the time wasted.

I have sat down with you to tidy up loose ends nearly every weekend for the last two months and yet no progress. Don't accuse me of bringing the issue here as you brought it here in the first place so if you can dish it, be prepared to recieve it.

NextHome:

Bros, my client made his choice to paint the room Red. I tried to convince him against that (if you need pictures of what I sent to my client for the living room, I can forward them to show what I planned to do with the room) but the he insisted all red.
You can like Red but that doesn't mean you go RED. I intend using the Red to create an accent in the very small living room.

We choose the blue colour by ourselves. He told me to play around with shades of blue and that's what I did. I had free will in the bedroom. You can check the colour scheme sent on this thread to confirm that.

The same workman did all the rooms.

Also, on this thread somebody said something about red colour and I said one man's fufu is another man's akpu.

I told my client on one occasion that if we go by what I'm seeing on the site, that some room will be OK than the others based on their finishes even though they have different budget.
You can't compare a screeded wall with a plain wall.

In all of this, I'll making too many excuses but the way forward is what I pray you help me find. If we need to be fired, so be it. And we proceed to how refunds will be made.

____________

I doubt I'll photoshop real life (as-it-transpire images), the video is true but not all of the things shown are within the scope of the job given.

Nobody has accused you of photoshopping images and again I maintain that I never said I had a problem with red. My major grouse was that the paint in the living room had loads of patches and was not neatly done.

You will not be fired, you will finish the job as you said you would.

ihebrooke:

This issue is a case of a business gone wrong.
I've really been away from the property section for too long.
Firstly, speaking as an architect and a builder, i'll apportion some blame on mr brabus.
My brother, where did all these go wrong to this extent. Lack of supervision? Or lack of specification.
Were your workers not supervised by you or what? Are these the same workers you were using for other works or new workers entirely? How did you get your workers? By recommendation? Or by i am a painter,(let me show you)!
In any contract, it is the contractor that the client knows not the painter or carpenter. As i read in one of your post where you were blaming ''kola'', the carpenter. That is very wrong. To the client, both the carpenter, painter, tiller, all are BRABUS! That is why you dont need to ''test run'' a worker on a client's work! It produces bad results.

Watching that video and reading your last post will explain the need for ''SPECIFICATIONS''. My brother, never leave any issue to chance. By involving the services of a quantity surveyor, you will discover that every item will be spelt out and addressed while negotiating for the contract.
Address everything in details(both the ones you deem as unimportant)
Its called ''specification writing'' and it is attached to the bill of quantities. Always consider ''contingencies'' thoroughly because they can be bigger than you expected.
It is better to lose a contract that was not spelt out well than to be choked along the way. Clients will always want the contractor to quote below the contract sum, and happy when you collect little for a contract. Please, a house is a capital project and must be followed and treated as one. Dont be deceived by millions, one or two blocks and they are finished.

Also, seek the client's consent at all times. Like i said before, leave nothing to chance. You will not know what your client will love or detest.

Oga ahoranai, please, the damage has been done, but issues are better settled amicably. This is not an issue that cannot be settled by arbitration. Cool your temper,

Mr brabus, this is not the end of the world, but a stepping stone to meticulous and careful works in the future.
Dust yourself and arise to greater things.

Thank you for this. I am always up for amicable resolution.

I must make a few points clear though;

1. I articulated my desires at all times and Brabus confirmed that he understood.

2. He started well and at a geat pace but problems started when his wife was due to give birth. I'm sorry to bring this in but I must. HE SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO PAUSE THE PROJECT. I will have asked him to take as much time as he needed.

3. During this period of his absence some of the shoddiest work I have ever seen was done in the house. It is those mistakes we are still correcting.

4. Had I know he would be awol for a while, I would not have paid him his final installments until he returned from his paternity leave.

5. He refuses to be accountable and take responsibility for his mistakes. I have made several concessions and am still willing to make more but he must be prepared to act aright and turn around the situation as we have limited time under this current dispensation of grace.

6. Till date he has not given me my outstanding reciepts. The only one I have is for my first payment. He proposed a new one last week but I referred him to our email correspondence of September 6th, 2011 where I articulated what he should state in the reciept and the format to follow. I await his response.

7. On the issue of refunds. It is clear that he is currently either insolvent or incapable of depleting his "fee" to settle a client. That is an issue for another day. All I know is that one way or the other justice will be served.

8. I have been extremely gracious to allow him enough room to remedy the situation. This will not last for ever.

To this effect I will have to leave my office on the Island to visit the site today. I anticipate that he will be ready for me.

This will be the final time I will do such. After that I will be forced to take alternative action.

I hope this is fair.

I didn't know I will post here again!

@Ahonohai, your last post says it all.  I knew something must have happened.  Watching the video shows a clear lack of proper supervision.  For someone that likes finesse, I cannot take such.  I commend your grace and patience.  I must also say what you wrote is fair enough.

@Brabus, please and please stop this going back and forth and don't make any further rejoinders to his post.  You don't need such now.  Your client just showed and gave you what he wanted.  Look into his last post and get to work.  Let him meet you at site today.  Please use the opportunity to resolve this and don't let him get to take alternative action.

See what he wrote:

ahonohai:

5. He refuses to be accountable and take responsibility for his mistakes. I have made several concessions and am still willing to make more but he must be prepared to act aright and turn around the situation as we have limited time under this current dispensation of grace.

Take that cue and act wisely.

@ analytical----Thank you, that's the same point I'm about to raise

Customer service in Nigeria is horrible!!! Your client says he doesn't like the CLEARLY shoddy job you have done and instead of you to fix it with immediate effect, you give NUMEROUS excuses, trade blames and try to throw daggers at him. This is really pathetic. You have no idea what you're doing to your business with your own bare hands and your computer keyboard.

Brabus, I think your best bet is to forget about being right and passing the buck. Just meet Ahanohai and resolve his concerns.  Many of us have seen the video and it spoke for itself.  You can't out talk the video.  The job done so far is simply tacky!

I suggest  that you should not be heard from on this issue again until Ahanohai's deficiencies are corrected and he is satisfied.

I give you credit for trying but at this point trying is no longer enough. Just do it! 

Hope there will be a happy tale of your able resolution of this issue from Ahanohai. Meanwhile just chill!

Dear Ahanohai,

you have spoken well. I understand your anger. Nobody paying top money for a shoddy job will be any less angry. Are you paying (paid) peanuts and expecting a master finish? I don't think so. Are your expectations higher than Brabus could deliver? I still don't think so. I think Brabus could do and capable of doing a better job. We've all witness here on Nairaland how Brabus handled a multi-million project for love-tosin and we've all also witness how love-tosin came on here to "under-wright" his dealings with Brabus. So if Brabus is capable, why has your simple renovation job gone this bad? Bad luck? don't go there. wickedness on Brabus part? Haba!

Ahanohai, how are you handling/managing Brabus? Is he being (been) well taken care of? Not in monetary terms mind you. I know that you said that things went awry with the Brabus family welcoming a new member to the family. This is just a symptom and not the cause of the present imbroglio. I think Brabus is not being well taken care of. How/why did I come to this conclusion?

How long did it take you to notice that work quality has dropped with Brabus attending to the birth of their child? And when you noticed that quality dropped, why didn't you stop work? Why wait so long for a free reign of shoddy job to go on? Or maybe you were not on site for a long time. And that is my "accusation" of you and the management of Brabus. I know you've paid top money and expect this top fee to free you time to do some other thing. But that is not enough. I believe you are just too distant and make bold to add, too disintrested with this project. Imagine with all this problem, you saw Brabus on site, he called you, but you still walked away. Haba! Being so annoyed is the more reason to meet with Brabus on site and not the other way round. I am insinuating that you've  so mismanaged Brabus and too distant from this project that Brabus has lost self-confidence. Brabus predicament is comparable to a child that has been so scolded time and again that the child loses self confidence and often confused on what to do lest he is scolded the more. Or am I wrong?

I am happy that you are happy not to fire Brabus. You will rather see him complete the job. Going forward, you need to be more often on site DURING WORK TIME and not just popping in to see the amount and quality of work done. While the onus is on Brabus to see this job to satisfactory conclusion, you also owe him a duty of care. Please purge youself of the anger and look for creative way to bring back the self confidence. I mean you paid top money, so why not close mark how your money is being deployed.

@All, today's meeting was a success and I must give thanks to all contributors for making it possible.

We discussed and few compromise were made by my client whom I owe a very BIG thank you.

In this regards, I'll appreciate if we can tread this path with caution and also desist from making divisive statements that could further deepen the disunity. I hope and believe that by Friday, we will be singing a new song.

Thank you all.

Na wa o, this thread is turning into a court room,am waiting the final judgement,
@pamboogie was right about poor customer service delivery,from a naija man view most of us would'nt be as tolerant as the client.
I think all stakeholders of this project should see to all the complaints of Oga Ahonohai and resolve it amicably,pls try and make it up to him and impress him once again. He has every right to all his complains and statements.
@Nexthome, @brabus, we look up to u in this session so pls do what must be done to keep your reputation.
Am sure you know that recommendations & referals is what gives you future jobs, GOODLUCK[b][/b][color=#770077][/color]

Thank GOD for the peaceful resolution btw the contractor and the owner. Friday is just a stone throw from now, I do hope all will be fixed without any hassle/delay cos I really want to see both of you sing a new song by then

@ diordaves --- I really have my reservations for your comment but won't discuss it now simply because of Brabus statement ' I'll appreciate if we can tread this path with caution and also desist from making divisive statements that could further deepen the disunity'

I agree with aks about not replying diordaves' rather "funny" and "laughable" comments because of brabus'.

diordaves:

Dear Ahanohai,

you have spoken well. I understand your anger. Nobody paying top money for a shoddy job will be any less angry. Are you paying (paid) peanuts and expecting a master finish? I don't think so. Are your expectations higher than Brabus could deliver? I still don't think so. I think Brabus could do and capable of doing a better job. We've all witness here on Nairaland how Brabus handled a multi-million project for love-tosin and we've all also witness how love-tosin came on here to "under-wright" his dealings with Brabus. So if Brabus is capable, why has your simple renovation job gone this bad? Bad luck? don't go there. wickedness on Brabus part? Haba!

Ahanohai, how are you handling/managing Brabus? Is he being (been) well taken care of? Not in monetary terms mind you. I know that you said that things went awry with the Brabus family welcoming a new member to the family. This is just a symptom and not the cause of the present imbroglio. I think Brabus is not being well taken care of. How/why did I come to this conclusion?

How long did it take you to notice that work quality has dropped with Brabus attending to the birth of their child? And when you noticed that quality dropped, why didn't you stop work? Why wait so long for a free reign of shoddy job to go on? Or maybe you were not on site for a long time. And that is my "accusation" of you and the management of Brabus. I know you've paid top money and expect this top fee to free you time to do some other thing. But that is not enough. I believe you are just too distant and make bold to add, too disintrested with this project. Imagine with all this problem, you saw Brabus on site, he called you, but you still walked away. Haba! Being so annoyed is the more reason to meet with Brabus on site and not the other way round. I am insinuating that you've  so mismanaged Brabus and too distant from this project that Brabus has lost self-confidence. Brabus predicament is comparable to a child that has been so scolded time and again that the child loses self confidence and often confused on what to do lest he is scolded the more. Or am I wrong?

I am happy that you are happy not to fire Brabus. You will rather see him complete the job. Going forward, you need to be more often on site DURING WORK TIME and not just popping in to see the amount and quality of work done. While the onus is on Brabus to see this job to satisfactory conclusion, you also owe him a duty of care. Please purge youself of the anger and look for creative way to bring back the self confidence. I mean you paid top money, so why not close mark how your money is being deployed.

I know I wasn't supposed to comment on this thread until the work was complete but please permit me to respond to this post. 

Firstly, as Brabus mentioned we met yesterday and I once again took the time out to explain the areas of my displeasure and we came to a rational conclusion and as of now there are no unresolved issues hanging in the balance. He knows what is left to do and has assured me that he will complete the work within the time frame agreed.

However, I am yet to understand what point diordaves is trying to make here.  He is in no position to come here and accuse me of being non-chalant. I think this is the most r.etarded post I have ever read on Nairaland. Leave my office during work time everyday. . .really?  Do you think I work in a government ministry? If you are structurally unemployed please say so and between Brabus, Spyder, Aks, Analytical, omonuan and myself I'm sure we can find you something worthwhile for you to do with your time. 

^^^^^ True talk!

I think diordaves advice is meant to be a joke.

ahonohai:

I know I wasn't supposed to comment on this thread until the work was complete but please permit me to respond to this post. 

Firstly, as Brabus mentioned we met yesterday and I once again took the time out to explain the areas of my displeasure and we came to a rational conclusion and as of now there are no unresolved issues hanging in the balance. He knows what is left to do and has assured me that he will complete the work within the time frame agreed.

However, I am yet to understand what point diordaves is trying to make here.  He is in no position to come here and accuse me of being non-chalant. I think this is the most r.etarded post I have ever read on Nairaland. Leave my office during work time everyday. . .really?  Do you think I work in a government ministry? If you are structurally unemployed please say so and between Brabus, Spyder, Aks, Analytical, omonuan and myself I'm sure we can find you something worthwhile for you to do with your time. 

Ahanohai, its your money, time and situation. You hold the patent as to how to manage this quagmire to a logical and satisfactory conclusion. Fact is I hold/play no role as to how you deploy your surpluses, so I cannot cry more than the bereaved.

But if I find myself in a situation with my contractor where I time and again issue an instruction, turn my back and later to discover the direct opposite was done or left undone, I will change tack. The call is for you to maybe adopt a different approach.

Accusation of nonchalant? The "accusation" is DISTANT as in an arm's length approach in your relationship management and DISINTERESTED as in you've made known your wish and expect it to be carried out (which is to be honest with you fair enough), but not seeing to HOW and IF the wish was executed until its well too late. Not the same as nonchalant.

This informed the call on you not only to change tack but to be more hands-on. Why? You've got a situation on your hand that needs some outside the box situational management approach. Accept it or not, view it as the most r.etarded missive if you will, the simplest way on this occasion to get value for your money lies in relationship/situational management.

Do you need to leave your office daily for your project? Well I don't know how secured your job is but that is neither here nor there. I will do it differently. I will take one strategic day off or half day to deal with stuff. Again, it's your money, it's your time. I cannot cry more than the bereaved. MAY THE GOOD LORD BE BY YOUR EVERY DECISIONS. STAY BLESSED

Nigeria is in trouble! There are shortages in good Artisans in this country,and as if this is not bad enough,there are few people taking up this profession.This explains why people are now bringing artisans from neighboring countries.The project is way below standard-the finishing is appalling (the walls are poorly painted,tiles not neatly done,full of rough patches,the plumbing not neat,the electric wiring poorly done)
I am extremely disappointed to say the least in Brabus and his work.Talk is cheap but you need to back it up with action.You took a gamble to bring the project to the public forum with the hope that you would get more clients if properly executed.I am sure that you will move beyond this and hope lessons were learnt.Your attitude is your best asset,but you cannot give what you don't have.
Since you have chosen this as a career, you need to get the best of the best artisans to work with you.Unfortunately,they are not available within your environment.You will need to go across the bladed to get 2 each of plumber,electrician,tiler,bricklayer etc that can work with local artisans for transferring those skills.This will benefit your company,local artisans and the larger community.

@ diordaves--- I'll advice you maintain decorum cos you are not privy to the contract signed btw the owner and the contractor. If you read from start, the owner just wanted to move into his house at the agreed time without any form of intervention which is expected when you give your project to a competent contractor.

it's meant to be a TURNKEY project (Everything is done by Contractor and client have to pay periodically or as stipulated in the agreement. Client is not affected by market rise, Owner put minimum efforts for his project so he has less stress)

@ Nexthome------- We are eagerly waiting for Friday to hear from the contractor, May GOD help u bro

@diordaves


I don't quite agree with you. What if Ahanohai lived out of state? Or even abroad? In his shoes, you wouldn't be able to make frequent site visits. While I have no doubt that Brabus is a respectable professional, I think the client's needs should not only be met, but exceeded with or without his presence. The ideal thing is to ask questions where things are unclear, getting some of these things in writing also helps a lot.

I'm however happy that both parties are working towards bringing the entire saga to a happy conclusion.

ha

WOW what a thread.

But can I ask why these strange colour themes red for a kitchen

The builder was clearly out of his depth.

LadyT:

WOW what a thread.

But can I ask why these strange colour themes red for a kitchen

The builder was clearly out of his depth.

Another wacko! Why not shut the hell up or better still, mind your damn business.