1. Ever have to replace your garbage disposer?
2. Ever decide that Sears would help you make this an easy transaction?
3. Did you ever go to Sears online to price these suckers?
4. Did you ever pick out one that was onsale online? And find it was not available in the local
Sears store?
5. Did you ever order one that seemed comparable to what you originally wanted and was the only
option available?
6. Did it arrive two days before it was supposed to arrive at Sears, to be delivered and installed by them (paid for, btw), only to learn that it was...
7. NOT at all compatible with what you had (the nonfunctioning one to be replaced)?
8. And would have to be reordered so that the Sears-hired installer could do it without adding a separate electrical outlet under your sink for an extra $60?
9. Did you take to strong drink after the installer left without installing anything?
10. Did you think you should move into a HOME? (You know the kind....)
That does not sound like fun, ME. About the time that I retired, I also retired as the appliance keeper-upper in our house. There is a company in Wichita that started as an HVAC place a couple of generations ago. It has expanded so that it now covers plumbing and electrical work. I call 'em out...tell 'em what I need...and they give me a few choices - with a side-by-side comparison for various capabilities and specifications. To this point, the cost is $0. Then...HH and I choose the particular equipment/installation/system that we are willing to pay for. It may take 2 or 3 days for them to get parts in; but, the largest installation they've done (total replacement of heating and cooling - excluding distribution vents and electricity to the sites - including replacing combustion air intake/exhaust outflow vents) took less than an 8-hour day to complete. I love dealing with the pros - and - if anything should go wrong (like needing to add an electrical outlet), it is on them to fix it as I contract with them for turnkey operation. I no longer worry that I missed something!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, such companies may not be readily available in some places or local rates may be higher than they are here. I can sympathize.
It's a pleasure to read about your competence, CC, and be inspired for the next time I have to do such things. I had better luck when I renovated my condo in Georgetown because I had access to pros, and my contractors would manage all of that. Or most. I still had to submit accurate drawings of my place (two apartments combined into one), but I was very lucky to run into architects visiting the same city office, and they helped me with the symbols, etc. This kind of work is very enjoyable if you have some idea of what you're doing. I envy your knowledge and experience!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pleasure to read about your experience, XE. How fortunate - your running into the architects. You (as we all do) learned as you went, didn't you?
DeleteTrust me when I tell you that I have always paid for my knowledge and experience. The problem with doing things ourselves is that we must live with our own mistakes. *sigh* I wish I could say that I never had to pay for the same knowledge a second time.
Cop Car
We all pay for our knowledge and experience. It's one of life's great bargains, I'd say. I spent my childhood winter evenings playing with tools at my father's workbench down in the basement next to the furnace, You can't imagine (or probably you can) how much I have withdrawn from that bank of experience over the years!! He had everything you could imagine or want to make things out of--wire, bolts & nuts, scraps of lumber, different kinds of saws.....
DeleteXE--You brought up a memory of about 40 years ago when I served on the Board of Trustees of our local library. Another member, the local Catholic priest, looked on with mouth agape when, during a discussion of building maintenance I made reference to electrical male and female plugs. He was amused at himself for thinking that women didn't know about such things!
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hilarious but that's the world I grew up in. thanks be there were women like you in his purview, too!! didja see the Pope asked if he could address the house of representatives??
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