Showing all posts in My House

After work today, a new contractor came over to my house so I could get an additional estimate on new subfloors, two new doors, and support beam repair. I told him I already received two estimates for the support beam, and I pulled out my two estimates to show him what repairs the other contractors wanted to do. He looked at the first one (I shouldn’t post the actual names of the companies so I’ll just call the first one company A) and he said, “Don’t do business with company A. They have lawsuits against them with several people. I’ve had to go around and finish their jobs they walked out on. One guy paid company A $60,000 to do a job and they didn’t finish. He’s suing them now.” Wow. Ok… so if this new contractor guy is lying or not … I can’t take the risk of hiring company A right? I just can’t take that risk. So company A is gone. Then I told him about the second contractor from company B that gave me an estimate on the support beam. I started complaining about how this guy bailed on me because he is afraid the bank won’t pay him after he finishes the job. (See, the bank might be paying my contractors directly. This is why the bank wants me to get all of my estimates before giving me the loan.) The new contractor guy said, “Oh that’s my brother!” Uh-oh. I stuck my foot in my mouth this time. Here I am complaining about the company B guy… not knowing I’m talking to his brother! Ugh :( I need to learn to keep my mouth shut sometimes :) But this contractor guy said, “Let me tell you something about my brother… he over analyzes everything!” I’m thinking to myself …”This is all my fault. I’ve started sibling rivalry…” and he continues to say, “My entire family has been carpenters our whole lives. I started my own business, and then my brother thought he should start up his own construction business too…” I’m thinking …”What if I hire this guy? What is he gonna do? Rub it in his brother’s face? Nana nana booboo, you turned down Sherry’s job and now I have it!” Good Lord my mouth gets me in trouble :) Anyway… he should be getting back to me in a couple days with his estimates.

Warehouse Carpet gave me their estimate today for new vinyl and laminate hardwood throughout the house. $4428! Maybe that price is ok, considering they will be doing my entire house. I’ll be getting additional estimates for new flooring though.

I also received an estimate for the driveway today. $3975.  And it says, “Price is subject to change due to rising oil prices.” Really!? Now I have to worry about the rising oil prices?

I also found out how much it will cost to rent a dumpster. $175 for the week. But if I need it emptied during the week, that will be an additional $130. I’m still thinking about pulling up the subfloors myself to save money. I just wish I had more time. I work full time and when I’m home I care for my nephew. But I still might demo the floors during the weekends. We’ll see.

Speaking of my nephew… this really doesn’t belong in my house blog, but I had to leave work to meet with his principal today at school. He got in trouble arguing with his teacher and I had to go there to take care of things. A funny thing happened… well it’s probably not funny to you guys, but I broke down in the principal’s office. Started crying like a baby. (This was after I had dealt with my nephew and he went back to his classroom so he didn’t see me.) I won’t go into details because it doesn’t belong in this blog… but my point is this: I’m stressed. I’m upset. And I get sad… but still, I am happy. Does that make sense? I’m still optimistic. I’m still hopeful. I still expect to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Regardless of the obstacles we all deal with daily… whether it’s a fixer-upper house, work, love, or if your life itself is a work in progress… try and stay happy. Stay hopeful. Stop a moment and look at the blessings you have. I’ve been blessed with a house that I’ll call home someday. Sure, it looks junky but I’ve also been blessed with a strong healthy body and two good hands. I can fix what I can. I have faith that God will pour blessings into the other problematic areas of my life in time. It takes patience :) In fact, that’s what I said in the very beginning of this blog. Patience. God works behind the scenes. Quietly. Slowly. It’s only after a period of time, that you look back and say, “Wow ok. I see the big picture now.” Even when you don’t think God is working, He is.
Stay tuned! :)

I got my estimate from the hippy dippy drugee guy (refer to May 03 entry above) … For him to remove the subfloors, replace them with new OSB throughout the house, and then to put down all new laminate hardwood and vinyl: $7289! That seems way too much to me. My house is SMALL. 1000 sq. ft. For him to replace my patio door with a new one: $969. For him to replace the small back door with a new steel one: $431. Forget it! I’m ripping out the subfloors myself. I’d be saving myself thousands of dollars in labor this way. I had no idea his estimate for my repairs would total $8689! Mr. Hippy Man can stay where he is. He’s not coming back to my house! So I’ve made up my mind. I’m gonna tear out the subfloors myself. First, I have to buy one of those cats claw thingys. Then, I’m gonna pull up all the nails throughout the house. Then I’ll rent the dumpster and remove the sheets of subfloor. I figure it will be less messy this way. If I get all the nails out first, hopefully the particle board will come up easier without it crumbling too much. I’M READY!

I got Mr Hippy Man’s estimate in the mail today. (I’m sorry I’m bad with calling people names, I have to stop that :) I have his list now of how much material costs and how much labor he is charging. To fix the subfloors and then put down new flooring would be $7289 total. Out of that total, he is charging $4500 in labor! Wow. I’m saving so much money by doing the subfloors myself. According to what’s listed on his estimate, I would need 30 sheets of new OSB board to replace throughout the house and that would cost $243. Not bad. I went to True Value today and bought myself one of those cats claw bar thingys. I saw a pink tool box there. Cute. I’m thinking I might have to buy that one ;) I went over to my house after work to start pulling up some nails. It’s not too bad. Lots of the nails come up real easy. Others are really really difficult to pull up. It’s like they’re in cement! No, it’s like they’re super-glued in cement! But I’m proud of me :) I didn’t break off one nail head. I’ve pulled up every nail successfully so far. The only bad thing is I think I have a splinter in my butt from scooting across the floors. Hey, do you guys know those knee pads that people use when they’re putting down flooring? I wonder if there’s butt pads? :)

And here’s a pic of my first sheet of subfloor I removed! YAY ME!

 

Guess what I’ll be doing all weekend? :)