We haven't even hired anyone yet and I already hate them all. Hate them. Two of them blew me off today - one for an 8:00 am appointment and one for an 8:00 pm apppointment. Since we're not yet living in the house, meeting contractors before and after work is a chore - get up early, drive up to the house, wait around, leave again, park the car at the Yonkers train station (first time at that station - very nice), and get to work, then reverse it all in the evening but end up at home (apartment home). So today I drove to the house in time for the 8:00 am appointment, the guy didn't show and didn't call, and never called me back (I left him a couple of "where are you messages"). So I guess that guy, an electrician, doesn't want my business. Tonight's guy was our kitchen guy, whom we really like, and he had the flu, so I'm not nearly as upset about that. Besides, it was much more of a pain in the ass to get there early in the morning (I'm not a morning person) than it was to go to the house after work. Did I mention that last week another guy (the guy measuring for the kitchen) blew me off for an 8:00 am appointment too? (He ended up rescheduling for 8:00 pm and then was 25 min. late - but at least he showed eventually.) So, next, the only G.C. we've talked to so far wants an appointment for 8:00 am Monday for their electrician. No way, no how. Certainly not on a Monday morning. I think I'm giving up on 8:00 am appointments altogether. Getting my morning sleep might be the only way to keep my sanity through this process. However, I'm not sure how I'm going to get all of the appointments we need to do in and still keep my job. The problem is certainly exacerbated by the fact that Adam is stuck in Providence through New Year's (because of Bright Night) and is therefore not able to do any of these appointments himself. I have the feeling we're going to end up deferring all decisions until January, just because we won't be able to meet with enough people before then - but that means that we will be moving in just when we're starting construction, and we were hoping to at least have some stuff underway before we moved in. Oh well, the best laid plans....