What goes around comes around

[sofadoc]

I'm saving up for a new roof next year. In the meantime, I needed to patch a few areas.

I have to fully extend a 24 ft. ladder, and stand on the very top rung just to get on top of my roof.

The building next door is a 2-story with a huge window that opens right onto my roof. So naturally, I'd rather do that, than risk falling nearly 30 feet onto concrete.

The woman who owns the building next door said "NO!" She doesn't want anyone snooping around inside her building.

I'm thinking "OK, so that's how it's going to be".

The next day, I hear a loud thud on my roof. The woman is having her roof repaired, and the roofers are using MY roof to gain access to HER roof. They didn't even ask my permission.

I made them get off my roof immediately, and explained why.

They had to rent a crane at an additional cost of $1000 to complete her roof job.

Maybe she'll think before she says no next time.

[byhammerandhand]

love it

[Mike]

is she  the same but is she paying the $1000 or Is  it just costing them? either way I wouldn't want them up there what if there was an accident and you allowed them on ther e?

[SteveA]

Sofa
We are all good folks just trying to perform a craft and make a living.  I wish that was the case.  Overriding the craft is the fight we have to engage in every day with suppliers, venders, helpers, services, neighbors, etc.  Why can't we just come to work - build something and go home.  It's a battle of never ending frustration. Makes you wonder where the compensation is in our salaries for the dark side of being in business. I don't like your neighbor either !
SA

[bobbin]

Why in heaven's name would you not help your neighbor?  It's along the same lines as people who live in a neighborhood and never speak with the people living next door... I sure don't get it!

[gene]

If those roofers cased out that lady's building and her building gets broken into in the near future, I'll bet it's not the roofers who she will think about first. LOL

I wonder if that lady knew the roofers were going to use your roof? I wonder if she drinks a lot? I wonder if she walks her dog without picking up the dog poop?

If she knew she said no to you, sofAd, and she then went ahead and used your roof without your permission just to save some money with the roofers, I LOVE PEOPLE LIKE THAT! I can only imagine how pathetic her life must me. LOL

There's a Jewish word: chutz·pah. noun \ˈhu̇t-spə, ˈḵu̇t spä\. : personal confidence or courage that allows someone to do or say things that may seem shocking to others.

A Jewish lady told me once that the best definition of chutzpah is: A young man murders his parents to get their money. He's caught and found guilty. At his sentencing hearing he asks the judge for leniency because he's an orphan.

Your neighbor has chutzpah.

gene

[jojo]

Bobbin, I get what you're saying, and I'm sure if someone had asked Sofadoc for permission to be on his roof his response would've been different (despite her being a louse about not giving him access from her house).
I'm all for the "turn the other cheek" mentality, but only up to a certain point. The temptation here to teach her the karma lesson must have been overwhelming.

[sofadoc]

Just to clarify, part of the reason that I refused to allow the roofers to use my roof, is that my roof has seen better days itself.

I plan to spend over 10 grand getting it replaced next summer.

They were transporting very heavy roofing materials across my roof.

Since the owner next door would rather see me fall off a ladder than risk having me snoop around on her 2nd floor, I didn't feel compelled to put my roof at risk just to save her some money on a crane.

[JuneC]

Around here you'd neither ask nor give permission to use someone else's property for something like that.  Your insurance would drop you in the wink of an eye if they ever found out.  This part of the country is so litigious you just couldn't afford the liability risk.  It stifles a lot of small business and cooperation among neighbors.

June 

[sofadoc]

BTW, I never actually SAW a crane. I suspect that they just waited until I wasn't there, and used my roof anyway.

That's the way things go around here..........easier to get forgiveness, than permission.

[bobbin]

Funny how much is "lost in translation" sometimes.  I was surprised the lady wouldn't allow Sofa. access.  I understand the necessity of understanding liability when it comes to insurance but when buildings are in such close proximity, so do insurance companies!  And that's when knowing your neighbors and having cordial, professional relationships with them comes into play.  One hand washes the other and all that jazz. 

I also understand Sofa.'s refusal to allow her to use his building as a stageing area for the work to her building.  If I knew my building's roof was weak I'd prolly do the same thing.  That she was quick to refuse him access was the basis for my comment. 

(Re-roofed the house in July.  Nowhere near 10K but it was "significant money" and we are very glad we don't have a house with multiple gables, eyebrow windows, or dormers!)

[jojo]

Bobbin, that thought occurred to me after I posted.  :-[

[Mike]

I had to repair my roof at my last house , permits are crazy  i did it on the QT I had to remove barrel tiles and roll roofing to replace some  bad plywood under a gable where two roofs meet. i wouldn't have been abloe to pay otherwise at the time

[JuneC]

Yeah, I re-roofed in 2001 for just over $11,000 (1800 sq ft).  It's about triple that now. 

June

[Mike]

im glad my new house had a metal roof installed Pryor, supposed to last 30 to 50 years so i should have to worry unless i live a looong time