*Sigh* No accountability - but Karma can be a B!tch....

"Happy division of labor." Riiiiiiiiiggggghhhhht. If that works for you, then my hat is off to you and yours. Allow me to share, if you will, the "happy division of labor" that exists at my house. (bearing in mind that my wife is a saint and an incredible mother to three beautiful children). She's a full-time mom and is very busy. This is not to gripe about her "not doing anything" - just illlustrating that the division of labor isn't always "happy."

Baby care is almost all her.

If it's cooking (aside from grilling) - it's 90% hers, 10% mine. (grilling is ALL me)

If it's light housework (dusting, etc) - it's almost all my wife's, but is shared with me. (probably 90% - 10%)

If it's heavy housework (cleaning the floors, washing walls, etc) i'ts pretty much 50/50

If it involves poop (aside from a diaper), it's mine. If it's in a diaper its at least 1/3 mine.

If it involves vomit, it's mine.

If it's broken and needs to be fixed, it's mine.

If it is something that happened outside, can happen outside, is talked about outside, is used outside, or was once outside, it's mine.

If it involves vehicles, it's mine.

If it involves technology, it's mine.

There are a LOT of things that are "just mine," and none that are "just hers." I have a LOT of projects, including a 1400 sq ft addition, that are simply a "matter of time" now. Still a small price to pay for a life with a woman as amazing as her, though!. (and she puts up with my crap, which probably makes the above a wash)

Heh....very, very familiar territory with me! I could have written that.

Although at our house keeping up with kids' appointments with docs and school is all her. I just show up when needed.

This is me to a "tee"....I found my long lost twin brother!....lol....

I knew better than to go to Congo, but that was the only dealer for PE I could find. I went thru my installer and a salesman named Bud...he acted like I was keeping him from something important every time I talked with him. I would have gone with a Buck stove from Conway fireplace, but I was outvoted... I only saw one Lopi dealer in the Little Rock area...some overhead door place I think.

Hope you have better luck from now on....

Put a stop on that check right now.

I would have gone online and found the cost plus shipping of the part and deducted that plus an hour of your time from his check and DARED him to argue it with me.

Bottom line, the part was not broken when he walked in the door and I'm pretty confident its not designed to break and be replaced every time you clean your chimney. He needs to own up to it and cover his costs of doing business. If he can;t afford it its because he's either undercharging or incompetent. Neither should be your problem.

Yah, stopped payment on check, called him told him I'm deducting $55 for the part and hassle. I'll send him another check minus that amount.

He didn't argue - he knew he was wrong.

A marriage requires love that forgives. Only the saints forgive contractors.

+1 . . . he should have made good on it from the start.

My Regency baffle is replaceable under warranty if it breaks (not counting chips and flakes, which are normal wear and tear, apparently) ... perhaps yours might be too?

Didn't think of that since it isn't a warranty issue. I don't see how that's a defect in the material. Defect in sweep, not material.

Yeah, I know. Still, that's direct from a Regency rep; breakage is covered, wear and tear is not. I guess they don't break very often. Mine must be pretty tough with the way the sweeps bang them around.