I have owned my own faux finishing company for 11 years. This means I am constantly going into the homes of complete strangers to look at their painting projects. Thankfully….I have always been safe.
I have, however, had a few scares. Since most of my blog followers are females, I wanted to share some safety tips with you! Because, unfortunately….there are crazy people everywhere!!
The following is a true story!
Once, several years ago, when I was very pregnant with my 2nd child……I went to a painting appointment. The home was about 45 minutes from my home and in a rural area. The home was set back on a long, long drive with iron gates leading into it. The gates were open for me. I thought the house was big and beautiful. But, I didn’t like that no one could see me on their front steps and certainly no one would hear me if I got into trouble inside of the house.
LESSON #1– there is safety in numbers. I should have used google earth to see where I would be. And then after seeing I would be in a rural area…I should have taken someone with me.
The potential client couple let me into their home and locked the front door behind me. I notice every blind in the home is drawn shut and the house is very dark even in the middle of the day.
LESSON #2– if you are having a contractor to your home and don’t want to freak them out…..don’t lock them IN your home and perhaps make your house appear welcoming with a bit of sunshine and lights on!
I was in the home to look at the potential client’s master bedroom. On the way to the bedroom, I notice gargoyles everywhere in their decor.
LESSON #3: Pay attention to your surroundings in a home. Look at their decor. I know some of you may disagree, but I think gargoyles are evil and demonic. I know some people believe they ward off evil, but I think they ARE evil. Get rid of the gargoyles in your home !!! They may look cute, but so do many other things that can kill ya.
After we step inside the master bedroom, I am absolutely stunned as the husband locks the door behind us. So now he, his wife and I are all LOCKED INSIDE of their bedroom. I can’t make this stuff up. I was floored!
LESSON #4: It is never, ever, ever appropriate under any circumstances to lock a woman contractor in a bedroom with you. I should have bolted for the door then. If you don’t want to freak someone out…..don’t lock them anywhere!!!!
I had brought in my portfolio of samples in with me. I was now shaking because I was so nervous about getting killed in this home. But, not sure what to do…..I set the portfolio down on the floor and then ABOUT PASSED OUT as this potential husband client LAYED DOWN ON THE FLOOR to look at my sample boards.
LESSON #5: Unless you want me to think you are crazy or a swinger….never, ever, ever lay down on the floor in a room you have locked me into with you! How can you even flip thru sample boards laying down on the floor??? Talk about ackward!
Lord only knows which sample I suggested to them. I was writing notes like crazy….wishing I had brought my cell phone in the house with me.
LESSON #6: ALWAYS bring your cell phone into a home with you. And memorize how to dial 911 in your pocket if you have to.
Then, after selecting a faux for the bathroom that I knew I would never work in…..these crazy people asked me to come see their basement that they just remodeled. I knew that I knew that I knew that if I went to that basement something bad would happen to me and I would wind up on the 6:00 news. There was NO CHANCE I was going down to some torturous dungeon with them!
LESSON #7: Its ok to lie to save your life . You can say “I will look at your basement the next time I am here” even if you know full good and well you will NEVER return to this home! That was exactly what I did. The point is….get out if you feel like you are in danger!
I tried so hard not to RUN for the front door. But, I controlled my steps. I prayed.
LESSON #8: Pray BEFORE you go into the stranger’s home!!!!!! It works so much better that way!
I called my husband the second I got into my car and told him if the iron gates to the property were closed, I was going to literally crash my truck thru them…pregnant and all. Thankfully they were not closed and I have lived to tell this story.
I had to be brave enough the next day to call this couple and tell them I was not interested in bidding their job. They asked me if I could refer them to someone else?
LESSON #9: Never, ever, ever recommend one of your competitors go to a gargoyle laden, door locking, blind drawing, husband laying house! We have to look out for one another!
In all seriousness, we live in a different world today ladies. Blogs, Facebook, Craigslist, the internet have all opened up a whole new can of worms for contractors…..especially female ones.
I recently had another home that I wasnt sure I was totally comfortable in, so my sister in law…..who happened to call as I was getting a few things out of my truck for the client…..stayed on the line for the remainder of the appointment. I just had my phone in my pocket and felt better knowing she could hear our conversation. Thankfully 99% of our clients and potential clients are amazing. But we still need to use wisdom for the other 1%.
Here are a few final tips:
Make sure when you go meet a client for the first time that someone knows the address of where you are going.
Make sure if you are uncomfortable in a home, you listen to your women’s intuition and the Holy Spirit. No job is worth your safety. I have refused to bid 3 jobs over the years because I was so uncomfortable in those homes. Trust your instincts…..there is a reason you are uncomfortable!
Make sure when you meet a client for the first time that a woman will be at the client’s home also so that it is not just you and a man alone. This is just a good boundary! Even if a man calls to make the appointment, it is ok to say things like “will your wife be available for the appointment?” or “are you using a designer who will be joining us?”
Make sure you don’t judge a home by it’s cover. Just because it’s in a nice neighborhood, it doesn’t make it safe!
Someday, maybe I will write a book on some of these crazy stories!
21 comments
lots of good tips, and what a crazy visit, but while I am not a fan of gargoyles myself I know several people who have them for good luck/protection (ie to keep EVIL away) and I sort of think they are harmless fun.
Wow! Glad to hear you made it out safely. That’s a good reminder. I’m a trusting person and I need to be more guarded and realize not everyone has good intentions.
my mom is a real estate agent and she has some stories in her 25 years of business… a boa constrictor curled up in a corner of the living room tops her list of homes she did not list.
I guess I have been lucky that I haven’t experienced anything like that. Your post is a great one though. There are some tips here that I should really consider doing, just in case.
Wow! I never really thought about that stuff, but then again, I don’t work in people’s houses. You must take precautions when looking at Craigslist listed furniture in strangers’ houses?
Lord have mercy! That was like reading a mini horror story! I’m glad you posted this it is always wise to be aware of your surroundings. Aren’t you glad Joe & I don’t own any gargoyles? Ha!
Be careful!
Nancy
I was shaking in my boots for you as I read this last night. I can’t believe the things you have seen and endured. Even though we’ve never met, I am so thankful that you made it out of there safely. How strange and scary!!
Carol
I can just picture that whole thing! Yes, always follow your intuition, and the Holy Spirit. That sounded just down right creepy.
YIKES!!! That first story!! 😮
I’m still shaking from reading that!! Praise God that you got out of that house! Bad intentions for sure, I could feel that spirit through your writing! So happy we still have our girl to show us all the gorgeous things she makes! <3
If I’m selling something on craigslist I always meet people buying so they dont know where I live, I dont want them coming back whenever they want to.. I always tell somebody where I’m meeting them & what time I’m going, what I’m driving and sometimes what I’m wearing.. Things that would be good things to know if you got taken.. Also do the same things when meeting somebody to purchase something from craigslist! Last summer my boyfriend and I (very pregnant at the time) was garage selling in raymore and we went to thus one really nice house.. driveway and garage was packed full of things.. Some creepy guy came out and said that everything in his house was forsale to.. He was putting off a weird vibe.. We didn’t want to go in but he was like its ok, go look.. We went to the basement that you went to thru the garage and he went inside his house.., we got to bottom of stairs and look around corner and there is all kind of swords and knifes on the walls.. We are walking out and my bf says he was gonna tell him we’re leaving.. So I stood at the end of the driveway waiting for him.. I was beginning to think he did something then he finally came out. I was scared to death!!!
If I’m selling something on craigslist I always meet people buying so they dont know where I live, I dont want them coming back whenever they want to.. I always tell somebody where I’m meeting them & what time I’m going, what I’m driving and sometimes what I’m wearing.. Things that would be good things to know if you got taken.. Also do the same things when meeting somebody to purchase something from craigslist! Last summer my boyfriend and I (very pregnant at the time) was garage selling in raymore and we went to thus one really nice house.. driveway and garage was packed full of things.. Some creepy guy came out and said that everything in his house was forsale to.. He was putting off a weird vibe.. We didn’t want to go in but he was like its ok, go look.. We went to the basement that you went to thru the garage and he went inside his house.., we got to bottom of stairs and look around corner and there is all kind of swords and knifes on the walls.. We are walking out and my bf says he was gonna tell him we’re leaving.. So I stood at the end of the driveway waiting for him.. I was beginning to think he did something then he finally came out. I was scared to death!!!
Hi Jennifer – great post and great suggestions. I have been there – and I am still alive, thanksfully. There have been a few times when I was truly worried.
No job is worth that!!
Great advice!
Linda
I was in real estate for years and met all kinds of strangers. I never wore shoes I could not run in – there were many heels I could run in, always had pepper spray in my pocket, while showing properties, I always insisted they walk in front “so I could perceive how they viewed each property”, had a friend call to check in and I would say it was the office – “it is in the red folder” was code for her to call 911 with the addresses of properties we were at. Had close calls, but always prayed before each meeting. Trust your instincts. These are great tips – so glad you are OK – that was beyond creepy.
Thankful you were safe!!
So important to listen to our instincts. They were given to us for a REASON! I work with a lot of male clients and in many ways, they are my favorite clients to work with because they usually trust my taste (otherwise they’d be designing their homes themselves) and they’re decisive. I’ve had a few scares of my own, though and have learned to trust my gut.
One tip I always use: always keep your car keys in your pocket so you can hit the panic button if needed. Your car alarm will go off, hopefully drawing attention and giving you an out if needed.
Glad you were safe!!
My son is a law enforcement officer and gets really nervous when he knows I’m having an open house for my business.
Wow! !! Crazy story. Mine wasn’t quite that scary. On Halloween a couple of years ago, I found 2 amazing dressers listed on CL. (Like you and gargoyles, I personally find Halloween evil. It’s my least favorite “holiday.”) Anyway, the dresser was the kind with the curvy front and graceful legs. The cheapest one I had seen was $150 and it was in rough shape.
The person was asking only $10 for each dresser! I contacted them almost immediately, asking if I could have them. They replied almost IMMEDIATELY, saying that someone from Columbus was coming to get the one and if I wanted the other I had better get there fast. I commandeered my daughter and her pickup truck to go!
The town where the person lived was about an hour away, but for that kind of bargain it would be worth the drive. The person asked me to send a text when we were about 15 minutes out. I did. At that point, she said that her friend was going to meet us instead of her. She gave me the friend’s phone number to text when we arrived at the house. This seemed a little strange to me, but okay….things come up. Friends do favors for each other. Talked myself into proceeding.
We pulled up in the driveway and texted the friend. She came out and explained that the dresser was in a storage unit about 10 minutes away. She said, “Follow me.” Again, little red warning sign, but still not too weird. Not weird enough to chase me away from a great deal!
We began following her…but she was going OUT of town! Up hills, around corners, farther and farther from civilization. What in the world?? Why would there be a storage unit out here in the boonies? We passed a guy just standing on the side of the road by a large pickup. He gave her a little two finger “hi” wave as she passed. Okay…another weird thing. What was a guy doing just standing there, out in the middle of NOWHERE, waving to someone we were following and all on Halloween eve?
A minute later, she turned down a country dirt road. Now, I might be a bargain hunter, and maybe a little naive, and maybe a little dramatic, but suddenly my thoughts turned to the movie “Deliverance.” Needless to say, as soon as she rounded the curve in the road, we pulled a u-turn and SPED back down the road, flinging gravel and dust on the pickup guy, and back toward town. When we got back to town, we hid in McDonald’s parking lot to lose her, just in case.
Point? Listen to your gut. God gave you that woman’s intuition for a reason. Those little red alarms that go off? Yeah, they’re for real. We should have turned tail at the first red flag. Did we escape an evil plot that day? I’ll never really know. But I DO know that if it seems too weird, and my “spidey sense” is telling me to run, then I’m gonna run!
A little caution goes a LONG way! Great tips and always trust your intuition. I do alot of estimate and estate estimating and I will be forwarding the addresses to my family BEFORE I arrive. Great suggestions!
Glad you are safe. And gargoyles are not great little things. They are evil, little things. That represent other evil things that are not godly in anyway.
I always find a way to incude in my intro “when I was a MARINE”that usually intimidates creepy men.