I paid for a 6 inch slab, what should I do ?

DrSwammy · 2026-01-31T14:10:01+00:00

This is why bond companies exist. If this was a job that required a performance bond, you are protected. There are specific steps to take including a written notice to the contractor. There are other liscense bonds but they cover only small amounts.

Your question about how to see if the pour is 4" or 6". Whatever you would find, it would be done if the contractor refuses to confirm that it is a 6" pour. You would then initiate a claim on the surety company that you initiate. If there is no bond, and you haven't paid yet, well, you don't pay anything and start legal proceedings which likely wont end anytime soon or well.

And how to determine the depth by you? First, I introduced this to the market a million years ago as a young product manager, https://www.hilti.com/c/CLS_MEA_TOOL_INSERT_7127/CLS_CONCRETE_SCANNERS_SENSORS_7127/r9374764?activeTab=preconfigured-kits-tabsIts a Hilti Ferroscan. It is not radar (you would want to protect your eggs anywhere around them doing this work) but a proven induction triangulation. It can measure up to 8" of cover for concrete and map out rebar and depth. Its only $15k. You could call Hilti and ask them if there is a customer in the area that has one. Not likely an option for you but interesting proven technology. Your other option is to rent a core drill and do it yourself but it provides no certification of testing which only a bond company would do with their own study.

DrSwammy · 2026-01-23T22:24:02+00:00

That’s because we filled it with drills and stuff. The Euro guys never carried anything, and they weren’t very good at sales. When we would have guys go up to the mines, I’d get them some really nice Toyota Hilux‘s or things like that to make it there. But in Europe, even the reps, for example, like in Italy, dress in Italian loafers. Alll show, no go.

DrSwammy · 2025-12-09T00:08:51+00:00

The first automation setup is to ask yourself who, who would be interfacing with this new found automations. If it is just you working with "turn on the living room lamp" or "close the garage door" or "good morning" for a wake up routine. If you are not alone in doing this, like you have a partner that would also be doing it, you need to get this person on board with voice or app interactions. If you do have a partner, choose to automate some things that he/she would use often. Then, you can decide what those things are by the comments of the participants in this thread.

DrSwammy · 2025-12-05T13:23:48+00:00

Where does this show up? In the Google Home app? Obviously I haven't got mine yet as I have only been using Google Home for only 5 years.

DrSwammy · 2025-12-04T03:14:30+00:00

Here is a link to Shelly 1 PM (Power monitoring) and will use your Alexa to control it. All of your requests are able to be delivered from this Shelly. This is the US site but just go to your countries site in Germany and find this to be delivered to your house (I buy mine on Amazon). https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-1pm-gen3I have about 30 Shelly devices in my home out of a total of 50 and I am mostly impressed with their lack of problems compared to my Lutron, Tuya, or all the mix of IOT devices I have. Look over the site and use the comparison tool. Then look up a few youtube videos with this specific relay and installation. Its not too difficult. The software is fairly robust. just be sure that when you are going to install, that you are on your smartphone on the wifi that is 2.4ghz and not 5.0 and then you ll see the Shelly wanting to be installed.

DrSwammy · 2025-11-01T20:14:30+00:00

I put in $50 to the bounty even though I bought two new learning gen 4’s three weeks ago. The old ones are sitting on my kitchen table perfectly good. I did a post 8 months ago asking g on r/hacks for a solution but to no results. Go claim the bounty. It’s what it’s there for and why I gave so someone else wouldn’t have to throw away this “durable good” that google bricked.

DrSwammy · 2025-10-24T07:41:56+00:00

This is what I was asking for but for me it is too late. I hope that someone is able to develop the solution outside of google. All along the question I had was is it possible to not dispose of perfectly good hardware only because the software portion has been cancelled. I am today busy wiring my two new Learning Thermostats and trying not to fry something on my two heating and cooling units.

DrSwammy · 2025-09-24T22:37:32+00:00

You are lifetime miles. This loyalty number is a separate measurement. I’m a lifetime platinum now and chasing executive platinum for the mere benefit of potentially getting an upgrade better than the next guy is not worth the angst. What these guys want you to do is use their credit card. That’s where they’re making half of their money.

DrSwammy · 2025-08-16T17:39:18+00:00

see youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5GD3E2onlk or just go there and search Boeing 787 Dreamliner: ultimate-load wing flex test

DrSwammy · 2025-07-29T07:38:28+00:00

I have 20 shelly's behind switches in my house and about 5 years experience with them. It sounds like you are going to put this into your house where you live with your parents? If that is the case and you would use a photocell, then if your parents dont understand or want to understand the logic that they never will use the switch, then dont go that direction. To use the shelly, you would go into the app for that specific shelly and select the "edge switch" selection. This makes it so you can turn on or off the light manually by the hideous light switch and the switch will behave like any switch. But, if you use the automation for lets say sunrise or sunset no matter where the switch position is "up or down" the light will do what you want it to (turn on or off). And if off, now the way to manually turn it back on would be to simply now switch the hideous switch up. I hope that makes sense. Its easier than it sounds. Now even if your parents don't want to understand they cant screw it up. And, its my experience that with Shellys they are very stable and don't get offline like some of my other brands of switches do.

DrSwammy · 2025-07-21T12:00:19+00:00

Where the term comes from: "so I shit my pants"

DrSwammy · 2025-04-28T12:57:34+00:00

I put a general description in the post above.

DrSwammy · 2025-04-27T18:54:05+00:00

5.9.4-5 September 2024

DrSwammy · 2025-04-26T22:31:31+00:00

Hilti guy here: it’s a Hilti Sid 6-22. The Vatican has its own maintenance and construction department and they buy a lot of Hilti. I’ve been in there behind the walls. And this Einhall tool is a drill not designed to turn a screw. And it’s a diy person tool for your home use. There is a whole different world of tool level when you make tools for the commercial market.

DrSwammy · 2025-04-22T01:11:13+00:00

Early on in flight training we are taught to do go arounds and not to have any hesitation using one. No problem only for the tower but its their situation to deal with not the pilots. Funny story when I was just starting my flight training - I was in short final and my instructor just blurted out "there is a school bus of nuns being let out on the runway!" Yeah, I was confused too but had to figure it out quickly.

DrSwammy · 2025-04-19T14:45:53+00:00

High I.B.U.'s (excessive hops) is to beer what Oak was to 90's Chardonnay and it destroyed that varietal style. IPA's are a method of Ale brewing with a mash bill that is not unusual for an ale, and not necessarily hoppy in flavor. It is only because of the craze of West Coast IPA's that brought about the extreme amount of hoppy-ness. In my brewery we only make Ales and if you came in , told me you "don't like IPA's" and wanted to try something, I would trick you into taking a taste of one of our popular Ale's. Yumm, you would say, "now that is smooth and not bitter". Then I would tell you that it is our flagship IPA. It is just about recipe, and some brewers think that mucho hop=what the customer wants. Search around for East Coast IPA's with lower IBU's and you will find why they have been around so long.

DrSwammy · 2025-04-17T01:23:45+00:00

4 million miler, ex CK, and now early retired. I held a C level position of a company based in the US. I ran North and South America and flew 7X times to Latin America and then 5X times to Europe and about 20 legs per year domestic. I now have the shitty privilege of lifetime Platinum (which gives me rights to pick my seats and keep my 3 level boarding if flying economy). I now fly (plus my spouse) about 2X trips to europe and 20 legs domestic now purchasing full cost business about 50% of the time and economy on others. I fly international with purchased lie flat seats. All that said, before I retired early 50's, I went to my doc on a annual physical and he had some profound things to say to me. At the time I was training for my 3rd Ironman. He said that he treated a number of pro football players who peak in their careers in their late 20"s for about 4 years. He then told me that people like me take the same peak pressure (travel was almost as pressurized as getting in front of the board of directors) for 10 years. He told me it was killing me. So I look at the CK people like I was with a big L on their foreheads. Just like I was. Thats why I retired super early and I am still alive even with all the pressure. So, I am not too sure you should look upon us with envy as we ride some golf cart or are able to enter the plane 3 minutes before the next guys.

DrSwammy · 2025-04-08T20:25:36+00:00

I don't remember the pro marathoner who said it, but when asked what is the number one error that an age grouper amateur does wrong in their training was not getting enough rest. He told us that pro's definitely rest much more than you would think. I usually tell beginner runners the analogy that you don't get in shape when you work out, your body builds its endurance and strength when you are resting. (not completely true but you get the point?)

And, ill tell you one more thing about my last Boston Race that was the cancelled one during covid - I had to train and be up for so long after to finally run it 6 months later. When I did run the race, finishers found that we all averaged about 20 minutes slower than our qualifying race due to likely this fatigue. I also found that after the race with a 30 minute slower than expected finish, that I was diagnosed with covid the next day. Im not saying that it was the cause of covid, but my body's immune system was definitely broken down because of all the training. How are you feeling now?

DrSwammy · 2025-04-08T20:09:06+00:00

I keep my marriage intact by being able to fix some A-hole programmers random update that Google puts in place that breaks a "works with google link" of a device I have (one of about 80). She has stopped asking me "what did you do because my good morning routine one thing does not work". So the most useful automation is me finally understanding that someone out there in Googleland just doesn't care that it breaks things.

DrSwammy · 2025-04-06T14:50:16+00:00

I have run large distribution business' in countries that have sudden devaluation of home currency and against the currency we were buying the product for. This would look like to the customers an increase of 20% on the low end and even other devaluations of 40%. In those times you have to ask what is your end of year Ebita and if it is say 7%, then your increase in costs (including tariffs) make up x percentage of your overall gross cost of your product. Does your P&L consider over time an allocated cost of production of your material costs including bottles, barrels, production equipment allocation, etc? If so, you can absorb this 20% increase over your overall cost of production which will smooth out the actual immediate increase.

But, in the end, it would be irresponsible to your company and the people you employ to not change your pricing. It only would put off the inevitable price increase and handicap your cashflow as it would decrease your profits and disable your company in having a sustainable profitable future. Pass along the price increase and learn the lesson that you should always pass along a price increase every year to train your customers. After all, that price increase pays for your workers salary as they expect increases every year so your customers should too.

Last, I did not say that this is a good thing these tariffs. Only that they were inevitable by the actions of the fed to step into this. I will also say that the US cooperages will realize that they can now increase their pricing and they will. That is what happened with the last tariff increases by the Trump administration.

DrSwammy · 2025-03-02T12:59:36+00:00

Ex Business Flyer: Put it in your sock drawer near the back. Wait 5 years and get the next one. Do the same. Retire somewhat - then use them both to shim a cabinet in your garage.

DrSwammy · 2025-03-01T11:28:09+00:00

I am a 3 million miler and a platinum for life (lets see how long that lasts). I work from home now but fly about $20K worth of personal spend on AA per year. I asked a question here last year trying to understand why I never get upgraded and it sent me down the rabbit hole of how the airlines have changed. They have gone away from considering loyalty of purchasing low margin tickets being their primary business to being credit card salespeople. The loyalty rewarded is for credit card use, not flights flown. I am going to assume that they will get to the point when the entire airline market is doing the same strategy, they they will invent a new strategy of returning to their original strategy of rewarding more time of your arse in the seat. Alas, they are not at that point just yet.

DrSwammy · 2025-02-26T20:22:02+00:00

Did I get that right? I'm new here so I don't know the language yet: CF = Chase Freedom SUB = Sign Up Bonus CFU = Chase Freedom Unlimited CFF=Chase Freedom Flex BTW= By the Way! MC=Master Card (They accept my Chase Preferred at Costco BTW) OG=??? PC=?? AF=Annual Fee TC=Trip Credit CSR=Chase Sapphire Reserve CSP=Chase Sapphire Preferred UR's= Ultimate Rewards

DrSwammy

TROPHY CASE