The Longest Yard

Despite all my efforts, I can't seem to get these last few major items finished.

There is always something that prevents forward progress, even though the finish line is within sight.  Materials not available, subcontractors that won't show, manufacturers that won't respond, etc.  So frustrating.

The amount of effort devoted to trying to get these things completed has been considerable, with little to show for it.

Here are a few of my woes:

- Our exterior doors were screwed up long ago, and the replacements were promised for some time ago.  Not here.  Every day a new excuse.

- Paving is not complete.  Promised to be done long ago.  Still living with the contractor's tools, materials, debris, tractor, dumpster.  Would love to be able to park in front of my own house eventually; or better yet, use a driveway.

- Siding-2; the "accent" siding that we still are missing.  This one's on me.  I just can't find something suitable that we can afford.  I have tried everything and everywhere I can think of.

- Dishwasher.  New dishwasher does not work.  Got a repair man out, who left to "order parts".  No idea when they might be back.  No response from calls to sales company.   I am trying to get them to replace, instead of repair, the machine.  It is a brand new machine that is not working.

- Dryer.  Still no dryer.  Two were brought out, and promptly taken away when discovered to be damaged.  This after months of delivery delays.  I would love to be able to do a load of laundry in my house.

- Shower.  We have a shower valve that is not working correctly.  The company has been non-responsive.

- Landscaping.  The house focuses visually on the surrounding garden courtyard.  Right now it is bare dirt and gravel.  And it will have to stay that way for months, because it is summer now - not a good time to plant new things.  The ground is rock hard and very dry; it would require constant watering to even survive.  If certain parties had done their work when promised, we'd have been planting in the Spring, and things would be looking decent right now and would be in good shape to survive the summer.

Though there are many many smaller tasks left to reach full completion, if I could get these things accomplished it would at least appear "done".  Somehow they are requiring far more effort than much larger more difficult tasks completed previously.

We know that this is not a novel condition to us; this happens on all projects, it seems.  Yet it is interesting and more acute to feel the frustration from the other side of the table.  New home owners unfortunately should expect to experience something similar despite all of our efforts to keep it from being so.  Welcome to the longest yard.