A few months ago, we had a major wind and hail storm go through and do some pretty significant damage to our house. Our siding got pummeled by the hail that was blowing sideways on the house. And the trim on the South side of the house was torn away from the house in some spots. All the screens on the South side windows were full of dents and holes from hail hitting them.
Figuring that it was enough damage to file an insurance claim, my Best Half made the call to our insurance agent and set up a time to get an adjuster out to survey the damage. We figured we would get some help with repairs but weren’t sure how much.
The day came when the adjuster came out and met with us and the contractor we had called to do the work. The two of them went up on the roof, all around the house and then wound up in the backyard with us watching them. The adjuster, just doing his job, gave us a ridiculous estimate of about $1200 of damages. The contractor pointed out all the dents in the siding from the hail, the flapping in the wind trim and the screens with holes. The adjuster just kept saying that the damage was from the lawn mower throwing rocks at the house. Well considering it was all new dings and dents in the house and we hadn’t even had the mower out yet for the season, my Best Half lost it. And so did I. A person can only be “Minnesota Nice” for so long before having to stand up for yourself. That day wound up with us calling our agent while the adjuster was there, the contractor talking to our agent and listing all the damage and us asking the adjuster to leave as we would need another opinion. He packed up his stuff and high tailed it off the property.
It would be a few weeks later before another adjuster came out and gave us an honest assessment of the damages. We would be getting our house completely re-sided and new trim as they didn’t make the color siding anymore and would need to replace it all.
Fast forward two months and we now have new siding on our house. The siding job was completed about 3 weeks ago. We decided to get 3 windows replaced and the trim and windows have been on backorder. Meanwhile there is a huge dumpster sitting right in the middle of the driveway making it impossible to drive into the garage. Not to mention the stench coming from the dumpster. While only the old siding was put in there, it is hard to say what was in there before it was set in our driveway. But there is a definite stench coming from it and coming in through the windows.
FInally, last week we got a call from the contractor and the trim and windows are in stock. The plan was to come the next morning to “get ‘er done” once and for all. But after a period of 2-3 weeks of no rain, the skies opened with some good much needed rain for a few days. And then came some high winds…no trim or windows l
delivered no one here to do the work. And so we waited another week for the work to be done. And another week of the stinky dumpster in the driveway.
I’m sitting here this morning looking out at a beautiful blue sky and dry morning. The sun is shining on the dumpster and heating it up to provide some more stench. Will today be the day we get the work that is left finally done? It is halfway through the morning so I am thinking probably not. In the meantime there is a 6 foot window box and several feet of rain gutters sitting in our yard. We continue to move it around the yard when we have to mow. I’m still thinking the original workers forgot to rehang the flower box when the siding was finished. Will the next crew get it rehung, who knows?
I never knew large home remodeling could take so long. Between trying to get the supplies, getting the weather to cooperate and having workers driving the 50 miles up from the Cities, it is going on month two for completion. It has been quite the mess and undertaking. I am just watching it all and in the back of my mind wondering if it will ever all get done.
In the meantime, waiting for the workers to show up when they say they are coming and trying to be around when they are getting it done, we have missed out on a good month of going camping this Summer. And also some overnight fishing. Each day gets closer to Fall…and each day closer to Fall gets closer to Winter. It is a little hard trying to stay patient when there is just a little left to do to get it completely finished so we can get on with Summer.
Minnesota Summers fly by so fast. One moment you are seeing the ice off the lakes and the next you are seeing ice houses headed out on to the frozen lakes. It is just that fast. It is probably good we had no definite travel plans for the first Summer of our retirement. It did kind of make Summer seem to linger some. We did get a lot of projects done around the house and garage and barn. But just wait…when it is all done…I’ll be up on the Gunflint trail with my kayak and fishing pole. Here’s hoping I don’t have to cut through ice to launch my kayak.
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