I am used to making decisions myself, in my own time.
Being partners with Bitsy disallows such action.
We have reviewed and discussed the contractor proposals in detail several times. The contractors responded to our invitation to answer our questions and concerns, then responded in written form as we requested. The process, itself, has been a process.
We still disagree in a few places, but our differences are minor. Interestingly, Burton’s proposal is far more detailed than Winters’, but either would do a good job. Even the costs do not vary enough to be a critical issue.
Still, we haven’t come to an agreement as to who to hire.
“Where do we go from here?” I ask her. I can’t help but sound urgent. “It’s not so much resolving differences between our views as it is being comfortable with our selection.”
Bitsy thinks for a long moment and finally replies, “Can we use both of them? Let’s think about this. Why not? How would it work?”
She continues, gesticulating as she speaks.
“Would we put one in charge of the overall project and the other in an assisting role?” she ponders outloud. “Because I think having one subservient to the other could cause problems. We’ll have a lot more chaos, certainly, if both contractors are underfoot while we’re serving up food and drink at the same time.”
She pauses.
“On the positive side, the work might get done faster.”
She grabs the rail of bar with both hands and hangs her head, contemplating the scenario. (Nothing like a little drama.)
“How about if we look at this as two independent projects, one upstairs and the other downstairs?” she says, once again walking along the bar. “This could work … I mean, mind you, it won’t be perfect. There will be some overlap, some interaction, particulary as materials are moved through the downstairs. But the fact that upstairs is essentially unused will help.”
“That’s all true,” I reply. I have to admit – I’m into the idea of getting it all done at once. “Upstairs work will be relatively independent. But as far as you and I are concerned, I don’t think it would work for one of us to manage the upstairs and the other manage the downstairs. We, as owners, need to both be ready to be yanked in two directions simultaneously.”
There is a pregnant pause. It is here that I decide I’ve had enough.
“OK,” I say standing up from my stool. “Let’s get off center, make a decision. I’ll go along with your idea of hiring both contractors, one for upstairs, one for downstairs, if we can agree to manage them together. I’d like you to be the first point of contact for both contracts initially, but I want you to promise to discuss any issues with me before giving them any go-ahead or response. For now I have to dedicate most of my time to training Jill until she is self-sufficient running the day-to-day operations. Once I’ve achieved that, I’ll be able to give more time to the project and construction issues.”
Bitsy leans against the barstool, processing and, for once, saying nothing.
I stand in front of her from across the bar. “Through all this, though, we have to be sure this project doesn’t come between us and our partnership. Let’s promise that.”
Bitsy nods her agreement.
“One more thing,” I add, “Because of the details in his proposal, I’d like to have Burton handle the downstairs contract. I’m also thinking that I’m personally closer to the downstairs operation so I might be a better fit to keep it going during construction and during Jill’s training. Besides, that might give me a chance to pick Jill’s mind a bit about adding the bookstore adjacent to the downstairs bar and dining room. We’ve already talked about that — things like separate front and rear outside entrances and an indoor doorway to the bar, movement of books, drinks, and food between the two areas, etc.”
Bitsy, still processing, seems slightly taken aback with everything I am asking for, but she doesn’t object. She extends her hand as she puts on her coat.
“Well, Cassie, I think we are on our way.”
And we shake.
Lots of contractual paperwork to clean up and modify, numerous design details to add or change, and of course financial arrangements to make before we get to the official award. Not exactly exciting stuff, but hurdles we must jump over to proceed to the good parts that will follow.