Home »
You bought that in the US, eh?
By Menno Dueck
Building and renovating can be a costly venture. Is cross border shopping a good way to save some money? Here’s a little story that might convince you it’s a good thing to keep your cash local.
Rose decided to have her master bathroom renovated into a spa retreat for her and hubby and has spent long nights on the Internet gathering ideas for the perfect makeover. She and hubby decide to take the weekend and go to Spokane, Washington and shop…save money, lots of choice, and a little R & R getaway.
After wandering around the big box stores, and poking in the small quaint shops, Rose finds the perfect fixtures for the vanity and tub and a very funky double showerhead. She can hardly wait to get home and tell her gal pals she got the perfect fixtures and saved enough money to buy a new iPad down there, too!
Installation day arrives and Rose happily hands over her purchases to Ian the Plumber. Ian takes a look, sighs loudly, and informs Rose she has a bit of a problem. Because she purchased her fixtures in the US and replacement parts are not available in Canada, he cannot warranty his work. After a bit of a melt down, Rose stamps her foot and says “install them anyway” and the work is done. Ian is paid. Rose and her hubby have many nights and afternoons enjoying their spa retreat.
A month later, coming home from a week in Vegas, Rose and hubby are devastated to find water all over the hardwood floor of their spa; a faucet failed while they were away and water had been leaking for days. Hubby closes the shut off valve while Rose, hysterical now, calls Ian the Plumber. Shouting at him, she demands he gets his butt over here now to fix the faucet and replace the floor. Ian, sighing loudly, calmly reminds Rose she gave up her warranty for her money-saving-US-purchased fixtures, and suggests she call another plumber, perhaps one across the border.
(Based on a true story, names changed to protect Rose)
Submitted by: Menno Dueck, Ask Menno Construction Consulting, Dueck Enterprises Inc.
250-426-5460 www.dueckenteprises.com