@Pavlov see below for my discussion of HVAC, gardeners and tree people. But yes I did need a major roof project. The price in the end was justified and I knew it would be up there but they got the work done well even as it was just as the rains of November came in. It was hard to find anyone that would tackle the project that year. At one point there were 2 pallets of plywood in my driveway which I figured at market price was like $7000 just in plywood.
@brennyn@kittykat9180 I’ve personally plumbed 2 complete houses (including the one where I currently live). I don’t do it professionally (my career was in software), but I am a fairly experienced DIYer.
(Only minor issues with both jobs over the years, BTW.)
For me, it would be a major remodel project (deck, kitchen) since I don’t have anyone I know.
All other stuff I mostly feel OK about from past experience. It will probably be expensive but once you get to work with them you will realize what charges are reasonable and that you are not getting ripped-off. But a lot of that goes on out there; be careful! Always feel free to say no or even get out if they are doing high-pressure sales.
For HVAC if you work with a place that ideally is the one that installed your system, they have been good for me. And will help you as quickly as possible. I had 2 variable-speed blowers motors go out (different places) and my service people helped as quickly as they could, in one case getting a part for a 20-year old system which they had to find in a warehouse somewhere. But they fixed it when most have said nothing we can do for you just replace the whole system.
As the ad says “It’s hard to stop a Trane” [but can be expensive to keep it going again]
@chienfou@pmarin it uses the water heater to heat the house.
When I was getting quotes, one company said they’re terrible systems and they refuse to install them.
@kittykat9180@pmarin
Ahhh… I see.
Had a geothermal unit put in my mom’s house when we built it 13 years ago. It is crazy efficient. Wish I could have found someone to put one in my house when I changed out my HVAC recently but no one locally will do that anymore.
@chienfou@kittykat9180@pmarin We have a geothermal heat pump in our current house. It has been great and very economical to run (27 years and counting!). I did have to get the main forced air blower motor replaced some years back (shot bearing), but otherwise it has been trouble-free.
@macromeh
yeah. I was super bummed I couldn’t find someone to put one in. Mom’s has been fantastic. Only trouble she ever had was a blower motor that a power surge hit and they covered it under warranty!
Good gardener crew is hard to find; it helps to speak Spanish, which I don’t. But we mostly work it out. One time one of their wives showed up in a truck with food on the tailgate and I walked up and they offered to make me a plate. I said I would pay and they said no need for that. It was probably the best Mexican food I’ve had in a while. I got to say those guys work hard.
Separately if you need serious tree guys that’s different. All I can say is I got those too (Different places again) and they do good work and work safely. One place needed 4 days of work, 2 chipper trucks, a large crane. Ouch. Also in many places it’s not who will do it cheap for me (often not the right question) but who can do it at all based on location and difficulty.
I have been lucky finding good people. Sometimes that’s the most important when you need it. But pack your checkbook!
@pmarin As a non-white that does gardening, the key to getting good work done is not what languages you speak, but how many alcoholic beverages you have on hand.
BUT, there might be some truth to that because on the other hand…
I’m sitting next to my retired landscaper who is NOW 5 years sober and waiting for a liver transplant due to cirrhosis! (and cancer) But drinking was NEVER on the job! He took so much pride in his work that we’d be driving around on non work hours and he’d point out his lawns admiring them. STILL, to this day, he’ll point out his old clients but now he’s comparing them to his work!
Lol
@brennyn@pmarin
I should have been more clear, that was directed to brennyn, the non-white gardener who thinks having an abundance of alcoholic beverages on hand is key to having good work done.
Hopefully his opinion (and work habits) change before he ends up in a perdicoment like my guy or some sort of gruesome wood chipper accident!
Am I the only one who does his own home maintenance?
Full disclosure, as a maintenance millwright with over four decades of experience, there’s not much my house can throw at me that I’m not ready to tackle.
@kittykat9180@un4gvn1
I’m a lot more inclined to hire people to work on my roof than I used to be now that I’m 70!
I did put my own mini splits in the pool house when I built it. Likewise there’s not much I don’t do myself. When the inspector came out he asked me who did the electrical panel as it was so neat looking. I told him I had and he said it was one of the best looking jobs he had seen. I explained to him I lived here so why would I not do good/safe work!
@chienfou@kittykat9180@un4gvn1 I had the same experience when I built my first house. When he looked at the main panel, the electrical inspector asked me who did the work. I said “I did” - he said “I thought so, it’s much neater than a pro on the clock would do”. I had just made it look like the pictures in the DIY books - with nice, neat bends and routing.
@hchavers@heartny oh reminds me an issue I haven’t dealt with: ceiling with water damage in one area, mold. And oh yeah it’s a “popcorn ceiling” from the 1960s so almost certainly has asbestos. All dry and stable now with new roof. But someday me (or someone) will need to turn the whole place into a HazMat zone to resolve it.
Out of the options given I’d say Tree trimming service because that prob means it fell on my house and I can’t manage it myself.
But really I’d fret most about air conditioning repair 'cause that might be several thousand dollars and I don’t have knowledge to diagnose or repair A/C systems.
There are two, plumber & pest control! Then Lawyers, for the 2legged pest!
But I have no need of Computer, maintenance help, you see for the past 20-25 years I have worked as a corporate computer hardware repair tech. And I know that can get expensive if I had to have it repaired.
I’ll go with HVAC as well. Diagnostics on control boards and handling/sourcing “freon” is a PITA.
Pool equip is another expensive housecall. Thankfully I have been able to do all of my own in the past 13+ yrs.
yakkoTDI
Kinda thought the write-up would lead to a poll in the vein of “best tree-related songs”…
For the record, I was ready.
I. Was. Ready.
Roofer or foundation repair company.
@Pavlov see below for my discussion of HVAC, gardeners and tree people. But yes I did need a major roof project. The price in the end was justified and I knew it would be up there but they got the work done well even as it was just as the rains of November came in. It was hard to find anyone that would tackle the project that year. At one point there were 2 pallets of plywood in my driveway which I figured at market price was like $7000 just in plywood.
Firemen
You just hope it’s the fire alarm battery, again.
HVAC on a hot or freezing day
Expected to see Marriage Counselor on the list.
Definitely a "home maintenance"issue.
I live next to a 24/7 plumber service, but when I call them it’s because something went very wrong.
@brennyn my neighbor is a plumber.
@brennyn @kittykat9180 I’ve personally plumbed 2 complete houses (including the one where I currently live). I don’t do it professionally (my career was in software), but I am a fairly experienced DIYer.
(Only minor issues with both jobs over the years, BTW.)
For me, it would be a major remodel project (deck, kitchen) since I don’t have anyone I know.
All other stuff I mostly feel OK about from past experience. It will probably be expensive but once you get to work with them you will realize what charges are reasonable and that you are not getting ripped-off. But a lot of that goes on out there; be careful! Always feel free to say no or even get out if they are doing high-pressure sales.
For HVAC if you work with a place that ideally is the one that installed your system, they have been good for me. And will help you as quickly as possible. I had 2 variable-speed blowers motors go out (different places) and my service people helped as quickly as they could, in one case getting a part for a 20-year old system which they had to find in a warehouse somewhere. But they fixed it when most have said nothing we can do for you just replace the whole system.
As the ad says “It’s hard to stop a Trane” [but can be expensive to keep it going again]
@pmarin
My HVAC replacement cost more than my metal roof with gutters. I had a heat pump installed to replace an aquatherm.
@kittykat9180 @pmarin
Aquatherm? Not familiar with those…Was that a geothermal unit?
@chienfou @pmarin it uses the water heater to heat the house.
When I was getting quotes, one company said they’re terrible systems and they refuse to install them.
@kittykat9180 @pmarin
Ahhh… I see.
Had a geothermal unit put in my mom’s house when we built it 13 years ago. It is crazy efficient. Wish I could have found someone to put one in my house when I changed out my HVAC recently but no one locally will do that anymore.
@chienfou @kittykat9180 @pmarin We have a geothermal heat pump in our current house. It has been great and very economical to run (27 years and counting!). I did have to get the main forced air blower motor replaced some years back (shot bearing), but otherwise it has been trouble-free.
@macromeh
yeah. I was super bummed I couldn’t find someone to put one in. Mom’s has been fantastic. Only trouble she ever had was a blower motor that a power surge hit and they covered it under warranty!
Good gardener crew is hard to find; it helps to speak Spanish, which I don’t. But we mostly work it out. One time one of their wives showed up in a truck with food on the tailgate and I walked up and they offered to make me a plate. I said I would pay and they said no need for that. It was probably the best Mexican food I’ve had in a while. I got to say those guys work hard.
Separately if you need serious tree guys that’s different. All I can say is I got those too (Different places again) and they do good work and work safely. One place needed 4 days of work, 2 chipper trucks, a large crane. Ouch. Also in many places it’s not who will do it cheap for me (often not the right question) but who can do it at all based on location and difficulty.
I have been lucky finding good people. Sometimes that’s the most important when you need it. But pack your checkbook!
@pmarin As a non-white that does gardening, the key to getting good work done is not what languages you speak, but how many alcoholic beverages you have on hand.
@brennyn @pmarin
Yikes, I’m seeing red flags here…
BUT, there might be some truth to that because on the other hand…
) But drinking was NEVER on the job! He took so much pride in his work that we’d be driving around on non work hours and he’d point out his lawns admiring them. STILL, to this day, he’ll point out his old clients but now he’s comparing them to his work!
I’m sitting next to my retired landscaper who is NOW 5 years sober and waiting for a liver transplant due to cirrhosis! (and cancer
Lol
@brennyn @Lynnerizer Nah, my garden guys drank Mexican coke if they could get it. Also the roofers. No Dos Equis.
@brennyn @pmarin
I should have been more clear, that was directed to brennyn, the non-white gardener who thinks having an abundance of alcoholic beverages on hand is key to having good work done.
Hopefully his opinion (and work habits) change before he ends up in a perdicoment like my guy or some sort of gruesome wood chipper accident!
Am I the only one who does his own home maintenance?
Full disclosure, as a maintenance millwright with over four decades of experience, there’s not much my house can throw at me that I’m not ready to tackle.
@un4gvn1 I do a lot on my own but I know my limitations. I hired professionals to replace my HVAC and my roof.
@kittykat9180 @un4gvn1
I’m a lot more inclined to hire people to work on my roof than I used to be now that I’m 70!
I did put my own mini splits in the pool house when I built it. Likewise there’s not much I don’t do myself. When the inspector came out he asked me who did the electrical panel as it was so neat looking. I told him I had and he said it was one of the best looking jobs he had seen. I explained to him I lived here so why would I not do good/safe work!
@chienfou @kittykat9180 @un4gvn1 I had the same experience when I built my first house. When he looked at the main panel, the electrical inspector asked me who did the work. I said “I did” - he said “I thought so, it’s much neater than a pro on the clock would do”. I had just made it look like the pictures in the DIY books - with nice, neat bends and routing.
Mold remediation
@heartny next to Asbestos abatement.
@hchavers @heartny oh reminds me an issue I haven’t dealt with: ceiling with water damage in one area, mold. And oh yeah it’s a “popcorn ceiling” from the 1960s so almost certainly has asbestos. All dry and stable now with new roof. But someday me (or someone) will need to turn the whole place into a HazMat zone to resolve it.
Out of the options given I’d say Tree trimming service because that prob means it fell on my house and I can’t manage it myself.
But really I’d fret most about air conditioning repair 'cause that might be several thousand dollars and I don’t have knowledge to diagnose or repair A/C systems.
Also I’m paranoid about mold or termites.
@FightingMongoos my initial thought was HVAC but then I thought roofers.
There are two, plumber & pest control! Then Lawyers, for the 2legged pest!
But I have no need of Computer, maintenance help, you see for the past 20-25 years I have worked as a corporate computer hardware repair tech. And I know that can get expensive if I had to have it repaired.
SERVPRO…
ServPro - worst experience.
Roofer
My landlord who then usually does a superficial cover up type of fix. Eventually (it takes ages for them to respond).
I’ll go with HVAC as well. Diagnostics on control boards and handling/sourcing “freon” is a PITA.
Pool equip is another expensive housecall. Thankfully I have been able to do all of my own in the past 13+ yrs.
I chose pest control ONLY because if I have the NEED to call an exterminator it’s going to cost me peace of mind and that’s priceless!
@Lynnerizer
Yep… Ants and pantry moths are a PITA to get rid of
Call someone? Why would I do that?
Well, ok for the trees.
@blaineg I’m a diehard DIYer, but I called a pro to come pump my septic tank tomorrow.
)
(But, hey - if you’re not busy…
@macromeh You’ve convinced me.
And I did hire pros to replace the rusted away sewer main under the house.
My eyes are going.
I read “most dressed professional”