Capitals

[Mark Yundt]

This job for these Capitals started nearly a year ago. I was making progress as you can see but the clients had a problem with the Architect who ended up getting fired. The GC informed me months ago the job was dead.
Low and behold don't I get an email informing me they need these pieces in two weeks plus more carvings!
Are you kidding me? As if that's going to happen.
Sorry guys. You can't buy a ticket, get off the ride , let it go for 6 months, then think you can get back to the head of the line. Just doesn't work that way. I have more work than you can shake the proverbial stick at with clients with their own deadlines and projects that need to be completed AND where they have all their ducks in a row.
These Capitals are approx. 12" X 12 " and would have formed two, four sided capitals for the tops of columns in the clients home. A shame after all that work, gluing up, roughing out, carving , sanding etc. and after the job being on,, then on hold,, then dead in the water,, now they want it back on ,,,, this is where they sit. Yeah,, where they sit for the photo,, on the tree I'm currently carivng. Go figure~

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[Chuck George]

You've got a right to be upset Mark. That takes a lot of nerve coming back after that kinda delay and expecting immediate service! You are a better man than me as I would demand a penalty fee before even putting them back in line. And what a shame, I would love to see those finished. They are already beautiful.

Chuck

[David Weaver]

Whatever the circumstances, it's pleasing to see that people with the means are still interesting in purchasing such fine work.

[Mark Yundt]

I think I'm basically just dumbfounded they only sent an email saying the caps are needed within the next two weeks. That was the sum total of the email. After 6 months of a dead deal? How about a call,something a bit of a more professional courtesy asking how the job could be restarted or worked into my schedule as If I'm just sitting here with my thumb up my backside.
I figured way back, when they said the job was done, that I'd just eat a couple grand for what I had in them . They did ask what I was owed for the work up to that point beyond the initial deposit,,,, then never heard a thing from them.
Peculiar how some people function.

[Jim Underwood]

Nice work. It's a shame the customer is so... impractical as to think their silly demand will be met.

Of course I'm curious as to how you handled this?

[Mark Yundt]

Jim,
The best course of action is no action. I let it lay. I did what I was asked to do up to ,,,and beyond the point of them knowing the job was dead. When they did call at that point they wanted to know what was owed up to where I was with the carving. I told them. Then nothing for months. I figured I'd eat it and I'd just move on. And at this time I'm too busy with several jobs to waste time fretting about their screw up. I held up my end of the bargain.They dropped the ball and I'm not in any hurry to pick it up.

At one point my knee jerk reaction would have been to try an accommodate them somehow. Always put me in a bind.
What is interesting is how people get into a jam and want to make their problem ,,,YOUR problem. Had I jumped in and did that I would have inherited their problem. Sorry,, I'm not interested in that.
Since all this transpired they did contact me and said I could work with my schedule and get them completed and they came to some resolution with either their clients , GC or whomever.
Nothing will happen till I see some $. I have too much on my plate as it is.
I imagine to some this may see cold or aloof but it's not.

[Steve Costa]

Mark,

I think your carvings are incredible!!! I think the tree in the background is exquisite.

Until you get paid for what you have accomplished to date plus a written contract for the rest you are owed I would not proceed. I think the clients can get in line behind your other projects and take their turn. Asking you to meet their demands in two weeks is absurd.

Steve

[Ted Calver]

At least they knew to come to the best for the job. I used to offer customers the option to take their place in line, or jump the line and pay a 20% surcharge. Surprisingly, a few recognized what they were asking for and paid extra. The rest sucked it up and waited their turn.

[Bruce Page]

I used to see that a lot at work. A program would stutter when funding got tight (DOD) then put on hold, then it would get the funding reinstated and DOD would expect us to keep the original schedule. Most of the time we were able to pull it off by throwing more people at it but DOD certainly didn't save any money!
Of course with a skill like yours it's hard to just throw more people at it.

[Mark Yundt]

Thanks guys.
But I couldn't in all fairness push my current customers back even for a 'surcharge'. But in my experience over the years of doing projects such as this I find it hard to believe that a job of this magnitude would all come about and be expected to be done within a couple of weeks. I don't for a minute believe anyone had no idea or were caught off guard at the rapidity all work was to be completed. No,, they knew.
The entire job itself is the complete restoration of a home in the historic section of Philadelphia just behind the Church that was seen in the movie "American Treasure".
You don't gut a place to the walls, remove all the floors for 3 stories, install an elevator, deconstruct Mahogany paneled walls and rebuild them again, new Grand Staircases that are custom built for 3 flights and nobody knows it's back on schedule and to be completed in 2 weeks?
I'm sure at some time along the rebuild some work got done,,, but not to be completed in the next 2 weeks. That would mean the painters are there now,, and the refinishers , the decorators, etc... so somebody would have known these capitals weren't done yet.
I don't buy it.

[Jim Underwood]

No Mark. It doesn't seem cold and aloof to me. It just seems like good sense. It's their problem, Let them own it. I see their actions as being cold and aloof. They've treated you shabby and only deserve the respect they earn.

[John Coloccia]

Mark, you're not being cold or aloof at all. Honestly, I wouldn't budge until I had payment in full for the completed project, and short of that I would take them to court for the work done to date. As much as we like to please our clients, this is a business, not a charity.

[Mark Yundt]

@ Steve Costa. That tree in the background is another project which in itself is a long term job. It's a Tryptych for a Church. What you see are the main doors which depict the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve were cast out. On each side will be columns ( capitals are missing here ,,,where can I find a pair? LOL) that will act as pivot points for the doors to swing parallel to the wall. This is needed as there will be two carvings on the inside of each door depicting scenes from the Old and the New Testament. In the center of what is essentially a cabinet will be the scene of the Crucifixion with two figures catching the blood and the water. The background will be the facades of the other local churches that have been closed and consolidated into this one church. The total height when installed will be approx. 14 ft. . It's currently around 6 ft wide X 9 ft tall. On the upper section of the piece will be another relief carving depicting God breathing on the waters and the creation of light.
This is part two of carvings I've done for this church. The other is a large canopy done in the same style that is over the Tabernacle.

Here are a few shots during the carving minus the cabinet you see in the shots above.

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[Steve Costa]

Mark,

I overwhelmed by your skill and talent. I have never seen anything like this before.

Steve

[Mark Yundt]

Thank you Steve.
As capitals go I've done bigger ones. This picture shows one of two that I carved for the main Cathedral. These were done in Basswood as well but stood 30 inches high by 30 inches wide finished in Gold Leaf.

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