Every repair is an adventure. We asked our technicians and market managers (many of whom started out as real estate agents) for their wildest repair stories. We expected a few close calls. What we got were tales of bees and bats, cats and crawlspaces, and the kind of surprises you hope you never find over your head or under your feet.
In the spirit of the season, we’re wrapping them up for you as the 12 Days of Repairs. Pour something warm, settle in, and enjoy some of the strangest jobs Bluetape has ever taken on.
Day 1: The One With The Cat
When Brad arrived at the house, the client introduced him to Sam. "This is my cat." And Sam, enjoying the spotlight, ran up and dragged itself against Brad's leg then resumed the standard feline aloofness by walking off into another room.
The goal this day was to complete a few cosmetic upgrades then remove an old tub to install a new one tomorrow. Before leaving, Brad found the homeowner and said, "There's a hole in the bathroom floor. We put a cover over it, but keep the door closed so Sam doesn't get curious." The client assured him the door would stay closed..
The next day, Brad and the team brought up the new tub, installed it, sealed it, completed all the cosmetic work, thanked the owner, and left. Later the night, his phone rang. It was the homeowner. "I can't find my cat." She was near tears. "I swear I hear faint meowing but he's nowhere. It's like I'm going crazy." Brad had a feeling, so he asked, "Did you keep the bathroom door closed last night, like I said?" And the owner paused. A long pause. "No..."
So Brad got back in his truck and returned to the site. As he pulled into the driveway, he saw movement. The dryer vent on the home's second story. And flicking in and out from beneath the vent flap? An orange paw.
He grabbed his ladder, went up the side of the house, and, sure enough, there was Sam. Once the vent cover was removed, Sam put his head through and clambered out into Brad's arms. Sam was safe and healthy. The homeowner was happy. Brad replaced the cover, collapsed the ladder like a knight sheathing his sword after an act of valor, gave Sam a scratch, and went home.
(Yes, that's the real Sam in the photo).
Have you ever had a pet “help” with a repair? Share your story in the comments.
Day 2: The One With The Bees
“We thought we were just painting the interior of the house. Easy. Standard operating procedure before listing, right? I’ve done a hundred of these. But this one woke up the bees. There were so many we had to call a local beekeeper to come out. We cut the exterior siding open at two different spots so the keeper could remove the large beehives built between the home’s walls.”
-Susie Goad, Bluetape DFW Market Manager
Day 3: The One About The Windows
“We usually order the materials,” we told the client.
The homeowner shook their head. “We’ve already picked them out. We'll order. We just want you to install.”
We agreed to let them order, but only if they let us take measurements and leave instructions for them. They agreed. After several minutes of tape measuring and writing, we left them with a nice sizing guide. Then we stepped back and let them chase the dream window of their Pinterest board.
Weeks went by. Then months. Finally, the text came in:
“The windows are here! Ready for install!”
We showed up on site, pulled the first unit out of the packaging, and everyone went quiet at the same time. Our tech held the tape measure to the rough opening, then to the brand-new window.
Three. Full. Inches. Too small.
We could have said “We told you so” but that wouldn’t have solved anything. Instead, we got right to it. “Okay, here’s the plan.”
The crew reframed every opening, built out new trim, fixed the siding, patched the drywall inside, blended the texture, and repainted until everything looked like it had always been that way. By the time we were done, the house looked amazing and the windows finally matched the vision in the homeowner’s head.
This is why we order all the materials.
Day 4: The One With the Snake
I slid into the crawlspace on my stomach, halfway under the house, sweeping the flashlight around. I saw one snakeskin. No big deal. Then another. Then a third. Fourth, fifth, sixth. I counted ten total.
I didn’t see a single snake. Just those empty skins and way too many places for something to hide. So I did the only thing that felt sane: made as much noise as possible on my way out and hoped anything still living under there took the hint.
Inside, I told the homeowner what I’d found and asked, “Ever seen any snakes inside?”
She thought for a second and said, “Well… I did see something under my oven the other day, but I didn’t look too closely.”
Have you ever had a serpent intruder in your home?