If someone was putting a deck on your house....

Yodajo

How much control do you think you would have over when they did it?

My mom was supposed to watch my boys this week while I go to Arizona for work.  She just called and said that they called her and are doing it this week and now she wants to be up there for it, leaving me w/o anyone to watch them. 

Is it unreasonable to think that saying 'No, next week" to them is an option?  If she hadn't already committed to me and my ticket wasn't already bought, it wouldn't be such an issue, but now I'm stuck. 

 

 

Mrs.Tony

Ugh, one would think she could just ask them to change it. I can't see why that wouldn't work.  She probably doesn't want to , right?

j-w

When it comes to contractors, I just pretty much go with the schedule that they give me.  If they have your mom down for that time, who knows what other projects they have going on that could mess with the timeline for your mom's project.  But, is there some reason she feels like she absolutely has to be there while they do it?  How far away is she from your house?  Would it be realistic to take the boys there after S gets out of school to check on things each day?

Totallysucks that you are stuck, though.

ETA: Wouldn't your step-dad be there for the deck????

mamarazzi

I would think she should be able to get them to reschedule since she had prior plans to be out of town.

That said...does your mom have a history of being flaky?  Is it possible she's using the deck as an excuse to bail on her obligation to you?  I hope not, but it sounds like a pretty lame reason for her to have to back out.

jessicaclare

It kind of depends. If the contractor has a lot of work, or the weather has been crappy, there is a possibility she'll have to wait more than a week if she says no to this week. Yes, the contractor works for the homeowner, but they have to schedule things too and try to make everything fit so no one gets mad or has to wait too long. That said, if she asked them to wait a week, I can't imagine that they wouldn't try to accommodate her. I think you're in the midwest, right? At this point in the season, that sort of thing should be slowing down and it should be easier to fit her in.

EastCoastBride

Does she fully understand the predicament she's putting you in?  Honestly, I'd be REALLY pissed if I were you! 

Yodajo

j*w*:

When it comes to contractors, I just pretty much go with the schedule that they give me.  If they have your mom down for that time, who knows what other projects they have going on that could mess with the timeline for your mom's project.  But, is there some reason she feels like she absolutely has to be there while they do it?  How far away is she from your house?  Would it be realistic to take the boys there after S gets out of school to check on things each day?

Totallysucks that you are stuck, though.

ETA: Wouldn't your step-dad be there for the deck????

My stepdad is 89, so no, he is never left alone.

If I had known they had her down for this week, I never would have asked her or committed to the trip.  The way she relayed it to me, she just got a call for it.  Her place up north is a few hours away.  I guess she wants to watch them do it?  Because she just knows so much about installing decks I guess.

Her solution was to take the boys up there with her.  I hate that option because DS1 would miss school and what are they going to do?  They can't leave the house and they couldn't really be outside playing either.  They'd be miserable.  And it just pisses me off that she just dropped this on me at the last second. 

Yodajo

mamarazzi:

I would think she should be able to get them to reschedule since she had prior plans to be out of town.

That said...does your mom have a history of being flaky?  Is it possible she's using the deck as an excuse to bail on her obligation to you?  I hope not, but it sounds like a pretty lame reason for her to have to back out.

My mom is general is...eccentric.  She is the type that has a dozen projects going on at any given time that are ALL emergencies and completely stress her out.  Usually she follows through when it comes to my boys.  Sometimes she has hidden agendas, like taking them up north (which they've done before, but haven't missed school in order to do so).

MrsStubbs

I don't think it would be that big of a deal other than she might go to the bottom of the list if she rescheduled.

j-w

Yodajo:

My stepdad is 89, so no, he is never left alone.

If I had known they had her down for this week, I never would have asked her or committed to the trip.  The way she relayed it to me, she just got a call for it.  Her place up north is a few hours away.  I guess she wants to watch them do it?  Because she just knows so much about installing decks I guess.

Her solution was to take the boys up there with her.  I hate that option because DS1 would miss school and what are they going to do?  They can't leave the house and they couldn't really be outside playing either.  They'd be miserable.  And it just pisses me off that she just dropped this on me at the last second. 

 

I didn't realize he was that old!  No way that I would have S missing school for this.  That is nuts for her to even suggest.  I thought if maybe it was only at most an hour away, they could check in each day.  Doesn't sound like that's possible.  I would be majorlypissed for sure.  

Yodajo

MrsStubbs:

I don't think it would be that big of a deal other than she might go to the bottom of the list if she rescheduled.

Other than it getting too cold, that wouldn't be a big deal because she is done going there until the spring!  I think she just wants it done though.