That’s right Ryland Homes! Just like Econo-Save, The Boy, and Stern Lecture Plumbing.

Our chimney needs work.  Some builders will avoid building a 100% brick house to save on building costs.  Our house is an example of that.  While the first floor is nearly 100% brick, the second floor is sided (which is pretty much the next grade lower than the beat up cardboard box your wares are shipped in) around the east and south side of the house, including my chimney.  The bad part is that chimneys tend to take the brunt of any weather blowing through because they stick up above the roofline.  This means chimneys that are framed and sided in wood need to be rebuilt at times.  Immediately after moving in, we had our house painted and the frame (not siding) of the chimney rebuilt.

Well, four years later, the weather has really taken its toll and the wood is almost completely rotted out.  You can’t tell from the surface, but when I climbed on the roof to inspect it, it is like pushing mush.  To make matters worse, I think we have a wasp nest between the siding and the vent that makes up the chimney. 

What is my point?  I need some help.

We’ve had some questionable experiences with contractors as of late, so I’m not interested in any general handyman that thinks he can fix this.  I want it done right.  So right, that it does not have to be done right again.  Nuclear winter right.  How do you like THAT for some fantastic literary composition and sentence construction?!

Based on our prior experience with contractors, I figured the best thing to do would be to contact the builder of our home and ask if they had any suggestions.  I knew that this was not a warranty item, but maybe they could refer me to someone who handles their warranty issues.  Or just someone they trust.

Well, that turned up BUST.  Here was their response.

“I cannot provide you quotes or refer you to our contractors since they only deal with builders directly, not homeowners. As a homeowner, it is your decision on who to contact to repair/rebuild your fireplace. I do apologize that I cannot be of any further assistance. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. Thanks.”

Right.  Thanks for putting me back in the exact same position that I was before wasting precious time contacting you, then bitching about it in this post.  Oh the joy I could have had.  Maybe I could have a conversation with the guy next to me in 6E while maintenance fixes some “exterior damage” to the plane I am on?

Ok, probably not.  He looks kinda skeevy anyway. 

Ryland Homes, you totally screwed the pooch on this one.  If you don’t maintain a list of contractors for homeowners, you should at least have taken an interest in the problem with the house that YOU BUILT.  I know that in my business, if something goes wrong with one of my creations, you can be damn sure I will do anything in my power to try and correct it.  You can be sure that I will not bother to purchase another Ryland Home in the future, or endorse you with any of my contacts.

On another note… if someone out there DOES know a good contractor, please leave a comment below!