For those just tuning in… our building in Bandra is undergoing structural repairs. This is the latest instalment of our ongoing experience!
Ding dong! The doorbell rang and a mumbled “Close your windows” was delivered quickly before the worker moved on to the next flat to repeat the message.
It has become such a regular request, we essentially have shut ourselves in as you never know when falling debris will come tumbling down. We have more than one cracked window now too. This is all just part of life now…
External work…
However in this case, what he should have said is:
“We are using high pressure water to clean the outside of the building.
Remove anything from your balcony.
Close your windows.
If your window has a crack, please try to board it up and move things away from the area near the window inside your home too.”
He didn’t.
And as I’ve become so inured to these practically daily requests, thought nothing of it, simply left our flat in its usual state with everything tightly shut and carried on with a busy day of meetings.
Innocently, I came home in the evening with plans to finalize a proposal dancing in my head.
Walked into our bedroom and noticed bizarre spots all over our curtains. Then realised the bed had dirty splotches. Arghh!
Then I went into the other room… Nooooooooo!!!
Filthy water had invaded!
- The desktop was gasping its last breath as a mucky water bath is not compatible with computing performance
- The keyboard was a puddle of mire and the entire desk sopping wet… all papers left lying there a dirty stinky mess
- Even the TV across on the other wall was not immune from dirty drops
- And the paintings on the other wall? Let’s just say I was ever so grateful the watercolours were tightly encased in a glass frame
From the wide puddle on the floor to the pooh coloured spray on the ceiling and walls, our home had yet again been inadvertently invaded by the ongoing building infrastructural repairs in unexpected ways.
Did I mention the windows and curtains were actually closed? However apparently all this got in through the slats as they pummelled water against our home’s exterior.
And the reaction when I brought the building contractor and his assistant to see the state?
A shrug.
After all, what can the contractor do?
It is much like a poor rickshaw driver banging into your car.
Even if the other party was fully guilty of the damage, he will never pay. He can’t pay. What he would need to pay likely would be three times his monthly income.
Hence the shrug.
And the owner takes their damaged car to the garage to best fix the latest dent, bent and bump.
And on my side?
A deep, deep, sigh…
A call to the computer wallah with a hope he can come Monday to see if my desktop can be resuscitated, a quick mopping of the worst muck and several loads of laundry commenced.
Let me repeat….
A seriously deep imbued with multiple swear word sigh, sigh, sigh….
Drowning in construction material
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Everyday Asia 
This sounds just horrible again.
InFinland they cleaned also the exterior of our building with high water pressure. Well we had all windows closed and also taken care that our balcony (full with window walls) was sealed. However the person doing the cleaning found appearenlty especial high pleasure and redirecting the water stream to the one tiny corner were water could get into our balcony. It was just a mess and our rabbits located there were soaking wet!
Welcome to my world! Groan…
But your poor rabbits!!! I’m assuming they recovered from their trauma ok. 🙂
They did just fine but they looked rather pathetic as they are very very furry
Aaaawwww…..
I’ve completely forgotten about your troubles now- I’m just thinking about those poor soggy rabbits.
Hehehe! Me too! Poor poor wet bunnies…
OMG! So what about the security deposit, insurance lodged with the building society to cover this sort of damage?!
Oh, wait…of course it wasn’t done.
Cheap, lazy contractor who cldn’t be bothered with the cost or effort of boarding up windows.
You know how it goes here Margo! 🙂
Today… even though I had plans to get out to the gym and other activities and staying put as they do all the work. Ready to unleash an unholy terror if they repeat the folly on the next side of the building.
I bet they can feel my beedy gaze on them right now…
Ugghh. 😦
Serious ugh!!
Ahrgh, fucking hell…! 😦
Double ahrgh, and triple fu@k sums it up about right!!
Will (house) insurance cover this?
You are kidding, right?
This is India my friend… Everything is somebody else’s responsibility therefore no ones responsibility which means if you are fussed, you do something about it.
In other words the house insurer would go after the building who would go after the contractor who likely wrote into their contract with the building they had no responsibility for damage in the course of their work.
Shrug and sigh… it’s how it works.
I suspected as much… polar opposite to how things work here in Germany, where you MUST have personal liability insurance, in case you cause any accidental damage to someone else’s beer glass…
Hahaha!!! Here you are personally liable to pay for everything personal even if it wasn’t your fault! Did I sigh enough yet??
Oh, NOooooooooooo! 😦
Crazy, eh??
Total Madness!
Pfff that sounds horrible… and something that could totally happen in China xD But I have never seen them cleaning a building, apart from these guys that clean windows in high rises…
Well… considering part of the breaking down, rebuilding, plastering is finally slapping on a coat of paint… cleaning off the debris, pigeon poo and other unmentionable guck, some form of cleaning is an important thing. Alas this is only for the rebuilding stage not the plastering, paint slapping one!
I think the only way to comment this is to sigh and to shrug…
Make that an extra deep sigh and resigned shrug. 😉
Arseholes! So sorry.
Awww… thanks! My computer is limping now but still not recovered… Life goes on… shrug and sigh…