[AmILost]

Is there a secret handshake or some other signal that Vermonters use with other Vermonters to get acceptable service around here?

Drywall guy says he'll come next week, never shows. Painter comes and tapes some things and doesn't come back for two weeks. Realtor needs to be reminded constantly to turn in paperwork to the lender, or to offer just a basic level of service. Wife has a doctor's appointment, the doctor is more than an hour late.

It's not just me... other flatlanders I talk to have the same stories. But natives that I talk to don't seem to have these problems. I'm not rude to service people, in fact I'm almost polite to the point of being a pushover.

I think the real answer lies in the fact that when there isn't much competition for your job (i.e., only a couple of painters in town), there's really no pressure to excel at what you do.

[timberline742]

*sigh*

[vter]

I'm a native and I have had experiences like yours. Its not a flatlander vs. native thing. How do these service people know where you are from anyway? You are going to find bad service anywhere. Just keep looking and when you find someone good..keep 'em on speed dial!

[harpoonalt]

it's like any place. The more people you know, the more names you collect of good people. I sympathize but I'm a native too and go through the same things. When we built our house I was juggling multiple contractors, some good and some bad. it can drive you up the wall.

[vter]

AmIlost...are you a member of your community's Front Porch Forum? If not you should join and ask for recommendations.
Front Porch Forum

[AmILost]

Originally Posted by vter

AmIlost...are you a member of your community's Front Porch Forum? If not you should join and ask for recommendations.
Front Porch Forum

I'll check it out, thanks!

[AmILost]

Originally Posted by vter

How do these service people know where you are from anyway?

Presumably because I didn't give the secret signal!

[vermonter16]

I agree with the above poster. We've had the same issues....we are basically rebuilding a house we paid too much for... The contractors did shoddy work and we paid a premium...don't understand it. We did find a great drywall guy who had a reasonable price and kicked out the drywall faster than expected. We are trying to put in a shower that whoever didn't do....we are left with off center plumbing and a pad and some walls...not to mention the plumber wanted all his money when he never even finishes....

[CatwomanofV]

We hired the best contractor in the area to restore our old Victorian. The problem with him (and other contractors) is they bite off more than they can chew. But, he will do things in terms of priority. If you have roof that is leaking-that is a priority and he will get on that faster than putting hardware on cabinets-or something like that. We have been told that he has forgotten more things that most people will have ever learned about the business. So we know if we want the best, we have to wait.

The issue with contractors is that they don't have a 9-5, 5 days a week job. There are many times they don't have any work so if someone is willing to hire them, they jump at the chance even if that means that some people have to wait. We have learned to be patient (well, we try to be) if we know we will get excellent work in the end. However, we have waited for work to be done and when it was finally done, it was so terrible, and we had to have it redone.



Cat

[naadarien]

It is a combination of people running their own business poorly, having plenty of work (so you're not important or a high priority), you're a newbie or not local so your reference may not be helpful to them (you don't have a network of people with whom you'll share your experience with and refer new clients), you're a newbie or not local and weren't referred so there's no one they'll have to look at tomorrow and say they helped a friend of a friend, and yes they most certainly can tell if you are a flatlander or not.

I'm a flatlander and I can tell when I meet or talk on the phone to someone born and raised here (or not).

Besides, if they have lived in your community for forever (more than 5 generations), they have a good idea what last names sound familiar and which ones don't.

I married into one of those families. People don't recognize me, but they recognize the name. Our conversations always start out with, <my last name>...I knew a guy with that last name; married my cousin (or went to high school or raced at Thunder Road, etc etc). Yep, yep. That's my husband's uncle.

Now they know where I fit, and we go on with our business.

I sooo wished I had that when I first moved here. My condolences.