Holding Our Own!

As many of you good readers already know we have been met with a surprise from our builder. This came in the shape of a final bill that exceeds 23% of contract. It is crystal clear in the contract that any overruns or potential overruns must be acknowledged and confirmed in writing, by both builder and customer, before the expenditure. And we carefully followed this system throughout the build, paying for “extras” as we went along. Naturally, we knew there would be an “end billing” of odds and sods and we had an excellent handle on that amount.  Au Contraire! One could compare this to taking your car to the garage for an agreed oil change and arriving to pick it up only to discover the engine, brakes and interior had been replaced. When we were presented with the “surprise” it was scribbled on a piece of paper with Preliminary written at the top and as we picked ourselves from the floor the builder began to drop items from the list. At this point we lost any shred of remaining trust we had in this man and knew that we needed to consult experts and have done so. An exceptionally good Surveyor went through the boat and found a few issues that needed correction before acceptance and payment of the final “contract” segment.  These issues are now either corrected or in the process of being rectified. The second problem of the “surprise” amount is in the hands of a “nautisch advocaten” or ship’s lawyer, who has met our builder in court before. Apparently, we are not the first customers who have been pushed to their limit with delay and then presented with an “escape” plan…pay or not obtain possession papers. There are bad business people everywhere so this is not condemnation of the boat builders here because it was a referral from an excellent broker and another fellow boater who gave us the name of our advocaten. Unbeknownst to us this builder has a terrible reputation throughout the country. Not for his building but for this very thing with his customers, suppliers and contractors. Who knew? It appears he particularly builds for people like us who come from outside the Netherlands…for a reason.  Anyhow we are working on solving this issue which may delay, yet again, our possession date…which is a term for obtaining clear title. The boat is really ours now as it becomes progressively so as contract segments are paid: we just need the title papers.  We have extended our lease on our little house and strange as it may seem our landlord has been a boat builder all his life and knows ours…. very well as does the neighbouring boat yard who is renovating a boat for some fellow boaters whom we met…as does our lovely chandler Ramon. . .as does. . .the list goes on and on. Small consolation but we feel we are in some good company.

To each other we say that all sailors have sun and breezes and sometimes wind and waves. We have the latter right now but are surrounded by such good and caring and knowledgeable people we know that moving aboard Forty Roses III will happen . . .soon.   On the bright side, we are learning Dutch, as translating invoices and finding multiple items we have already paid for in the contract payments spurs us on.

The pictures below are a mix of the neighbourhood we are living in. Pictures of our beautiful finished boat will appear once we are on board!

Living Near the Water!

Spring is Here

Curious & Gentle Alpacas

In the Sun

Contemplating the Maas River. . longing to be on it. 

Along our Walking Path

We love this Cat and see him often

 

Thatch Roof Up Close

Thatch Must be Kept Moss Free. .  . will last 40 years plus 

Waiting for these Espaliered Linden Trees to Leaf

Who can be downhearted when we see these every day?

Our Friend’s Son is a Plant Developer Who Creates New Chrysanthemums among other types 

Huge Blooms make beautiful Bouquet

Flowers are a very Large Part of Dutch Life..Everyone takes a bouquet if visiting. 

 

Gently Wrapped Gloriosa

See you next week!