Okay, I am having siding put on and today is the first day of the work. I went outside to take pictures and noticed two feet of debris piled on top of all my foundation bushes. I looked at the guys and said, 'Oh my gosh! My bushes are under there!!' One guy said, 'They'll be fine, this doesn't weigh much.' I then watched as the other guy WALKED on all the debris on top of my bushes!! HE certainly weighs a lot!!! I voiced THAT concern, also, and was told they'd still be fine, they can see the 'hump' where the bushes are, but I know he was standing directly on top of them. These are small bushes, only about a foot high and a foot in diameter. They've only been growing for one year so they aren't strong or hearty or anything. ALL our foundation bushes are small and one year old as we did it ourselves and couldn't afford nice, big, several year old, established plants. So this is going to be an issue all around the house! Help!!

SO...those of you who have had siding installed...did your bushes survive???

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 11:24 am:

First, talk the supervisor and tell him you don't want debris or walking on top of your bushes. Check your contract to see if it says anything about this.

It is possible they'll survive but may take a long time to recover.

By Emily7 on Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 11:27 am:

I agree with Ginny.
I would also insist that the debris is cleaned up tonight before leaving.

By Colette on Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 11:29 am:

They should be covering them with tarps and not walking on them. They should also be cleaning up their mess at the end of the day. If the shrubs are broken, tell the contractor your not paying until he reimburses you for the cost of the shrubs.

By Missmudd on Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 12:14 pm:

I'd have a fit, make sure the contractor knows that if they kill all your bushes either they replace them or pay for them. Cripes....

By Rayanne on Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 12:19 pm:

I agree with Colette. Tell the contractor. These are your bushes and you have a right to voice what you want. If they ruin them, they pay for them. It's as simple as that.

By Kate on Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 11:10 pm:

I'm a BIG wimp. I did go back out and tell them I was really concerned about them and explained they were 'new' and weak and they said they'd put sawhorses or something on them from them on. It started pouring rain then and all work halted, but this evening I checked the bushes and two (out of four)have broken branches, one of which is completely flattened out in the middle with the poor plant splayed out in all directions. I'll snag the superviser tomorrow morning and point it out but I dread it. I just always get the feeling men roll their eyes at women's 'fussiness'. Honestly, I'm not one to lump a group of people together, but I've had a lot of male workers at my house doing improvements and only one (a tree trimmer) ever paid any attention to something OTHER than the actual job. Home improvement men do NOT notice their surroundings!! Each crew needs a female, I think, to point out what is so obvious to us. "Hey! You'll need to protect these bushes!" "Okay, this carpet is super light, you'll need to not set that filthy toolbox down on top of it!" "There's hardwoods here, let's not DROP the heavy metal tools on the floor!!" ARRRRGGHHHHHHHHHH!

By My2cuties on Thursday, November 4, 2004 - 11:34 pm:

I know it's not funny but I couldn't help but laugh at the last sentence you wrote "lets not drop the heavy metal tools on the floor", true they do need a woman, maybe it would make things go alot easier (at least for us, right?) Well, I hope everything goes alright in the morning! Your poor bushes I hope he buys you some more. Good Luck!

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, November 5, 2004 - 06:20 am:

Kate, if you don't think you can do it, ask your dh to call the contractor and leave a stern message saying "we will deduct the cost of replacing the bushes from the price of the job if you don't make your crew treat our property more carefully".

By Dawnk777 on Friday, November 5, 2004 - 08:07 am:

We had windows put in 3 years ago. Our main picture window was "cemented" into the window frame and had to be gently pounded out. Everytime the glass started to crack, they put tape over the crack. It took them about 2 hours, but they were able to remove that picture window from the window frame in one piece! So, no glass in my planter below that window and no glass in the living room carpeting! They were so gentle and so careful.

So, when we get the money from Gary's dad's estate and replace the other windows in our house, we are having the same firm do it. Oh, and they get to pound out one more window. Aren't they lucky? (not!)

So, not all contractors are schmucks! (These guys sound like idiots!)