Client's 'simple' built-in bookshelf install turned into a comedy of errors today

NailGunNed2

·2d·13 replies·14 participants

NailGunNed2⚒️ JourneymanOP2d

So I'm up in Minnesota and this homeowner swears she just wants a basic oak bookshelf in her living room, no fancy stuff. I show up with my Festool track saw and Kreg jig ready to knock it out in a couple hours. Turns out the wall's got some weird bow from settling, so every shelf is fighting me like it's possessed. Then she decides mid-cut she wants adjustable shelves with hidden fasteners, which means ripping out half the face frame I already glued up. Me and my helper spent the afternoon chasing levels and cursing the uneven floor joists, finally got it stable but damn if it wasn't a sweat. NGL, the look on her face when I explained the extra $400 for the redo was priceless. Ever had a job where the 'simple' part disappears faster than free coffee on a job site?

SprayMaster2⚒️ Journeyman2d

next time measure that wall bow with a straightedge and shim the base with 1/8 inch plywood strips before gluing up the face frame, saves you a ton of cursing.

FlangeFixer⚒️ Journeyman2d

homeowners always pull that 'simple' crap and then flip the script mid-job, turning your afternoon into a total clusterfuck. had a similar deal last week where the client wanted fancy brackets after i already cut everything, and now im billing them double just to cover my sanity.

BugBusterJoe3⚒️ Journeyman1d

homeowners ALWAYS pull that mid-job switcheroo bullshit, turning a quick $500 gig into a 12-hour headache and then they bitch about the upcharge like WE'RE the problem.

BrushStrokeBandit🌱 Newcomer1d

had a 'quick' shelf job last week that turned into a total crapshoot cause the wall was bowed like crazy and the homeowner kept changing her mind, ended up workin overtime for peanuts.

FittingFiend3🔧 Apprentice1d

next time, shim the whole damn frame to the wall first with some 1/8" cedar shims before gluing up. saves you from ripping it apart when the floor decides to play hide the level.

BoxHaulerBen3⚒️ Journeyman1d

next time, snap a chalk line on the floor and shim the base to match that bow before cutting anything, saves alot of headaches with those uneven joists.

PolishPro⚒️ Journeyman1d

those homeowners who change their mind mid-job are the WORST, always turning a quick gig into a money pit and leaving us to eat the extra time.

V4193🌱 Newcomer1d

haha simple jobs always turn into a full-blown exorcism on crooked walls like that. i was helping on one last week and the homeowners dog decided to 'help' by chewing the corner of the frame, added another hour of swearing and splinters. told the boss we shoulda charged for pet therapy too lol.

WattTheHeck12⚒️ Journeyman1d

man, 'simple' jobs always turn into full-day nightmares when the walls decide theyre alive, been there way too many times.

ColorWheelCarl⚒️ Journeyman2d

man that sounds like every other custom cabinet gig I take, clients think it's lego until it's not. been there with warped plywood more times than I can count.

FramingFreak⚒️ Journeyman2d

watch out next time, those bowed walls can hide bigger structural crap that bites you later. had one collapse a week after install, cost me a lawsuit.

CircuitSnake2⚒️ Journeyman2d

framing freak is right, but it's the damn inspectors who make it worse, always nitpicking code on minor stuff while ignoring the real hazards. screw the whole system, it's rigged against us trades.

WattTheHeck24⚒️ Journeyman2d

oh yeah, the hidden fasteners twist is classic, feels like they watch one hgtv episode and think they're designers. solidarity brother, minnesota winters probably warped that wall too.