Balcony door update

R proclaimed, 'Why am I living in this hell hole'. He was so stressed he took to his bed. While the tradespeople were here, and I dealt with them and I made all the phone calls while he hid in his bedroom sleeping and watching tv.

I fudged it on the question of where is your wife. I said at work. It seemed the easiest thing to do. But a lesson learnt. R must be here at home with his presence when tradies are here. He can't hide away during the process and then have a hissy fit later because of ...nothing. 

But the balcony door glass replacement was a nightmare. I wonder if we should have employed a local glazier rather than the national one with an Irish name. 

Wednesday between 12 and 4 the glazier, a couple of hours late but he let us know, turned up with glass way to thin for our balcony door and luckily had measured wrongly and the glass was too small so when he returned the next morning with the correct glass, it was thicker but not as thick as the original which was perhaps too thick and weighty for a balcony door.

It became very clear to us that when we had the door rollers replaced a few weeks before, the installed had drilled screws into the glass and broke it, but not immediately. 

Keep in mind every time trades people come and go, I have to go down to the car park to let them in and out. I spent a lot of time on the phone pressing phone menu buttons.

I had the door roller replacement at least refund the cost of their work, $300. The company did not argue as I pointed out how much its damage was costing us.

The window tinting on one of my bedroom windows is breaking down, I expect because SOMEONE used Windex containing ammonia on the window, so that has to be replaced along with tinting the new glass in the balcony door glass. Without the tinting, there is so much glaring light. 

Ten years ago it cost $1200 to tint four average sized windows and six floor to ceiling living room windows. The quoted cost for the two aforementioned windows was around $900. I argued back and the price was reduced by $100, still a lot of money but apparently our old tinting is low quality and the replacement won't be. 

It has been a nightmare in one way, more because of R's stress levels than me handling the whole thing while he stayed away.

Yesterday, Tuesday the almost final appointment was made via phone sms. How great. It gave us time to think before responding. We have nothing on next week except for something Monday morning and that was the suggested time for the tinting. We thought about ways to deal with and concluded no. The time will have to change, as I replied with a text. How about early Friday afternoon then? Fab. Agreed.

Truly though, the door roller company should have born nearly the whole cost. Look at what the most nice and friendly tradesperson did. Drove four screws into the balcony door glass. Maybe I got it all so wrong and should have just handed it over to our home contents insurance, except I am sure it wouldn't be covered.