The Home Improvement Thread

[hutch]

I finally had a handyman out to look at some of my current issues last week. Doors, drywall, roof leak, The guy came out and said he has crews that can do it all. He said he would email me an estimate and they'd be able to do the work this week.

In spite of my follow up email, I've received no further contact. This is pretty typical with these handymen, isn't it?

We have had people come over to look at our bamboo growth and removing it. None of them bothered to follow up with estimates. And this is a very expensive job I am talking about.

This country is going to hell.

[Space Freely]

I finally had a handyman out to look at some of my current issues last week. Doors, drywall, roof leak, The guy came out and said he has crews that can do it all. He said he would email me an estimate and they'd be able to do the work this week.

In spite of my follow up email, I've received no further contact. This is pretty typical with these handymen, isn't it?

I finally got an estimate from the first place. Re-hang one door, three new doors, probably some work on the frames of each. Three small-ish drywall repairs. $7500. WTF? Moving on.

Company number two, same work, except they suggest repairing the three doors rather than replacing them. $1600. I know it's not apples to apples, but three plain new doors aint worth an extra 6K, right?

It seems like the first place is just assuming I'm stupid (I am, but not that stupid) and willing to pay anything.

[grateful]

I'd like to hear what your wife thinks.

Do we need a "Quotable Quotes: Missus Freeley edition" thread?

[Space Freely]

I'd like to hear what your wife thinks.

Do we need a "Quotable Quotes: Missus Freeley edition" thread?

She thinks home improvement, including dealing with contractors, is the man's job.

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

seems about as good as any thread to discuss

I'm curious of those out there who don't work for the Gov't who are either self employed or work for an SMB

My new employer said he'd cover the first $350 of my health/dental insurance

welp to get my family of 4 covered is going to cost me $22k a year!!!
at least it's pre-tax deduction, but ultimately is taking a HUGE chunk out of my take home pay


is that insane or normal?

also, I'd appreciate those of you with zero costs for your insurance to just step away from the keyboard and not comment

[hutch]

That’s insaaaane

I hate to say it but You need to look for a new job…what if someone in your family gets really sick? My medication is 20k a month!

[hutch]

I mean unless I am missing something that’s like not having insurance

I must be missing something

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

my employer is contributing $4200 a year (which is about 75% of my insurance)

they, like just about every other SMB I have worked for in the last decade, do not cover my family


Health insurance costs have gone up soo much
there is the factor that my wife and I are older now an the girls are 'birthing' age
so that probably is having an impact


the rub is I make too much to benefit from an ACA subsidy

[hutch]

Ok so you mean the insurance premiums. Got it.

I guess it comes down to whether they pay you more to compensate or not.

[evilizac]

Soooo, I've been putting off a major-ish HVAC project for about five years (while we've spent approx. $45K over the same time on roof, structural and water intrusion work). We get exorbitant electrical bills during winter because we have an electric heat pump system ill equipped for our 50s built rambler. Talking upwards of $600 to $800 a month on occasion (running the HVAC and space heaters). Wondering if folks have experience with upgrading insulation vs./plus what they're paying with a newer gas furnace for heat and if anyone has HVAC recs. around DMV.   
   Had folks bail, ghost and offer wild estimates on the HVAC and want to maybe get at least the main living area insulated with foam along with assessing our unfinished attic's insulation levels. This year's summer also killed us on electricity so maybe it's time to check our heating/cooling loss. Homeownership is a blast.
 

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

I think you have the right tactic, focusing on the physical efficiency of your home and where you are losing heat/cooling
Whatever solution you decide after getting that done will work much better and last longer
for sure get a smart thermostat, so you can make a schedule for heating and cooling...that will save lots too

the new heat pumps are vastly better than the ones made a decade ago

Also, if you have access to wood, look at the wood burning stoves.  especially ones with a catalytic combustor
modern wood burning stoves are crazy efficient compared to older ones too
but if you have to buy wood, eats into overall cost savings