On Monday, June 24, 2013 1:29:14 PM UTC-4, Don Wiss wrote:
I just e-mailed the contractor. I had been trying to not rub him the wrong
way. He has some capabilities that not all contractors have. I have been
hoping to hire him for projects at my house. This e-mail may burn my
bridges with him.

Jeezus Kee-rist, email is NOT the way to handle this. Everybody is so damned timid and shy, afraid of human contact.

Email is still not a primary business correspondence on things of importance. You need to pay the contractor a physical visit, or call him on the phone and talk with him personally.