The past fortnight has been a kind of living hell and at times I’ve really felt I’m having a nervous breakdown. At the end of week 1 when the joiner left on Friday afternoon, I finally had time to assess after 4 non stop days of mayhem and confusion. The place was in chaos, a complete shambles. I stood in what used to be my kitchen and I took stock.

I did some research and tried to work out what the hell was happening. There’s a process when you’re fitting a kitchen. It’s what I expected when I booked him. RIP (!!) out the old kitchen. Plastering. Painting. Electrical and plumbing work. Fit units. He had started to fit units on some pretty dodgy looking walls. The electrician had put in some recessed sockets and filled around them over brand new drawers. Look:

I had offered the joiner dust sheets. He had some in his van he said. I haven’t seen a dust sheet to this day except the one I draped over my washing machine after cleaning the grit off.

I can go on about the errors that have been made but it’s pointless. I’ve had 4 heated discussions with him during which he blames everyone else (most especially me), he over explains, goes off on a tangent… Everything is a problem for him, an inconvenience. I just want the job finished and him out of my house. I booked him based on work he did a few years ago. It was only a small job and he was great. Not sure what’s happened.

It’s the first time I’ve chosen a new kitchen. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but this is another level of stress and anxiety. Over the weekend I woke in tears at 2am fretting about the mess he was making, about how he was hacking up my beautiful brand new kitchen, mercilessly butchering it into badly cut bits. I couldn’t find a way out, a solution.

It was too late to find anyone else so I reconciled myself with getting clear updates each morning and before he left.

He said he likes it when his customers go on holiday and let him get on with it. I’d love to go on a 4-6 week holiday but I’d have ended up with a kitchen with gloss doors 🤢

I’ve tried lots of tactics with him but nothing really works. I can’t get through to him. It’s his way or no way. I’ve had to remind him I’m the customer more than once. It’d be easy for me to blame myself but one really can’t tell how someone’s going to behave until they spend an extensive time in one’s home.

I’ve adopted a new routine. Practice in the morning then get out of the house and far from his horrible energy. This week I started choosing tiles, a ceiling light and new blinds. It helps. It keeps me focused on how it will look and feel. I’ve waited 12 years for this kitchen and I’m determined he’s not going to ruin it for me. By 4pm he’s gone and I can reclaim my space.

At the end of the day it’s just a kitchen!

In other news, look what my next door neighbour and I did yesterday: (after practice obviously 🖐🏻 🤚)