Comments for Thumb and Hammer Blog http://thumbandhammer.com/blog The never-ending adventure of home improvements Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:29:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on We finally met with the architect by Thumb & Hammer http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2009/02/385/#comment-72310 Thumb & Hammer Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:29:14 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=385#comment-72310 The one possible issue I see with the "time and materials not to exceed $..." clause is that some contractors may take advantage of that and run the bill up to the maximum. The way around that of course is to set the threshold lower than it really is and prepare to go over if necessary. For example, just because I can afford $10,000 doesn't mean I want to pay 10,000. I obviously want to pay as little as possible while getting a quality job. The advantage to having an architect / project manager is that he will be auditing the bills and we can make adjustment along the way to either stay within budget or make upgrades if we can afford to. As far as things popping up, we are budgeting for a complete gut and remodel. I don't think there will be any more surprises than what I've already uncovered. Stay tuned. The one possible issue I see with the “time and materials not to exceed $…” clause is that some contractors may take advantage of that and run the bill up to the maximum. The way around that of course is to set the threshold lower than it really is and prepare to go over if necessary. For example, just because I can afford $10,000 doesn’t mean I want to pay 10,000. I obviously want to pay as little as possible while getting a quality job. The advantage to having an architect / project manager is that he will be auditing the bills and we can make adjustment along the way to either stay within budget or make upgrades if we can afford to. As far as things popping up, we are budgeting for a complete gut and remodel. I don’t think there will be any more surprises than what I’ve already uncovered. Stay tuned.

]]> Comment on We finally met with the architect by David Kleine http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2009/02/385/#comment-72309 David Kleine Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:41:23 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=385#comment-72309 I agree with the architect 100%. That would be a first for me. Working on a time and materials terms is usually in the favor of the homeowner, but gives the contractor less risk. It is very hard to bid a remodel because there are too many things that pop up or you can't see until you get into it. Therefore I would have to bid it high enough to cover the unexpected. With a bid you pay for things that might not come up. Time and materials you only pay for the things that do come up. Still if you can get the contractor to agree to a "time and materials not to exceed $0.00" contract, that is always a good idea. I do this for my customers whether they ask or not. It gives the homeowners a little comfort. I agree with the architect 100%. That would be a first for me. Working on a time and materials terms is usually in the favor of the homeowner, but gives the contractor less risk. It is very hard to bid a remodel because there are too many things that pop up or you can’t see until you get into it. Therefore I would have to bid it high enough to cover the unexpected. With a bid you pay for things that might not come up. Time and materials you only pay for the things that do come up. Still if you can get the contractor to agree to a “time and materials not to exceed $0.00″ contract, that is always a good idea. I do this for my customers whether they ask or not. It gives the homeowners a little comfort.

]]> Comment on The ceiling project is looking up by Thumb & Hammer http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2007/01/the-ceiling-project-is-looking-up/#comment-72271 Thumb & Hammer Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:42:53 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=101#comment-72271 This minor project is probably the first one that I completed within the time frame that I had planned. Just shows how easy this particular project must have been! This minor project is probably the first one that I completed within the time frame that I had planned. Just shows how easy this particular project must have been!

]]> Comment on The ceiling project is looking up by Skips http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2007/01/the-ceiling-project-is-looking-up/#comment-72270 Skips Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:03:06 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=101#comment-72270 I think it's a gift that you can carry through and finish the renovation projects you start with. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to the initial plan. Whew. I only could venture in small renovation projects because I still need more drive to really set my sights into big renovation projects! Good job! Thanks for sharing, your post inspired me to take my renovation projects more seriously. :) I think it’s a gift that you can carry through and finish the renovation projects you start with. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to the initial plan.

Whew. I only could venture in small renovation projects because I still need more drive to really set my sights into big renovation projects! Good job!

Thanks for sharing, your post inspired me to take my renovation projects more seriously. :)

]]> Comment on High speed at last by jayne http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2008/02/high-speed-at-last/#comment-63462 jayne Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:27:05 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=165#comment-63462 We got high-speed on the same day! After years of dial-up, isn't it terrific? We got high-speed on the same day! After years of dial-up, isn’t it terrific?

]]> Comment on High speed Internet re-re-revisited by Thumb & Hammer http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2008/02/high-speed-internet-re-re-revisited/#comment-63149 Thumb & Hammer Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:06:26 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=164#comment-63149 We have a similar problem. The signal from the company we tried a year ago cannot get through the woodlot next to us. The company we are going with now is in a different direction and the technology is non line of site. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that not only will we receive the signal now, but we will continue to receive it in the summer once the leaves are on all the trees. We have a similar problem. The signal from the company we tried a year ago cannot get through the woodlot next to us. The company we are going with now is in a different direction and the technology is non line of site. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that not only will we receive the signal now, but we will continue to receive it in the summer once the leaves are on all the trees.

]]> Comment on High speed Internet re-re-revisited by Jennifer http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2008/02/high-speed-internet-re-re-revisited/#comment-63050 Jennifer Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:00:27 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=164#comment-63050 Nice! I was quite disappointed to find out that we have too many trees (17 on our property alone) for the POS internet to work. It seemed like such a good idea, and MUCH cheaper! Nice! I was quite disappointed to find out that we have too many trees (17 on our property alone) for the POS internet to work. It seemed like such a good idea, and MUCH cheaper!

]]> Comment on High speed Internet re-re-revisited by Billie http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2008/02/high-speed-internet-re-re-revisited/#comment-62968 Billie Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:38:46 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=164#comment-62968 Woo-Hoo! I bet your dtr is doing the happy dance! Woo-Hoo! I bet your dtr is doing the happy dance!

]]> Comment on Another electrical issue resolved by Thumb & Hammer http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2007/07/another-electrical-issue-resolved/#comment-51664 Thumb & Hammer Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:06:03 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=136#comment-51664 If the circuit is still live, then absolutely NOT. You can abandon wires in a wall if they are completely disconnected. You can terminate live wires as you have described but they must be in an accessible junction box. Please direct any future inquiries to the forum. Thanks. If the circuit is still live, then absolutely NOT. You can abandon wires in a wall if they are completely disconnected. You can terminate live wires as you have described but they must be in an accessible junction box. Please direct any future inquiries to the forum. Thanks.

]]> Comment on Another electrical issue resolved by sian http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/2007/07/another-electrical-issue-resolved/#comment-51354 sian Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:29:40 +0000 http://thumbandhammer.com/blog/?p=136#comment-51354 hi - I wonder if you can answer my question regarding the safety of leaving old wires in a wall. I just removed a hood fan from a basement suite stove. I switch off all the electricity in the house and cut the wires coming out of the wall into the hood fan, wrapped them in electrical tape and flipped the circuit back on. If I put the plastic wire caps at the end of each wire do you know if it is safe to leave this wire in the wall and patch over the hole in the drywall? hi – I wonder if you can answer my question regarding the safety of leaving old wires in a wall. I just removed a hood fan from a basement suite stove. I switch off all the electricity in the house and cut the wires coming out of the wall into the hood fan, wrapped them in electrical tape and flipped the circuit back on. If I put the plastic wire caps at the end of each wire do you know if it is safe to leave this wire in the wall and patch over the hole in the drywall?

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