Topic: Will you still need me? Will you still feed me?

[Cobra951]

[idolminds]

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday, man!

[TheOtherBelmont]

Happy birthday, dude!

[Cobra951]

Thanks, guys.  I've had this song stuck in my head for like a week.

[Xessive]

Happy birthday, man!

[Quemaqua]

Happy birthday, dude! Doing anything fun?

[Cobra951]

Dealing with some water damage in the basement, from the monsoon the night of the 24th.  Yeah, great fun!

I just can't get over being here, at this stage of life.  I knew intellectually that it would get here someday (given enough health and luck), but the timeframe seemed so huge when I was young, that I thought of it as an eternity.  No, it gets here a lot faster than that.  Still beats the alternative.  Everything still works, more or less. 

[scottws]

Happy belated birthday!  Glad you are in decent health, but sorry about the flooding issues.  I saw pictures from family and friends of the Ohio River flooding in Cincinnati.  I've personally never seen it that bad.

[Cobra951]

Thanks, you guys.

There's a crew of young folks tearing out the basement carpet right now.  They'll set up some drying equipment after that.  Had a frustrating time yesterday and today trying to get action on this.  The only guy that came before wasn't from the company I called, but a subcontractor.  Sleazy guy, quoted me a stupidly high price.  All these outfits are slammed because of the flooding here, so I guess they're scraping the bottom of the barrel.  Another company said they'd come, but today said they couldn't make it.  Made one more call late this afternoon, and that worked like a charm (so far).  Reputable company, quote came in at just over a quarter of Mr Slime's, and they're not insisting on tearing up the new laminate flooring section, which should be fine.

I remember the '97 flood well.  I was working downtown, and some work friends and I walked down to the river to see debris floating down the streets past very short stop signs.  That's the last time the water has been this bad here.

[gpw11]

Sorry to hear about the water damage but happy birthday!

[scottws]

There's a crew of young folks tearing out the basement carpet right now.  They'll set up some drying equipment after that.  Had a frustrating time yesterday and today trying to get action on this.  The only guy that came before wasn't from the company I called, but a subcontractor.  Sleazy guy, quoted me a stupidly high price.  All these outfits are slammed because of the flooding here, so I guess they're scraping the bottom of the barrel.  Another company said they'd come, but today said they couldn't make it.  Made one more call late this afternoon, and that worked like a charm (so far).  Reputable company, quote came in at just over a quarter of Mr Slime's, and they're not insisting on tearing up the new laminate flooring section, which should be fine.

You'd hate South Florida contractors.  You are lucky if they even call you back when you are looking for contractors to talk to you about their services or an estimate.  It's frustrating, but they are all like that every time so you get used to it I guess.

[MysterD]

Happy belated birthday, Cobra!!!

[Cobra951]

You'd hate South Florida contractors.  You are lucky if they even call you back when you are looking for contractors to talk to you about their services or an estimate.  It's frustrating, but they are all like that every time so you get used to it I guess.

Except for this one lifesaver company (Service Master, based in Middletown), that's close to my experience here.  The major companies are dependable (Teasdale-Fenton, Coit) but I guess when they're slammed and depend on questionable subcontractors, the picture gets bleak.  One didn't even have the courtesy to let me know they weren't going to show, and the other was a sleazy opportunist.  If I hadn't taken a chance when I did on this other company, mold would be crawling up the basement walls by now, and we'd have trouble breathing here.

[Post gets interrupted for many hours by the doorbell . . .]

The insurance adjusters came, and found a way to cover us.  Turns out that while we don't have flood insurance, we are covered for runoff drains backing up when the water table rises, and that might have been the cause.  The tech from Service Master was right last night.  He said the agents are on our side; the bean counters not so much.  So after the deductible, we're good.  Looks like we'll be getting a new floor down there--not carpet this time.  Huge relief.

Happy belated birthday, Cobra!!!

Thanks, buddy. 

[gpw11]

The insurance adjusters came, and found a way to cover us.  Turns out that while we don't have flood insurance, we are covered for runoff drains backing up when the water table rises, and that might have been the cause.  The tech from Service Master was right last night.  He said the agents are on our side; the bean counters not so much.  So after the deductible, we're good.  Looks like we'll be getting a new floor down there--not carpet this time.  Huge relief.

Oh man, that's just awesome.

[scottws]

Wow, that's good news!