The $21,000 Leak

So, about 14 months ago I got tired of looking at the bathroom walls being eroded by leaks next to the shower and also having replacing basement suspended ceiling tile due to errant water dripping down from the bathrooms.

I called 4 contractors to give me a "competitive, pencil-sharpening quote". Apparently they don't do either competitive or pencil sharpening.

There was Harold, who made the typical stereo-type plumber look like a G-Q magazine ad, who kept commenting on how he "hoped to get this job so he could put new tires on his truck."
So I decided on the contractor who actually showed up on time and gave me a written estimate who wasn't the cheapest but wasn't the most expensive. He convinced me to get some other "necessary work to complete now so it didn't cost more in the future".
Instead of just patching the 4" area of drywall by the shower, I was now getting two brand new showers...and as long as I was making the investment, I might as well get the best showers on the market...for "the sake of reselling your home".
He explained that the original showers were of "cheap builder construction grade" and that they hadn't been "plumbed" correctly when they were installed.
Oh, and since they would have to rip out some of the floor to install the new (state of the art) shower stalls, "you should update this cheap flooring and install nice tile for the sake of re-selling your house."

Then I looked at the front foyer and have always wanted that updated...well, at least after "The Hammer" explained that "first impressions are essential when re-selling your house". Then as he helped himself to a glass of water in the kitchen, I could see his eyebrows furrow with disdain as he surveyed the kitchen flooring.
"For just a few extra dollars......"
Perfect logic so naturally, being the logical person that I purport to be, I agreed.

Since he and his team of bandits were going to do new flooring for the two master bedroom bathrooms, the foyer, the kitchen, the only mis-matched room would be the third guest hallway bathroom so how could I say "no"?

So, after three weeks of living with dust and draining my bank account by over $21,000, I was happy...or was I?
(I did observe that their dress code should have included masks and the bill should have had a ransom note attached)

Well, it's been just over a year and I don't pay any attention to the flooring anymore.
The shower doors seem kinda heavy.
And if I spill anything over 4 ounces on the expensive Italian kitchen tile, it shows a dent.

Oh, and one more thing ~

The basement ceiling tiles have water stains re-appearing and their is a nice 3" water erosion mark in both bathrooms again...next to the expensive shower stalls that were supposedly installed correctly.
I guess I need to fix these things for "the sake of re-selling my house."

I just can't remember where I put Harold's phone number.