Rant: Landlord replaces broken oven, comes to install it, I leave, come back and it's not installed.

[DrPizza]

Let me put it this way, would it be idiotic for an electrician to hire an electrician to come and rewire his own home?
Would it be idiotic for a plumber to call another plumber to come to his house to fix a leaky faucet?

Of course it would be idiotic. The reason you pay so much for a contractor is because they have expertise that you don't. Well, in KarenMarie's case, she's obviously a lot smarter than the people your family does business with.

 

[dartworth]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

We own our own home, built it from scratch 10 years ago. We have no mortgage either and the house is valued at 2.5 million.

Who is this we? Are you talking about your parents?

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

I never said we had full understanding and I wasn't necessarily talking about your particular case.

We do take payments over time, it's called credit, and we extend million dollar lines of credit all of the time.

I never suggested your path was wrong, he and I were debating about where the particular costs came in and given all of the cash in hand which would make more sense.

Thanks.

Thats all.
ahhh... forgive me. When I read your ... quoting me directly... and saying that it was stupid, dumb and not cost effective, I thought you were talking to me about what I posted.

Negative, we were discussing two different scenarios. In your case it made sense for your priorities.

For me I couldn't deal with the 3.5 years of chaotic living in a half renovated house.. it would drive me crazy and my sanity is worth a few grand to me.

 

[DrPizza]

Oh, and I've done all my remodeling projects myself. I certainly don't leave work early to do them. Thus, the idea that I'm losing out on earning money by doing those projects myself is a silly one. As it took KarenMarie over a year to do the renovations, it seems pretty logical that she was using spare time - time when she wouldn't have been making $100 an hour.

(well, she could have, if her morals took a sudden change.)

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Let me put it this way, would it be idiotic for an electrician to hire an electrician to come and rewire his own home?
Would it be idiotic for a plumber to call another plumber to come to his house to fix a leaky faucet?

Of course it would be idiotic. The reason you pay so much for a contractor is because they have expertise that you don't. Well, in KarenMarie's case, she's obviously a lot smarter than the people your family does business with.

Commercial Construction, not residential. Plus our crews are busy, the olympics will be here in a few years and costs and profits have soared.

This guy is doing my dad a huge favour.

I'm going to ignore your references to intelligence.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, and I've done all my remodeling projects myself. I certainly don't leave work early to do them. Thus, the idea that I'm losing out on earning money by doing those projects myself is a silly one. As it took KarenMarie over a year to do the renovations, it seems pretty logical that she was using spare time - time when she wouldn't have been making $100 an hour.

(well, she could have, if her morals took a sudden change.)

Her reno took 3.5 years if I read correctly.

My sanity > saving a few grand and living in a half renovated house for 3.5 years.

They didn't have a kitchen for a year, the full reno took 3.5.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, and I've done all my remodeling projects myself. I certainly don't leave work early to do them. Thus, the idea that I'm losing out on earning money by doing those projects myself is a silly one. As it took KarenMarie over a year to do the renovations, it seems pretty logical that she was using spare time - time when she wouldn't have been making $100 an hour.

(well, she could have, if her morals took a sudden change.)

Her reno took 3.5 years if I read correctly.

My sanity > saving a few grand and living in a half renovated house for 3.5 years.

They didn't have a kitchen for a year, the full reno took 3.5.

Okay, well I'll agree with you on one point. It would have been pretty foolish to gut the entire house at once. But, otherwise, your point boils down to - do it yourself projects are not cost effective. I'm arguing that they are. The bigger the project, the longer it takes, but the more that is saved. However, some of us would rather have things to do other than coming home from work and sitting in front of the television.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, and I've done all my remodeling projects myself. I certainly don't leave work early to do them. Thus, the idea that I'm losing out on earning money by doing those projects myself is a silly one. As it took KarenMarie over a year to do the renovations, it seems pretty logical that she was using spare time - time when she wouldn't have been making $100 an hour.

(well, she could have, if her morals took a sudden change.)

Her reno took 3.5 years if I read correctly.

My sanity > saving a few grand and living in a half renovated house for 3.5 years.

They didn't have a kitchen for a year, the full reno took 3.5.

Okay, well I'll agree with you on one point. It would have been pretty foolish to gut the entire house at once. But, otherwise, your point boils down to - do it yourself projects are not cost effective. I'm arguing that they are. The bigger the project, the longer it takes, but the more that is saved. However, some of us would rather have things to do other than coming home from work and sitting in front of the television.

I'm not saying you're wrong in that regard, you're right it has to do with priorities.

But in her cases her external expenses exponentially increase, her meal expenses for food alone doubled probably.

 

[DrPizza]

Oh, btw, sorry about stealing your thread

But, (now to turn up the heat), if you learned construction, why didn't you just finish your landlord's job for him instead of posting that you don't have a stove to use!

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, and I've done all my remodeling projects myself. I certainly don't leave work early to do them. Thus, the idea that I'm losing out on earning money by doing those projects myself is a silly one. As it took KarenMarie over a year to do the renovations, it seems pretty logical that she was using spare time - time when she wouldn't have been making $100 an hour.

(well, she could have, if her morals took a sudden change.)

We were both working. the b/f full time, me part time.

once we decided to do this ourselves... he went to part time and i stayed part time. He is self employeed, so he went from 10 hours per day, 5 days per week to 12-15 hours per day, 3 days per week.

and I supposed that if I wanted to get credit and do into DEBT, i could have borrowed against the house to pay for it. but i did not want to go into DEBT. With the b/f being self employed...i LOVE having the security that the house is ours. If, GOD FORBID, anything were to happen to him while we had a loan against this place... there would be a very real chance that we could lose the house that we paid for in cash the day we got it. I would not do that unless it were an emergency. As it stands now... if, GOD FORBID anything were to happen to him, it would be no big deal for me to go to full time to cover the property tax. no one will take my home.

the b/f's father owns an industrial painting company... so he grew up learning how to sheetrock, plaster and paint. They also own about 6 or 7 rental properties, so he grew up learning how to do a lot of other stuff. what he didn't know.. he and his brother learned.

it took us a long time. But i was not homeless, i could still shower. and eating out... well, there was no cooking, no cleaning and no dishes.

of course we had dust EVERY where and fought a lot.

but it is done now. and going back, i would do the same again. i just would be more organized.

 

[Reckoner]

Well... since you parents most likely pay the rent, shouldn't they be talking to the landlord?

 

[Colt45]

Buy a hotplate and quit whining?

 

[KarenMarie]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: KarenMarie

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

I never said we had full understanding and I wasn't necessarily talking about your particular case.

We do take payments over time, it's called credit, and we extend million dollar lines of credit all of the time.

I never suggested your path was wrong, he and I were debating about where the particular costs came in and given all of the cash in hand which would make more sense.

Thanks.

Thats all.
ahhh... forgive me. When I read your ... quoting me directly... and saying that it was stupid, dumb and not cost effective, I thought you were talking to me about what I posted.

Negative, we were discussing two different scenarios. In your case it made sense for your priorities.

For me I couldn't deal with the 3.5 years of chaotic living in a half renovated house.. it would drive me crazy and my sanity is worth a few grand to me.

I suppose if there is a 'few grand' laying around, that is great. but in our case, it was more than just a few grand... i would love to know how much you think it would have cost us in labor to have someone come in here, gut the entire house down to the bare brick, jack it up to anchor the beams, install a sump pump under the floors, sister/replace the floor joists... then do all the electricity, plumbing, sheetrock, painting and lighting... install the kitchen cabinets/stove. turn the spare room from a heater room to a bathroom, and move the heaters to the garage. do the tiling, flooring and etc.

i might be wrong, since i dont do this for a living... but i am thinking it would cost a bit more than just a 'few grand' in labor, no?

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
Well... since you parents most likely pay the rent, shouldn't they be talking to the landlord?

They live 3500 miles away.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, btw, sorry about stealing your thread

But, (now to turn up the heat), if you learned construction, why didn't you just finish your landlord's job for him instead of posting that you don't have a stove to use!

Not my job, and I don't have the tools I'm at school right now.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, btw, sorry about stealing your thread

But, (now to turn up the heat), if you learned construction, why didn't you just finish your landlord's job for him instead of posting that you don't have a stove to use!

Not my job, and I don't have the tools I'm at school right now.

Ack! Your posts have always made it seem that your parents brought you up right. You have your own apartment but don't even have a screwdriver?! Shame on you!

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: RyanSengara

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Oh, btw, sorry about stealing your thread

But, (now to turn up the heat), if you learned construction, why didn't you just finish your landlord's job for him instead of posting that you don't have a stove to use!

Not my job, and I don't have the tools I'm at school right now.

Ack! Your posts have always made it seem that your parents brought you up right. You have your own apartment but don't even have a screwdriver?! Shame on you!

No I he needed a dremel, wire cutters, drill etc. I have a full set of screw drivers, hammer, alan keys, pliers, but not a dremel, wire clippers, or a drill.