In a message dated 2/11/99 6:17:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

> Clients (particulary residential I suppose) are often intimidated by
>  the superior craftsmen they sought out to hire for their historic home
>  restoration.

I'm not clear on the question but I find myself often intimidated by
residential clients because after years of "real" building I feel they make up
the rules as they go along and I only figure them out after the fact. The lady
last fall that called up every morning to tell me that she did not understand
how we did our business, in particular my not being on her doorstep every
morning with my head bowed, was a bit intimidating. It turned out she was all
afret because she was planning a big social party and wanted  her stoop
looking nice, despite the cold weather. I was thinking in the 20 year bracket
and she was thinking in days. It would have been fine if she had thought to
tell me this before signing the contract.

The customer that thinks they know all about preservation drives me nuts,
particularly if they start correcting me by repeating what I consider to be a
contemporary half-brained twit told them was the right way and why am I not
doing it the right way?

As to being intimidated by craftsmen... most of my adult life I have been in
the position of managing and representing finer craftsmen than I. Respect and
awe I have, but I am never intimidated by quality. I think the only time a
good craftsman will be truly intimidating is if they feel they are dealing
with people who do not know what quality craft is. That is, if we are truly
talking quality craft and not the intimidation of a con.

][<en