The Tokens

Chapter 8Learn and Grow

There were a few more problems during the process, but nothing major. Work stalled for a couple days when the delivery of the kitchen cabinets was delayed. The tile installers had a scheduling conflict and Eric had to find someone else to install the bathroom tile and kitchen backsplash. (A damaged kitchen countertop had to be reordered, too.) But these were all things that Eric had taken into account when estimating the completion date. The building of a house took a coordinated effort, and it wasn't unusual for there to be an occasional or even unavoidable delay.

For the most part, Eric took it in stride. Whenever there was any issue, no matter how small, he communicated with his clients and kept them informed. He then recalculated the completion date and did whatever he could to make sure they stayed one step ahead of the game, if possible.

And it paid off—the house was built on schedule and within budget. The homeowners were more than satisfied with the end result. In the final walkthrough, they commented frequently on the attention to even the most minor detail and admired the quality and craftsmanship. It was precisely what they wanted and everything they had hoped this, their last home, would be. Not only did they say they were happy with the finished product, but they thanked Eric for making the process as painless as possible. He had kept them up to date with the status along the way and had consulted with them often when changes were necessary ...