Did they not hear or understand???

 If you have read my blog in the past, you'll know I love my garden. At the moment we're having a new patio. We had problems getting a firm, as all very busy. We did have a firm booked with a moderate estimate, he came in February, but we had various messages to say, the rain had stopped his other work, so it would be a while before he could come. Then came the message we were dreading, perhaps we should get some one else.

So then came the search to get some one else. I asked on our local FB page for recommendations.  I had 3 different building firms names given to me. Only one turned up and his quote was  £7600 + vat.. so a lot more than we were expecting, but to be honest I was so desperate to have a patio without the uneven slabs we had, I was willing to pay.

Then the man who did our new windows and French doors and front door, gave us the name of these builders, their quote £4300 which was near enough to our first builder.

They are here now and I'm screaming in my head, I'm back to not sleeping because I have that awful anxious feeling again.

We discussed fully what I wanted 350mm squared sized pavers and I had marked out how I wanted  them laid. A staggered shape along side the new fence and garden area and explained to them, that all the trees and plants already planted were all newly planted, but none were in their way.

The first thing was 350mm sized paver may not be stable or could easily not stay level???  I nearly said to him, 'what part of I want 350mm pavers ' did he not understand. He went away that evening and DH and I discussed what to do. I was desperate to have a patio that wasn't a trip hazard.

So I have 600mm pavers, not in the shape I want, because the pavers are too big to do that shape, 2 plants dug up and left to dry in this heat,  because they were in the way, our brand new wheel barrow left on the side filled with rubble, because they needed 2 and Dh said they could use it, and a big oil mark on our drive from their van. Their quote was for 5 days work, but as they have had 3 hour+ lunch breaks, because it had been very hot, today is day 6 and they were here at 7:30am.

It's all very good work, but not what I wanted and because it not laid  in a staggered design looks boring. So I'm paying for something which is not what I want. As a quilter I could see in my head the pattern I wanted and also could see how to achieve it.. these men may be able to lay down pavers, but they lack imagination and grey brain  cells and I suspect are great at 'man-splaining' at home, because they know what's best!

What part of 'this is what I want' did they not hear or understand?

Grrrrrrr 

I'd ask you all if you had any tips on getting trades people and getting them  to do as you asked, but we are NOT having anything else done, Wales is sadly lacking workmen, who even when you speak in English, still do what they think is best And not what you want!

Chrisxx