It's been awhile. I'm not sure if y'all remember the church job I started Nov 2015. The church was destroyed when they set an over weight steeple on the roof. It crushed the roof and bowed the walls. With the help of some church members we striped the pews. While I was there I could see much work was needed on the building before I could began to cover them. They were sure they would be in by Christmas but I didn't think so.
The contractor kept screwing up and finally they had to fire him. And the church sat unfinished for a while. We drove by a last march and a lot of work was still needed. I honestly thought we would never finish this job.
They called this week and said the church is almost finished. Rose told them we could start in July. :)
I guess I have been here awhile. I do remember this.
So what do you do, are you bringing the pews back to shop or do they just need cushions.
There are a few churches around here, I hadn't really thought of that work. Do they want you to be a member though?
A building for Worship with cushioned pews. I believe when you attend they want you to stay a while. In our Roman Catholic Church there are no cushions just oak pews. 45 minutes, pass the basket, final Blessing and out you go.
SA
I've always heard that Catholics never bother to take their coats off in church. They're not going to be there very long.
I grew up in a Christian evangelical church. It started early and always ended well after the normal lunch hour.
gene
After service one Sunday my old man handed the minister a lemon. Dad hated when the sermon lasted after noon. This cut into his Sunday football games.
To answer your question 65, I will be covering the pews at the church. The seats and backs are attached. 30 pews. I'll work 10 hour days to help cut down on the 45 minute trips. I figure 4 to 5 pews per day.
Having grown up in the Catholic church and attending Catholic schools I have attended many masses. One oddity of the Catholic's is their kneeling during certain parts of the mass. I always thought that was to keep people from falling asleep.
Now at my age I kneel down on those padded kneelers and then I pray I can stand back up. :)
Mojo
I think all the standing and sitting and kneeling and standing and sitting and kneeling, is to loosed up your pants so you can get to your wallet easier when the collection plate comes around.
"Don't make me holler don't make me shout. Turn those pockets inside out. It it jingles we'll take it, but we prefer it to fold."
The Reverend Deuteronomy Skaggs.
gene
We started this elusive job this week. Last time we visited the church was last March and you could see the sky through the trusses. What a remarkable change when we walked in Tuesday. Just beautiful. They still have some lose ends to tie up and were installing the carpet this week. They have me set up in the kitchen/dining room. This works out very well except... a last minuet change order.
Wednesday the contractor was ripping out a block wall to make two rooms into one room. This involves a gas powered saw to take the wall down. The noxious fumes wafted into my work area and was thick with smoke. This meant the AC went off and doors and windows were opened. 99* outside, 88* inside. I was not happy but not much I could do.
Thursday and today was much better and church members are stopping by and loving the progress. Averaging 4 pews a day and I should be done sometime next week, if all goes well.
I just finished a small church a couple weeks ago. Twenty 10 ft. pews.
I had to crawl under them to remove a million seat screws. As with many small churches, they only run the A/C on Sunday. So it was about 1000 degrees in there.
When I finished the job, I was more exhausted than I think I've ever been in my life. As little as 5 years ago, I could've knocked that job out in half the time without even breaking a sweat. But this job made me realize that maybe I'm getting too old for this.
Then one of the church elders came by the shop. He told me that after I left, they decided to remove the seats again so they could touch up the wood finish. Members of the church unscrewed the seats and then re-installed them a few days later.
He said that it took 6 men a full day to do what I did solo in about 4 hours.
So maybe I'm not as old as I thought.
Yes there comes a time when age slows you down. I'm at the point where I would not take on a church job like that. If I got under the pews I would still be there LOL.
When the bankers and lawyers volunteer to help it's surprising how inept they are. I'd be shocked if they could back a screw out with a Phillips bit in the drill chuck without it slipping off the mark. Their intentions are good but I would take one slightly aging "Doc" any day before I would hire the crew of weekend greenhorns.
SA
How many of you find this to be the norm.
You get your part done but now have to wait for someone else to get their part done. We can pretty much set our schedule knowing the other party will not be ready when we are. No mater if its the decorator, cabinet maker or contractor. They tell you they will be ready but they never are.
I'm referring to the church job. They sent out two 12' pews to be cut in half thus making 4-6' pews. They assured me everything would be ready when I was. I'm ready but there like, maybe Wednesday. Happens every time. Fortunately I have plenty of other work to keep me busy.
"They tell you they will be ready but they never are."
Many, many times I had a due date with an ID who was wanting to coordinate my upholstery deliveries with the window treatment installations and/or new furniture being delivered. And I got a call telling me the due date was pushed back because someone was not ready. Sometimes it was the painters or flooring people or carpenters who were not ready.
I never want to be the person who is not ready. I will occasionally remind my IDs that when they have a thousand details to worry about on a project with a homeowner or business owner, they never have to worry about my work. And they always agree with that.
"Because the customer has a need, we have a job to do. Because the customer has a choice, we must be the better choice. Because the customer has sensibilities, we must be considerate. Because the customer has an urgency, we must be quick. Because the customer is unique, we must be flexible. Because the customer has high expectations, we must excel. Because the customer has influence, we have the hope of more customers. Because of the customer, we exist!" Zig Zigler
gene
Thanks for the Zigler quote Gene. Good words to run a business by.
Rose is posting it on our FB business page.
I'm not at all familiar with the Zigler quote. I do know that kind of mission statement isn't easily followed by owners who are hands on. When you're doing the work and running a business you can't be the jolly customer service person as well - at least I can't -
Two weeks ago a customer emailed me and asked if I could come out and fix the broken springs in her sofa. She sent photos. It appeared 3-4 ziggers were dislodged. I gave her a price and she said I'm away for 10 days - I'll phone you when I'm back. 10 days pass and an email comes - I'm back I need a date for the repair. I didn't have her address and needed to confirm the cost and tell her how much time I need in her home. I wanted to speak by phone. I reply - it's better if we speak by phone. The next day she emails me and is upset - ranting out loud that she doesn't have time for this email and I should have just emailed her a date. I don't respond. The next day she calls my machine and the message is - " either I get on the schedule today or I'll find someone else." I thought good - she sounds like a nut. Let her go away - 2 days pass - she phones and I answer - again why haven't you scheduled. I reply - it sounded like the 2 emails was heavy lifting for you and you said if I didn't call you'd find someone else. With that she said FU and hung up. The existence of that customer is not why I have survived in business. There are exceptions to that rule when you're one on one with customers. Rose must be an Angel to be able to smooth over those crazies
SA
Rose is not a push over by any means. She can spot an unprofitable job a mile away. And crazies are usually unprofitable. Rose will be cordial to a point but there are times when the conversation needs to end. Usually that time is when the customer becomes nasty. Rose doesn't mind telling a customer we are not interested in the job.
Zigler says, "Because the customer has influence, we have the hope of more customers." That's a good rule to remember. It reminds us to give good customer service. When working with an unruly person Rose always try's to end the conversation on a good note. But when you get a customer like the one you mentioned (FU is never tolerated) my theory is if that customer bad mouths us their friends already know they are a type person that is not easy to work with. Threatening to use another upholsterer will definitely end the conversation.
We were at a customers house. She was a retired decorator from NYC. She told us the wall paper hanger kept messing up. She said she asked him, Harry, how could you F this up? That and several other things she said made us call her the next day and tell her we weren't interested in the job. She said, will I'm not going to beg you to work for me. Attitude and respect needs to come from both sides.
I think we are all customer service orientated and use our people skills to survive. The nicer folks are when you're working for them the more you tend to go out of your way to do better. At least that's me - I appreciate getting to know my customers and look forward to seeing them.
When you put that Zigler statement on the front of your business card you may regret it. The job is hard enough but when people say - can you pick up at 3pm, take your shoes off, don't make noise, don't rub the walls, tighten up the arms if they need it , and on and on ......... are you going to be that person the statement says you are ?
Customers don't tend to have a mission statement that says - every repair service is important, we must be considerate of a craftsman's time, hours, appointments, and all the hazards craftsman work around daily.
I guess there is some place in the center that both sides feel comfortable but I could not give customers the idea it's OK to push the envelop and no one will push back.
SA
I can honestly say that in all the years of doing business, any time that my work had to be coordinated with others, absolutely NO ONE has ever been delayed because of me. Whether it be carpenters, carpet layers, drapery, etc, I'm always the first to finish.
That Zigler quote is nice and all. But my mantra has always been "The customer is always right.........unless I say they're wrong".
All good advice here.
I am still a lot less experienced. But so far I just plan for longer. As long as the customer knows up front it might take a little longer, that's better than not meeting your agreed date. So far I haven't missed a self imposed deadline.
Twice yesterday Rose got calls from people who didn't want to make the effort to help her make the estimate.
First lady with a recliner. When Rose asked her to send a picture the lady said, its just a regular old recliner, all I want is an estimate. Rose explained a recliner could cost anywhere from $400 to $1000 to recover, that's why I need the photo. The lady said, seems like a lot of trouble and hung up.
The second call was a guy also with a recliner. He needed the foam in the seat replaced. Once again Rose asked for a picture. He said he could do better than that and bring it buy. Rose said that would be fine but not this week, we're very busy. The guy said he would find someone else and hung up.
Buy the way we are still waiting for the 5 pews to be delivered. When the Reverend called last evening he said Rose, I have to tell you, I really appreciate your hard work and patience. He said your husband is very diligent in his work. Its nice when people notice. We hope to finish the job sometime next week.
Hey that was me that called twice and Rose hung up on me ?
I just wanted to know if you could just replace the seat and the tops of the arms of my recliner -
Just kidding :)
SA
You don't want to get on Roses bad side Steve. I've seen her make grown men cry. :)
If they are that unwilling to put forth any effort to help you with the estimate, can you imagine how unwilling they would be to put forth an effort to pay you?
I think customers like this are just fishing. They have already made up their mind to buy new and as a last ditch effort call around to see if an upholsterer can recover it for 1/2 the price. The serious customers think sending a photo for an estimate is a great idea.
Latest on the church job. The reverend called Friday and said the guy that is modifying the 3 pews had a heart attack and is in the hospital. They are trying to figure out how to get the pews from his shop and to the church. I feel sorry for the woodworker. Ya work hard you're whole life with people breathing down your back and stressing out about everything and one day you end up in the hospital with a heart attack. Just damn.
Some day I hope to enjoy all I have worked so hard for.
I hope we are all already enjoying what we have worked for in a part time manner. So looking forward to 66-1/2 - the years have taken a piece out of me.
Sorry for that woodworker - maybe he over did it ? I'm not pushing anymore that's one good thing I'm enjoying - working without stressing over the gross
SA
Quote from: SteveA on August 22, 2018, 07:06:18 am
working without stressing over the gross
SA
Yes, been working on that.
The reverend called today and said the rest of the pews are at the church. I will be there Monday morning to do 4 more and finish everything up Tuesday. Hoping ole Murphy is taking a labor day vacation next week. :)
Church job is done. Monday the reverend asked me not to upholster the last pew. This pew plus 4 others that are already recovered will not fit into the new chappal. Oh boy! Rose helped me tweak and steam all of them and we had a interesting 15 min impromptitude bible study with the reverend.
I hope he was praying for a discount ? Did he mention the parable about a camel and a needle ?
SA
We did back out the cost of covering the last unfinished pew. With a sly smile he asked if we could back out the 4 others he no longer needs but are already recovered. Rose gave him the idea of selling them. People are looking for them to decorate porches and around dining tables. He liked this idea and said he would check into it.
He mentioned he was retired and I asked him what he did. Retired from the Army. At 19 years old he went to Vietnam. Rose asked him if it was scary to be there, he said very scary. The name of the church is New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. I asked him if he ever did any missionary work and this led him to give us a little sermon and answer some of our questions about Jesus.
All in all he was very happy with our work and said if we ever need a referral to contact him.
Good stuff Kody. I also have seen people interested in decorating with pews as you said. And for someone to reintigrate post Vietnam is a monumental feat.