By Amie Riggs
I don’t like to gloat—okay maybe sometimes—but I am really great at my job. There is one thing though that I always forget when dealing with clients: people have lives. Trying to juggle family life, a job and a home remodel all at the same time is no easy task. Knowing this now will make me even better at my job going forward.
Day 6
It was workday and I decided to stop by to check in with my crew. The demolition and basement framing were coming along nicely. After conversing with my crew for a bit, I decided to sneak up to the second floor to take a look at my closet painting job in the morning light. Remember when I went to go get “cheaper” paint? Well, it’s dry and it looks like it was painted by my 4 year-old. I look at the other closet. It actually looks better… like my 8 year old nephew painted it. So, after standing there inspecting my work I realize, it’s not me, it’s the paint.
This is exactly why I tell my clients we only use the highest quality paints and primers. So, what should have been a prime and maybe a two coat job, I’ll have to add a third coat. Oh, but the other thing I forgot to mention was that my brother stopped by yesterday and called asking why I painted my husband’s closet. I promptly raised my voice and said, “Because you told me to start painting so we would stay on schedule!” He replied (calmly) with, “Yes, but not the closet we have to demo the back wall out to run the new basement bath vent stack through.” I drew the plans for my own house. I knew that wall was being torn out. Did I forget or overlook that because I was in the zone?
Or am I just human, have a full-time job, am a mother of two, living with my parents, packed all of my husband’s coats in storage so I hear about it every other day that it’s cold, trying to make all the final selections for three bathrooms and a kitchen, cabinetry, countertops, plumbing, light fixtures, appliances, bath accessories, paint colors, flooring and tile, do we have enough money to do this, do we have enough money to do that? Wow… what a sentence!
Every time I remodel my home(s) it’s been a different experience. My life has different variables. I’m single/I’m married. No kids/kids. Have to move out/life with parents. Live with parents with kids/live with them without. I am my worst client. My job is to coach my clients through these very decisions and scenarios. And I’m really great at my job. But I suck at it for myself.
