Robert Hargrove

I knew a lot about emotional leadership, but this job taught me about dollars and sense management.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I am renovating a house in Waltham, Ma on 7 acres of land that used to be owned by Swiss figure skaters, Frick and Frack, who were renowned for being able to contort their legs and arms on ice into the most bizarre positions. I am told by a local contractor that they built an ice skating rink on a part of the property that is now grown over with trees.

When I first started the project, a local plumber told me that the house was a “tear down” and it would cost me at least $60,000 just for the plumbing. That to me was a battle cry. I was determined from that moment on to prove that this arrogant, over priced, fat-ass plumber was all wet.

I recalled Thomas Friedman’s book “The World is Flat” which said that workers from any part of the world can compete with Americans for a fraction of the price without barrier to entry. If the concept of “outsourcing” works for big corporations, why not for small business and homeowners?

Ever since that regrettable meeting with the plumber, I have been working with a global, “World is Flat” assembly of contract workers who I found through Chinese newspapers, Craigslist.com, and the Home Depot Parking lot. We finished the inside restoration of the house and are now engaged in restoring the outside. The total cost of the job I guess will be about $80,000 (plumbing no more than $1000).

This included installing 45 new windows, fixing water damaged ceilings, painting the entire house, replacing all the outside window trim, installing a new kitchen with gorgeous marble counter tops, sanding the hardwood floors, building a new bathroom, restoration of a decrepit sun porch, construction of huge balcony on the outside, and a 1001 other items.

My motley crew of Chinese, Brazilians, Vietnamese, Columbians, Peruvians, and so on, have put that fat, overpriced plumber with a Boston accent to shame. Here is a specific example about that guy that pissed me off. When we first started working on the house, I needed to get running water working in at least one of the bathrooms. The plumber, who I will call Wally, came over and told me that the main source of the problem was a broken pipe in the basement.

He said he would fix the pipe for a fixed price of $250 dollars. Wally fixed it and left, but the water still didn’t run in the sink and the toilet. When I told him that, he responded that it was a fixed price contract and the normal price for fixing a pipe. Getting running water in there was going to require fixing the main valve for a cost of $1500 or more.

I called one of my Chinese friends who looked in the Chinese newspaper and called a construction company. About four guys showed up about 90 minutes later, fixed the main valve, got the kitchen sink going and not only restored water to the downstairs bathroom, but to the upstairs as well by replacing a pipe or two. Total cost: $150.

The interesting thing about my world is flat workers is that they are all generalists, not licensed specialists. The average guy can do carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting or whatever. While I had one problem with one group (a new bathroom floor that wasn’t level and had to be redone), I would chose my motley crew over that professional plumber and his cronies any day.

Moral of the story: If you are a big corporation, small business, home owner, and you have a dream that requires buying products and services that would be unaffordable at US (European) prices, consider going “The World is Flat” route. The chances are there is someone out there who can help you realize your dream by offering you quality products and services at a price you can afford.