Attic of my Mind # 14

[Rico]

A new Attic show is up.  This one is all about my recent need for some home repair work.

http://www.atticofmymind.com/podcasts/Attic_of_my_Mind_14_Home_Repair.mp3

[sheldor]

 >:( >:( >:(

Reminds me of the little piece of plastic/metal no bigger then my fist I needed for the oven -- $200 SMACKERS.
Same kind of part for the furnace blew - of course on the coldest day of winter -  bigger appliance so naturally -- almost $800

Hmmmm..maybe I look into going to trade school - electrician, plumber, carpenter.   What a ream job

[Rico]

Exactly.  These guys know they have you.  It's just so wrong.

[sheldor]

At least the guys who did my roof were great.  Seems like the large jobs, I can find a good deal.  Its the nickel-and-dime things they nickel-and-dime you to death.

[davekill]

Rico, I'm glad you reported that clown and Lowes made it right with you!

Did you say the store sent out a uniformed Lowes employee with ID, or do they sub the jobs out to local licensed contractors?

I ask because I worked for an independent contractor in the San Francisco Bay area. We installed carpet for 9 different Sears stores.

My guess is this thug was an independent contractor who takes advantage of Lowes customers and doesn't expect anyone to question his game. If that's the case I hope the store drops him.

He didn't expect to run up against one bad geek!

[Rico]

It's a little tricky to explain.  The place the contractor works out of is called A-OK Plumbing.  But Lowe's said the contractors are exclusive to Lowe's.  But he didn't wear any type of Lowe's uniform.  The check I made out for the additional cost was to Lowe's so I think that helped get some of the money back.  Like I said on the podcast I try to fix most of the stuff I can and have a pretty good idea what things cost.  I don't mind paying a little more but I am not going to let someone roll over me that much on pricing.

[jedijeff]

I can feel your pain with the hot water tank, the two houses I have lived in, I have had to replace both tanks. Fortunately my experience was not as frustrating as yours. Though in my Town House, the space for the tank is narrow, and a pipe in the way, so the installer had to cut the pipe, move the tank in, and then patch the pipe, so it added to the cost. I did have an experience a few years ago installing a hood fan in my Kitchen, and the costs skyrocketing on that, still wake up at night with nightmares of that ;)
What I find frustrating these days, are all the Hidden costs for everything. There is a the price that you are charged for item or service, but then all these other hidden costs, such as the admin fee you had to pay to get the tank installed. Where does that money go?We have to pay these fee's, but no one ever has to give us any proof of what it actually going towards. To me it is just another money grab. It reminds me a bit of where I live, we have to pay a tax on electronics, to handle the disposal of them. But I can never find a place to dump my used electronics, and if I do find a recycling place that will take them, I have to pay. Seems sad these days that we have to pay these fee's, which provide us nothing, but are required to either get service or the products we need.

[moyer777]

well I hope things go well with our dishwasher install-  they are at the house right now doing it.

Home Depot... I'll report in later.

[billybob476]

well I hope things go well with our dishwasher install-  they are at the house right now doing it.

Home Depot... I'll report in later.

Rick, I don't think you're allowed to have anything else happen to your house!

[moyer777]

That is for sure! :)  Our old dishwasher finally quit washing... so we retired it after only 3 years... but we do many loads a day with our family.  So it was time for another.  This time Home Depot had a good deal and I couldn't resist!  I'll post pictures later.  :)

[moyer777]

well, they were in and out... here it is.. haven't actually done a load in it yet, but here's hoping!

[Rico]

Ahh, new appliances.  So shiny!