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Terry

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Well, flipping houses is flipping houses.
When flippers get into the act, there can be some mighty big corners cut. Even with licensed contractors, if the person holding the purse is tight with it, it's going to show.

I worked with a flipper once, didn't like it. I let that customer go.

Most of the time, if you are flipping house, you are just becoming a general contractor without a buyer.
You contract for or do the work, then throw it on the market and hope for the best.

Where I live, home improvement is a way of life.
Out West where cowboys and antelope roam.
So nice here.
We've got that West Coast coolness working for us.

Grumpy sent me this about the Massachusetts State Board of Plumbers Announces Recent Enforcement Actions
Blah, Blah, Blah.
You know Grumpy, here in Washington State you need a license too, and a contractors license.
So a handyman can have his truck and tools taken, yeah life is exact here for workers.
They still let a homeowner work on their home though.
I'm glad my family came out West. Where you still have some freedom.

enchant_0018.jpg
 
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Redwood

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I know exactly where you are at Grumpy... Just across the border we're in a whole different world where home owners can pull a permit and do their own work.

I'm convinced that in Mass. they are seeing the tip of the iceberg!
For everyone they catch how many do you think got away with it?
 

Cookie

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Grumpy, this site is for DIY'ers that is what this site is for, you don't have to help them if you don't want to but, that is what this site is for.

It might not be legal in Mass, because maybe, no one challenged the law. If it is illegal in Mass, then HD and Lowes need to close the electrical and plumbing depts, or have them open for licensed contractors only.
 

Taylor

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This isn't my choice, it isn't a law that I wrote...please stop assuming I'm a bad person for this.

FWIW I have never felt this, and I only chimed in to illustrate how important it is for consumers to be informed. I have the greatest respect for your professional integrity, and also the respect you show people on this board even though you have some disagreement with the board.

I have enough experience now to know that I can no longer afford to just have a contractor come in and do something without discussing it with them first of all. I'm pretty sure that some contractors don't want to work with me as a result. For example, one person let slip that he thought I was a nut for saying that insulating a basement with FG and vapor barriers is a bad idea, which I found out from researching the building science. Fine, I don't want that guy turning my basement into a mold factory.

I recognize that allowing HOs to do anything in their house is a double-edged sword. I've put in subpanels, replaced beams, replaced water pipes, all of it inspected, because I couldn't get a contractor, or thought it would be more cost-effective to do it myself, or in some cases frankly thought I could do it better myself (because I can take the time to be careful).

But I have the greatest respect for conscientious professionals, and use them whenever I can.
 
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Cookie

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Here you go, this applies to all walks of life. Trust me on this one.

"It isn't what you know that is going to hurt you, it is what you DON'T know."
 
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Ian Gills

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Professional only sites, like some for electricians that are out there, are really boring and not very useful. Nobody would post any more.

Instead of exciting questions like, "help my toilet is leaking" or "my CO detector is sounding, what do I do?" you would get pros talking to each other and arguing about issues of needle point theory, which nobody, even the posters, would really care about.

For example, we would start getting talking points like "Nibco 90s or some other brand?", or, "would you always turn the gas off in a vacant property if you smelled a leak".

I agree that some of the advice can be risky, and that's why we have the pros here to tell silly homeowners like me to shut up when we overstep the mark, but I bet even Grumpy would not really care if I started to do some gas work on my furnace in the house I live in at my own risk to save a few quid. He would start to care if I started to do some gas work in the house that I rent to a poor couple and their kid, to save a few quid, and here is the subtle distinction.

Incidentally, I have done my own furnace work. I replaced the board, door switch, transformer, thermostat and vent damper all without incident.
 
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Terry

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Grumpy would not really care if I started to do some gas work on my the furnance in the house where I live. He would start to care if I started to do some gas work in the house that I rent and here is the subtle distinction.

Okay, that one made me laugh.
 

Master Plumber Mark

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Terry...just add a disclaimor

Grumpy has a point to a degree...

It would probably be wise to add some sort of disclamor
on your web site jsut for your own protection....

something to the affect.....



advice given over the internet should be considered

some strangers opinion only on what appears to be a solution to

your question..... no one here has a lisc in your state.


for a more indeth anaylysis of your problem you should

consult your local plumber......

Any advice given here should be taken "AS IS"
and is all at the owners own risk....

no warranty or guarantee from god Terry Love applies...
 

Terry

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no warranty or guarantee from god Terry Love applies...

Gee, I thought that was common sense.
Only GOD, could give out a guarantee like that.

I'm just a guy crawling through life on my stomach in crawl spaces.
 

Terry

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Terry, you got a great site and I wonder...how many people you actually saved from harm. I really do wonder. I bet more than you think. That is why it is so nice when people (homeowners etc) write in I bet, to tell how the job went, and to say their thanks.

Cookie,
They do. I've hear from people all the time that say they have remodeled homes and bathrooms using the web site.
Some send in their pictures.
It is nice.
All of you helping to answer questions deserve a big pat on the back. You are noticed, and appreciated much more than you will ever know.
I believe that for some, it's the 10% you give back to God.
The time spent helping others makes this a better place, helps lives, and spreads the love.
And really, that was the big book message, Love.
 
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Ian Gills

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All of you helping to answer questions deserve a big pat on the back. You are noticed, and appreciated much more than you will ever know.

Don't mention it Terry.
 

Dunbar Plumbing

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I had an out'n out argument with him on the phone after it started in PMs and emails where he falsely accused me of lying to him. The proof I hadn't lied was (and still is) in all my posts there but he refused to listen and then I turned down a moderator position in another forum and he got his feelings hurt and banned me.

I actually mentioned you personally and others that had built the forums and had been banned or quit. But it had no positive effect. He was only interested in traffic, not if the information given members was accurate. Now I see much less traffic, at least in the one forum I believe I grew for him; Filters and Conditioners.

He rarely got involved until some like JDP38, Justalurker, Andy Christensen, DUNBAR PLUMBER (our RUGGED here) complained to moderators GregH, twelvepole, DUNBARPLUMBER etc. about me making sales because of my posts. One of them is a competitor, one a customer of mine that dislikes me (he deleted text out of posts in my forum), Andy (a Kinetico salesman that doesn't like what I say about their products) and RUGGED (because I don't agree with his anti DIYer stance and that copper is the best pipe). Yet some of the moderators were doing the same thing with their web site etc. in their 'signature'. I never used a signature there, I typed an old time DOS days newsgroup tag line at the bottom of my posts with only my name and company name. It was meant to differentiate me from the DIYer down the street.... In my 12+ years on the internet and something like a total of 17,000 posts, I have never emailed or PMed anyone soliciting them in any way. I mention all that because I see Steve Nienaber (DUNBAR PLUMBER - RUGGED here, moderator there and in other forums) asked if we are talking about ***.com. Yes Steve, we are.


You give me too much credit which equates to lying. That's the fact you're missing.

Vic banned you from p.lb.g.com because you argued with him and others constantly.

D.I.Y.com banned you because you was pulling members away from the site, and once again, arguing with anyone that seemed to have your level of knowledge of product, constantly trying to discredit like AndyC on this site. I find it interesting you keep on top of him and think that's a normal way to interact with other members, both of which you are trying to help.

FindPlumbing.com got tired of the same thing, that was executed by the admin that when a couple start advertising, it brings on a ton of others.

You was banned from that site as well, I didn't have the power to do so.

GardenWeb forums banned you for constantly arguing, constantly fighting with other guys in the water softener business, constantly. I wasn't even an active member when you got canned.

So, given your history of being removed from sites, my years of constantly helping others without reward and not selling one god damn product out of my inventory, unlike you,

One of us is here for a monetary reason, the other is NOW the casual wanderer because making money is priority instead of doing it for free, talking about it.

What got you banned from those sites was pretty damn simple; you unknowingly posted on a website with your user name and company name, explained in full detail what your intentions were and the story was told. This context on a forum board was then moved around when people questioned within a short period of time why you was so argumentative.

You are your own worst enemy. For the record, I don't recall ever being banned from a website. Check the box for "get's along with others and provides a knowledge base that's helpful to others without reward."



Muwahahahahahaaaaaa!!!

Time for my afternoon snack. :D
 
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Cookie

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Terry, please don't shut this site down, cause it gives me something to do while I am working on the computer, :D I am more productive because of you, it stimulates my intellect. I would be fired then! ( I have extra gum Rugged, you can have it)





 

Dunbar Plumbing

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I'm managing! Taking time off to do county fairs to get exposure. I was told that I'll be keeping William Shatner's horses cool when they come in thursday.

Apparently they bring in some well known show horses to this event as a warm-up to an even bigger event on a national circuit.

There was a fellow from washington (capital theater, baseball franchise?) that contacted me about fans but I don't want to stretch out of my region for the reason of shipping, costs, warranties, customer service issues that may arise if things go awry. It's a curve I plan on never approaching because I want to be hands on to my idea, be able to fix/repair/supply anything that's nearby.

It's been a rather cool summer, my objective is to keep pushing the name out there, keep "drifting" so I can concentrate on next year's focus. I've made the decision that leasing is not going to fly with the schools, rather day-rents. No one wants to commit to long term, knowing we haven't had but maybe 8 90+ degree days here. IF I was willing to travel and if I could double book, I'd be having a stellar year. I don't like to drive more than 20 miles one way.

I did a a huge event in Cincinnati's Convention Center 2 weeks ago that the truck was introduced and had a remarkable stir going. So festivals, bank grand openings, fairs, and charitable events like ymca olympic events for kids are the norm.


PM me your physical address and I'll send you some gifts. Little stuff for the patio that's not showing on my site. You too MAC! Didn't forget about ya!
 
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Ian Gills

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Well, Grumpy is grumpy and that's why he's called Grumpy and he does do some nice technical posts when some others around are losing our heads but there is a middle ground.

Without this forum I would not have done any plumbing on my house myself. And I would not have paid several thousand dollars to plumbers to do work for me which this forum told me I could not do on my own but should do.

You taught me how to solder and everything I need to know about nipples.

But you also told me to spend a grand to get a plumber to install my main shut-offs because if I broke the one in the street I'd be out of pocket and it's good to have shut-offs that work; not to mess with gas (so there went another grand on a Bradford White WH installed by a licensed technician beacuse I learnt from this forum my existing WH was coming to the end of its "expected" life) together with the impossible complexities of removing a seized bathdrain (involving a saw) and replacing a three-piece bath faucet (involving a code violation) - that was 2 grand to another plumber.

Without the forum, I would have leaky pipes and much more money.
 
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Terry

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Without the forum, I would have leaky pipes and much more money.

That's the kind of stuff we like to hear,
Thanks Ian.

See guys, the warnings do work.

Yesterday I was replacing a cracked ABS fitting on a kitchen drain behind a newly installed Lazy Susan in the corner.
Tedious, Tedious, Tedious.
You try crawling through a small opening like that and using a 4-4/8" hole saw on 3/4" with your arms stretched out.
It was a clean out tee, and the threaded plug and female threads had separated from the fitting body.
There sure seems to be a lot of ABS fittings that are cracking lately.
 
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Master Plumber Mark

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Good guys get sued all the time TERRY

I think it would at least be in your best interest to post a disclaimer on state laws and not be liable for information given by independant members...just to cover yourself.

As you know, it's nothing personal, not trying to shut ya down or something, but some of the requests here can be a little scary.

Mindful on my part that some states do allow DIY as long as you pull permits, I can respect that, but ...well you know...same ole, same ole...blah blah blah.

TERRY I totally agree with Grumpy.....

Nothing can ruin your life worse than a frivilous lawsuit.....

and here on the internet any "nut-wad" out there could claim anything that they want to....

their are plenty of peopel who would just love to sue
anyone for anything.... including advice


I think it would be wise to have that dis-claimor and
something for anyone wanting to ask a queston to
agree to when they sign up for mebership....
..
 
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