I'm happy with the way Rob works so far, as of the first day. He seems to do good and careful work. Today he removed the old closet and the carpeting, removed the sheetrock behind the closet, and re-installed the light switch as well as installing the new electrical outlet. This was less progress than I was expecting, or maybe I was disappointed because he didn't even touch the wall where the new closet is supposed to be, but since he was doing everything by himself it was still about right, and consistent with the quality approach I like best.
Contra or clarifying the last post, I don't think his revised estimate was out-of-line, especially in that the new estimate details exactly the extra work that needs to be done for the sound wall, including the new outlet. It was mainly the way he presented it that seemed a bit too clever.
He has apparently agreed to move the doorbell transformer to the garage, and has not quoted a price for it (yet). If indeed he does that as part of the "revised estimate" the revision would be a bargain. He used the AC line to the transformer to power the new outlet, and removed the transformer, but has not relocated the transformer yet. What I actually said was I either wanted it moved or disconnected. He argued strongly against removing the transformer. Funny, he used the doorbell first-thing-in-the-morning himself. Then, after he had removed the transformer, after lunch he tried ringing the doorbell a few times before knocking. Or somehow I remember that, despite being asleep at the time.
I told him about noon that I had wanted 5/8 sheetrock for the closet also. He asked me to explain why. That sounded like an argument but he denied it was an argument, only trying to help, he said. I told him it was because of the sound reduction, to help eliminate noise from the street. Indeed, that was one reason. I also wanted to go the extra mile in fire safety, though I didn't mention that. Though San Antonio does not require 5/8 sheetrock in garage walls, some cities do (or used to).
He said that it would cost about $10-$15 extra, and shrugged it off as no big deal. I hope that means it's OK, I would gladly pay the $15 of course. It's true that the thicker sheetrock also means more weight, more saw time, etc. But different only by about 25%. He could charge me more labor also but didn't say anything about that.
I also said I wanted the fiberglass batts in the closet wall as well as the sound wall. He said that was fine, he had been thinking of "more green options." I didn't ask more. In my limited knowledge, options that are supposed to be "more green" really aren't, they're just cheaper, like cellulose. For example, cellulose will likely outgas even more chemicals than fiberglass. And spray foam is even worse. Fiberglass is better than most insulation for sound absorbing, and that is important to me. In sealed wall cavities it must be about as safe as anything, and has been used for eons.
The room is indeed looking far bigger with the closet removed. Now it looks and feels like a real room, such as the bedroom in the 2 bedroom house I rented in the late 1970's, or my biggest dorm rooms in Pomona College's Blaisdell dormatory. Those were real rooms you could have parties in.
I asked when Rob returned from lunch if he could add a ceiling fan and light. I said I had been planning to have my electrician do it later, but it might be better now that he had the ceiling actually open a crack. He strongly agreed with the idea that now was the time. He said he would check it out. Later he informed me that there was not enough attic space for him to add the wiring through the ceiling. So I told him to skip it. I'm hoping my electrician might be more creative.
Speaking of creative, Rob practically laughed off my idea of putting a hinge on the gable vent and adding lowering stairs. He said the way to do attic access was through hole inside the house. I said I did not want such a hole inside my house, though there could be one in the garage, if he could find a place to put it. No news on that front yet, I may have to get someone more creative to work out the new attic access point also.
During the afternoon, Rob seemed to be coughing quite a bit. That was after he had opened up a square foot or so of ceiling exposing the cellulose insulation. I feel sorry for builders. But I've never told him NOT to wear a mask. In this case, if I told him something like that, I would expect him to be insulted.
Rob left around 3:30, restoring the power just before he left. Rather than selectively cutting out the specific breakers, he tended to just shut off all the breakers in the sub panel. So the kitchen UPS was busy recharging after he left. The main living room stereo is on a dedicated circuit which can only be accessed from the outside panel, so he never cut that off.
Contra or clarifying the last post, I don't think his revised estimate was out-of-line, especially in that the new estimate details exactly the extra work that needs to be done for the sound wall, including the new outlet. It was mainly the way he presented it that seemed a bit too clever.
He has apparently agreed to move the doorbell transformer to the garage, and has not quoted a price for it (yet). If indeed he does that as part of the "revised estimate" the revision would be a bargain. He used the AC line to the transformer to power the new outlet, and removed the transformer, but has not relocated the transformer yet. What I actually said was I either wanted it moved or disconnected. He argued strongly against removing the transformer. Funny, he used the doorbell first-thing-in-the-morning himself. Then, after he had removed the transformer, after lunch he tried ringing the doorbell a few times before knocking. Or somehow I remember that, despite being asleep at the time.
I told him about noon that I had wanted 5/8 sheetrock for the closet also. He asked me to explain why. That sounded like an argument but he denied it was an argument, only trying to help, he said. I told him it was because of the sound reduction, to help eliminate noise from the street. Indeed, that was one reason. I also wanted to go the extra mile in fire safety, though I didn't mention that. Though San Antonio does not require 5/8 sheetrock in garage walls, some cities do (or used to).
He said that it would cost about $10-$15 extra, and shrugged it off as no big deal. I hope that means it's OK, I would gladly pay the $15 of course. It's true that the thicker sheetrock also means more weight, more saw time, etc. But different only by about 25%. He could charge me more labor also but didn't say anything about that.
I also said I wanted the fiberglass batts in the closet wall as well as the sound wall. He said that was fine, he had been thinking of "more green options." I didn't ask more. In my limited knowledge, options that are supposed to be "more green" really aren't, they're just cheaper, like cellulose. For example, cellulose will likely outgas even more chemicals than fiberglass. And spray foam is even worse. Fiberglass is better than most insulation for sound absorbing, and that is important to me. In sealed wall cavities it must be about as safe as anything, and has been used for eons.
The room is indeed looking far bigger with the closet removed. Now it looks and feels like a real room, such as the bedroom in the 2 bedroom house I rented in the late 1970's, or my biggest dorm rooms in Pomona College's Blaisdell dormatory. Those were real rooms you could have parties in.
I asked when Rob returned from lunch if he could add a ceiling fan and light. I said I had been planning to have my electrician do it later, but it might be better now that he had the ceiling actually open a crack. He strongly agreed with the idea that now was the time. He said he would check it out. Later he informed me that there was not enough attic space for him to add the wiring through the ceiling. So I told him to skip it. I'm hoping my electrician might be more creative.
Speaking of creative, Rob practically laughed off my idea of putting a hinge on the gable vent and adding lowering stairs. He said the way to do attic access was through hole inside the house. I said I did not want such a hole inside my house, though there could be one in the garage, if he could find a place to put it. No news on that front yet, I may have to get someone more creative to work out the new attic access point also.
During the afternoon, Rob seemed to be coughing quite a bit. That was after he had opened up a square foot or so of ceiling exposing the cellulose insulation. I feel sorry for builders. But I've never told him NOT to wear a mask. In this case, if I told him something like that, I would expect him to be insulted.
Rob left around 3:30, restoring the power just before he left. Rather than selectively cutting out the specific breakers, he tended to just shut off all the breakers in the sub panel. So the kitchen UPS was busy recharging after he left. The main living room stereo is on a dedicated circuit which can only be accessed from the outside panel, so he never cut that off.
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