The Rise and Fall of Contractor Sato-San (featuring Fumi the Fixer)

In this episode of the Buying a House in Japan podcast, the hosts welcome their friend Fumi, who has been crucial in managing their Beppu hot spring rental project. They discuss the various challenges they've faced, primarily focusing on their contractor, referred to as Sato-san, who has been unreliable and problematic. Fumi shares her experiences and the difficulties encountered in coordinating with Sato-san, including his numerous excuses and financial troubles. The hosts and Fumi also contemplate the future of the project, considering a new contractor, Mizobe-san, for the next phase of renovations. The episode ends with reflections on the lessons learned and the next steps forward.

00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Announcement

00:21 Meet Fumi: Our Beppu Project Partner

00:59 Fumi's Background and Connection to Beppu

02:43 The Sato San Saga Begins

04:00 First Impressions of Sato San

07:24 Red Flags and Concerns

09:15 Sato San's Disappearing Act

13:18 The Final Straw: Sato San's Vanishing Act

20:49 The Mysterious Message

21:07 Speculations and Suspicions

21:45 Evaluating Sato San's Work

22:31 Project Phase One Complete

22:44 The Rise and Fall of Sato San

23:44 Planning for Phase Two

25:27 Introducing Misobe San

27:58 Deciding on Renovations

37:03 Reflecting on Lessons Learned