I have a few urgent jobs around the house that I don't feel qualified
to tackle but I'm not sure what kind of company or artisan I need to
contact for help:

1) Two main-floor and one basement window have rotted sills. The
basement window is especially urgent, as water's leaking in.

2) My bedroom closet opening is about 10' wide, and the header has
sagged so that the height of the opening is less in the center than
the ends, making it hard for the four mirrored closet doors to track
properly. I had a carpenter prop up the center a few years ago, which
at least stabilized the situation. One door jammed recently, and its
frame opened up when I tried to move it. I've taped it together, but
where should I go for a permanent fix? (Also, another door's mirror
is cracked and needs replacing, but I figure the same type of person
would fix that.)

3) Heavy double-glazed sliding patio doors now stick, probably because
dirt has gotten into the tracks and from there into the rollers on the
bottom of the doors. A handyman said "lubricate the tracks," but even
I can see the pitfalls in that. Where do I go to hire help for this?

On Mar 30, 2:36*pm, Ivan wrote:
I have a few urgent jobs around the house that I don't feel qualified
to tackle but I'm not sure what kind of company or artisan I need to
contact for help:

1) Two main-floor and one basement window have rotted sills. The
basement window is especially urgent, as water's leaking in.

2) My bedroom closet opening is about 10' wide, and the header has
sagged so that the height of the opening is less in the center than
the ends, making it hard for the four mirrored closet doors to track
properly. I had a carpenter prop up the center a few years ago, which
at least stabilized the situation. *One door jammed recently, and its
frame opened up when I tried to move it. I've taped it together, but
where should I go for a permanent fix? *(Also, another door's mirror
is cracked and needs replacing, but I figure the same type of person
would fix that.)

3) Heavy double-glazed sliding patio doors now stick, probably because
dirt has gotten into the tracks and from there into the rollers on the
bottom of the doors. A handyman said "lubricate the tracks," but even
I can see the pitfalls in that. Where do I go to hire help for this?

Ask your neighbors for a good carpenter!!!!

"Ivan" wrote in message
...

I have a few urgent jobs around the house that I don't feel qualified
to tackle but I'm not sure what kind of company or artisan I need to
contact for help:

1) Two main-floor and one basement window have rotted sills. The
basement window is especially urgent, as water's leaking in.

Any construction carpenter should be able to repair these,
perhaps any handyman: but it would be best to get someone
who can also check your vapor shield and insulation for
damage by damp.

2) My bedroom closet opening is about 10' wide, and the header has
sagged so that the height of the opening is less in the center than
the ends, making it hard for the four mirrored closet doors to track
properly. I had a carpenter prop up the center a few years ago, which
at least stabilized the situation. One door jammed recently, and its
frame opened up when I tried to move it. I've taped it together, but
where should I go for a permanent fix? (Also, another door's mirror
is cracked and needs replacing, but I figure the same type of person
would fix that.)

This could be dangerous, if a sign of sagging floor structu
if so this may involve the Building Code where you live.

3) Heavy double-glazed sliding patio doors now stick, probably because
dirt has gotten into the tracks and from there into the rollers on the
bottom of the doors. A handyman said "lubricate the tracks," but even
I can see the pitfalls in that. Where do I go to hire help for this?

First, you can yourself clean visible dirt from the tracks and lubricate
with something you can remove if unsuccessful (e.g. soap or
candle wax.)

If you know a handyman well enough to get free advice, we do
not know why you did not ask him to estimate (in writing) cost
of these repairs and whether you need building permits to execute them.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Mar 30, 12:36*pm, Ivan wrote:
I have a few urgent jobs around the house that I don't feel qualified
to tackle but I'm not sure what kind of company or artisan I need to
contact for help:

1) Two main-floor and one basement window have rotted sills. The
basement window is especially urgent, as water's leaking in.

2) My bedroom closet opening is about 10' wide, and the header has
sagged so that the height of the opening is less in the center than
the ends, making it hard for the four mirrored closet doors to track
properly. I had a carpenter prop up the center a few years ago, which
at least stabilized the situation. *One door jammed recently, and its
frame opened up when I tried to move it. I've taped it together, but
where should I go for a permanent fix? *(Also, another door's mirror
is cracked and needs replacing, but I figure the same type of person
would fix that.)

3) Heavy double-glazed sliding patio doors now stick, probably because
dirt has gotten into the tracks and from there into the rollers on the
bottom of the doors. A handyman said "lubricate the tracks," but even
I can see the pitfalls in that. Where do I go to hire help for this?

If you;re in Orange County California I have I guy I use to help me or
do jobs I can't get to.

If you're not....a "good" handyman or a restoration / renovation
contractor.

If you cannot find someone, tackle the jobs one at a time with advice
from this newsgroup.

cheers
Bob

On Mar 30, 3:36�pm, Ivan wrote:
I have a few urgent jobs around the house that I don't feel qualified
to tackle but I'm not sure what kind of company or artisan I need to
contact for help:

1) Two main-floor and one basement window have rotted sills. The
basement window is especially urgent, as water's leaking in.

2) My bedroom closet opening is about 10' wide, and the header has
sagged so that the height of the opening is less in the center than
the ends, making it hard for the four mirrored closet doors to track
properly. I had a carpenter prop up the center a few years ago, which
at least stabilized the situation. �One door jammed recently, and its
frame opened up when I tried to move it. I've taped it together, but
where should I go for a permanent fix? �(Also, another door's mirror
is cracked and needs replacing, but I figure the same type of person
would fix that.)

3) Heavy double-glazed sliding patio doors now stick, probably because
dirt has gotten into the tracks and from there into the rollers on the
bottom of the doors. A handyman said "lubricate the tracks," but even
I can see the pitfalls in that. Where do I go to hire help for this?

It sounds like you have a old house and it hasn't been maintained
properly. The lack of maintenace will cost you plenty to get it in
shape.

Your problems also seem to be mostly structure related. Have you
checked for termites/carpenter ants? You may have more damage than you
realize.

If you haven't had an inspection done lately, maybe that should be
where you start.


Hank

On Mar 30, 3:36*pm, Ivan wrote:
I have a few urgent jobs around the house that I don't feel qualified
to tackle but I'm not sure what kind of company or artisan I need to
contact for help:

1) Two main-floor and one basement window have rotted sills. The
basement window is especially urgent, as water's leaking in.

2) My bedroom closet opening is about 10' wide, and the header has
sagged so that the height of the opening is less in the center than
the ends, making it hard for the four mirrored closet doors to track
properly. I had a carpenter prop up the center a few years ago, which
at least stabilized the situation. *One door jammed recently, and its
frame opened up when I tried to move it. I've taped it together, but
where should I go for a permanent fix? *(Also, another door's mirror
is cracked and needs replacing, but I figure the same type of person
would fix that.)

3) Heavy double-glazed sliding patio doors now stick, probably because
dirt has gotten into the tracks and from there into the rollers on the
bottom of the doors. A handyman said "lubricate the tracks," but even
I can see the pitfalls in that. Where do I go to hire help for this?

Check the internet. There are a lot of sites that have sprung up to
provide contacts for home repair, etc. My wife found some guys to fix
the clothes washer and the garage door when I was out with a bad
back. Both were pretty good guys, did a good job, and I felt charged
a reasonable amount. Some of the sites follow up with you on how the
job was done.