Bain

Another important aspect of wood and tile roofs is how damaged shingles are repaired. Typically the old shingle is removed, a copper strip is nailed to the decking, and the new shingle is slid into place and anchored by bending the copper strip into a "u." Stepping onto a shingle replaced in this manner is akin to playing Russian roulette with a loaded .45.

I researched this recently for the opposite reason. A panel was installed nearly six feet above a basement floor. I phoned a master-electrician friend and he explained that the panel merely must be "accessible," the definition of which could vary dramatically.

Can I help with the on-line examination? If we make it really simple and charge $250.00 per application . . . joy and rapture.

Thanks.

Donald, How does one contact ACC? I googled them with no luck.

I agree, Richard, vis a vis how do you obtain the appropriate information to quote an proper price and schedule the correct amount of time required. I answer my own phone, as well, which means a caller oftentimes will have to talk to the tape. This actually has a benefit, though. If the caller was referred to me by someone he/she trusts, then a message will be left and the call will be returned. If instead it's someone who cribbed my name from a realtor's list and who wants to interview me, I say go ahead and call the next person on that beloved list.

I caught heat from a client recently because the clothes-dryer installation folks didn't bring a three-prong cord and said the existing outlet was no longer permitted. As far as I know, three-prong outlets are still legal, and its the installer's job to supply the appropriate cord. Slight drift, but I also alert people that their plastic clothes-dryer ducts in unconditioned areas should be replaced, because the installers will refuse to connect a dryer to plastic ducting due to liability reasons. The usual "was permitted at the time of the house's construction" doesn't fly when Best Buy refuses to completely install someone's shiny new dryer.

I only find one or two faulty lines per year, but oftentimes a line is beneath a concrete driveway and locating and repairing the leak can be quite expensive.

Dittos to Fritz.

Does anyone else check them to make certain the water line from the meter to the house is intact?

I use the device Paul does, and it costs less than ten bucks. I always let the customer know that the outlet was intended for a window A/C unit, is wired for 240v and that it should never be replaced with a nice, new shiny 120v outlet. I've actually discovered a couple of those in the past. All three lights on the tester illuminate.

Our code says the exact same thing. It simply isn't enforced. All the time I get asked, "How did it pass the city's inspection?" My typical response is something like, "If those guys did their jobs, I wouldn't have one."

I have a PayPal merchant account, as well. And its much less expensive than going through a regular bank. You can also earn nearly 5% interest by keeping your funds in what they call their "money market" account.

Like I said, it's all the time around here. The cornice returns are the most likely candidates. Download Attachment: DSC02611a.jpg 126.49 KB

Yes, yes, and yes. I just don't understand how they think they can get away with it.

Did the roofing gurus decide that flashing simply wasn't a good idea anymore? I see this all the time. Literally, all the time. Is it just in my area or is the trend catching on elsewhere? I realize that the subs get paid by the square, but still . . . Download Attachment: DSC04271a.jpg 173.67 KB

Elderly woman, apparently with not much disposable income. I figured it must've happened recently.

. . . just so I could ask. Download Attachment: DSC04115a.jpg 87.47 KB

I had just never seen it before, Les. And I wasn't crazy about the banded fastener on a vibrating motor. Mike apparently thought the black connection was a portion of a clothes-dryer vent, hence my clarification.

Well, but the photo's lousy. That black connector is actually connected to the power vent on top of a gas water-heater. That's why I was so dumbfuzzled.

This same topic was discussed in another thread a year or so ago. The general consensus was that mixing breakers typically doesn't cause any problems, but that one should always defer to the manufacturer's data-plate. It is, of course, sorta fun to open the access cover and show a buyer in plain English that "Only breakers manufactured by Square D may be used in this panel . . ."

Has anyone ever seen a connector like this before? The configuration is exactly like a clothes-dryer duct, only with thicker plastic. I told my buyer it had to be replaced, but have no idea what its intended purpose is. Download Attachment: DSC03492a.jpg 232.47 KB

Good point, Jim. And certainly something to think about. I recently set up a "virtual terminal" account with PayPal for that precise reason.

This is a slight thread drift, and it even harkens back to a topic from a couple of weeks ago. My situation most closely approximates Brian's, but there are the inevitable, "I forgot my checkbook" clients one has to contend with. My business relies on about 40/60 realtor/client referrals, and so I'm reluctant to be a hard a*s about payment. But . . . I typically have eight or ten K out in receivables that I loathe keeping track of and chasing down. I would much prefer Paul's approach, but people can be exceedingly sensitive and I'm reluctant to leave on what could be a moment of disharmony. I realize the counter position is that I'm allowed to be sensitive, too, and explain that a client can deliver a check in exchange for the report the following day. But I wouldn't want it to have an adverse effect on my bidness. Most folks have good intentions, and all but one or two a year wind up sticking a check in the mail, ultimately. So . . . it's a tough call to make, at times. Back on topic, I get left off at escrow about half the times I'm supposed to be on, but the realtors who ask for this favor shoulder the responsibility of making certain the client pays. To date, I haven't had any problems.

I'm tempted to pose a question ala Bill and ask, "Guess what's behind the louvered door in the bathroom of the brand new $500,000.00 house?" Doesn't even the lamest HVAC installer know that gas appliances cannot draw combustion air from bathrooms? Download Attachment: DSC02883a.jpg 110.62 KB Download Attachment: DSC02875a.jpg 96.26 KB