Home Improvement Thread

[JTA]

Thanks for all the advice you guys. Do you think my insurance company will also provide me with hair for my scalp? The hail damaged it and made me start going bald. It's kind of like shingles. It protects my head from the elements.

[O Really]

They'd probably give you a hat.

[k9nanny]

No clue at all other than suggestions from friends, the Better Business Bureau and, with a grain of salt, online crowd ratings like Yelp.

Then, once you go Mexican, you never go Anglo again.

You bet. The Mexican crew that did our roof was amazing, like time lapse photography.
Not sure if I'd trust the BBB. they used to pester us to join with a load of crap about membership helping ratings. One guy got really pissed at my merciless treatment of solicitors, and hinted that not joining would hurt us.

Whatever you do, ask for references. The reaction to that request can be very telling.

[Vrede too]

Thanks for all the advice you guys. Do you think my insurance company will also provide me with hair for my scalp? The hail damaged it and made me start going bald. It's kind of like shingles. It protects my head from the elements.

Tell them that this is the hair that was damaged:



The payout will cover the roofing upgrade.

[billy.pilgrim]

Let them make the estimate. A good adjuster will write the estimate to cover so many things that you won't replace that the check to you will be greater than the shingle upgrade and your deductible.
Everything with the slightest dent has to be replaced. Chimney covers, box vents, turbines, etc


Be sure that all boots at plumbing stacks are replaced.

[JTA]

I've got an estimate from the insurance company. Good idea to withold that until after I get an estimate from the roofer, yeah?

I have no idea why I can't send you a private message

I sent you a PM.

[JTA]

I got an estimate on my roof. The same guy/crew that did my neighbors roof, and did a good job at that. They trust him. I trust my neighbors whom I know very well. My neighbor (that got the roof) also worked in construction most of his life, and thus knows a thing or two about roofs. The roofing guy doesn't sub-contract the work out and offers a five year workmanship warranty on the roof. The price is good. The only caveat is he asks for the cost of materials to be paid for, then when work is complete, I pay him the remainder.

I've been told conflicting things about this. My dad used to do this as he was a one man operation with his own crew, so it seems sensible. Plus the dude isn't asking for the entire payment up front. On the other hand, I've heard you should send them packing if they ask this.

Thoughts?

[O Really]

That's generally seen as a hint the guy has poor cash flow, and I've always read that money up front (other than maybe a small good faith deposit) is a big red flag. On the other hand, if all you're paying for is materials, and the materials are delivered so that somebody else could do the job if needed, then it looks like a low risk. I'd suggest getting a materials list and paying for them upon delivery. I definitely would not just give him a check for him to go shopping with.

[JTA]

Yeah that is true. My pops told me he typically charged 50% of the project before hand to get everything he needed, then 50% after the project was completed. He also had poor cash flow haha.

[O Really]

It's helpful that he's somebody who has worked for your neighbor. That's not quite the same as finding a guy looking for work outside WalMart.

[JTA]

It's helpful that he's somebody who has worked for your neighbor. That's not quite the same as finding a guy looking for work outside WalMart.

Also for all contract work, should it be a hard rule to require the contractor be bonded? Insured, yes. I can understand why. What about bonded?

[JTA]

I don't know how accurate or reliable a source this is, but supposedly, by law, contractors performing work over $5,000 are required to be bonded: http://www.asacarolina.com/General/Lega ... constr.htm

But I'm not a lawyerman, and this might only apply to materials, and might possibly exclude cost of labor, therefore not being a requirement if materials cost < 5000.

[O Really]

The source looks OK, but that Section V provision on bonding appears to apply to contracts with the state of SC. It was cited as S.C. CODE 11-35-3030(2)), which is part of the state procurement code.

For a routine roof job, I don't think I'd worry about the bonding. Insurance, hell yes.

[JTA]

The source looks OK, but that Section V provision on bonding appears to apply to contracts with the state of SC. It was cited as S.C. CODE 11-35-3030(2)), which is part of the state procurement code.

For a routine roof job, I don't think I'd worry about the bonding. Insurance, hell yes.

Thanks for all the input!

I take it bonding is Important for work that may take more than a day or two to complete? Such as an addition to a house, or maybe a larger project?

[JTA]

Hey guys,

Roofer gave me a good quote. Said to install a F-6 pre-painted aluminum drip edge where none currently are, it'll be about 300 more.

Is this necessary, and would you guys do it?

[Mr.B]

"Hey guys,
Roofer gave me a good quote. Said to install a F-6 pre-painted aluminum drip edge where none currently are, it'll be about 300 more.
Is this necessary, and would you guys do it?"

Yes and yes I did.
You want a drip edge; it keeps rain water from going back up in under the shingles and eventually causing rotting of the roof panel edges.
It keeps from having too long an edge on the shingles which can, over time chip off.
My roofer didn't ask me about installing edging; he went ahead and did it, including costs in the original estimate. Go for it.

[JTA]

"Hey guys,
Roofer gave me a good quote. Said to install a F-6 pre-painted aluminum drip edge where none currently are, it'll be about 300 more.
Is this necessary, and would you guys do it?"

Yes and yes I did.
You want a drip edge; it keeps rain water from going back up in under the shingles and eventually causing rotting of the roof panel edges.
It keeps from having too long an edge on the shingles which can, over time chip off.
My roofer didn't ask me about installing edging; he went ahead and did it, including costs in the original estimate. Go for it.

It definitely pays to shop around.

I had another local roofer referred to me that I reached out to. Their quote is a full 800 less than the previous guy. They come highly recommended and have really good ratings. Should eat up most of my deductible aside from a few hundred bucks.

[O Really]

Residential contractors hate it, but to compare one with another you really have to get down to how they price their work. You have to make sure materials are same/comparable or equally acceptable to you, and you have to know how they price their labor. When we renovated a house several years ago, the general contractor was pretty good - but his handling of subs was atrocious. Mostly they were his friends and whatever estimate number they threw up, he took. We didn't. They wanted to get by with something like, "Re-wiring work. $10,000." Nope, we want to know materials and labor. Sigh, eyeroll. "OK. Materials $3,000; labor $7,000." Nope. Need a materials list. Whine. Produces a general list. OK, how is labor priced? Whine. Eyeroll. How many guys, how many hours? "Don't know exactly." Understood, but that's why they call it an "estimate. How did you come up with the number you gave us? "Well, that's what we usually charge for a job like this." Nope. It's possible you'll run into problems and have to do more than you expected. I doubt you're going to eat the difference. It's possible this may be an easy job and you're done in half the time. I doubt you're going to reduce the bill. I want to know how I'm being charged. Yada until they were beat into submission. At least one of the subs decided he didn't want to work like that, so we replaced him. These guys weren't generally crooks - just good ol' boy types used to blowing smoke and getting by because the general contractor looked after them. Buyer beware, fershure.

[JTA]

Man oh man you guys. When it rains it storms.

So I was sitting on the shitter when I noticed my linoleum Looking like it had a crack in it. It's plasticy so it's not technically cracked, but if you run your fingers along it it feels like the concrete underneath is cracked. If I take up the carpet that's near the crack on the other side of the door, there's definitely a crack. The cracks don't feel even with one another (one side is a bit higher)

I have a slab foundation. House is thirteen years old.

Anyone ever have to fix a slab foundation. I know it's expensive.

[O Really]

I don't know anything about it, but these guys seem to: http://inspectapedia.com/structure/Conc ... Cracks.php