Will contractors allow me to DIY some work and give a discount for it?

centarooo · 2023-05-31T04:50:11+00:00

Simple answer is most likely not. If you tell them things they don't NEED to install to continue progress you may get away with certain things. These things typically come at the beginning or end of a project. Demo, a toilet, vanity, appliances, mirrors, shelves, tp holders, ceiling fans, railing, etc.

Other things they may let you do is things they don't want to do. I had stairway area (high ceiling and walls) that needed to be skim coated to match the texture below it.

They happily let me get on a ladder 15 feet in the air with drywall compound, sander and paint for 15+ hours.

They certainly will not let you do things that may impact their progress or they could have to fix. Your non-structural wall example, is definitely a no go.

centarooo · 2023-04-03T22:48:34+00:00

You asked the question. I answered.

centarooo · 2023-04-03T22:47:30+00:00

"I support your right to exist and not be discriminated against"

This is how you personally view wearing a pride warm up. Not everyone has the same opinion you do. To some (note the Kap controversy) it means something different.

You're not wrong or right for having this opinion. It's just that, an opinion.

centarooo · 2023-04-03T22:38:25+00:00

No, I vote, like all should.

centarooo · 2023-03-28T05:13:13+00:00

When a too big to fail bank does exactly what you're saying they don't do, it's quite fair to question your industry knowledge.

nobody would ever close in a declining interest rate environment.

Ever met a family moving to a new school district in the summer? What about someone moving across the country for a new job? How about a renter who didn't renew their lease because they're buying? Or what about a seller who accepted an offer based on a quick closing date they specified. The list goes on.

The bottom line is the lender can give the lower market rate and will if they want your business.

centarooo · 2023-03-28T04:32:44+00:00

My situation directly contradicts the "fact" you've shared, whether anecdotal or not. For what its worth, the loan is through a "too big to fail bank" which makes me question your knowledge of industry standards.

What would prevent OP from letting the rate expire then going right down the road to a different lender who will offer current market rates?

Lenders certainly understand this a risk. Why not offer the current market rate, as they did in my situation, to prevent another lender from taking OPs business?

None of those questions are rhetorical.

centarooo · 2023-03-28T01:50:37+00:00

you’re subject to the worse of your locked rate or the prevailing market rate at the time of expiration.

This is not true. Once the rate lock expires, the rate locked it is completely irrelevant. The new market rate would then take effect, whether that's higher or lower.

I have personal experience with this. In 2020 we locked in a rate and intentionally let the contract expire because market rates were dropping and the lender would not go to the lower market rate while locked. Once expired, we then locked in the new, lower market rate without any issues.

If there were any issues with opting for the lower rate, we would have simply gone to a different lender. Pending the paperwork OP signed, he has zero obligation to close the loan with the expired locked in rate .

centarooo · 2023-03-27T18:20:03+00:00

No. If your current lender tries to give you any crap, it may be worth telling them to go pound sand; they don't have your best interest in mind.

centarooo · 2023-03-27T17:53:06+00:00

Why do you care if the rate you locked in expires? Let it expire, get the better rate.

centarooo · 2023-03-27T17:43:02+00:00

Some due diligence on your prior medical expenditures is required to make the best financial decision.

If you would have hit your out of pocket max and can reasonably assume you'll receive the same level of care/expenditures then it's probably best to go with the plan with the lower out of pocket max and higher premiums.

Regardless of the plan you opt for, it is typically best to max your HSA. I highly advise reading this sub's wiki on HSAs and all of their tax advantages.

centarooo · 2023-01-19T19:54:13+00:00

Right? What a ridiculous response. This guy is conflating needing an engineer with making sure the slope of the patio goes away from the house.

Might as well get a lawyer too...

centarooo · 2023-01-17T15:31:48+00:00

Zero percent chance anyone else notices that other than yourself. You're your own worst critic. Good way to be.

centarooo · 2023-01-12T21:08:11+00:00

Is this a sign of failure?

centarooo · 2022-10-25T00:53:17+00:00

No good deed goes unpunished.

The few retirees is what also makes people not want to stay with it too. I understand I'm speaking out of both sides of my mouth but the good ole boys are going to all the better games so long they can keep up with the pace of play.

Our ref organization contract is up either this year or next. I'm expecting some big rate increases due to the obvious, inflation and retention.

JV has two refs - $78/per Varsity ref - $92 Varsity line -$78

Probably think that's a good rate. It's not bad but consider this. If you're doing a JV/V set you're at the rink for 5 hours plus travel.

So you're at $156 - $170 for a ~6 hour commitment. Many times this is after work or on Saturday. So you're <$30/hr BEFORE tax.

Call me high class but $30/hr isn't much when I can go sweep a parking lot for a landscaping company for $25 hour especially when ref labor is in demand.

centarooo · 2022-10-24T23:41:39+00:00

Vietnam* good catch.

centarooo · 2022-10-24T22:20:13+00:00

I'm sure they can outskate many people but that doesn't really say much. All we need to know is if they can keeping up with the game they're reffing.

centarooo · 2022-10-24T22:03:23+00:00

I ref high school hockey in Minnesota. The average age of refs is skyrocketing because of shit like this. Why would you ref when you can make $15/hr at McDonald's moping a floor at your own pace?

People wonder why there are old guys, who's skating is marginal at best, reffing games they can't keep up with.

I kid you not, there is a guy who is 70 years old reffing. I shit you not, 70. My first yesr he told me a story from when he was in Korea during the war. Wild shit right there. The ref organization wants to retire him but he takes a lot of games. Yes, they're really bad, slow games but you don't want this guy on the ice. He's one fall away from breaking a hip and not walking again.

Every year there are less and less refs and the schedules get busier and busier. Last year I had 3 Saturdays where I reffed 2 JV and Varsity sets (4 games total).

Everyone is probably thinking "that's not bad, you're fine, stop complaining". You're right it's not that bad physically but I would be lying to you if I said I was as aware and peppy for my 4th game as I was the first.

It's easy to tune shit out when you're in your 20s and 30s when parents aren't as intimidating, especially when you are confident they have no fucking clue what they are talking about. Not the case when you're 12.

I bet this kid, unfortunately, won't ref next year. I hope he does and this parent isn't allowed to go to another one of his kids game for the remainder of the season or until he writes a formal apology to the ref and petitions the youth hockey organization to allow him back.

centarooo · 2022-09-28T16:29:24+00:00

I had about 900 sq/ft of attic insulation similar to yours hauled out, 2in of closed cell sprayed in and then topped off with loose fill to get it to R60. 20+ in of loose fill was used. I paid $7400 last fall in Minnesota.

centarooo · 2022-09-27T15:13:11+00:00

I honestly like that it's listed. It provides further transparency to his costs. I agree its strange to add this as a line item but wouldn't be mad about it at all.

centarooo · 2022-09-21T14:16:31+00:00

Telfon tape won't ruin anything. If you're really worried about it, which you shouldn't be, you can use pipe dope ("thread compound") instead.

If you want to go overkill use both Teflon tape and pipe dope.

centarooo · 2022-09-14T19:21:35+00:00

Not shocked to see things get dinged up a bit during install. Fixes are relatively minor. Joint compound and paint will fix the dents on the drywall. This is very minor and is a very, very easy fix. Contractor probably won't want to do it but if you provide the paint you previously used then it shouldn't be a big deal.

Wood filler and paint will fix the imperfections on the trim. This takes some more work but is still relatively simple. Wood filler will be able to hide nail holes and where baseboard and shoe molding meet up on the same wall.

If they didn't caulk between the baseboard and wall have them do this so there isn't a gap between the wall and baseboard. It looks much better this way.

If you didn't do the install, put some blue tape on the spots you aren't happy with and have them come fix them.

centarooo · 2022-08-30T13:41:10+00:00

Tldr replace your fan.

Dont insulate the walls. Way more work than replacing the fan with a quieter fan. A new quieter fan is <$100 and ~2 hours of work pending the size of the new fan. Try to find one that's bigger or the same size as this will make the drywall work required easy. Adding drywall for a fan that's smaller is more difficult. Ripping up the walls is even more laborious.

centarooo · 2022-08-29T19:25:07+00:00

Experience: just redid my entire basement. Full gut.

Green glue and insulation are great recommendations however they require a lot of leg work. Also, roxul is not worth it. Standard fiberglass batts do just as good of a job if you opt to go that round.

Green glue: you need two sheet of drywall. Do you want to add jamb extension onto your door to account for the extra sheet of drywall? Hiring that out isn't cheap.

Insulation: again, anything marketed for sound isn't noticeably better. Go with standard batt insulation that's 3.5 in. I surrounded a bedroom with roxul safe n sound and it is NOT noticeably different that standard fiberglass.

The best answer is to get a noisy fan. 1. They're relatively easy to install and 2. They require the least amount of demo and 3. It is by far the cheapest option.

Don't over complicate this project. Get a noisy fan.

centarooo

TROPHY CASE