We Hired the Wrong Construction Consultant / Bandulu
We hired the wrong Construction Consultant / Bandulu!
Here’s what happens when you hire someone who isn’t as honest as they present themselves. This person I will call the crooked construction consultant – ‘Bandulu’. Hiring a so called shady construction contractor is something we all have to watch out for and they are not confined to one country, but universal, unfortunately.
Bandulu – noun – someone carrying out a crooked activity. One who participates in, orchestrates or profits from illegal or crooked activity.
A man from another community was hired to help us draw up the plans, submit the plans for permitting and help Rally with any construction issues. He presented himself as a professional and had experience in large construction projects. He had an extensive knowledge of construction, in fact, he was working on refurbishing the old Negril Yacht Club. We hired him to have the plans draw up, to acquire all our permits and help Ralston with any construction issues.
The Bandulu hired an architect to draw up our plans. He did help Rally with construction issues. He outlined the foundation. Submit appropriate forms for construction permitting – he did not! We paid him and he took the money and then we could not get ahold of him. He actually stiffed the Jamaican Architect also for the work his firm did in drawing up our plans. He had been working with us for over a year before we discovered his dishonesty.
We submitted 12 copies of our plans to the Parish Council in Sav-la-Mar for approval. A construction inspector came out to the lot to inspect our progress. At this point construction of the building was 3/4 complete. What happened next was a large fine for not obtaining work permits. We met with the Mayor and told him our sob story. He did what he could to help us out by not charging us the full fine, but we were still responsible to pay the permitting fees. The Mayor understood our plight, as we were not the only ones to have been swindled by the bandulu.
We asked the Mayor to not give the bandulu a business permit in his parish so no one else had to go through what we were going through. We also stopped all construction at this point. From Sept to December nothing was done, no one had a job, and no progress was made. We were not going to have another inspector come out and fine us again for permits not obtained. What we did find out from the first inspection was that our foundation was so solid we could build to six stories, even though our plan is only for a two storey resort. Well maybe eventually three floors. If we go four floors, we need an elevator !! I’ve thought about this.
We also found out that trying to track down the Bandulu was not easy! Papa Poo would try calling him or texting him daily. Ralston would constantly be on the lookout for him while he was on the road. They were relentless in trying to find him and get out money back. We had paid him to do all of these things for us, but he somehow did not obtain or pay for the building permits. When Ralston finally found him, he even had the nerve to ask for more money. Yes, he did! My response was that he owed us money because of the fine we had to pay. I would have gladly accepted the pink card for his car in lieu of payment. This was not acceptable to him.
Papa Poo was not a happy camper. We found the cash and paid the fine. We also found out that the very same bandulu had done the very same thing with the old Negril Yacht Club. To date, refurbishing of the club is not complete and all work on it has stopped.
Repercussions have their way of handling themselves. This bandulu is no longer a respected member of our community or the one he was in. He fooled us all, we paid the price, lesson learned and we carried on.
When stuff like this happens, you are angry in the moment, but you must remember the goal and not overreact or the disappointment will consume you. We were angry that we were fooled. We were embarrassed and we were also wondering why we hadn’t caught on sooner. We still needed to focus on the goal we wanted to reach. We had to pick ourselves back up, shake it off and keep going. This is what we do. We keep going because we can’t let one bandulu ruin it for so many. We just eliminate that person from our circle and carry on.
I have skipped ahead a bit here, but I wanted to share that we have submitted our plans and are awaiting approval.
Of course, once built I found things I should have changed. As much as I tweaked every drawing I made and the drawings I received I still forgot things – like storage space! But isn’t that always the way when you build – should have done this or that.
‘Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.’
Enjoy your day
Baba
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