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melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 409
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 11:57 am: | 
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I mean it. I am thinking that, with my graduate work in Psych, that someone
should provide a service for the trauma associated with too much renovation. Who's with me????
I am currently doing:
roof
exterior painting
bathroom
kitchen
removal of paint from stone on front of house
My thought was, "I'd rather have a REALLY bad two months, than spread the pain throughout the year." I just didn't realize how stessful it would be.
Dr. Phil??? Sigmund??? Are you there?
Cuckoo!
 m |
taam
Citizen
Username: Taam
Post Number: 151
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 3:28 pm: |
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that's very funny you said this, b/c my cousin, who is married w/ 3 young kids (3,5, & 9yrs), finished renovating her entire house about a year ago. it took about 6 months, start to finish. she & her husband actually wound up going to a marriage counselor for a couple months & said it was the best thing they could have done. - and she's repeatedly said, "i will never do that again. no matter where/when we ever move again. - too much strain on the family. she said it was hard for the kids too, b/c they're area of play was cut down considerably (backyard was all construction materials, house was all under construction..etc.)
so...i don't think you are crazy at all. hang in there. i'm sure you will be happy w/ the outcome! good luck!
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Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 123
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 3:50 pm: |
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You can't believe how many people renovate their houses only to put it up for sale shortly thereafter because the marriage has broken up. You have to be really strong to survive all the chaos going on. We try to hold our clients hands and make everything as easy as possible. Been there..done that..Hope you are finally finished and back in order |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7325
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 4:12 pm: |
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I've always considered a good marriage counselor an essential part of renovation. As important as a good contractor.
We're in year 2 of our 1 year moratorium on renovations. Just can't bring ourselves to face it again after the kitchen.
Several years ago, we had contractors constantly from September through June. It wasn't planned that way. It started with us deciding to paint the bedroom one weekend. Blah, blah, new ceiling. Then, unplanned things started breaking. Then we painted the house. And on and on. Nothing major, there was just never a time when some random, strange men weren't in our house.
One night, I had a nightmare that I was running around the house naked, holding my clothes and trying to find just one room where there wasn't some guy either in it or working outside the window on a ladder.
I think we waited 3 years to do another project. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13778
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 4:17 pm: |
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greenetree to the rescue!
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Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 4295
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 4:45 pm: |
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My MOL blog was my renovation therapist. Trust me, it helped immensely! |
Jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 554
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 9:43 pm: |
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How about group therapy? I'm pretty sure we could get a virtual group.
Oh wait, Home Fix It already exists. I'll start.
Ahem... how does your renovation make you FEEL?
I'll share a little about... my... oh gosh... my experi-... my GOD! I can't believe this is so hard... I wasn't gonna cry. Hold on... I'm... no, I"m... I"m okay. No really.... OH GOD! @#$%, the @#$%ing @#$% house, @#$%!!!
Oh man that felt good.
Can't post. Crying.
J.B. |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 413
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 9:07 am: |
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THANK GOODNESS my husband and I are on the same page about it all (i.e., he says, "Whatever" a lot).
Greene, I had a nightmare that the painters started sanding the house and ALL of the shingles came off. THEN the roofers pulled off the roof and there was NOTHING under it. I was watching from the street and said, "What's holding it all up???" CRASH!!! The whole thing came down...I woke up laugh-crying.
Roof is done...house is sanded. next???
m |
jeffl
Supporter
Username: Jeffl
Post Number: 1667
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 9:23 am: |
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I am a PhD clinical psychologist in the middle of a renovation, without a kitchen for the past two months. We've had no stress over it at all and the answer is quite simple, scotch and wine. Never run out. |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 1562
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 9:23 am: |
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melicious, Although we have done a lot of projects with our house, we have avoided doing too many things at once because I think it would put me in a straight jacket. But, one project is often enough to make me fall to pieces. One time, I was actually brought to tears over the color yellow when we were having the rooms in our house painted. Yellow, actually made me cry. Not just a tear drop or two -- uncontrollable sobbing. "But it's so....so....YELLOW...I don't know if I picked the right colors....what if it looks ridiculous..."
I've been an intense blabbering idiot during many house projects - there are so many little decisions to make it is enough to drive you nuts. |
Spanky
Citizen
Username: Spanky
Post Number: 102
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 12:02 am: |
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We had to move out at the last minute due to water loss. It was expensive, yes, but worth it to save sanity in our lives and marriage. My young son was much happier when we moved out. Fortunately we had budgeted a rental fee just in case; I'm so glad we were able to do that and would move out again in a second. |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 1447
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 1:52 pm: |
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With all due respect, some of you guys sound a little whiny. Do you have any idea how many people in teh world would LOVE to be have the additional disposable income to do renovations on their house? There are people who can't even afford to buy a home, let alone do substantial remodeling and renovations. Or there are people whose entire homes just blew down in Tennessee due to tornados, or were flooded in New Orleans. I try to remember this every time I gripe about renovations being done on my house .... and currently I have no front door access to my house due to some renovations. I have had everything from major gut work done on kitchens (yes, while living there) to the entire interior house painted (again, while living there) and so on....plus I am divorced ... although that has nothing to do with our renovation projects. I understand there was a facetious nature to these posts, but really....get some perspective. Be glad you have the money to do this, and be glad you have a spouse to get through it with (I don't). |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7371
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 1:57 pm: |
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I get it. Stress over living in a construction zone = no compassion for people who are in desparate straights.
You are right; I feel ashamed. Please let me know to which charity you donated all the proceeds of your Maplewood home and I will follow suit.
How dare you judge people? Hey, I have a spouse, but you be glad that your mother isn't living alone and dying of a painful disease. Wanna start a competition on who suffers the most? |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 1448
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 2:01 pm: |
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Greenetree, I wasn't trying to start a fight, but I just have trouble sometimes listening to people who are spending $100s of thousands of dollars gripe about how stressful it is. It's kind of annoying. That's all. |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 1578
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 2:07 pm: |
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Zoesky - I don't think anyone here is saying that these issues are greater than any other in the world. It's just a matter of venting about the things that go on in our lives -- that's one of the things MOL has to offer - a way to vent a bit.
Are you saying that people can't vent about the things going on in their lives if other people out there have it worse? If you really live by that logic - don't ever complain that you're getting hungry near lunch time because there are people starving in the world and you have no idea what "hungry" is and it would be insensitive for you to think you're hungry. Don't complain about the price of gas - you're lucky you even have a car to fill up or a job that you have to use gas to drive to....you could go on and on. It reminds me of the old response my mother used to give when I didn't want to eat my vegetables "Eat it - don't you know there are people starving in China?"
Just because people vent about some of the smaller things in their lives doesn't mean they don't have compassion about other people's lives or recognize how lucky they are to have the things/opportunities they do. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7372
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 2:11 pm: |
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There is, of course, a solution: you don't actually have to read this board.
Unless someone is holding a gun to your head.
In which case, you should stop whining because there are people in this world who don't have anyone to hold a gun to their head. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13830
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 2:11 pm: |
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The title of the thread says that this is where people come to gripe about the stress of home renovation. I think it's a great idea.
I've started threads on Darfur. I'm not sure why they died quickly. I don't think it's for lack of compassion. Perhaps we just don't know what to say about it.
I also start threads for griping about trivial things. We all need to vent about whatever is going on in our lives.
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taam
Citizen
Username: Taam
Post Number: 156
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 10:07 pm: |
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by the way...roof being done & house already sanded are 2 big/loud issues that are now out of the way! congrats! |
Jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 570
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 11:52 pm: |
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You know what really annoys me? How expensive it is to maintain my collection of classic and performance cars. I mean why is it so damn hard to find NOS doorhandles for a 1958 MGA?
Oh, and don't get me started on how hard it is to find a good private pilot who doesn't have bad breath! What's with those guys? Is it from inhaling all those jet fumes?
Any hoo, what were we talking about?
J.B. |
jeffl
Supporter
Username: Jeffl
Post Number: 1671
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 8:17 am: |
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That settles it, I'm flying my general contractor down to New Orleans. (I only wish I could.) |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3580
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - 10:37 am: |
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O.K. you guys are scaring me now.
We're scheduled to start a major addition in the next month or two, and now I'm really scared about it. I know what it's like to have contractors around all the time, and I know about the mess and inconvenience, and I know I've really done this to myself (I understand where you're coming from Zoesky) so I should just shut the hell up!
Never even took into account marriage and relationship issues would be something to worry about!
Very, very luckily for me, I have place to go away to for the month of July so I can be out of the middle of the messiest (I hope) part of it. But they're saying 6 months from start to finish--which puts us right smack in the middle of holiday season!
And that doesn't include all the stuff I have to do prior to starting, and after they're done.
You guys are really scaring me. Like J.B. I'm feeling like I might have a good cry about this. But I should be happy. And I brought it all on myself! Oy vey! |
mark halliday
Citizen
Username: Markhalliday
Post Number: 39
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 1:29 pm: |
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OK..... I am a licensed General Contarctor and am finishing my Masters in Psychology(only the last part of my thesis left) and I've read all the above.
I have been on the verge of insisting all prospective customers watch the " Money Pit" and "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream Home" before having any work done. I have also worked in systems in corporate america for 25 years. Most of the customers who can afford to buy and then renovate homes in Maplewood are white collar professionals. And, not to trivialize what WCP do, when you work in the physical world, change is more than using an eraser and the delete key.
AS much as I genuinely appreciate how incredibly disruptive work on your house can be I am absolutely puzzled at people's surprise and consternation. Really, what did you think it was going to be like???? Its messy, weather dependent and absolutely ruled by Murphy's law. As was said earlier - scotch and wine do the trick. I DO blame contractors for not properly preparing people for the mess and agravation about to descend on them....but it blows what little mind I have left at how surprised and ultimately naive(sic. blind) some people are.
I feel better now.....we'll be having group sessions Thursdays, 8:00 at the GASLIGHT
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LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 1594
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 1:47 pm: |
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Ya know Mark, people complain about the stress and disruption of all sorts of positive things in their lives. Take for example, Children. You can never truly prepare for what it means to have children - you wanted it and welcome it, yet when it happens, you cannot believe how much stress and endurance it requires.
So, my advice to you is that when you counsel people in your future job when they have issues as parents, please don't tell them "what did you expect when you had kids" -- not the best advice. |
mark halliday
Citizen
Username: Markhalliday
Post Number: 40
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 3:14 pm: |
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personally, I do everything I can to set expectations including realistic timeframes, how much pizza to order and whether to get a hot plate or not. I know I sound hard hearted and a little unsympathetic........but as a GC I'm a little tired of bearing the brunt of a client's ire. So, am I being too sensitive ????? |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 1595
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 3:29 pm: |
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Nah - if we have a right to vent about being on the receiving end of the services, you have a right to vent about being on the other side too....
That's good that you try to set expectations - I've had some contractors who have been better than others at setting expectations and communicating and others don't even bother trying. The source of most of my frustration with projects isn't with the contractor not setting expectations up front, it's with their not communicating on a regular basis about progress, what to expect next, what is going on schedule and what isn't, etc. You're just left there wondering if you're EVER going to be done and why they didn't tell you about delays in getting the fixtures for example.
Even when you go into a project as the client with realistic expectations (e.g., things change from the original scope, things can take longer than expected, etc.) there are still frustrations.
There's just no way anyone can fully prepare you for what the actual experience will be like. You have to go through it to know it and everyone's experience is different. |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 1596
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 3:48 pm: |
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To add to that...
Just thinking about your reference to the difference between working in a white collar profession v. physical work - I think when you work in the WCP world, you have expectations about your business dealings - you're used to people showing up to meetings on time, you expect regular status reports and notification when problems arise, etc. I think (at least for me) those expectations extend to my business dealings when hiring a contractor. I expect them to show up to work when I've hired them for a project (and I'm not talking about conditions like rain or snow that would prevent them from being able to work), I expect them to show up at the time we set to meet, I expect that when I leave a voice message, I'll get a return phone call in a reasonable amount of time.
I don't think I'm alone in being completely dumbfounded when those basic things don't happen with certain contractors.
That said, I have worked with contractors who have been excellent and have met or exeeded my expectations, even on projects that took longer than I expected, or had snags along the way. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7423
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 4:42 pm: |
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It's stressful whether you have expectations or not. I suspect that people who do not have realistic expectations are more stressed.
Our renovation went pretty much as I expected. Well, except for the part where the contractor kept regular 1p-5p office hours in a local bar, things started falling apart after 4 months and Bondo was used for punch list items. But, I digress....
Even so, when your home is torn up and your life is disrupted, it is stressful. Even stress of your own making wears on you. A perfect contractor who shows up every day, with no delays or surprises, makes no mistakes and has no cost overruns is still a group of strangers in your house, making a mess, etc., etc.
I hope that you are joking about the psych thing. Otherwise, we may want to consider taking a course on Paranoia and another on Empathy. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 3270
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 7:12 pm: |
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We have major things doing this spring/summer. Bedrooms painted & floors refinished, house painted, roof replaced, driveway paved and 2nd floor bathroom re-do. Some stuff will be a family fun project, other stuff not so much. Not looking forward to any of it - so, when it all sucks, it won't be a surprise. |
taam
Citizen
Username: Taam
Post Number: 165
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 8:03 pm: |
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ok soorlady...we'll be ready & willing to hear/read your posts this summer. good luck! |
mark halliday
Citizen
Username: Markhalliday
Post Number: 41
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 1:43 am: |
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Actually the psych(organizational) masters is true...goes back to my corporate days. Merrill was willing to pay for it so what the hell. I fully appreciate the well earned stereotype of not returning calls, not showing up and so on. I have had nothing but problems getting my plumbing and concrete sub-contractors to return calls and show as promised. I figure I'll make a good living just by returning calls and showing up. I was trying to explain to someone the other day about the differences between blue and white collar(having been on both sides of the fence). Its two entirely different mentalities, attitudes and approaches to work and life. And its beyond the size of this text box.
My parting shot.....I have responded to requests from this site, emailed pictures of work, responded to requests for estimates and done follow up calls...the hit rate from the other side hasn't been as good as I would have expected as well.
My real parting shot - make sure who you hire has good references that you have verified and its always best to ask around or stop at houses being worked on to check a contractor out. I also highly recommend that, depending on the size of the job, you and your contractor meet regularly. The agenda should be schedule, open items and decisions and state of actuals versus budget. I'm converting a garage into an art studio and we have had more than our fair share of surprises and set backs but we meet very regularly and exchange frustrations and anxieties. Lastly, make sure you contract is performance if not date based, don't make the mistake of breaking the job up into the classic " a 1/3 at start, a third halfway and the last third on completion". Break it up into smaller payments based on " Sheetrock up and taped" or "wall framing complete" type targets. You don't give a large amount at one time and he now knows, until the sheetrock is up and taped, he's not seeing another cent.
I've run out of steam.....good luck and keep the scotch handy...for both of you |
Psychomom
Citizen
Username: Psychomom
Post Number: 118
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 3:46 pm: |
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I'm sure it must be a giant pain to have your house disrupted etc but at this point I would give anything to be able to have all the work done that is needed on my house without having to squirrel away money for one piece at a time.
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13904
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 3:56 pm: |
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If it's any consolation to you, psychomom, it could be that you and I are unwilling to go into debt to make renovations, and some of these elaborate renovations are financed beyond the homeowner's means.
In the long run, I think people like you and me win out. We're not as conspicuously keeping up with the Joneses, but that's just an ego problem, not a financial one.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7452
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 4:40 pm: |
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I don't know too many people who do it all at once. Some big ticket items you have no choice on. It's hard to do half a kitchen and it costs more in the long run. We have a magnificent kitchen but have had plastic bags up in the shower in our upstairs bathroom for a year because the tile is so old. It's not in the budget yet. |
Morrisa da Silva
Citizen
Username: Mod
Post Number: 442
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 7:44 pm: |
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O.k We've been squirriling money away for home renovation - on the list is finishing our attic with dormer or dormers and adding a bath and also redoing our 2nd floor bath. But here's the problem: I think we have "Fear of Renovation" issues. It all seems so daunting. Finding the right people, finding the right look and products. My Husband and I don't make these kinds of decisions well together- We are each either too opinionated or clueless.
A renovation therapist/guru would be just the ticket. |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3598
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 8:07 pm: |
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Or an architect.
That's the route I chose. I felt it was worth leaving all the niggling little details up to professionals who do it for a living every day. Hopefully, there will be a little less stress involved because someone else is going to be worrying about schedules and deadlines and payments and placement, etc., etc.
I would NEVER think of undertaking a huge renovation/addition project and acting as my own GC! |
Jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 584
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, April 27, 2006 - 8:32 pm: |
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I wasn't crying about the G.C. I was upset about the leaking bathroom that made the G.C. necessary. When I'm rich and I choose to have work done, I might have different emotions than I do living in a house for less than a year and having both of the full bathrooms rain water onto the floor below. One was into the newly finished kitchen the previous owner did.
White collar professional or blue, it sucks. This is just the best place to gripe, because people understand.
(I was only pretending to cry. I'm actually dealing quite well.)
J.B. |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 417
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 7:16 am: |
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well, the painting is almost done. the guy to remove the paint on my stone STILL hasn't shown (3 weeks into it) so I can't paint the front of my house. bathroom demo starts today.
fyi, i have been doing my kitchen $1500 at a time over YEARS AND YEARS. we don't have a lot of money, and aren't doing 100K in renos. our paint was peeling off, leaving rotting wood - that's a must do. the roof leaked - must do. we have no bathtub in the house and 3 kids - should do. i am entering the final few K on the kitchen - did much stuff myself.
we saved and used some equity because we MAY be selling and NO ONE would buy this baby without all this is done.
i think that yes, "i did do this to myself" but also, no matter what stories some one tells you:
a) you still need to do work on an old house
b) you protect yourself from 'a' and 'b' happens
c) i am not, like most folks, a contractor/craftsman and have no IDEA what can go wrong and how long things can take (and even the best contractors tell you one month when they mean 2 when they are getting you to sign).
with that said, i have moved my family into our addition during construction (closed all bedrooms upstairs and sealed them with those plastic windows) based on the dust reports you all gave, gotten all the letters and legals i could (based on you people's experience), used the contractors recommended here and purchased my materials from the places you people dig/find to be of quality and value. for that, i am truly grateful.
did i cry when they sanded outside and 20 shingles fell off??? sure!!!
do i lay awake worrying if the bathtub will crash through the floor? you bet!!!
so, thanks for giving me all the preparation you could, and all the support!
back to trying to find a cheap sink!
m
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MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3616
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 7:53 am: |
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FWIW, we are not made of money here either. We've been looking to move to something bigger and realized there ain't no way we're touching anything else in this town. We looked at one house that would have been the perfect size. The location was nice, but much, much further from town than we are right now. We could have probably gotten a "deal" because the house was in need of a lot of work, which we're not afriad of. But the "deal" would probably have been a half a million (scary when you think of it that way). On top of that we would have had to re-do the kitchen because it was particularly horrendous. And a whole host of other things, small though they were, would have added up to at least another $100,000.00!
So, the best solution for us was to stay here and add on. We've been in this house almost eight years, and I laugh when I think how little we paid (in comparison to what we'd pay today). Even with using some equity, we're still way ahead of the game in terms of mortgage! And there are plenty of larger houses in this neighborhood, so we're not pricing ourselves out of the market when it comes time to sell. Although, we have no plan to sell. With the addition, we're here for the duration! |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2692
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 9:21 am: |
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Work in IT as a WCP and you will find home reno a walk in the park. At least you can SEE some of the issues in home reno!!!
As both a person with major issues going on, and a person who persists in taking on home reno projects (nothing as big as ripping out the only bathroom, but big enough), I second the scotch/wine idea -- along with planning these things for warm weather when you can grill, hose yourself off outside and similar. And hunkering down for a long-ish period of upset. I wouldn't begrudge anyone their stress on these things unless they wre woefully short-sighted about the level of upset. Even interior painting (just finished a multi weekend project) is disruptive and stinky!
Just remember, too, it's usually worse for the neighbors. They're getting nothing out of it! Our neighbors' house was sanded and painted last year while my husband was sick as a dog from chemo. It sukked!
Only people who get to me are the politically correct windows people.
My great dream would be to completely move out of the house, lock/stock/sickly husband/kid/dog/cat/hamster and have those Extreme Makeover types come in and work 24/7 to do every possible thing. Short of that...it's me and my tools and my pie in the sky ideas about what I can do alone. |
Jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 606
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 4:55 pm: |
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Who are the "politically correct windows people?" I don't like the sound of 'em.
J.B. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2693
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 - 8:37 pm: |
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Oh, once and awhile someone gets on a rag about original windows preservation and the older houses. I'm sure they're right on a really cool older house, but there gets to be a tone of "if only you'd dedicate the necessary time to learn how to.." do weird stuff with pulleys and so on. It's like your choices are learn how to do it yourself (with whatever free time you have) or pay someone and arm and a leg to do it for you. Just gets all moralistic sounding. I'm as aesthetically minded as the next person, and don't like to see low grade vinyl siding on a nice house, but REALLY...
Believe me, the windows in my 1950 cape cod are a pain, and there's been too little care by previous owners, too much painting of the tracks. In a heartbeat I'd get all replaced with wood clad vinyl (no one would care though cuz it's not a cool house, so to speak).
So, all by long-winded way of saying I sympathize with anyone going through renos of whatever sort. Liquor helps. |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 148
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 9:13 am: |
|
Just loved reading all these posts. Rich and I have worked on our 1927 Craftsman bungalow for 22 years. It really is necessary to learn to do most of these things yourself or you will be in home improvement H.E. double hockeysticks. Rich was also in the systems end of the corporate world before we started Honey Do List.
I think this makes the best contractor since he is used to scheduling and handling calls. (and the ability to do the job notwithstanding). Having the woman behind the man (that would be me) keeping things on time and on the money lets the customer know he is being spoon fed throughout the job and things will turn out well in the end. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7466
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 9:58 am: |
|
Sherri - I haven't met Rich yet, but I gotta tell ya that having someone pick up the phone when I call your number is such a reassuring feeling. I hope he's as good as you & a couple other posters say he is.
Our "major projects" contractor is also someone who had a former career & he is just amazing. Another poster (George Berkely) left his "normal" job for contracting stuff and also seems to be booked months ahead. You may be onto something with your theory. |
Jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 628
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 8:54 pm: |
|
Cynical,
Oops, I think I might be one of those "politically correct windows people." 
I haven't had to do windows yet, but I would like to keep our house, c.1921, as authentic as possible.
I'll try not to rant about it, but I too am against vinyl siding. I have stronger opinions about these "instant" bathrooms redos where they cover everything with plastic molds. I don't care when your house was built -- Yuck!
J.B. |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 151
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 30, 2006 - 9:00 pm: |
|
Greentree,
Thanks. If I am home, I definitely pick up the phone. But if not at home I check messages througout the day and return all calls within 24 hours. We are getting busy and thankfully so. But it is only Rich and a helper and as much I would like to see him work 16 hours a day, that is just not possible. So for those who want to work with Rich this season, we are trying to make everyone as happy as physically possible. (I sound like the woman behind the whip. No?) After 35 years of marriage you can get away with some things. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2696
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 1, 2006 - 6:24 am: |
|
It's not the POV, Jersey Boy. I get where they're coming from, and I would tend to agree. It's the judgemental thing some folks get going. I guess I'm more live and let live. I understand architectural consistency, and period restoration (I find it funny-ish when people put mod kitchens/baths in older homes, as opposed to more age-appropriate). You'd think the perp was the anti-Christ the way some go on about it. It's like the boy version of breast-feeding fanatics.
Yeah, those vinyl coverups are gross (plus, often some really gross stuff breeds underneath). |
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