Page 535 - Demo

Post-Pandemic529The first estimate I received had a cost that was probably fair, although higher than I%u2019d anticipated. The second was even higher. But I had a better feeling about the second contractor. He%u2019d seemed more knowledgeable, and prepared a much more detailed estimate of the work to be done.When I got back to the second guy, I told him his estimate was higher than another I had received. He asked me not to make a commitment until he could look over his estimate more carefully. After he did so, he was $100 lower than the first contractor. So, he got the job.On the day the two technicians arrived to remove our current system, Lynn planned to stay in our bedroom with a window fan blowing fresh air in. However, the men smelled so strongly of cologne, even when outdoors, that the odor surrounding our house was pulled into the bedroom by the fan. Despite the drizzle, Lynn grabbed an umbrella, put on her rubber boots and coat, and spent the morning walking around our woods. After the workers left, we cranked our whole-house ventilation system up to high-speed, and used four portable window fans to air out the house. It took over two hours with lots of air movement, to get rid of the cologne odor completely. I had specified that after the old equipment was removed, the company would need to wait two days before installing the new equipment. Because the new indoor units were of a different physical size than the old ones, I needed that time to apply a skim coat of drywall mud over the area and repaint the wall before the new air conditioners were installed. That way there would be no visible shadow where the old units had been. I used a low-odor drywall compound and paint, so after airing out the house, the mild odor was gone within an hour, and we were ready for the cologned technicians to return.This time, Lynn decided to wait out the installation process in the garage. It was drizzling again, so it was an excellent place for her to be. After the work had been progressing for a while, I went out to see how she was doing. Surprisingly, the lights were off in the garage, and Lynn wasn%u2019t there. I wasn%u2019t concerned%u2014I just figured she%u2019d had gone for a hike again. What I didn%u2019t realize was that,