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kreeningsons posted:Any tips for finding the rare people who will actually do a quality job? Have enough work and money to keep one of the few GC/carpenters that work for the wealthiest people in your area working for a minimum of several weeks and hope they have availability. These people do not advertise. They do not need to They typically drive brand new pickups with utility bodies with no signs on them. You find them through word of mouth with people who don't consider spending 6 figures to redo a deck they just had done 5 year previous just because they bored of it any kind of issue. The GC version of this person is gold, because they know all the right subs who can not only do this quality of work but do it on time and clean up after themselves appropriately. They probably don't have time to take your job.
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Mar 22, 2023 21:41
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Motronic posted:They probably don't have time to take your job. Then how about tips for finding the best person for someone of median income, median home value, and median renovation budget. I assume there’s a range of quality in that sector of the market. I hope so, at least.
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Mar 22, 2023 21:59
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kreeningsons posted:Then how about tips for finding the best person for someone of median income, median home value, and median renovation budget. I assume there’s a range of quality in that sector of the market. I hope so, at least. Word of mouth or getting lucky. There's no one weird trick. There are certainly good quality GCs out there who have a list of reliable subs that do good work who don't always charge an arm and a leg... but they're almost always mega booked unless you have an in with them. They still probably don't advertise, or if they do it's some website they had made for $1500 15 years ago and has never been updated since then.
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Mar 22, 2023 22:07
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kreeningsons posted:Any tips for finding the rare people who will actually do a quality job?
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Mar 22, 2023 23:13
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Word of mouth / networking for sure. Don't neglect your own role in these things. Contractors will respond to how you present. If you've done your homework and know what you want, if you come with a budget and priorities, you'll have better luck than if you're all "I think we want a remodel, please halp?" Also different people want different things. Quality isn't some universal objective. Utilitarian vs aesthetic, etc. You may work well with someone that your neighbor would not
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Mar 23, 2023 18:31
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At the end of the day, if you have no word of mouth way, the best you can do is try and interview them and get references. I personally had no word of mouth because everyone I knew in this area who had hired contractors had taken the lowest bidder types who screwed them over. I ended up selecting the one I went with because when we were doing a walk through of the basement he was pointing out things that might be potential problems, and when I told him that I had never hired a contractor to do this large of a job before, he spent a good 20 minutes or so doing a "well whether you go with me or not, I've been in this business a long time and here's warning signs you should look out for with whoever you go with". In general from the interview / estimation process I just got a good vibe from him and his attention to detail, and it seemed to have worked out well. Unfortunately there's not a better way that I could come up with besides trying to guess and taking a chance if you don't have recommendations.
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Mar 23, 2023 19:06
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okay this is a lot of work when can I do givesies backsies
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Mar 23, 2023 19:37
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Nextdoor kinda sucks but it does at least have a section where people can recommend various businesses and professionals, and you can see the total number of recs each place has had along with comments and maybe even photos. I have been using that to make decisions on who to call while I interview trades for my kitchen remodel, in conjunction with a document that people at work have collectively assembled over the years with personal recommendations. If you end up finding someone you work well with, they may even be able to recommend you other tradespeople they know and trust.
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Mar 23, 2023 20:51
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loving raccoons chewed through the roof to become illegal tenants in my attic. Your days are numbered the raccoon Hunter is under contract.
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Mar 23, 2023 23:20
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Elephanthead posted:loving raccoons chewed through the roof to become illegal tenants in my attic. Your days are numbered the raccoon Hunter is under contract. See what it'll cost to fix the rood & sheathing. The damage done by raccoons to get in is covered. The damage secondary to nesting & waste products is not covered, nor is removal. How do I know?  Raccoon poo poo is awful. Got a face full of it after pulling off this plenum inspection panel while the wind was blowing in Ocean City, NJ (different claim) 
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Mar 24, 2023 01:37
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Dr. Eldarion posted:We just leave the light on in the laundry room if something's in the washer. this is a good trick!
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Mar 24, 2023 01:44
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I need to finally reshingle my 35+ y.o. roof after a couple windstorms ripped some out. We would like to add a couple dormers to the unfinished side of the second floor to add some headroom for when we eventually finish it. It's a steep pitch, 12/12 or more so dormers would make a big difference. What expertise do we need to hire? I assume roofers could execute it but who do I need to design and plan it?
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Mar 25, 2023 15:17
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Probably a GC. Roofers for the roof, or course. But you'll need a carpenter/framer (whatever it's called where you are) to build the new structure. You'll also need any trades to adjust electric or plumbing that is in or that you want in that area. Also, an engineer and a permit probably, depending on your jurisdiction.
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Mar 25, 2023 15:20
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spf3million posted:I need to finally reshingle my 35+ y.o. roof after a couple windstorms ripped some out. We would like to add a couple dormers to the unfinished side of the second floor to add some headroom for when we eventually finish it. It's a steep pitch, 12/12 or more so dormers would make a big difference. You did report this to your homeowners insurance, correct?
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Mar 25, 2023 16:46
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PainterofCrap posted:You did report this to your homeowners insurance, correct?
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Mar 25, 2023 17:09
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spf3million posted:I did not. Is that claim-worthy? I'm in the process of getting a new roof, and everyone is constantly telling me to report any damage to said new roof to the roofer, and then to the insurer. I would say it's at least worth a call.
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Mar 25, 2023 19:33
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spf3million posted:I did not. Is that claim-worthy? My grandmother was getting similarly aged roof replaced last year. The roofer she called came out, found some old hail damage, and advised that she call her insurance. Insurance ended up paying to replace.
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Mar 25, 2023 20:01
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spf3million posted:I did not. Is that claim-worthy? If the roof is so old or in poor condition that whatever few wind-blown shingles can’t be replaced without damaging the surrounding shingles, then yes. Now, your roofer may be a little less-than-straightforward with you about this. It is increasingly difficult to find a roofer who will repair your roof. They all want to hit a home run. Ask them if your roof will pass a brittle test. If they mention anything about roof warranties, it’s probably repairable. Since you were prepared to replace the roof on your own dime, it can’t hurt you to file a claim for it. At worst, you might get a couple grand towards it. At best, a 35-year-old roof is probably as brittle as cornflakes, and they’ll pay for a new roof. They will take a substantial depreciation on it, but it’s recoverable once the work is done. Should go a long way towards financing your dormers. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 21:16 on Mar 25, 2023 |
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Mar 25, 2023 21:13
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Nybble posted:It doesn’t have to be a flipper house, just the PO hiring the cheapest possible painters to try to rent, fail, and then sell the house. Air Intake painted, power panel painted, lots of “oh they didn’t even remove the plug wall plate”, and the kitchen cabinets repainted with wall paint. Our house was painted entirely in this flat white color and they didn’t even bother to cover the light bulbs.
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Mar 25, 2023 21:21
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Really not happy with Costco's delivery process for our washer & dryer. They changed the date twice, the time twice, then showed up without the right crew (they forgot to tell the driver it was a haul-away or that it was up two flights of stairs), rescheduled again, then called me to reschedule again. I have to leave it for my wife to deal with now because it was either during a day I have to be in the office, or another 1.5-2 weeks from now (assuming they don't reschedule again). Next up: Monday delivery of a Bosch 500 dishwasher and departure (hopefully?) of our garbage-tier Whirlpool unit, followed by yanking back the carpet in the living/dining room and figuring out the soft-spot issue in the floor. I keep putting that off because I'm terrified of what I might find.  Tiny Timbs posted:Our house was painted entirely in this flat white color and they didn’t even bother to cover the light bulbs. My favorite thing in any house is to pull off old fixtures and see the rainbow of terrifying and/or badly-dated colors and wallpapers behind it. Somewhere back around 2010, our master bathroom was painted with a hideous orange-brown that I'd describe as "Bilibrubin Brown." Flipper White was a loving upgrade, I tell ya.
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Mar 25, 2023 22:07
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Sundae posted:Really not happy with Costco's delivery process for our washer & dryer. They changed the date twice, the time twice, then showed up without the right crew (they forgot to tell the driver it was a haul-away or that it was up two flights of stairs), rescheduled again, then called me to reschedule again. I have to leave it for my wife to deal with now because it was either during a day I have to be in the office, or another 1.5-2 weeks from now (assuming they don't reschedule again). Make sure to inspect it for damage. I've got a coworker who had to send two back to Costco because of shipping damage.
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Mar 25, 2023 22:47
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The Costco Hired Goons that delivered my w/d didn’t do anything right, I’d have them dolly the appliances to your general utility location and hook them up yourself.
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Mar 26, 2023 00:45
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Anyone want to talk about HVAC filters? What do you tend to use?
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Mar 26, 2023 05:05
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skipdogg posted:Uhh I wouldn’t use RTV. Sanded caulk ended up working out great, and was able to color match almost exactly. Thanks!
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Mar 26, 2023 05:18
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kreeningsons posted:Any tips for finding the rare people who will actually do a quality job? Ask a local architect who does higher end residential. They'll have a list of the local quality builders who aren't methheads, who in turn will know all the best subs.
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Mar 26, 2023 05:45
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QuarkJets posted:Anyone want to talk about HVAC filters? What do you tend to use? I use Koch XL8 2" filters. I tried to go to merv 10 but the increase in static pressure was just a little too much.
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Mar 26, 2023 06:24
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I can't handle anything over merv 4 or my ac struggles.
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Mar 26, 2023 07:13
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QuarkJets posted:Anyone want to talk about HVAC filters? What do you tend to use? No specific advice, but: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkjRKIRva58
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Mar 26, 2023 14:45
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HVAC filter advice from my repair guy - the real secret is to replace more often. Don't bother with the super high end unless you have allergy issues. Merv 10s go on big sale fairly often (16x25x1 here also very common in the area), so I stock up when they do.
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Mar 26, 2023 15:05
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My air filter is a stupidly unavailable size of 30x30x1. There are no deals to be found in that size.
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Mar 26, 2023 15:31
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We are currently in the southeast where Pollen is the local annual disaster event (besides the occasional hurricane) we run a 3M allergen filter from ~February until our car stops turning green every three days (early June?) and then switch to generic. We are standard 20x20x1
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Mar 26, 2023 16:08
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Are these the filters in the ceiling of rooms, or is there a filter closer to the system that I’m completely neglecting? The ones in my ceilings are: 4 12x12 1 12x24 1 20x25 We get the mid priced allergen ones and replace at 60-90 days depending on pollen levels.
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Mar 26, 2023 16:19
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nwin posted:My air filter is a stupidly unavailable size of 30x30x1. There are no deals to be found in that size. Not the super high MERV but 4+ for 6.99 and once you get above $50 shipping is free I believe: https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-30-in-x-30-in-x-1-in-Allergen-Plus-Pleated-Air-Filter-FPR-7-HDX1P7-013030/315174448
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Mar 26, 2023 16:21
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No ceiling/wall filters here, just the one on the hvac unit. Even with a merv 12 I only have to replace it every 4-5 months, it’s nice. Not a ton of pollen, dust, etc to deal with.
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Mar 26, 2023 17:06
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I've got a 16x25x4 filter and I stick a MERV 14 in there and replace it every 6 months and it's fantastic. The downside is that because it's 4" thick, it has to be accessed directly off the HVAC blower in the attic, but since it's only once every 6 months it's not too bad.
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Mar 26, 2023 18:10
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I went with MERV11 after I ran out of the filters the PO left in the garage, but my utility costs have been brutal this winter, so now I'm wondering if I'm forcing the system to work harder and should go to a less restrictive filter.
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Mar 26, 2023 18:17
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skybolt_1 posted:Not the super high MERV but 4+ for 6.99 and once you get above $50 shipping is free I believe: gently caress yeah. Thanks!
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Mar 26, 2023 18:26
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How to know when to replace? Seems like regardless of MERV all the Home Depot stuff says to replace every 90 days at minimum, but obviously I dunno if that is needed.
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Mar 26, 2023 19:07
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Anyone using a washable kind or are those ill-advised?
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Mar 26, 2023 19:31
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I've got that (nominal) 16x25x5 so I basically take whatever the store has. Typically just one option and it's CAD $40+.
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Mar 26, 2023 20:46
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