Claire CJS
20070623 - staining - 97 - purposefully confusing shot - IMG_2648
Things are in such disarray, and look so strange, that I knew this would be an opportunity to take a couple "purposely confusing" photos.
BACKSTORY: Anyone who reads our contract (link below) can see that it specified to move the closet and built-in shelves. But Virginia Design Builders's workers -- the workers hired by Daniel M. Lopez -- were unable to properly move the closet without destroying it. And they "accidentally" threw away our shelves. They also broke the trim at the edge of the closet.
And then guess what? The asshole refused to stain the broken trim (and everythign else they broke/threw away too) to match the pre-existing color, leaving US with the job of restoring what they broke to the condition it was in before broken. Months of wood-staining hell thanks to the inability of Daniel M. Lopez's company to follow simple contractual instructions, as well as a total lack of honor in fully restoring damaged sections to their pre-damaged condition. We called the broken trim "Mt. Trim", because it was the hardest spot to physical reach in the entire house -- and we had to go up there 10+ times to stain it.
STAINING IS A PAIN: Just for reference, proper wood staining is a MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR pain in the ass. The wood filling, the sanding, the pre-conditioning, staining, the wiping, the dropcloths, the multiple coats of everything, the (4) polyurethane coats [which often required holding a lamp in one hand, to reflect light on it to ensure evenness], and the final sanding. And don't get me started on the timing: Stain 20 minutes after pre-conditioning, but only for 2 hours; stain in 20 minute cycles consisting of 4 sub-cycles: stain area #1, stain area #2, wipe area #1, wipe area #2. Then break, get new gloves, and start over. A 20 minute cycle might equal 2 shelves, or 2 boards from ceiling to floor. Our spreadsheet had over 200 cells. At the end of the day, the only way to get stain off your skin was to apply paint thinner directly to your skin in violation of the instructions, common sense, and one's best interests...
looking up, wood staining.
carpet, cushions, spiral stairs.
confusing.
upstairs, Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
June 23, 2007.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com
LEGAL: To see an official VA DPOR sanction of $500 (+$150) against Dan Lopez and Virginia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... These people were suing him for $400K last time I checked.To see OUR contract with Dan Lopez / Virginia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... Just in case anybody doesn't believe me.inia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... These people were suing him for $400K last time I checked.To see OUR contract with Dan Lopez / Virginia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... Just in case anybody doesn't believe me.icture, pool table, sandpaper, scissors.
upstairs, Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
June 4, 2007.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com
20070623 - staining - 97 - purposefully confusing shot - IMG_2648
Things are in such disarray, and look so strange, that I knew this would be an opportunity to take a couple "purposely confusing" photos.
BACKSTORY: Anyone who reads our contract (link below) can see that it specified to move the closet and built-in shelves. But Virginia Design Builders's workers -- the workers hired by Daniel M. Lopez -- were unable to properly move the closet without destroying it. And they "accidentally" threw away our shelves. They also broke the trim at the edge of the closet.
And then guess what? The asshole refused to stain the broken trim (and everythign else they broke/threw away too) to match the pre-existing color, leaving US with the job of restoring what they broke to the condition it was in before broken. Months of wood-staining hell thanks to the inability of Daniel M. Lopez's company to follow simple contractual instructions, as well as a total lack of honor in fully restoring damaged sections to their pre-damaged condition. We called the broken trim "Mt. Trim", because it was the hardest spot to physical reach in the entire house -- and we had to go up there 10+ times to stain it.
STAINING IS A PAIN: Just for reference, proper wood staining is a MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR pain in the ass. The wood filling, the sanding, the pre-conditioning, staining, the wiping, the dropcloths, the multiple coats of everything, the (4) polyurethane coats [which often required holding a lamp in one hand, to reflect light on it to ensure evenness], and the final sanding. And don't get me started on the timing: Stain 20 minutes after pre-conditioning, but only for 2 hours; stain in 20 minute cycles consisting of 4 sub-cycles: stain area #1, stain area #2, wipe area #1, wipe area #2. Then break, get new gloves, and start over. A 20 minute cycle might equal 2 shelves, or 2 boards from ceiling to floor. Our spreadsheet had over 200 cells. At the end of the day, the only way to get stain off your skin was to apply paint thinner directly to your skin in violation of the instructions, common sense, and one's best interests...
looking up, wood staining.
carpet, cushions, spiral stairs.
confusing.
upstairs, Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
June 23, 2007.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com
LEGAL: To see an official VA DPOR sanction of $500 (+$150) against Dan Lopez and Virginia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... These people were suing him for $400K last time I checked.To see OUR contract with Dan Lopez / Virginia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... Just in case anybody doesn't believe me.inia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... These people were suing him for $400K last time I checked.To see OUR contract with Dan Lopez / Virginia Design Builders: www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/filedump/2008/daniel-m-lop... ... Just in case anybody doesn't believe me.icture, pool table, sandpaper, scissors.
upstairs, Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
June 4, 2007.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com