on a personal note
on 10/03/2014 at 10:46 AM
After all the times we’ve talked about it, I am thrilled to hear that you guys are going to get at least a few new windows. Hooray!!
Ride your contractor’s ass like a rented Mexican mule. Tell him you want a drip rail, a proper membrane, anodized flashing, screens, upgraded levers or locks. Ask that he show you the installed window is plumb and level, and unstressed (use your polarized sunglasses to check) And he isn’t going to leave it dirty is he? Hella no, clean that thing perfectly. Let him know in advance you want top quality stainless steel screws or nails on the install. Not shit metal from China. The cost diff is only a buck or two, which you’ll pay. You want sealant that will hold up 25 years or more. The good stuff. Need new sills and molding inside? Spring for stain grade oak, not crappy pine. It’s a small cost, but it’s a big quality step, even if you paint them.
Spend 15 minutes online looking up how to BEST install your kind of windows in your kind of walls so you can ask smart questions. Let him know you could do it yourself if you were younger, and that you know what’s up. You’ll get better work that way.
Also, if you take care of him - here, have a sandwich and crips and a soda or whatever, the loo is over there if you want, fresh soap and towels, we moved everything out of the way 6 feet ahead of time so you’ve got room to work - he’ll feel appreciated and will also do better work. OMG, the things I’ve happily done for no extra charge for customers who treat me nice.
And when it’s done, if it’s first class, here’s a tenner per window tip, cash. Because you want him back next year to do some more windows, right?
I don’t know why contractors are so damn unreliable. I never was, but the customers expected me to be so. And when I did ace work, it maybe took a bit longer, but it got me repeat business year after year.
PS - Windows 7? Works great for me. I did it the easy way; I just bought a new PC. OMG, the prices are so low it’s hardly worth it to bother upgrading. You can get a new name brand PC with Win 7 Pro, 4th generation i3 or i5 CPU, plenty of RAM and HD, for under $450. You can even get a similar 15” laptop for the same price.
no screens here Drew. million dollar houses don’t even have them. Most windows open outward. you can walk down our street in almost any kind of weather, and you will see slightly open windows on the 2nd floor. Everywhere. Even in the dead of winter.
You’ve given me lots of info I would never have thought about on my own. Thanks. Making notes.
Yeah ... we generally do give folks tea, coffee whatever.Another subject will send by email in a minute or two.
10/03/2014 at 01:31 PM
