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Journals
Name Visits Posts Pics Videos

Houston-72012596168100
1/21/2012Houston, TX

TheHoskensProject39,7121082901
1/19/2012Dome-ville, central, FL

30213,98919640
1/11/2012Belfair, WA

Workshop6,691630
1/8/2012Florissant, CO

Eschete-Dome9,60921400
12/30/2011Lafayette, LA

Tanglewood38,0616882,05242
12/12/2011Colorado Springs, CO

Our-simple-home3,247223080
12/5/2011LaPorte, IN

NorthPoleHome11,86525780
11/23/2011North Pole, AK

Beaver-Creek-Ranch18,173142160
11/14/2011Santa Rosa, CA

ICF-Construction4,493500
11/11/2011Elkridge, MD

Little-Help-from-my-...3,92811150
11/4/2011Rockwall, TX

YaNYca6,598810
10/29/2011Boston, MA

The-Man-Refuge1,732310
10/19/2011San Antonio, TX

Seven-Peaks-Faswall-...19,020402770
10/17/2011Graeagle, CA

mckernanmc4,535320
10/6/2011Amite, LA

Family-Affair763100
9/28/2011

1860s-Texas-rehabnew...28,271431910
9/26/2011Boerne, TX

Jay-House2,7486180
9/26/2011Sebastopol, CA

Large-Family-Compoun...941200
9/23/2011Covington, GA

Woodchuck-Ridge2,738480
9/12/2011Akron, OH

Forever-Home-Sweet-H...5,29634310
8/24/2011Issaquah, WA

Clarksville-MD1,604200
8/22/2011Eldersburg, MD

steve-n-carolyn7,7194140
8/21/2011Sun City, CA

Old-York1,433200
7/27/2011Bridgewater, NJ

Carriage-House7,26620282
7/24/2011Ft. Collins, CO

DomeSweetDome8,87618291
6/4/2011Suffolk, VA

Goodpasture6,980562880
5/28/2011Westminster, CO

TheCastle2,371160
5/25/2011Cheshire, CT

Marks-Log-Cabin5,827392210
5/12/2011Altoona, PA

Bill3,772100
5/4/2011Tucson, AZ

Mueller-Dream-Home2,216100
4/15/2011

Oklahoma-Steel3,341650
4/13/2011Minco, OK

DutchG1,985200
4/5/2011

HiddenInOhio3,1239130
4/1/2011Elyria, OH

MagnoliaHouse2,274100
3/29/2011Houston, TX

Buffaloader3,422200
1/11/2011Valley Center, KS

SouthernEcoHome12,05120210
1/9/2011Blacksburg, VA

Austrian-Chalet5,467780
1/2/2011Twin Lakes, CO

Vista-Ridge4,65221660
12/21/2010Swanton, OH

OurFarmstead10,395601890
12/10/2010Pennsylvania

sherman7,500211410
12/7/2010Downers Grove, IL

AirparkHome-Remodel17,61522460
11/8/2010Hillsboro, OR

Holloway4,359200
11/7/2010Petersburg, VA

Building-Our-Lakefro...2,955110
11/5/2010Piscataway, NJ

SunburyGalena-Build2,871100
11/3/2010Galena, OH

BUILDING-OUR-GREEN-D...3,063800
11/2/2010Pattison, TX

RR-Homestead9,80931740
10/26/2010Janesville, CA

Casa-Paradiso-Vieque...3,304200
10/19/2010Chelsea, MA

Millerbuild4,1465110
10/1/2010Carstairs, AB

VilanoBeachCasa-de-S...12,188381170
9/20/2010Saint Augustine, FL

Delisledigs4,641300
9/16/2010Jacksonville, FL

h20dave4,573430
9/10/2010Waterloo, AL

Mountain-Idyl4,209900
9/9/2010Asheville, NC

High-over-Lake-Granb...6,54912230
9/8/2010Granbury, TX

Homestead24,78364850
9/8/2010Smithville, MO

philandjan4,288100
9/2/2010

octagonaltopsider34,93210920
8/25/2010Cupertino, CA

Commons3,351200
8/21/2010Atascocita, TX

Our-First-OB-home3,785300
7/27/2010Gardner, KS

Louisiana-Mediterran...11,665311870
7/21/2010Sunset, LA

Crows-Nest3,381100
7/20/2010

Patterson-Project3,825400
7/16/2010John's Island, SC

Hidden-Meadow-Home4,9752100
7/13/2010Murrieta, CA

New-house-in-Selah-W...3,380140
7/4/2010Belfair, WA

Arnold-CA-Alpine-cha...10,38022100
7/2/2010Arnold, CA

Working-Wilton29,582343010
6/16/2010Wilton, NH

JJ-Residence3,122100
6/7/2010San Antonio, TX

Thompson-Valley-Home4,397330
6/6/2010Monticello, FL

Naperville-Webster-S...12,7282360
5/21/2010Naperville, IL

Gary--Suzi4,256100
5/7/2010

crystal-falls-home14,78520270
5/5/2010Cedar Park, TX

Kapoho-Retirement-Ho...4,105130
5/4/2010Santa Ana, CA

NC--New-Construction3,819100
5/3/2010

Collins-on-Cobblesto...3,89721910
4/30/2010Waynesville, NC

Dwight--Colleen-Hart...4,519130
4/30/2010Vaughn, WA

Riley15,82532950
4/29/2010Cave Creek, AZ

The-New-Ries-Homeste...6,63419980
4/21/2010Polk/Richfield/Erin/Hartford, WI

OwensNewHome35,7361023810
4/17/2010Chandler, AZ

The-Season3,422130
4/10/2010Mount Airy, NC

The-Naas-Place3,590200
3/30/2010Pittsburg, CA

Phil-and-Lauras-home6,553400
3/20/2010Tulsa, OK

Southport-NC-Home7,048201281
3/18/2010Southport, NC

Loris8,248110
3/11/2010

Seaton-Station3,626140
3/10/2010Siloam Springs, AR

Backwoods-Project7,076390
3/4/2010Jeffersonville, GA

ICF-in-Ann-Arbor17,226293710
1/25/2010Dexter, MI

DancingPines4,558200
1/25/2010Clinton, LA

Log-Cabin3,886150
1/23/2010indianapolis, IN

The-Kinzel-House3,534100
1/21/2010New Orleans, LA

PahrumpProject9,2745390
1/17/2010Spokane, WA

Richfield-Home3,883100
1/16/2010Richfield, WI

TheBeachHouse7,29413200
1/16/2010Shoreline, WA

Artist-Haven-Home7,849970
1/13/2010Kansas City, MO

SOPHIA--SAMUELDELAWA...7,25811310
12/2/2009Smyrna, DE

Plant-City-Craftsman10,3364100
11/22/2009Plant City, FL

WestermanFarm4,532130
11/10/2009Dickson, TN

Shane8,574600
10/31/2009San Antonio, TX

ADCountryHome5,4651130
10/31/2009Fort Worth, TX

ICF-Keller-Tx40,725321220
10/6/2009Roanoke, TX

digs8,075100
9/30/2009Tracy City, TN

threegables10,454201340
9/29/2009Hartland, WI

LittleLakeCorner52,9001016040
9/29/2009Groveland, FL

Utah-Casa4,891200
9/28/2009Saratoga Springs, UT

Tornado-Reconstructi...4,397800
9/24/2009Port Neches, TX

toolehouse35,543891450
9/20/2009Reno, NV

Bobs-Blog42,407614140
9/16/2009New Florence, PA

Blessings3,754100
9/11/2009farmville, NC

Schrammelot8,2977900
9/11/2009Pierson, FL

PennsmithLostValleyT...23,506552150
9/9/2009Dripping Springs, TX

River-House4,168220
9/7/2009Clinton, NJ

SantaFe-in-AJ4,030100
8/28/2009Apache Junction, AZ

Dennis-Dream-Home16,948385050
8/27/2009Readington Twp, NJ

Massive-Undertaking4,9221100
8/26/2009Wimauma, FL

Lafayette4,108200
8/11/2009Cramerton, NC

Dream-site-on-the-La...4,465200
8/5/2009La Porte, TX

Williams-New-Home-Si...3,932110
8/2/2009Windsor, NC

Cobblestone-Lane4,229100
7/30/2009Great Falls, MT

PensacolaBeachHouse3,937110
6/22/2009Gulf Breeze, FL

12YEARSINTHEPLANNING4,442120
6/16/2009LADSON, SC

The-Cortes-Adventure9,352320
6/13/2009Snowflake, AZ

Steinys-Hideaway4,391200
6/9/2009Venice, CA

DreamHome21,371261900
6/7/2009Orlando, FL

CastleHeims11,92521590
6/5/2009Cedar Rapids, IA

Utah-Warehouse3,843220
5/20/2009Fairview, UT

Where-to-start5,406610
5/16/2009Lemoore, CA

Castle-Rock-Lakehous...8,62010840
4/27/2009Necedah, WI

Oleg8,687360
4/22/2009San Diego, CA

MoeCompound3,854340
4/9/2009Camano Island, WA

Huckleberry-Home4,082200
4/8/2009Williamstown, NJ

Vonk7,639100
4/7/2009Zeeland, MI

Small-Timber-Frame7,150110
4/2/2009Central Mass, MA

EatonLoch-Haven4,716110
4/1/2009Roanoke, VA

windowsnsiding4,370110
3/28/2009Long Island, NY

Arkansas-First-Timer15,52439880
3/27/2009Trumann, AR

Back-Home-In-Crisp5,598111510
3/22/2009Ennis, TX

Victor--Susan-0811,982211210
3/17/2009Ruckersville, VA

Rick-and-Tinas-dream...4,981120
3/14/2009Auburndale, FL

Keener-Road6,1934100
3/11/2009Elizabethtown, PA

NC-Newbie4,116100
3/10/2009Boone, NC

MadisonGA4,3691130
2/26/2009Madison, GA

Techbuilt-Scammed5,489100
2/25/2009Rebew, LA

choanne8314,066100
2/9/2009charlotte, NC

WilliamsinVegas24,552301190
1/29/2009Henderson, NV

PhilesBryant5,694260
1/20/2009graham, WA

MortgageSmart4,207100
1/19/2009Cocoa, FL

QuarterlyHouse43,596136990
1/12/2009Orlando, FL

RabbitRun11,887311690
1/11/2009Afton, VA

Sonave-Sunsets4,290120
1/9/2009Yucca, AZ

Heart-of-PA7,4079160
1/6/2009Lewistown, PA

Krusehome5,036200
12/27/2008Lake City, FL

BrunkHouseAlmaKansas5,883260
12/26/2008Garden Grove, CA

Raider-Bills-Tenn-Ho...7,7846320
12/22/2008Largo, FL

Andel-Ranch19,084334020
12/17/2008Rogers, TX

Elijahs-Home5,263460
12/6/2008Vero Beach, FL

ranch-house4,621100
11/25/2008springfield, IL

Howard-Georgia-Retir...6,429670
11/9/2008Harlem, GA

The-Woods-Journal4,872110
11/6/2008Doraville, GA

StansTLH7,6491090
11/1/2008Tehachapi, CA

Kevin--Kerrys-Dream4,793350
10/17/2008Northvale, NJ

Katabatic-Wind5,274470
10/16/2008Huntsville, AL

Elmhurst-Modern6,655120
10/14/2008elmhurst, IL

Accessible-House4,9363100
10/14/2008Munford, TN

Cherry-Valley-Vista4,466120
10/5/2008Duvall, WA

Jon-and-Mollys-House6,797150
9/25/2008Ellicott City, MD

Proctor-ICF5,073110
9/25/2008Fredericksburg, VA

Hawaiian-Bungalo10,261111020
9/23/2008Holualoa, HI

Pete--Rhiannon5,925430
9/19/2008Springfield, MO

2008-Cedar-Ln7,71214350
9/19/2008Seaville, NJ

dmaceld11,96514880
9/16/2008Nampa, ID

Help-with-Goulds-and...5,952100
9/16/2008tampa, FL

Consulting4,381100
9/2/2008Orlando, FL

AlaskaICFREMOTEHouse8,02819380
8/17/2008Wasilla, AK

NC-Pond-House4,874320
8/4/2008Wilmington, NC

MargaritaVilla4,500240
8/4/2008Raleigh, NC

Latest-update5,9588100
8/4/2008Sierra Vista, AZ

ANDREA4,274400
8/2/2008Dallas, TX

The-Ridges5,44411130
7/31/2008Logan, UT

Avenida-Del-Sol7,97513520
7/31/2008Peoria, AZ

dream-home-ohio4,948600
7/30/2008Zanesville, OH

Penetang-Craftsman4,596360
7/27/2008Penetanguishene, ON

Tristan--4,611600
7/25/2008Lebanon, NJ

Dreamy-Design-in-Glo...7,760100
7/9/2008Clifton, VA

need-help-Jim5,089110
7/8/2008Bandon, OR

deltona-fl-custom-ho...5,6244140
7/6/2008Deltona Beach, FL

Ingraham-House-Chape...4,967200
6/29/2008Cary, NC

famborgie3,987100
6/26/2008Lockhart, TX

95821-Addition11,7277140
6/24/2008Sacramento, CA

Cajun-Homestead9,56612930
6/22/2008Lafayette, LA

West-Texas-Ranch-Hou...5,739110
6/18/2008Andrews, TX

Quail-Bluff-Pasco5,5919290
6/10/2008Pasco, WA

Spyders-Web4,120100
6/10/2008Norman, OK

mike-and-tori-darnle...6,133510
6/2/2008Rainbow, CA

Lin-Washington4,435100
5/29/2008Fresno, CA

Capernall-House4,652420
5/15/2008Belleville, MI

Hidden-Valley-Texas4,567100
5/7/2008Southlake, TX

cosdreamhome30,299731470
5/5/2008Colorado Springs, CO

Sowle-Family-House6,828590
4/29/2008South Burlington, VT

Cyberdoc-Residence4,920200
4/25/2008San Diego, CA

Fortune-House4,229100
4/17/2008Mooresville, NC

Joeb11,133400
4/15/2008Oakland, FL

Alvin-House4,360200
4/14/2008LaPorte, TX

Thomas-Home--Raintre...12,558271800
4/9/2008Lee's Summit, MO

Greg--Kathys-New-Hou...5,955200
4/3/2008Barryton, MI

Where-is-Waldo20,22444830
4/2/2008Marion, OH

Nimmerrichters-Fores...4,257100
4/2/2008Waldorf, MD

Mayfield-House4,701100
3/31/2008Mayfield, UT

beamanhouse4,524100
3/27/2008Manistique, MI

Kanak-ICF--Virginia6,882900
3/26/2008Fredericksburg, VA

Sheldon-St6,016300
3/21/2008Orlando, FL

Bert-9,713310
3/20/2008Southern, CA

Our-Ohio-ICF-home14,25420270
3/20/2008Mansfield, OH

ericdc4,842310
3/8/2008Uniontown, PA

EurekaHouse-ICF7,2955150
3/6/2008Berkeley, CA

Superstition-Views8,356281600
3/6/2008Mesa, AZ

Blue-Springs-Project6,2148230
2/24/2008Broken Arrow, OK

Our-House4,194100
2/24/2008Miami, FL

httpownerbuilderbook...6,235830
2/19/2008Clayton, NY

JourneyBackHome4,366100
2/3/2008Oviedo, FL

Collier-Home6,022110
2/1/2008Little Rock, AR

DDs-ICF6,006330
1/27/2008New Smyrna Bch, FL

EurekaMT-Timberframe5,5091430
1/24/2008Eureka, MT

The-Larnerd-House6,8085210
1/21/2008Newport News, VA

Casa-Bella4,804100
1/14/2008Pueblo West, CO

Gordon-Lake-House8,62617510
1/3/2008Oakland, IA

STEPHANIES-DREAM5,44717570
12/30/2007Lower Burrell, PA

Florida-Waterfront-C...8,099310
12/29/2007PB, FL

6158-in-Montgomery-T...5,109410
12/23/2007Conroe, TX

ClearwaterHills7,415260
12/14/2007Paradise Valley, AZ

BobDonna3,794100
12/12/2007Sacramento, CA

AboveTheAppleTree3,908100
12/8/2007La Farge, WI

Casa-Nostra5,361230
12/2/2007Bangor, PA

Building-the-Dream-i...7,033700
11/29/2007Gladstone, OR

Ingram-Fleming-ICF-H...6,926480
11/29/2007Plant City, FL

inniagara3,589100
11/24/2007Niagara Falls, ON

SchnabelEstate4,424240
11/16/2007Avon, IN

WeAreBuildingAgain10,27027560
11/15/2007Orlando, FL

Lake-Pleasant4,265210
11/14/2007Erie, PA

Green-for-Dean4,484100
11/10/2007San Jose, CA

The-Ponderosa5,7828220
11/4/2007Perry, OK

FlagholeRoad4,428260
10/25/2007Franklin, NH

Beckynray5,217300
10/24/2007Powhatan, VA

Spicewood-TX6,041330
10/20/2007Austin, TX

Powderhorn14,812481760
10/4/2007Florida

Luray-VA-1stTimeBuil...7,957730
10/4/2007Luray, VA

kittyfhughesnet4,502250
9/27/2007Noblesville, IN

Scott-Family4,549100
9/25/2007Trinity, AL

Taking-the-Plunge6,8526180
9/18/2007Springfield, OH

RozBuildingAdventure4,668100
9/14/2007San Pablo, CA

Helpful-Tips5,253200
9/13/2007Encinitas, CA

Poplar-Creek-Farm6,0865250
9/10/2007Oakland Park, FL

TheWillemsHome11,8801750
9/10/2007Galloway Township, NJ

ComfortHome5,037200
8/30/2007Dublin, OH

10000-sq-feet28,72025260
8/26/2007La Habra Heights, CA

Bird-house6,0533400
8/22/2007Ithaca, NY

Circle-S_ICF_House23,896462640
8/21/2007Sparta, IL

New-England-Saltbox4,514100
8/16/2007Columbia, SC

RamblewoodatJeterFar...5,1086330
8/10/2007Kansas City, MO

Kraemer-Collinwood-H...4,993200
7/21/2007Delano, MN

BigOakBuilderTX7,514270
7/20/2007Wharton, TX

Johnson-Family-Dream5,035100
7/20/2007Normal, IL

Pensacola-Waterfront4,696100
7/16/2007Pensacola, FL

19225-ROBERTSON-ST10,39315320
7/12/2007Orlando, FL

Thattle-Dew-Farm5,005220
7/12/2007Halls Harbour, NS

WindyJ8,22411260
7/2/2007Knoxville, TN

Vistoso-Green-Home5,901310
6/28/2007Tucson, AZ

Lewis-Chapel-House7,229200
6/25/2007Dunlap, TN

father-daughter4,726200
6/25/2007Loveland, CO

davewhite5,416100
6/24/2007Nanaimo, BC

NutmegWedgefieldOrla...6,351600
6/22/2007Orlando, FL

4600SF-Dream-Home-in...8,404410
6/19/2007Mooresville, NC

Coeur-dAlene-Idaho-H...5,634240
6/13/2007Coeur d Alene, ID

Tampa-Bay7,476490
6/10/2007Ruskin, FL

Dream-In-Progress7,022540
6/7/2007Shawnee, KS

todd-in-tullahoma5,048100
6/4/2007tullahoma, TN

TheOwens5,497300
6/1/2007Dickson, TN

Country-Cleaver5,547140
5/29/2007Springfield, IL

South-Dakota-Lake-Ho...5,8776110
5/23/2007Sioux Falls, SD

Gods-Home5,141200
5/18/2007Eustis, FL

hammock5,078110
5/14/2007Martinez, GA

Grove-St-Rocklin5,231300
5/13/2007Orangevale, CA

Gardeners-Delight5,839330
5/13/2007Norristown, PA

Newman-Family5,963100
4/26/2007oralndo, FL

do-over-house5,921200
4/25/2007Roseville, CA

Mountain-Building5,344370
4/21/2007Hiawassee, GA

Alaskan-Log-Home5,766120
4/15/2007Tok, AK

Warner-Dream6,669600
4/11/2007Astatula, FL

RehmannSchreiner6,78518150
4/2/2007Maple Grove, MN

outspokenbikeguy7,5674140
3/29/2007Sanford, FL

SmelltheForest24,298471480
3/23/2007Colorado Spgs, CO

PolkCityProject8,6097110
3/21/2007Norcross, GA

DwaynePam5,840200
3/21/2007Normal, IL

cypressknoll5,300100
3/20/2007Palm Coast, FL

candlepower10,085241550
3/20/2007Lansing, IA

Team-Rosa6,029200
3/19/2007Springfield, VA

GLOUCESTER5,467120
3/17/2007Newport News, VA

Ohiodreamhome5,6274140
3/16/2007Reynoldsburg, OH

Gypsy-Love6,580110
3/12/2007Highland, NY

Rockport-TX5,692100
3/10/2007Rockport, TX

Forrest-Towne5,538220
3/10/2007Brinnon, WA

Dreams-Come-True5,073100
3/8/2007Glen St Mary, FL

Almost-A-Country-Gir...5,034100
3/7/2007Addison Township, MI

BrandonBuildingBlog5,679100
3/4/2007Layton, UT

SafecreteHouse6,927300
3/4/2007Raleigh, NC

newbie-6,008100
2/21/2007north plains, OR

BuzzardsNest7,793310
2/14/2007Saint Lucie, FL

woodfamilyhome6,436200
2/10/2007Keno, OR

vegascastle5,769100
2/3/2007Henderson, NV

newsteel5,603100
1/28/2007Florence, SC

Dream-Home-20076,171100
1/27/2007Gwynn Oak, MD

DelgadosAdobeAbode6,934200
1/18/2007San Diego, CA

bobindeltona7,297250
1/14/2007Deltona, FL

Highland646,237300
1/8/2007New Orleans, LA

SmallProjectSilverSp...8,7281020
1/7/2007Silver Springs, NV

BeehlerHome11,46511640
1/3/2007Kalamazoo, MI

eveningshade6,171110
12/25/2006Evening Shade, AR

Bruce in Petrolia, O...5,538120
12/21/2006Petrolia, ON

smahmud5,797100
12/18/2006Alexandria, VA

1000-hours-to-liftof...6,646100
11/25/2006uniontown, OH

FettConstruction6,766460
11/24/2006Vincennes, IN

Northeast-Ohio-Home6,978100
11/10/2006Parma, OH

Buchanan-Mountain8,93014590
11/1/2006Dickson, TN

Our-Future-on-Badin-...6,807100
10/24/2006New London, NC

nowi-fe-haven6,203100
10/22/2006Griffin, GA

klonus6,148100
10/16/2006Madison, WI

OurAddition8,774100
10/13/2006Chuluota, FL

bigal7,053100
9/30/2006Whittier, CA

Stella-Maris-II6,827100
9/11/2006Orlando, FL

Lake-House8,223100
9/6/2006Kansas City, MO

My-First-House19,831100
9/5/2006APO, AE

Angie-Mossy-Oak-Acre...9,155740
8/15/2006Lake Helen, FL

Peaceful-Valley-in-M...6,817100
7/23/2006Republic, MO

Lake-Wales-Fl6,611100
7/17/2006West Palm Beach, FL

JohnKat7,076110
7/16/2006Fort Worth, TX

Cedarcrest7,099100
7/15/2006Sparrows Point, MD

MRailey7,816100
7/13/2006Dallas, TX

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I'm an engineer and have been working on other projects. The Owner-Builder Book website is some good reading, though.
Darrell from Marietta, GA


Gary's Forum Posts: 0
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Midnight Madness!

Posted to Steinys-Hideaway by Gary in Venice, CA on 6/9/2009

The following is a work of imaginative fiction and should not be construed as my true LIFE!

I should be asleep right now, but I am up poring over PDF's of pre-fabricated moment frames. Feverishly, I am thinking I should settle for having one bathroom rather than going into debt for 10 years to have an extra bathtub.

Before that thought sinks in, I dash off a four or five emails to my engineer, the Hardy Frame Corporation, and the Simpson Strong Frame Company to inquire about the possible suitability of these fabulous steel beams in a box!

Last night I was up at 2:00 AM writing a poignant letter to the vice president of a universal stair-tread bracket company. His response I got this morning was sweeter to my eyes than poetry!

Sweet bliss of universal stair-tread bracket... you fit so many treads and stringer configurations. Ah, but if only you would screw yourself in without my electric drill being plugged in... life would be perfect.

Today, I sent one of my associates to pick up a set of blueprints I had needlessly made for a contractor friend of my neighbor who works at the lumberyard. Needless blueprints, because what he wanted was a different part of the plans. C'est la vie, the more blueprints on my dining-room table the better!


This guy Steve has an entire hardware store in his truck. It has more locks and drawers than my bank's safe-deposit-box vault. But better than the petty cash and old diamonds and worthless stock certificates at the bank vault, his drawers and boxes are filled with copper plumbing parts, miscellaneous hanger hardware, router-bit boxes and endless assorted hoogies. And he didn't even break out his power tools.

Sweet jeezus, sitting at the table with him, and my little woman, and my dog and a set of houseplans, over a cup of home-brewed espresso was better than a therapy session with Freud himself.

Plumbing, ah sweet plumbing! The musical call of the swirling water in the fall to the cistern of the depths!

We must discuss flooring and fixtures, lighting and layout and more!

Hey! Tell me that HVAC story again! I love that one about the guy that tried to run a chase across his ceiling joists and the roof collapsed!

The only hint of the darkness starts when we realize we ran out of room on the west wall because of the shear-paneling call-outs. We rally for a moment switching over to the idea of raising the deck to meet the floor height of the inside room. But after we bat that around and realize it won't really work, we fall into a slump and hit the wall. Then my miracle man must leave, taking his pixie dust of endless construction knowledge, unending "can-do" attitude with him and the biggest tool box on wheels in west LA has to hit the road.

I slump behind the computer and start looking up flooring materials, clicking endlessly at swatches of greying artificial woodgrain, and then slip off into a slight episode of light fixture fixation. No sooner do I lose myself in the vast complex maze of a "Lamps Plus" endless parade of "bad chrome-lamp things" come to life, then I start to drown in the back eddies of their interior-design products.

The only way I see out of this is to start to plan a water feature, maybe even one with a fire feature in the middle of it!

I have to run; I am going to catch some DIY YouTube episodes about how to notch a 2x12 with just a skill saw and a Swiss Army knife!

I am off to improve, improve, improve!

Gary "Little Hammer" Steinborn


Comments (1)

Quality, Service, Or Price?

Posted to Steinys-Hideaway by Gary in Venice, CA on 5/29/2009

I don't understand this thread and all this perplexity about people trying to save money! Of course people want to pay less for the same goods and services. That's the nature of our economy. It's the prevailing trend. Also, everybody is getting the squeeze put on them and they have to try and save money. So if you're a contractor, it's up to you to figure out how to deal with it. If you do, you will come out on top.

There is a saying "quality, service, or price, pick any two!" If I am an owner-builder, I expect to put my own butt on the line and I want to get paid for it. I am going to take the gamble, take the risks and should get some benefit for that. If I stink at it, then maybe I will do badly. But I know so many people who have been burned by contractors, you are taking a risk anyway. 

Another canard is contractors who say you need a contractor because homeowners don't know enough to deal with the subcontractors. Or subcontractors that won't give the contractor price break to the homeowner because they are having to "deal" with the owner. Look, if you are doing a small job and you are hiring good workers or pros, what's the problem? You can't deal with having to talk to the person you are doing the job for? You want an extra 20% because you have to TALK to me and tell me what you're going to do?

Look at the business models that abound around us based on providing quality products and services at previously unavailable prices: Costco, Walmart, Schwab Brokerage, Ameritrade Discount Brokerage and Home Depot to name a few examples. It used to be you had to pay hundreds of dollars to trade a stock, you had to use a stockbroker to make a trade. Remember when "self-serve gas" was an innovation? Do you want to pay the extra money to have someone pump your gas and wipe your window? You used to have to have a salesperson hand you each item from the service counter at the hardware store and some special places still operate that way.
 
But for instance, do you want to pay $7 more per foot for copper pipe and shop from the Mom-and-Pop plumbing supply? I guess maybe you do if the client is paying for the material and you are getting 15% markup on whatever their cost is. But not if YOU are the one footing the bill. OR do you just want to bury the cost of materials into the budget, not break it down and then you get the materials for as cheap as you can? I mean, you deserve a cut of the  materials because the homeowner isn't qualified to order the materials the way you are, right?

Here's a great example: I want to re-pipe my house with copper. A plumber bid $2,600 to do it. I priced out the materials; it's probably $500. So the guy wants $2,100 to crawl around under the house and solder the pipes, etc. Well, that's an entire week of crawling around under the house at $50/hr. There's no way it's going to take that long. Now most people aren't going to want to do that, but I am willing to take that job. I will crawl under the house. If the guy wants to do it for less money, when he gets to where it's not worth it to me, then I will do it. Or if it's something I just have no clue about.
 
But if I hire a contractor, I have to let him do everything on my house. Then he hires some journeyman to go under the house and solder everything and pay's him $15/hr, he finishes it in two days, and the contractor gets probably $1,500 if things go well.
 
Well, I could use that $1,500!
 
When I did my kitchen, an electrician wanted $500 to rewire my light fixtures. I went up in the attic, it was like two wires, one splice and a hole, and voila! I did it in 45 minutes, and NO, he didn't tell me how to do it, he just convinced me that for $500 I was willing to go in the attic and see what the heck was going on.
 
When it comes to additions and custom construction, it's easy to obfuscate comparative value, since you don't know exactly what you are getting.
 
But when you look at something relatively straightforward and competitive like heating, you get an example of how sketchy the home-improvement industry and building-trades industry can be. We just did a heater in my mom's house and let me tell you, the range of quotes was huge for the same job, we could have paid TWICE as much for the same thing. Also, the range of service was big. And people try and LIE to you and they try to PRESSURE you to sign on the dotted line. WHY? Because you're going to get a heater, you probably can't do it yourself, but there are 100 guys who want to get that job, and if they don't get you to buy from them today they are going to lose the sale to SOMEBODY OUT THERE.
 
So they have to either give the best deal, have the best service and products or sometimes they just LIE about things and intimidate people. So you better realize that a smart consumer is going to be VERY careful about how they spend their money and who they hire.
 
Right now there are more contractors than buyers. But the contractors don't want to lower their expectations. In fact, the contractors need to make MORE money per job because there are fewer jobs. As a homeowner, I am in a difficult position.
  
If people want to put their own energy into their own house, there should be a way for them to benefit from that. If you want to only be a full-service contractor or you only want to work for full-service contractors as a sub, that is your right. Just build your business on that model, explain your position and stick by it.

As a business owner, it's your own responsibility to set your boundaries and procedures, guidelines, etc. But to expect that people should just believe that your services are the best value they can get is unrealistic. Obviously people are going to get multiple bids and they are going to learn along the way, and they SHOULD learn along the way. 


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