All Forum Posts by: Jenny F.

For an "instock" vinyl including & f/e channel probably around $4000.00 materials & labor. Not including any aluminum wrapping around doors/windows....

those cheap big box in stocks look fantastic with a fresh coat of paint & some swanky hardware. Or go to Menard's and get the new door and drawer faces and paint them to save even more. You can re-tile the counter top easily too (i actually think it easier just to replace it all than to chink out all the grout, i have done it before, it sucks) You can get nice granite tiles relatively cheap at the big box stores so you can have a granite counter top for roughly the same price as you would install a regular tile counter top. Be aware to use the special blade for granite/marble if you go that route...

happy grouting!

well..i should REALLY REALLY should keep my mouth shut here...but...can't....

Hillary.....hmmmm.....endorses BO, gets her election debts paid by BO raised funds, gets cushy job she really isnt qualified for.....there you go...im sure if we think hard we can come up with more....

The first house we ever flipped the people moved out without their stuff. They left everything INCLUDING the 1970's PORN & the soundtrack on 8 track.....that was in 2000. Lynard Skynard anyone?

...6 dumpsters full of CRAP.

and the bones of a small lizard...

I looked at a foreclosure over the summer that actually had MUSHROOMS growing out of the carpet!! That was a complete surprise....I wonder what kind they were?

I heard 92k & up is the magic number now...i find it rather interesting how this treasury sec. pick is involved in and IRS "situation"...I thought ALL Dems LOVED paying all those taxes, since they are always pushing for more!? I'm shocked!!! shocked I tell you!

With all of the economic chaos and so many struggling, how are you, as small business owners, making changes to your businesses to ride the tide?

My 2009 business cut back plan is simple...
1- My lease ran out on my satellite office so I did not renew it SAVING $$6500.00 per year (rent, phones, internet, gas getting there)
2- NOT buying a new or used car this year SAVING $$6,000.00 (in payments, interest & full coverage)
3- NOT hiring anyone new this year SAVING $$27500.00 (but it keeps ALL the pressure on me)
4- paid off almost all debt SAVING $12,000.00 in interest per year (commercial loans, high interest credit cards)
5- Scaled back the cell phone plan SAVING $1200.00 per year
6- NEGOTIATED with internet provider down from 65.00 per month TO $20!!!! thankyouverymuch....SAVING $$540.00 per year.
7- Closing accounts with banks that charge fees for banking (scanners, usage fees) and going to a CU for FREE checking/savings...SAVING $$1200.00 per year
8- Magic Jack (i havent done it yet but i have only heard good things) SAVINGS $$1200.00

Just by doing/not doing these things MY business will save a WHOPPING $62,640.00 DOLLARS!!! I am going to put EVERY PENNY of that in the bank!!!

Its amazing that when you sit down to really think about what is truly required to run a business what YOU CAN CUT. These are things that should be thought about in the good times too so that business can ride out the bad times...

Anyone else have some cost cutting ideas to share? Let's share ideas!

Actually AMEX is hasn't cut my line which surprises me because I thought for sure that they would cut theirs next. Since i am in a "high risk" business and all.

WAMU has SEVERE problems right now...

Before you bite on to any of those companies go to www.contractortalk.com... lots of folks there have used these services and there is a lot of feedback.

your best friend in this business as far as getting the deals is in your networking...I get calls all the time from stores that are discontinuing this product or that product and call me FIRST to see if I want it. Example: dimensional shingles reg. $40 a bundle, 12 bucks. if you are buying in bulk builddirect is a good site too. http://www.builddirect.com/ especially their marble/granite/slate prices....

kitchen cabinets....a friend of mine went to lowes, special ordered the cabinets and then canceled the order and they gave her an extra 25% off because of the slumping sales....

for equipment try out the pawn shops or again, networking....hubby gets top name stuff from a certain big box store ...he gets the stuff below cost. Its good to utilize your resources.

I have personally been using everycontractor.com...they don't charge per lead as the other sites do, you pay a one time fee of 400+ and they guarantee you at least 12 leads in a year. I have gotten 3 leads so far, but two of them were dead leads....do your homework or these companies will milk you dry.

Also, start a niche market....90% of my clients are the out of state homeowner's niche...if you have an area that is a vacation/second home magnet send out some post cards.

Good luck!

LOL! I havent been here for a while and I see that no one has responded to your question so I will add my few cents worth a few months later....

removing grout is a complete and total pain and is very time consuming. If the grout itself looks to be in pretty good condition (just dirty) then you have a few choices here...

edited to add: if your shower floor leaks its not because of the grout....its because of the lack of membrane underneath the cement board or improperly installed drains...

the first is oxygenated bleach...you can find it on the net and i use it all the time to clean my grout in the kitchen...you mix it and let it dwell for around 2-3 hours, scrubbing lightly as you apply it. suck it up with a wet vac and mop up the residue...once you get that done seal the heck out of it!!!!!!! if you dont seal it well you will be cleaning it again and soon....

here is a link for that stuff...www.stainsolver.com

another alternative is this, stain the grout line with special paint or stain....

http://www.groutbrite.com/groutcolorants.htm

http://www.aquamix.com/products/product_group.asp?pgID=8374

either of the above alternatives are EXCELLENT alternatives to taking out the grout. If you dont have to take it out and regrout, DONT.

if you have flaking grout you can either saw away the chunks and regrout in spots or if you are insistent upon replacing the grout get a grout saw (at any big box store) and start the lengthy process of sawing out every last bit of that stuff. Its a time consuming night mare. It also makes a mess.

I haven't seen that movie however I can predict more taxes in the form of unseen or phantom taxes (you know the ones, you hear about them ONCE on the news and suddenly there they are and quickly forgotten) like the gasoline tax or the cigarette tax...perhaps now we will have the "bottled water tax" or the "federal *** emissions tax" (aka: the farmer's stock animal fart tax) or the "domestic house pet tax" on the pet food from the store.......because they sure as hell are not going to stop SPENDING our money or earmarking.....Soon taxpaying Americans will be storming the borders of Canada and Mexico just to stop the taxation madness of the next SEVERAL generations.