I May Never Know

I am getting more calls every day for hanging wallpaper in high end homes. There are very few tradesmen who know the ins and outs of installing most of the modern wallpapers and vinyls. I learned the trade well, in the eighties, when everyone was using wallpaper. I learned all the tricks and was the "go to guy". Today, there are not many left who cut their teeth on the glory days of wallpaper. It was a well known designer from White Rock who called and asked if I could work in this house. Yes, it is all one house. I hung some very exotic black material in the powder room and a more mundane product in the en suite.

There was a very large and expensive pedestal legged soaker tub in one corner of the room and I had to somehow work around it to hang the final pieces of wallpaper. I was leaning and stretching when a tool slipped out of my hand and landed on the top edge of the acrylic tub. A neat button sized chip flew off the tub and landed about 10 feet away. My heart sunk. I retrieved the chip and placed it in the divot and it became invisible. But, true to my ethics, I immediately went to the lady of the house and explained to, and then showed her, what had happened. "No problem" said she, "we will look after it." I knew that acrylic could be repaired but if not, then I would owe her a new tub. When I got home at the end of the day, I 'googled' the tub and discovered it was a $3500.00 item. I got on the phone and insisted that I pay for the repair, in fact, I suggested that they take the cost of the repair off of my invoice for hanging the paper. I also inquired at a local supplier how much a typical repair would be. He said it would not be more that $150.00 and was actually quite simple to do. I was relieved and waited for the result. Nothing. I called back several months later and was put on hold and never did speak to the man of the house. I called a few days later and he told me he would get back to me. I called yet again and no response. My invoice was for over $500.00 and surely I would have some  money coming. Or, perhaps they had to replace the tub and they really did take care of it like his wife said. I have not pursued it since. "Leave sleeping dogs lie", I say.