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Chris said:
Pics or you both don't exist.
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Didn't go, but you have seen pics of both of us together.

Zanne said:
Hi. I'm bored so I thought I would babble in this thread.

I got up around 8am after being pestered by two of my cats throughout the night. My one-eyed kitten wanted attention and my fat 12 year old cat was out of water so she pounced on me at 3am to let me know that she wanted something. At least she didn't grab a baseball bat like Simon's Cat in the Cat Man Doo skit on Youtube.

I walked out into the hallway and discovered one of my cats eating a small rabbit. There was blood all over the carpet and guts and eyeballs spread around. I cleaned it up and went to dispose of it outside.

I gave my fat mutt dog her thyroid medicine and my rottweiler grabbed the bag with the rabbit and ran off with it. She successfully got it out of the bag and ate it. Then I helped my mother take her medicine and while doing so accidentally knocked over a lantern on her bedside table and it fell on my toe and cut it. Then I stepped in dog pee because my mother had ignored the dog when he tried to get out last night. Then I found he had left another surprise so I cleaned all that up.

I fed the other 12 cats and refilled their water, then I decided to take a nap because I felt like crap. I woke up around 1pm and checked e-mail. Corresponded with the installer for the septic tank installation which is due to happen tomorrow. Around 3pm I called the post office to find out if I had any packages and went in to own to pick them up. The idiots hadn't put the slips in my box so I had to wait in line and ask for them. (I don't get mail delivery at home because they won't deliver that far out). I fed the 11 remaining cats that congregate at my deceased friend's house. Went to McDonalds and got a double filet of fish and fries. Went home.

Then I took a bunch of cleaning supplies and some heavy duty gloves and began scrubbing the toilet. I didn't take a before picture, but it was absolutely disgusting and apparently I am the only one in the house willing to clean the toilet. It has sanagloss, but the hard water stained it. There is no working overhead light so I couldn't see that there were still stains left after a few hours of cleaning. I saw the remaining stains when the flash from my camera illuminated them. I'm pondering going back and scrubbing some more, but my hands/arms need a rest. I used non-septic safe stuff this time because the tank will be filled in tomorrow and I'm getting a new one.
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Now I'm curled up with my one-eyed kitten and trying to wind down for the night.
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Dang. You stay busy huh?
 
Austin said:
Didn't go, but you have seen pics of both of us together.



Dang. You stay busy huh?
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Yup! And it turns out my old septic tank got another stay of execution. Apparently the Board of Health people didn't realize their fax machine was out of paper for a week and they didn't get back to my installer to give him the green light on the installation. They requested a detailed drawing of the plans-- which apparently he's never been asked for before, but he faxed them on Tuesday. When he didn't hear back on Wednesday he managed to go through several people and get ahold of the inspector who said he hadn't received the fax and then later found out about the paper issue and that there were like 50 other faxes and now the guy has to sort through them so the installation has to wait until next week IF the board of health guy gives the approval. He had to go through several people to get to the board of health guy because they have a horrible communications system.

They need to create a message board or something. LOL.

Meanwhile, my pump and well guy's father is doing better and is due to be released from the hospital and he came and installed a tank for me today.

I didn't have time to pick a better tank so I ended up with the Flex-Lite he brought me. It's not making the pump do that horrible off and on thing anymore though, so its better than the old one thus far. I just hope that it holds out.

Then I had an argument with my mother about whenever we get the new shower/tub installed and some of the changes that will need to be made to keep it up to code. She doesn't think it is necessary to do things to code and thinks we can just keep things as is - which is done very poorly and not have problems. /sigh

Ever feel like you're playing chess with a chimpanzee?
 
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Zanne said:
Yup! And it turns out my old septic tank got another stay of execution. Apparently the Board of Health people didn't realize their fax machine was out of paper for a week and they didn't get back to my installer to give him the green light on the installation. They requested a detailed drawing of the plans-- which apparently he's never been asked for before, but he faxed them on Tuesday. When he didn't hear back on Wednesday he managed to go through several people and get ahold of the inspector who said he hadn't received the fax and then later found out about the paper issue and that there were like 50 other faxes and now the guy has to sort through them so the installation has to wait until next week IF the board of health guy gives the approval. He had to go through several people to get to the board of health guy because they have a horrible communications system.

They need to create a message board or something. LOL.

Meanwhile, my pump and well guy's father is doing better and is due to be released from the hospital and he came and installed a tank for me today.

I didn't have time to pick a better tank so I ended up with the Flex-Lite he brought me. It's not making the pump do that horrible off and on thing anymore though, so its better than the old one thus far. I just hope that it holds out.

Then I had an argument with my mother about whenever we get the new shower/tub installed and some of the changes that will need to be made to keep it up to code. She doesn't think it is necessary to do things to code and thinks we can just keep things as is - which is done very poorly and not have problems. /sigh

Ever feel like you're playing chess with a chimpanzee?
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At least you are moving forward.
 
Chris said:
Not even close but on paper the Gov. thinks I am.
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Welcome to the middle class! Supporting the country financially is to your left, getting very little out of it to the right!
 
Well, today I got my mother to get out of the house because she needs to walk. She's barely left the house since her best friend moved out of town. She had to move because her husband passed away and her son sort of pushed her out of the house. I still go over and feed the cats that were left behind.

So, I drove my mother in and let her go get the mail so she could get the exercise (we don't get mail delivery at home). Then I took her to the bank so she could withdraw some cash. Then I fed the cats at the friend's house, we went to the chinese restaurant (the only one for miles around), and then I took her to the dollar store.

Got home and the septic tank installer called and there is another setback. The board of health guy was not in his office at all this week and there was no way to get in touch with him. So that means we could not schedule the installation for tomorrow since it hinges on the board of health guy being there. And apparently, despite the permit saying only a septic tank and field line were needed, the last communication indicated that an effluent reduction system was needed as well. At least that is what the installer said. When I called the board of health I got a message that he would not be in at all that week and I think would not return until after the 15th.

They really need to find some better system of communication or make it so that *someone* is able to answer the phone. I left messages and apparently their answering machine doesn't give the date and time so the guy doesn't know which messages are new or old and doesn't always call people back.

They can't always get faxes because the machine runs out of paper and they don't notice, they can't receive outside e-mail, and the answering machine method doesn't always work. *sigh* It's almost a joke.

I also had a conversation with the installer on why he should go the extra mile and actually write up contracts. I asked around and apparently none of the septic tank installers do contracts. This is one of the most litigious states! It boggles my mind. Anyone with a little business sense should have at least some formal written contract-- even if it is something simple-- stating what they are going to do, what materials they are going to use, how much its going to cost, and make sure the customer signs off to agree.

I feel like I'm in the land of the monkeys.

But meanwhile my kitten is doing well and has fully recovered from her enucleation surgery.
 
It baffles my mind that a contractor does not write up a contract for a job of that size. I myself would never do business with someone like that. If they are all refusing to do that which is unlikely I would get a recorder and tell him you are recording it and have him state his name license number and what not and have him explain in detail what he is installing and if there is any exclusions. By not having a contract there is the potential of both of you getting screwed. He can always say something wasn't included and then you can alway not pay him and there is little he can do. Whatever you do don't pay him up front. In California it is illegal to ask for more then 10% of the job up front up to $1000. Check your laws and make sure you both follow them.
 
Chris said:
It baffles my mind that a contractor does not write up a contract for a job of that size. I myself would never do business with someone like that. If they are all refusing to do that which is unlikely I would get a recorder and tell him you are recording it and have him state his name license number and what not and have him explain in detail what he is installing and if there is any exclusions. By not having a contract there is the potential of both of you getting screwed. He can always say something wasn't included and then you can alway not pay him and there is little he can do. Whatever you do don't pay him up front. In California it is illegal to ask for more then 10% of the job up front up to $1000. Check your laws and make sure you both follow them.
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Thanks, Chris. It baffles me too. The guy said he never charges up front and doesn't take the money until the job is done.

I explained to him that the contract would protect him and the customer AND it would make him look more professional. It could give him an edge over other installers if he is willing to do a contract to make sure the customer knows what he/she is getting and that they are both in agreement on the price and what is going in. I said if he ever needed to go to court on anything, he would need things in writing. I'm hoping that I can convince him to start using contracts. The Dept of Health guy has been very good about asking for details on the systems and seems to be looking out for my best interests. Unfortunately he just was not available for the entire week and none of us can get in touch with him.

Previously I had been following up any call I got with information relayed to me by the contractor about what he heard from the Board of Health and I was asking for confirmation that the information was accurate and the inspector verified affirmatively. So the lack of communication is frustrating.

I sent an e-mail to the Board of Health for the entire state to see if someone there can get in touch with him on my behalf and have him contact me to find out what the deal is.

I am rather dismayed at how poorly this whole thing is working with not being able to contact the inspector. They need more people in the office. Even the guy from Infiltrator Systems lamented to me about how hard it was to communicate with people in this state.

Btw, do you happen to have a sample of what a septic tank installation contract would look like? I want to send it to this installer.

Meanwhile, I'm just going to have to wait.

I hope everyone else is having a better day.
 
I would have to write up a contract myself to show you. When I do my estimates I include everything in individual line items and a price for each item so if there is ever a change in either direction there is no question on how much more/less it will cost. Some contractors do lump sum bids which means they list everything they are going to do and give a price at the bottom. I personally do not like doing it that way because there is too much hidden info. Say I need to charge more due to adding more pipe or a larger tank, there is no line item for that individual item so it is more or less on the honor system, same goes for credits. I have seen to many times that if I were getting a credit back on part of a job and it was a lump sum bid that I would not be getting the correct cost back. Not saying to many are shady but I find it best for both parties if everything is on the table from day one.

If he has been in business for more then a week then he definitely knows how to do a contract. Unless everything was verbal then he already has an estimate and signing that is as good as any contract at least out here.
 
Well, the contact Infiltrator Systems gave me turned out useful. I contacted someone who contacted a regional person who contacted the guy I needed to get in touch with and it turns out there was some confusion about the date of installation. It was the 19th of April. Problem is, I'm worried that my current system is already in such bad shape that I don't know if it can last another week without clogging the drains again. The field line is broken, but that is the earliest date that anyone from dept of health can get out here.
The health inspector told me that if something happens and he gets an opening for an earlier date, he will let me know asap. I forwarded the contact info to the installer should he need to get in touch.

I asked about the contract thing and the health inspector confirmed that none of the installers do contracts. He said they don't do things in writing, its all based on the handshake system. The installer and customer agree and shake hands to close the deal. As far as he was concerned, a handshake deal was a legally binding contract. I expressed my shock at this and said I just couldn't fathom how that system worked. This is one of the most litigious states in the country! How can they NOT put things in writing first?

I doubt the handshake is actually legally binding because there is no way for the courts to know who is telling the truth if both parties end up in court with different stories.

So now I just have to hope it won't rain excessively on the 18th or 19th, because that will prevent the trucks from being able to come out.

Also, I can't figure out why some of the other guys with the @la.gov addresses can get outside e-mails, but the guy I need to correspond with can't.

I'm starting to feel like I'm in a Planet of the Apes movie....
 
You are, that is crazy. Things worked like that in the past but in the day of law suits I don't get it.
 
Golfing a tournament today, second time in the past five years since the economy took a dump. Hope the tequila helps me play.
 
I've been looking at Houzz since someone linked it to me. Today I'm just vegging out and hanging around the house with my cats. I was woken up early by some Jehova's Witnesses. They could see that I was very tired and my dogs were barking at them so they handed me a pamphlet and decided to leave. I thanked them, told them to have a nice day, fed the dogs, and then went back to bed.

Not many places get septic tanks installed these days so the people who are still doing the services don't seem to have updated to have contracts. But lack of contracts could be one of the reasons for so much litigation.

Have fun playing golf, Chris! Even liquored up you'd probably play better than me sober. I have terrible hand-eye coordination.

Now I'm trying to wake myself up enough to go feed my late friend's cats.
 
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