In article AEk6h.2764$dz.2038@trndny09, Edwin Pawlowski says...


"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
I asked her how much it cost. She said she hadn't gotten the bill yet! I
was only partially surprised at the idea of working this way, but the
electrician is a guy who did some work for us in the past, and whose
prices were VERY reasonable. So....there's the other side.

There are a few contractors that you can trust to work like that. I happen
to have a plumber and an electrician that we use at work. I just tell them
what I want and they do the job at reasonable cost. I may ask for a number
for budgeting a big job, but it is never set in stone. These guys have been
working with us for about 15 years. I'd not do it with anyone I don't have
any experience with.



I have a general contractor/carpenter like that, although we do set up a
specific contract for big jobs. And have set aside certain jobs as cost plus,
where he and I anticipate possible issues on opening up. Right now he's setting
up some new windows - on the older addition we'll be looking for possible
carpenter ant damage, and will decide if some framing wood replacement will need
to happen or not. If not, the price is that already set. If so, it will be
more depending on what we find. There has to be some decent way to handle that
kind of thing, and it can't all be set before the walls are opened up.

I also have an electrician that I just tell him what I want. I even have to
chase him to bill me sometimes... he knows when he gets to me I'll pay. Found
him through that contractor.

After some time in this area, as a homeowner I've built up some experience, and
follow the gambler's creed - knowing when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em.
Keeping the good cards, so to speak.

The only plumber I've found so far that I really trust is a big outfit that is a
little pricey and gives written estimates before any work; so I'm doing that.
The work is always good though. Maybe down the road I'll find a different
arrangement and save some bucks.

So, just do the best you can do with what you find, and recognize and keep the
good cards. If you think they're all *bad*, that will never happen.

If I don't have somewhere to start on a big job, like when I had the house
painted, the driveway repaved, and some foundation work, I got several
estimates. It's not just to compare the prices (and you dont' necessarily want
the lowest! But the highest may be someone on the take or just trying to price
themselves out the of job), it's also to get a read on what kind of person this
is. Kind of like a job interview. If he (or she, had a married set of masons!)
seems on top of things, and communicates well answering questions and offers
reasonable opinions and ideas, doesn't push or try to "sell" me, it's probably a
good card. I've had pretty good luck with that approach.

What part do *I* do? I value my time, so I do the part that I like only, that I
need to do often enough to actually accumalate some skill and knowledge. That's
the painting/staining and prep and related stuff. Yes, even running a
paintbrush or roller up and down takes a feeling for the task and some skill. I
wouldn't do my own tiling, although I find the task attractive. I just don't do
it enough, and it's too permanent, for me not to want a pro to do it. Maybe
when I'm retired and have had a chance to do some standalone projects like table
tops or accent walls.

BTW, I'm also a single woman.

Banty