philo wrote:
On 01/31/2014 02:01 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:


Whenever I have a project I tell them what I am doing, they then fetch
the *exact* parts I need and tell me *exactly* how to do it.


(Anyone who might live in Milwaukee...it's Crown Plumbing.)

We also have a plumbing supply house near us that I love. It's in the back
of a Kitchen and Bath Design Center. A lot of the contractors shop there.
As a homeowner you can get excellent advice from not only the folks behind
the counter but often from the contractors that are waiting on their
supplies.

For electrical parts (and advice) I use a electrical supply counter that's
in the back of a lighting design center. Same deal.

For one job, I actually "hired" a plumber to come to my house and tell me
what to do. We found a time that he was going to be nearby and I met him at
the house. I had already jack hammered the basement slab and exposed the
connection I needed to deal with. All he had to do was look in the hole and
tell me what to buy. Best $20 I ever spent 'cuz I wouldn't have figured it
out on my own.




Yep...and even though he just gave you quick advice, that $20 was really cheap.

When I was still working, my company had a $210 minimum charge...but we
worked in an industrial rather than home environment.

$20 was cheap to me and a couple of free lunches for him. He came over at
the end of the day on the way home from a job that was in my neighborhood.
I don't think he "wasted" more than 15 minutes parking, coming in, offering
advice and leaving. I hate to use the term, but this really was a win-win.

BTW...this happened at least 15 years ago, so rates were cheaper then.