Behind the paper: upside down and backwards

Nearly 4 weeks have passed since my last post, yet Contigo is still no closer to opening.

Why? Behind the papered up windows of my little storefront, more has gone wrong in the past month than has gone right. If Contigo were a planet, it would be retrograde.

Shortly after my last post, we discovered that the bar refrigerators were built backwards. There are two refrigerated cabinets behind the bar, a short two-door one stacked on top of a longer 4-door one. The one on top is for red wine, the bottom one for beer kegs, white wine, Cava, etc. At some point communications got crossed and the factory configured the upper unit to sit on the left when it's supposed to sit on the right. This blunder required one fix after another (beer taps, drain lines, and other conduits had to be moved) to the point that the upper refrigerator now contains more holes than a tray full of doughnuts. We're still waiting for one more part.

Can we fix it? Yes we can.*

Last week, the sales representative for Contigo's hi-tech water filter/chiller/carbonator system stopped by. He wanted to make sure it was working well. He noticed that two of the three taps (one each for room temperature still, cold still, and cold sparkling water) had been installed in reverse order, so he unscrewed and switched them. Bad move. Moments later water flooded everywhere. We're still waiting for replacement taps to arrive.

Can we fix it? Yes we can.

Yesterday, my contractor informed me that the HVAC installer had to rip out the ventilation ducts above the water heater that they installed 6 weeks ago. Why? The ducts were installed upside down. That's right, professionals who do nothing but install ducts for a living installed them completely wrong. The city's plumbing inspector caught the bone-headed mistake and required Mr. HVAC to fix it, a task which involves tearing out walls, then rebuilding, mudding, sanding, and painting them.

Can we fix it? Yeah, sure....

But c'mon, construction and equipment installation dudes. Upside down? Backwards? Enough is enough already. Let's finish up so I can get this show on the road and open my restaurant before the first day of winter (and my birthday).

Can we do it?

________________________

* I couldn't help myself from riffing off of President Elect Obama's most famous line. His election was easily the best news of this past month. I am overjoyed for my country and, for the first time in many many many years, proud to be American.

If you'd like more up-to-the-minute information about me and/or the opening of Contigo, you can now follow my tweets on Twitter or, if you friend me, my updates on Facebook, which I just joined last night.

Comments

[David]

Contractors love doing things backwards, don't they? I came home from work once and found clouds of steam billowing from my toilet: they'd reversed the hot & cold water lines...duh!

Just remember this will all be a thing of the past...at some point : )

[Melissa]

I may have killed someone by now, were I you.

Much respect for your patience and good nature.

[Sharon]

In our previous house, the faucet taps were installed backwards. In this house, the outlets are installed upside down. These homes are literally across the country from each other (NY and CA).

I feel for you.

Keep up the great attitude and best wishes for an opening soon.

[sam]

when I was 19 years old I got some tyres changed on my first car. The "pros" put the bolts back on back-to-front. I was really lucky because a pedestrian yelled at me that my tyre was about to fall off just before I went around a huge roundabout with several passengers in the car.

Your future customers will continue to wait patiently. As they say about Guinness, good things come to those who wait.

[Genie]

Yikes. I think this, though, must mean it's just like theatre: bad dress rehearsal=amazing performance. Can't wait to actually get to try out the new place -- the space looks amazing!

[Diane]

I feel for you! This is what I do for my job (construction PM/Owner's Rep), and some times it gets a bit tiresome - "That's wrong, fix it." "That spec is the old one, change it." "That won't allow ceiling height we want - change it." It's a full time thing to keep construction going straight, indeed. You've just got to roll with it - it will all get done eventually, and if it's any consolation the space looks GREAT! I can't wait to be there for the opening.

[EB]

Did you do something reaaaaaaaly bad in a past life?

[AnitaD]

I can't help but think of my parents' new apartment in India and the challenges my dad faced with all the craziness.... from never ever leveling the floors (they are all crooked, which means that all the cabinets, counters, sinks, and anything else attached to the floor is crooked) to refusing to level the toilet, so you pee leaning to the right to the blue bags hanging from the trees (inside joke).

One day, you will be open, with everything in proper working order... and a room full of guests shouting with joy and the delights their eyes, nose, and mouth are experiencing!

[Brett]

The real reason the restaurant is delayed is that I'm spending too much time watching the puppy cam.