On Tue, 06 Mar 2007 08:54:15 -0500, dgk wrote:

I realize that I should go the gut-it route, but I don't have two
weeks to sit at home while it gets done. Assuming I do a bathfitter
thing, how much wiggle room is there in the price? What should it cost

Quite a bit. I wasn't a serious customer, so when I didn't bite, I
think they came down a lot. That really annoys me. You have to look
serious enough that they think it is worth coming down, I think. If
you don't seem serious at all, maybe they wouldn't want to make it
public how negotiable they are.

It was at least 20 or 30%, maybe 40, my memory is not too good. What
annoyed me is that if I had been eager, they would have made a really
big profit.

They also knew my street, and therefore exactly what my house looks
like, and concluded I don't have that much money. They said they had
done two houses in my 100 house n'hood. So that was what got them to
lower the price quickly, but I"m sure they would have done so anyhow
once I started to walk out. I don't actually like to dicker or to be
coy, but when it's something I don't really want (see below), it
always looks to the seller like I'm trying to get a lower price.

So I'm best at getting a good price when I don't want something, when
it doesn't matter, and when I do want something, I'm not so good. I
have to figure out a way to reverse that.

for a tub, walls, etc?

I don't remember things like that.


Unrelated to you: I only wanted a tub, and I didn't get one because
it's already too short, and even if I only lost a half inch, I think I
would notice it. And because I haven't tried painting the damaged
area yet. Bought the epoxy paint but haven't used it. It was the
most uncomfortable tub I had ever sat in, tried to lie back in (the
corner went right into my back) until I made a foam rubber cushion for
it. Then it was fine, but I was too clever and I made the foam rubber
extend four or six inches below the top of the tub, with wings. And
the bottom inch never dried out. I thought tubs were waterproof and
the water wouldn't hurt it, but after weeks or months I lifted up the
foam and there was water damage, a line, thin in the middle and almost
an inch high at each end. So I use a shorter cushion now, and it is
just as comfortable as the long one.

If I live here until I die, I guess the resale price of the house
won't matter to me, but anything short of that would be bad, if I lose
money because of a bad-looking tub. Functionally the thing is as good
as ever, and the bad appearance isn't so bad except it reminds me of
how stupid I was. I'm not sure fixing it will make it remind me less.