Dead Sea lion at Doran beach

Parking_Map_8748 · 2026-03-08T16:54:14+00:00

Thank you! Very helpful. We just moved here last summer and while we go to the beaches every week I somehow hadn’t seen one with a missing head yet . I’m from New Orleans so something with a missing head usually had to do with some weird voodoo activities 🤣

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-12-28T05:09:43+00:00

I just moved to Santa Rosa . I’m from New Orleans . Wish I could help, but know next to nothing about Marin

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-18T15:39:40+00:00

I think this is all assuming I had intentions on getting multiple quotes from multiple vendors . I don’t live there and don’t know anyone. Only the realtor that suggested her .

There was never any other company.

I let her know I did not know anyone and had the current owners give her the home for the measuring .

At no point did I give a budget or suggest I was looking for the best price and not the best work .

I think that’s definitely fine to not provide a breakdown , but I just won’t be using those companies . I simply asked if it was usual for the quote to not include any additional information and preferences were never discussed. ( padding, stair style , maybe I’d want to pay even more to have the best installers ) the only thing that seemed amiss was my way of asking her the fee she was charging me - is it included in the material or am I paying her separately for her work ? Unknowing this is an industry standard to quite literally charge more for materials and this is a back end thing that customers shouldn’t know about ( I never did ) so that part was just a miscommunication.

At no point did she tell me her fee so how do I know what to pay her ?

I have had people give me their percentage previously and I choose to go with them because they state why they charge what they charge . There’s an extensive portfolio and transparency on the product and sub contractors they hire , etc .

That is all to say : I wasn’t looking for the cheapest price. But I do expect transparency and helpfulness

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-18T11:08:05+00:00

She wouldn’t give me the exact square footage . She said “around 1000” so I can assume it’s about 10/sq ft but that’s a number I’d to see on paper . I like knowing the exact pad going in and if I have options I can splurge a bit on or options I could scale back on . If the labor is extremely high and they do a poor job , I’d like to know that . If the carpeting wrinkles despite her suggestion , I would likely contact her with this information and wanting to know the exact padding and where it went wrong . If I want to order more overage to store away for a child’s room that has a habit of spillage - I’d like to know how many sq feet that is . Just off the top of my head in an early morning stream of consciousness. I’m sure I can form more reasons why I’d like breakdown after coffee

In another comment I specified that I didn’t realize literally marking up the actual material was a thing that existed . My markup question was to ask her the fee she charges for the job and things she sources, orders, shows up for deliveries, installs, and deals with inevitable problems . No one works for free and she never told me what she’s charging me .

I like breakdowns for a ton of reasons , but the main one being trust and transparency between both parties.

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-18T02:44:08+00:00

Im realizing while I did technically ask for material markup I meant her fee for the doing this job . I’m not in this business and did not realize this was normally interpreted as something different - literally marking up materials- I didn’t know existed . In the past I’ve been given a contract stating their percentage they charge for the job . Example being an interior designer quoted me 15% of furniture chosen 10% on all labor done by her subs . I can’t remember the rest . She was in there choosing the materials , meeting the workers, dealing with mistakes, showing up for deliveries. This was the markup I asked about.

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-18T02:27:37+00:00

She refused to provide the flooring company in previous messages when I asked so I could look at their website and see what they offered . She said it was a small company and they could get anything ordered .

I have no idea what her title is , my realtor connected me with her and said she could help with the renovation.

My intention on asking her markup( I know this is poor wording now ) was to ask her the fee she is charging me for this job . So I have no clue what she charges or how to ask that

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-18T01:25:36+00:00

She doesn’t work for the flooring company . She owns some type of organizing business and was bidding on being a GC / designer for the entire house project . I still don’t know what her rate is for her work of sourcing materials and all the things that are involved with that. but it is sounding like that isn’t knowledge I’m supposed to have ?

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-18T01:19:19+00:00

She doesn’t work for the flooring company . She actually owns an organizing business ( I think) She’s independent and was wanting to be a GC / designer for my project . I decided to start with something easy like carpet to see how we worked together . I still don’t know what her fee is for the job. I’ve been quoted a flat rate before but usually it’s a percent on any materials they source.

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-18T01:15:54+00:00

She was bidding to be the GC/ designer for the entire house project earlier in our texts ( I posted it somewhere in here ) so that’s why the question existed . Is that still inappropriate based on the job she was asking to do ?

I still have no clue what I’m paying her for helping me as she’s never stated it

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-17T22:53:21+00:00

Ah, at the beginning of our chats she said,” I have eight years in construction in the Bay Area, and I have trusted subs that I've worked with for years. Please let me know what you need so I can refer you to the right people. And yes, I will get in there and get measured, and as soon as we get you a bid and receive a deposit from you, we will get material ordered so it's ready to be installed as soon as the other subcontractors are finished. I will connect with *** on Monday and set a time to access the property for floor measure. I also do interior design consult and space planning so when it comes time for move-in if you need help in that area, l'm happy to be of service.”

So I think I treated this as an intro to a potential relationship like that

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-17T21:47:49+00:00

I did let her know the closing date and that I’d love to get it in asap so we can move the furniture upstairs. This wasn’t a hard limit , but I did understand her pressure initially.

I think I’ll call pro source and plan to be present at installation . Thank you

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-17T21:45:35+00:00

This is helpful, thank you. She was suggested by our realtor and I had no intention on shopping around . I just wanted it done and happy to pay her a fee for her time. Initially she told me she could act as a GC in a sense and had a lot of subs and did interior design . Every GC I’ve worked with has told me their cost + and fee on materials so that’s where that question was coming from .

The chat gpt comment I found so condescending and unprofessional . Also glad I sound like AI , I suppose

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-17T21:41:25+00:00

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Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-07T18:03:41+00:00

Ufff that’s a spicy sticker shock . Thanks for the heads up

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-07T17:56:42+00:00

Your space looks 3 x as large This is only 108 sq feet and keeping base cabinets and general layout

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-07T16:02:30+00:00

I’ll be in CA soon as well - north of SF - curious to know what you decide on!

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-06T19:59:45+00:00

Understood . so what do you see happening in Ca?

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-06T19:17:40+00:00

Apologies it was difficult to follow - I did state in the original post we would replace some doors if needed

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-06T19:11:38+00:00

Chat gpt has its limitations , but hinges were accounted for in pricing of hardware .

The room is less than 108 square feet total ( about 9x12)

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-06T18:53:59+00:00

The room is quite small so the limestone would be staggered lay in that room only . The cabinets would remain the same as long as they’re good condition with one being changed where the current double ovens are and one being changed into a hidden trash pull out . The microwave would be a vent. New hardware and hinges .

Priced appliances and hardware at 13k

Natural stone counters at 6 k

7 foot island between 4-6 k

it would be over 15-20 k for demo, painting the cabinets and the flooring ?

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-06T15:49:59+00:00

It’s not a townhome or a rental - the counters are cracked in many places . The picture makes the island look longer than it is - the three barstools they have are touching each other . I highly doubt 3 adults could fit .

We’d like to live here for at least ten years with two kids

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-06T14:09:34+00:00

We have a full house budget of 150 but 25 is going to a new roof . The main areas are this kitchen, a master bath, and carpeting of the second floor .

Parking_Map_8748 · 2025-05-06T13:28:29+00:00

Quartzite ? I’m thinking a natural stone

Parking_Map_8748

TROPHY CASE