So, about two weeks ago (while I was in the middle of the Busiest Two Months Ever) my washing machine started making this grinding noise that, being an expert washing machine person, I quickly diagnosed as "NOT GOOD." Of course this is a great time for it to break, because it's been two years since I bought it, and that is just about how long I expected a super-specialized, high efficiency, "is the only one that will fit in the space provided" washing machine to function properly without me having to call in some kind of super-specialized repairman from Mars to repair it. Just, of course.
Oh, do I sound sarcastic when it comes to appliances and other things not working? Perhaps that's a side effect of being on the co-op board, where we're always fixing something, or getting someone help to fix something, or voting on how something needs to be fixed. Of course, on the other hand, this is one of the sort of cool things about being a homeowner. At least it's my stuff to fix, after all!
I called the place where I got the washer, and since it has been more than a year, they were like "call the warrantee place," and lucky thing I paid for the extended warrantee, because you know they tried to hassle me until I had to yell and insist they send a repairman, because no, unplugging it was just not going to cut it. They finally agreed to send someone, but it absolutely had to be last Tuesday, which happened to be the day I was coming back after being out of town for four days, and I had two conference calls I was already doing while I was driving back, and they gave me a 1:00 – 5:00pm window that was totally non-negotiable, since they were coming from Mars and all.
I'm sure you know what I'm going to say next, which is that the guy showed up EXACTLY at 1:00, and I would have been home except I was stuck in a giant, inexplicable traffic jam on the 405 going north from San Diego, and I was almost out of gas, and I was tired, and my grumpiness factor was at about a million, but I convinced the guy to stay at my house, and he was crabby, and I was crabby, and when he got out of his van I noticed how small he was, and I determined there was no way this small, surly man was going to be able to pull out my stacked washer and fix it. Only that didn't matter, because when he saw my super-specialized washer, he clucked his tongue and said "This is not a very popular brand," and I was like "Look, how is that productive? It's the ONE I HAVE," and he said he had to order parts and make me another appointment, and I tried not to cry from frustration from rushing, and from the general tiredness and backlog of work and things that break and the fact that the small surly man was giving me a lecture on my washer choices instead of actual service.
I was too tired, though, so I was like "Fine, whatever. Come back whenever you want," and he ordered every part he thought could possibly be broken and made me (this is not a joke) an appointment for Thursday the 9th, FROM 8AM to 5PM, and told me that I should plan to really be here the whole time, because he was bringing another guy and some parts, and if I wasn't here, this time they weren't staying. The whole time, I stared at him like he actually was from Mars, waiting for him to laugh and say he was joking, but he didn't. NINE HOURS. For a broken washer. For real.
I guess the bottom line for me is, if you have a small space in which you're trying to fit a stacked washer/ dryer, and the choice is between remodeling your kitchen and getting the only one that will fit in the space that happens to be a Whirlpool H/E washer, I would go for the total kitchen remodel, because it might end up being easier and more cost-effective. Oh, and if you need to call me? I think you should totally do it on Thursday the 9th, because I will be around.