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