It's not the contractor's fault. Who could expect a tropical storm in June? Or that for no particular reason a few days later we'd have five more inches of rain? He dug in preparation for concrete. He was supposed to pour it last Thursday. Instead, we had Andrea.
It's purely by chance that what we have is a channel directing water from our back porch down the steps into the breezeway and over our former lawn. If I wanted to run a water-powered mill, I'd be so happy.
I don't.
What the contractor is responsible for is the state of the work area, his tools and equipment, and the safety of the people who live in the house and are blocked by his construction from getting into and out of their house.
Some pictures.
The back porch. The dark line going from left to right is where the water runs.
Nice tools. Not ours.
These were steps last week. The contractor is well aware I have balance problems - we warned him. Just imagine. One little wobble, and -
Our feeble attempts to get to our back door from the garage turned things into a mill race.
Please note that the garage door is six inches from the ground. Water runs in with glee!
More nice tools and our amateur boardwalk. We put the Saws-All in the garage. Our garage is crammed when we put our cars in. We have nowhere to put all this stuff.
A 17-year-old climbing rose, currently trained over the garage door. It's being eroded away.
Part of the job is taking up and relaying the path. Well, this will reduce the amount of digging.
Former lawn and half-assed attempt at protecting the public.
Shiny new drain. In justice, it was supposed to have concrete around it.
More nice tools. I think this was supposed to be the forms that never got used.
So. I hope these tools don't blow away. I don't think I have any obligation to store them for the contractor, and I don't have anyplace to do it. Like I said, it's not his fault that the rains came. The state of the job site is his fault. I have no idea when we'll see him again.
Things are irritating at Casa escapee.