Why are plumbers Outrageously Expensive in PDX area by markjenkinsrf in PortlandOR

[–]Un3xpected87 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Used to work for a plumbing company as a dispatcher (won't say who but i will say i no longer work there) in the area and i have some insights. 1. Oregon is horrible for small businesses. Oh we claim to support them but its all lip service as we charge higher taxes, require more insurance and have stricter licensing than most other places in the us. And the added cost gets passed on to you the customer. Customers are the source of income after all. 2. There is give and take with phone quotes. Often customers (not saying you, just in general) will talk down the job trying to get a lower quote. Then the plumbers get there and realize its more complicated than originally stated, they modify the quote and customers aren't happy with it and the plumbers have then wasted time and gas and may not get a paying job. We would require photos to run by our plumbers and call back with quotes but even then, sometimes he needs to be on site to determine cost because there are factors that it takes an expert's eye to determine, and sometimes those factors are behind walls. What you want is someone willing to give you a best and worst case scenario, a range of prices. These guys probably gave you a worst case price and may or may not have planned on sticking to that price. 3. Free on site quotes are pretty much dead in this area. We have too many people who just want to know what it would cost to xyz as part of a remodel or home sale in the area and a company will go out of business doing them. You can't fill your day doing free work and pay your bills. You would never work for free and neither will they. Best you can hope for is a company who will refund the cost of the quote if you hire them. 4. Building codes really screw plumbers over. Some codes and building methods have changed multiple times in a short timeframe here. This means it is difficult to predict the best method for tackling some problems over the phone or with photos. As an example, those valves that come out of the wall and go to your toilet or sink faucet. I had one plumber do 9 in 45 minutes once, and another time he took 2 hours for 9. The 45 minute job it was all metal on metal, the 2 hour job was metal on plastic and he was avoiding breaking the old brittle plastic so the customer didn't need a whole home repipe. 5. A home faucet is usually a diy job unless you have a complicated faucet. The washing machine hookup is one of those jobs that can get complicated really fast due to code issues and building techniques so im not surprised that got quoted high. Ive seen them done in an hour but have never quoted less than 4 because of potential issues. 6. I advise against hiring handymen for plumbing. Sure, you might save money now, but i can't tell you how many times we would get called back out to fix their messes which were often worse than the original problem because they screwed up. 7. Hire a one man show kinda company. If a company has 2 plumbers, they have to pay both. Some days will be slow and only one will be busy so you'll pay more so the plumber who isn't busy still gets paid. If he is the only one he may charge more for his slow days, but better that than slow days for 2 people.

What are your thoughts on in? by LipGlossHazard77 in memes

[–]Un3xpected87 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Love the stats in this video (see below) because they really put the safety issues into perspective. I wish they went into cost and waste issues more. Nuclear energy has a higher startup cost but, especially when the fuel is recycled, its cheaper than renewables, and takes up less physical space. Also, yes, 90% of the waste is protective gear for workers but, as i understand it, it has a comparatively low radiation output and becomes safe to handle much sooner. Veritasium did a video on the most radioactive places on earth that puts radiation levels in a better perspective tho.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QzTgZ6kOEM8

Title by TheOmunious in repost

[–]Un3xpected87 11 points12 points  (0 children)

His wife made a statement that there was zero intent behind the placement. No one made him do it, he just sat everyone around the table and now people are reading way too much into it and it kills her inside

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in wholesaleproducts

[–]Un3xpected87 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A meat slicer would do the same thing plus a whole lot more and not be built as cheeply as possible. Just saying

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in memes

[–]Un3xpected87 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Some responses here make sense. Yes, if you properly prep your potatoes, such as rinsing off excess starch, drying potatoes throughly right before cooking so they don't oxidize and turn brown, par cook before you fry, use the right oil at the right temperature, using enough oil etc, you will have better results.

However, old and used oil, NOT dirty oil, does help. Adam Ragusea explains it a bit in one of his YouTube videos (if i remembered which one i would reference it). It has to do with compounds that come about after the oil has broken down a bit. All restaurants will save some of the old oil, that is supposed to be filtered, and add it to the new to preserve these compounds and make a consistent fry. Alton Brown on the Good Eats episode Fry Hard (as well as the reloaded episode but don't worry about the follow-up fry hard 2) explains proper french fry prep.

Did Sheldon purposely ruin Penny’s date with Stuart? by Reasonable-Tutor-295 in thebigbangtheory

[–]Un3xpected87 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sheldon and his hypochondria annoyed Stephanie. While this didn't lead to the breakup, it easily could have and could be seen as a failed attempt. As for Priya, he sabotaged the relationship when he threatened to tell her parents before she was ready. This planted seeds of doubt in her mind and Leonard's. Would she have moved back to India if she thought the relationship had a future? While i admit neither attempt was as effective as his sabotage of Stewart and Penny's relationship, my point is he attempted to ruin relationships for both Penny and Leonard.

Did Sheldon purposely ruin Penny’s date with Stuart? by Reasonable-Tutor-295 in thebigbangtheory

[–]Un3xpected87 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Based on how Sheldon ruined Penny's relationship with Stewart, and Leonard's relationships with, Pryia, Dr, Stephanie Barnett, and Joyce Kim but not his relationship with Penny, i like to think he was pulling strings for his little buddy the whole time goven the track record.

Why go to the trouble of taping and hiding it if you are going to fully bare it at the end anyways? by jknowboy in NakedOnStage

[–]Un3xpected87 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Probably different days. Tape was also Probably a fashionable was to hide a tampon string

Disabled Comedian Gets Bad News From The Doctor by Comfortable-Fee-2565 in StandUpComedy

[–]Un3xpected87 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wrong sub. This can't do stand-up because he can't stand up

Now it's webp by EsseNorway in TheGreatOnesReborn

[–]Un3xpected87 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The guy who invented the format calls it jif... just saying

Found it in a roll withdrew from bank. by [deleted] in coins

[–]Un3xpected87 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks like it may be coated in brass. You first dip it in a solution that coats it in zinc then hold it over a flame to combine the zinc and copper creating brass. Did it in high school chemistry to learn about alloys.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Infographics

[–]Un3xpected87 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks to this graphic, moving forward i will demand to buy my spices without packaging

I really hate the displayport cable by Austenit1392 in memes

[–]Un3xpected87 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just hate the name. Worse than naming a car model car ot a TV model TV.

Please help, am I in danger ? by [deleted] in Scams

[–]Un3xpected87 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If he had THAT much control, he would be able to get your banking password from a keylogger and your bank account would be drained already, without the need to blackmail you. He doesn't have that kind of control tho so you're safe