The Latest Excuse

Ever heard of a gas supply hose connector? Neither did the guy who needed one to finish our oven installation. 

It hasn't been a propitious project. After getting the opening widened per the new oven's measurements, we were waiting for somebody - preferably the former guy but really, anybody - to come out and finish the installation. 

We were ready. All the box cardboard is broken down, de-stapled, de-taped, and waiting out in the carport for recycle day to go curbside. The old oven is gone, no charge, even after we contacted our garbage company to haul it away. We were even ready to pay their $40, that is until Steve informed me he'd seen two guys in a red pickup stop, look at the yellow tag, and haul the old oven away. I called the company to find out if by any chance that had been their people (I usually see big trucks), and if not, could I cancel the pick-up and the fee? We got both right answers.

I compiled all the remaining parts on top of the oven, at that point sitting back in front of the entryway closet door, which we still, thank goodness, don't need to get into. The loose veneer around the opening has been glued back in place before the oven partly covers it. That done, I called Wayfair to set up the (next attempt) installation. Everything was in place for Saturday morning, 8-10AM. I was disappointed to find out the previous guy was not the one who'd be coming out. The company which Wayfair contracts with in this area posts the jobs and whoever bids on it first gets it. I left a voicemail heads-up for our previous guy, but he wasn't first.

We were ready before 8. Masks were handy, breakfast eaten, dog fed, watered, and let out for a few, window blinds open to spot the installer coming. We waited, did our things, waited some more. Just before 10 the phone rang. Our installer was running late. When he showed, there were two people in the car, a man and a woman. Hmm? Car trouble, got a ride, enough explanation. Of course, this being Arizona and still very hot, she came in the house too, and once we explained where we were in the installation, she was helpful in picking up the other side of the oven to set it inside the hole. (I wasn't sure this skinny guy had enough muscles!)

It fit!

But...

First the electrical cord didn't reach the outlet. Apparently the old cord came out from the near side and the new one came out from the far side, related to where the outlet was. Luckily Rich was home, had a heavy duty cord 6 foot long, and the expertise and things needed to  convert it to the much shorter length needed. It was perfect. However....

The installer didn't think they'd sent me a gas oven. It must only need the electric connection just made, right? I informed him it was sold as a gas oven, and the previous guy said nothing about it being electric. More checking, and he found the connection in the back of the oven proving it used gas.

Now he needed to connect the gas. 5 minutes max, right? If you know what you're doing. 20 minutes later I asked how it was going. It wasn't. A part was missing. What was the part? He didn't know the name.

But he was on You Tube, researching gas connections. Oh goodie, a guy with experience! With gas! These things usually require a certified gas plumber. One was required when we got the new countertops because our gas stove top sat on it. He was required twice in fact, for the disconnect and the reconnect. And this guy is looking it up on You Tube?

EEP!

Still asking what we were missing, we got an imperfect description of what to look for, something like a metal tube threaded on both ends to fit between two different pieces of hardware (showed me one piece) to connected them together. Further research revealed an actual name: a gas supply hose connector.

A name isn't a help yet. After looking around the house, even through the recyclable box pieces, in all the possible places along with several improbable ones, we decided to quit for the day. We both made some calls. Mine were to Wayfair (out of the office till Monday) and one to the previous installer's voicemail asking if perhaps he had seen it but put it some place we didn't look, or even accidentally took it with him? Maybe he even knew it was missing but hadn't gotten around to saying anything because we'd already run into the won't-fit-the-hole problem?

I can't help but wonder if they are all standard. Could one be picked up at the store? Or is this another case where new technology meets old technology and things don't fit? You know, just like the earlier cord placement.

We won't have any answers for a few days, if then. On the plus side, the oven sits in the hole it will live in for the rest of its usable life. Once. We. Make. It. Usable. I made sure he didn't connect the electricity so nobody makes the mistake of trying to turn it on, even though he offered to. I guess he wanted to feel he'd accomplished something after two hours.  But we have our floor space back at least. If I ever think I need something from the front closet, like a jacket or an umbrella ... oh, nevermind. At least we don't have that particular bottleneck in our walking paths any more... for now. 

I'm getting pessimistic.