Let’s say that I’m a builder and I get hired by someone to build an apartment building for people. I get the job due to my decades of experience building amazing places that people love. Because of the fact that I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve had some run-ins with some really shitty people who just don’t care.
So the owner says “I want you to do this, this and that, and here’s your budget.” and I say, “Cool”. Then they tell me that they want me to purchase the building supplies from Serveshit. I explain that I’ve consistently had issues with this company for years and that using them will result in delays, higher costs and a worse building.
Yes, I know what I’m doing and can improvise on a lot of things. One night I got high as fuck and built my newphews a tree house out of scrap lumber that my brother had laying around. But this is going to be someone’s home and I want to make sure that the design is correct and this building is something I can be proud to put my name on.
Despite the fact that I provide ample evidence to back up my opinions, the owner insists that I use Serveshit. The rep swears that they’re different, that they’ll have exactly what I ordered on time with no mistakes. I explain to the rep that they’ve burnt me several times on several jobs and he promises me that he’s not like the other dozen reps that have said the same fucking thing. I know he’s full of shit but my hands are tied.
I order a very specific kind of wood that I need for a variety of reasons. I triple-check my math and make sure that everything is solid. I make sure to order 10% more than I need to cover my ass just in case. I make sure that I place the order on time and then I wait, and wait, and wait.
Just as I expected, the Serveshit delivery is late. Not by ten or fifteen minutes, no, it’s several hours late. Meanwhile, I’m paying my crew to stand around because I don’t have anything for them to do and the job site is clean. When the delivery finally arrives, it’s the wrong kind of wood. So either I send it back and wait for another delivery or I take it and try to turn shit into gold.
Aside from it being the wrong kind of wood, the boards are uneven, bowed and have rot that I have to cut away to make them usable. Yes, they’re a little cheaper but not enough to make up for the payroll I’ve spent waiting and the lack of quality. Because of the fact that I had to throw so much of it away, I have to order more.
They know that I’m at the site from let’s say 8 AM to 6 PM. Of course, they decide to drop off the stuff at 4AM outside the fence. When I arrive, half of it’s missing. When I call to complain, I get a voicemail. 4 hours later, the rep calls and tells me he’ll give me credit, for shit wood that I didn’t want. Meanwhile, I still haven’t gotten the stuff I ordered and the shit that they sent is garbage. Oh, and I’m now two days behind schedule while people are eager to move in.
I explain the situation to the owner and he cuts me off. Instead of the trim that we agreed on, he wants me to use some shit he saw on TV that Serveshit happens to have on sale. I try to tell him that it’s a gimmick, that the stuff won’t last and he’ll have to replace it in a year. I’m looking out for not only his customers but for his best interests as well. Alas, the Serveshit rep has offered him tickets to a football game, so there’s no talking sense into him.
Keep in mind, it’s not just the wood, it’s the screws, it’s the windows, it’s the hardware for the lighting. The only thing consistent about Serveshit is that they constantly fuck things up. I’ve told that owner and explained that several people lost interest in renting because they understood that a Serveshit truck meant a trash building but hey, go Lions!
Now, because of them, I’m over budget and behind schedule. People are waiting to move in and are pissed off at me while the owner is upset about the negative press he’s getting. At this point, I’m so embarrassed that I have my name taken off the project because I don’t want their fuck-up tarnishing the reputaion I’ve built.
“But Serveshit sells everything!!!!” they scream. “They sell lumber and nails and lighting fixtures and even cement for the driveway!!!”. Of course these people want pre-cut boards, half of em don’t know how to use a saw correctly and got fucking forbid they bother to measure anything. They’re claiming to be builders but they’re just assembling pre-fab shit they got on sale and half the time, it’s their crew doing all of the actual work.
And yes, they claim to have everything I need, it’s in their big glossy catalog, but when I order it, I end up with something else. This is why I’d rather go to the lumber mill and tell the dude I’ve been working with for years what I’m doing and what I need. I trust the guy and he knows lumber, he’s given me some great advice over the years and helped me as a builder. Same thing with my lighting guy, he’s been able to take my plans and make em shine. And yes, I’m picky about the screws I use since I want my buildings to last for years.
When I first started doing this, I had a lot of choices and where to get my materials. Over the years, Serveshit started buying up a lot of smaller local places, firing the people who had made the business great and using the brand name to sell their own third rate shit. Joes screws used to be the best you could buy, they were a small family owned company and their stuff was a bit pricey but the screws would hold in a hurricane. Now that Serveshit has bought the name, the quality has gone down and every third screw snaps.
I take pride in my craft, I spend my own time studying how other builders developed ideas, and I spend good money on tools that can do the job without fail. I like using my hammer instead of a nail gun, I like to carry my own lumber. I’m not trying to mass produce warehouse space, I’m trying to create homes. I’m not even trying to create the best homes ever, just the best that I can possibly build.
So, why the fuck would I use a company that I know, from decades of experience, is unreliable at best? Yes, they claim to sell good products and from time to time, they are on time but, more often than not, I’m let down? Why use a company that doesn’t value my business? Why waste my time using subpar materials and making compromises? Why limit myself when better options are available? Why sacrifice quality if I don’t have to?
And, knowing what I know from decades of first-hand experience, why wouldn’t I avoid places that I know use em? Why wouldn’t I want to educate others and let people know that these “homes” are all show and will fall apart?
Now, for those still following who haven’t figured it out, replace Builder with Chef and Serveshit with Sysco. Now do you understand???