Back Balcony
The conversation you never want to have with a contractor:
Contractor: Hey, I thought I was just supposed to replace the floor! Look at these structural problems.
Us: Yes, we KNOW there are structural problems. THAT'S WHY WE HIRED YOU TO COME FIX THEM.
Guy who wrote up our quote and guy standing on our balcony were different people. Fortunately, he figured out how to fix what we need fixed.
Also, "We'll be there sometime early next week and we'll call when we know what day" is not "We will show up at 8:15 on a Tuesday morning with no other warning." I had just peeled my eyes open to ask whether wife had heard from them when the phone rang. When I went to pick it up, I saw them outside. Said bad words, tore back upstairs to get dressed, and went out to talk to them. Also, to take socks and underwear off of the drying rack on the balcony.
I keep picturing our idyllic meals outside. We used to have them. We'll have them again soon!
Did I drive to work this morning because of the chaos? How did you guess?