I'm fine with it. I'm having a hell of a time hiring people right now!
And that is the chief reason they keep coming.
It was a joke. But try to find locals willing to get off unemployment and work...
We are looking at doing a kitchen remodel soon, and several of the contractors I contacted for quotes are all saying they can get anyone that wants to work due unemployment benefits currently.
What city are you in?
Wasilla. I finally got a guy to give me a quote (he’s done work for us before). He made a suggestion on the kitchen plans we had drawn up and now my wife wants to go that route. Hopefully we can get cabinets ordered and here before summer ends at this point.
You'll be S O O R R R Y!
My wife started remodeling the master bath back in October, ordering stuff. Got to it in February, after all the stuff arrived. Perfectly good toilet went down the road - she "had to" change design from round to oval. New shower (different size, custom built), new vanity (different size), new wood flooring (not recommended by ANYONE), new mirror (and one added). Except for the toilet water line, all the plumbing had to be changed, in and out. Wiring above the vanity had to be changed to accommodate her lighted mirror (she couldn't mount it 5 inches higher to cover the old outlet ....). Which involves some drywall work...
Of course, the bathroom re-model meant the rest of the level also had to be remodeled/ spiffed. The hallway maple flooring to the deck outside had to be changed, tho it was perfectly good. It didn't any more "match" the hardwood flooring in the hallway bathroom we remodeled last year.
The wallpaper we hung last year in the stairwell going downstairs now didn't please her - so we re-did that. Of course, It never coms out quite the same, so I had to replace/refit several pieces of wood trim. To do this wall papering, I had to build scaffolding. I learned from last year, so it wasn't quite as - um- "exciting" to work on. Screw holes into interior walls are easily patched and painted.
New carpeting throughout of course - needed- it was 35 years old, well puppy-peed by several, and coming apart at some seams, especially where the dogs brake when chasing the ball, before they hit the end of the hallway.
Carpet guys called, said when our carpet would be in, so we hired help ( a couple village young men staying with us pending other work) to move all the furniture in the carpeted areas, so she could paint all rooms before the carpet went in. That was 8-10 weeks ago - stuff is still piled everywhere, including out on the deck, covered by a tarp. Can't find much of anything. We are sleeping in a not-quite-legal den/bedroom (window is too high for fire code) on the first floor, chit piled everywhere, including our clothes ( or what we have been "making do with) for the last 3 months.
The carpet people called one morning 3 weeks ago, said they would come install it the next evening, so the guys and I ripped out all the old carpeting and padding, pulled staples, wife cleaned and vacuumed the sub-flooring in prep. Next morning carpet folks called and said "sorry, this isn't your carpeting after all - yours is a couple weeks out yet.
It came in last week- but they were booked up until next week- when she is going to MT for 10 days. Insists she has to be here. So, it looks like mid-May before carpeting goes in, and we can get back to somewhat "normal" life
Except the guy that was to put in the glass shower walls buggered himself up snow machining a couple weeks ago. Wheelchair for 3 months, probably that much for rehab. The shower contractor needs those walls in before he will do the calking, but we have two other showers.... and bathtubs to use. Downstairs. We still haven't heard back from him if he has even ordered the shower walls - but he and his wife have other things to worry about. Be nice to know, as if they aren't ordered, we can go elsewhere.
Pics to follow.
If you are changing the flooring in your kitchen, be sure to take out the base cabinets and go wall to wall, clean sweep. We installed stone tile years ago to replace bad sheet vinyl, and were recommended by several people (who should have known better) to not do so- just "go up to the cabinets. In the interest of expediency. Big mistake, and I thought so at the time, but got over-ruled. First of all, the yo-yo that built the house 3 years before we bought it, used particle board (not OSB even) over the heavy plywood (THAT was done right). Particle board absorbs water and swells if it gets wet somehow - not good for tile overlay. I wanted to take it out. Over-ruled! We have two cracked tiles now.
We were told- "just install cement board over the vinyl, and tile over that". Well, that, , and not taking out the particle board, raised the flooring about an inch, creating a "sink" under the base cabinets. Standard dishwasher no longer fits underneath- we had to get an expensive German brand that did. It's a good one though.
And now there is a height difference between the carpeted living room, and the tiled kitchen/dining area. I made a rather nic , if I do say so myself, one-piece transition thresh-hold out of 14' oak 2x4. Just refinished, waiting for the carpet...
If I knew then what I know now! Sure glad I refused to build that shower or install carpet, tho. I did the rest, myself.
Good luck, sucker! But if it makes the wife happy.......
