Move a Front Door Sideways

Posted on by Tim Carter
moving a front door sideways

Moving a Front Door Sideways | Wouldn’t you love to know what the architect was thinking when she/he put the door off-center in this opening? Everything else about the house is balanced and centered! Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

QUESTION: Tim, I need your help and advice. I bought a foreclosed house for a really great price. The entrance hall is two stories high and features a large front door with a semi-circular window above it. But for some reason, the architect off-centered the door and window in the porch alcove. My contractor says the door and window can’t be relocated and even if so, it would be prohibitively expensive. The facing brick in this alcove is already removed, so I don’t understand why it can’t be done. What say you? Have you ever done something like this? How long would it take to remove the door and window, create the new opening, and reinstall the door and window? Vicky M. Orient, NY

I don’t know about you, but I was intrigued by Vicky’s question. She sent it along with a great photo using my Ask Tim page. Once I peered at her photo, I was perplexed why the contractor said the door and window couldn’t be moved. Perhaps he was having a bad day, has never done this task before, or he didn’t have the skills and courage to do it. The tall opening may have intimidated him.

Can You Relocate a Front Door Easily?

The good news for you, should you want to do a similar project, is that the door can be relocated. Fortunately, it’s a simplistic structural modification. Believe me, creating some openings can be very challenging and complex, but not Vicky’s job.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local carpenters who can move your door.

What's an Example of a Tough Structural Change?

Here’s an example of a tough job. I remember years ago building a room addition on a large five-bedroom home that had solid masonry exterior walls. The architect had called for a new seven-foot-wide opening from the existing kitchen out into the new room addition. GULP!

I was able to install the two giant steel angle irons the engineer called for one at a time, and support all the masonry and roof load over this opening with no failure. That’s not to say I wasn’t nervous. Believe me, we were working diligently to get it done. I had planned every aspect of the task, and within four hours, both angle irons were in place and we toasted our success.

How Hard is Moving a Front Door?

Vicky’s task is so much easier. On a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty, with 10 being the toughest job, I’d personally rate it a 2. The hardest part of the job, in my opinion, is to build a temporary inner support wall that would support any roof load that might be resting above the window and door. You just need to build this wall so you have room to work and the required room to shift the door and window is actually available outside on the front porch stoop. It’s caveman simple.

Every contractor looks at a job differently. This particular job is well suited for a three-man crew. The working space is tight and you don’t want folks bumping into one another.

What Do You Do First?

The first step is to protect the interior of the house from dust and debris. Plastic dust barriers need to be installed, and drop cloths need to be put down to protect the floor. Next up is framing the temporary wall. While this is happening, one of the workers can be outside starting to remove any nails from the door and window nailing flanges. You need to leave one or two nails in place so they don’t fall out until you’re ready to remove them.

Remove the door first and get it out of the way so it’s protected. Once the door and window are removed, it’s time to get any of the old framing out of the way. Assuming the correct-sized headers were used to frame the wall, these can be salvaged for reuse saving time and money.

How Straight Should King Studs Be?

With the headers out of the way, it’s time to install the new full-length king studs that run from the bottom to the top wall plates in one piece. Be sure these are perfectly straight with no twist or crown. The jack studs are up next. These support the headers and within a few minutes the new opening is framed and complete. I would expect all of the above work to have happened within four hours at the most. It’s important to realize that I would have come to the job with all the materials and equipment I needed so there’s no running to get anything.

Do I Need a Flashing Pan?

It's now time to install the new flashing pan or flashing under the door. Once that’s done, you can install the window first. I wouldn’t want to have the door in place and risk damaging it while installing the window. That’s the voice of experience talking!

exterior door flashing

This is the type of flashing you should install. CLICK or TAP HERE to get the one I used.

The door would be installed last, and then the wall covered with an air and water barrier according to the manufacturer’s written installation instructions. By this time seven or eight hours would have passed and it would be time for the bricklayers to get started the next morning.

There are lots of videos on YouTube showing much of what I described above. I feel it’s always a good idea for you to watch videos like this before you contact a contractor for any quotes. Get a feel for what’s possible and how long things take. Don’t forget if you create a free YouTube account, you can always post a comment to the creator of the video asking how long something took if he didn’t mention it in the video.

Column 1374

Roof Cap Shingles

Posted on by Tim Carter
Roof Cap Shingles

Roof Cap Shingles - The shingles at the peak of a roof are called cap shingles. (C) Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

"I did extensive research into why asphalt shingles are failing so fast. I interviewed a top executive and respected asphalt shingle expert who revealed the deep dark secrets of why your shingles look like crap in as little as eight years."

Roof Cap Shingles

DEAR TIM: I was inspecting my asphalt shingle roof the other day. At the top of the roof where the peak is, I noticed some defects. My shingles are only six years old so I was shocked to see deterioration. The shingles covering the peak of the roof don’t look like all the other shingles on my roof. The color is the same, but they have a strange shape. How can I replace the defective ones without damaging adjacent shingles? What’s causing the shingles to go bad so fast? Sheila P., Waynesville, OH

DEAR SHELIA: Congratulations on doing that roof inspection by yourself. Not many have the nerve to get up and walk on roofs. Just last week I was up on my friend’s steep roof helping to remove a tree that had fallen on his home. The only mistake I made was wearing nice work boots that have a fairly stiff sole. My sneakers that have a more flexible sole would have given me much better traction on the asphalt shingles.

Asphalt Shingles Failing FAST

Seven months ago, I published a small book that speaks to what you discovered. It’s called Roofing Ripoff. I was inspired to produce the book after my own 30-year-warranty asphalt shingle roof began to fall apart in just ten years!

roofing ripoff cover

I did extensive research into why asphalt shingles are failing so fast. I interviewed a top executive and respected asphalt shingle expert who revealed the deep dark secrets of why your shingles look like crap in as little as eight years. The evidence points to too much air being blown into the liquid asphalt as the shingles are being made. This extra oxygen pre-ages the shingles. I cover this in great detail in my short easy-to-read Roofing Ripoff book.

What Are Cap Shingles?

The shingles at the peak of your roof are commonly called cap shingles. If your shingles are standard three-tab shingles, the caps are made by cutting one shingle into three separate parts. It’s very simple to do and if you’re lucky enough to have some spare shingles left over in your garage or shed, you can make replacement caps in just minutes.

How Do You Cut or Make Cap Shingles?

A standard three-tab shingle can create three cap shingles. Watch this video:

Dimensional or architectural shingles have special cap shingles. You buy bundles of the cap shingles at the same time as you purchase the regular shingles. Both types of cap shingles are applied in the same way.

CLICK or TAP HERE to get FREE BIDS from local roofers to repair cap shingles.

What Size are Cap Shingles?

The overall size of most cap shingles is 12 x 12 inches. The shingles overlap one another at the ridge like feathers on a bird. This overlap creates a watertight covering.

Can You Install These Over a Ridge Vent?

The cap shingles often are installed on top of a continuous ridge vent. The vent manufacturers make their products to match the size of the cap shingles so the caps cover the vent material leaving a 3/4-inch shadow line up at the ridge.

How Do You Replace a Cap Shingle?

A standard pry bar is required to replace a cap shingle. You also need some warmer weather. If it’s cold outside, there’s a good chance you’ll crack good cap shingles as you try to install new ones.

You need to gently pry up the overlapping cap shingle next to the cap you want to replace. Back about one inch you’ll see a roofing nail. Slide the pry bar under the nail head and gently pry the nail from the wood roof deck.

Often you need to go to the second overlapping shingle and pull up those nails to as they may be passing through the top edge of the cap you’re trying to replace.

What Length Nails Are Used With Cap Shingles?

Roofers frequently use nails that are too short when installing cap shingles. You’ll discover in a hurry there’s lots of roofing material up at the ridge. You’ll need nails that are at least 2 inches long to secure the caps. It’s not uncommon to use 2.5-inch-long nails!

Can You Install Cap Shingles in Cold Weather?

If it’s cold and you must do the work, try to work in the sun as even on a cold day the shingles can soak up enough heat from the sun to make them pliable. But don’t be surprised if you crack failing brittle shingles working in temperatures below 45 F.

Is There a Secret Tip to Patch Defective Cap Shingles?

Yes, I have a secret tip. Your best bet may be to patch any bad cap shingles with roofing cement for now. Who cares what it looks like for a few months?

henry roofing cement

Use this roofing cement to patch cracks in cap shingles. CLICK or TAP HERE to have it delivered to your home.

Here's a secret tip on how to make the repair invisible. If you have gutters, you’ll probably discover tens of thousands of colored granules from your shingles in the gutters. Collect some, wash and dry them.

Dab on the gooey roofing cement over the bad areas and immediately cover the sticky cement with the granules to disguise the black blobs. This will work until the air temperature is about 75 F and you can get up and do the job properly.

The colored granules also protect the roofing cement from the damaging ultraviolet rays from the sun. Without protection, the cement will fail in as little as two years.

This column covered in the December 12, 2017 Newsletter.

Column 1226

October 4, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Greetings! You very likely are a newbie subscriber. This place of honor is where I welcome you to your first issue. Thanks for subscribing!

On the other hand, this could be your second issue or your 500th one! Riddle me this. The person in charge at your house, yes, you know who she is, has requested you remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room to create a more open floor plan.

Is it a bearing wall? How do you determine this? CLICK or TAP HERE and watch a short video for some clues!

The Gerber Prybrid Utility

Please peer at this photo:

Gerber Prydrid Utility

Did you really look CLOSELY at the photo?

Now, try to predict how I felt about this tool. Think about the name!!! Look above at the title once more and then look at the photo.

CLICK or TAP HERE and see if your mystic powers are strong! Did you guess wisely?

New Product - Building Drain Layout

I've seen a very significant increase in orders for the color plumbing isometric drawings I create. You almost always need one to obtain a plumbing permit.

Several DIYrs have asked me to also draw for them the non-required building drain layout. Think of the building drain as the set of horizontal pipes running under your slab or in the crawlspace. Typically you can't see these once the concrete is poured or the sub-floor is installed.

Here's a small cutaway shot of part of one of the new building drain layout drawings I've done recently.
Building Drain Layout
The thick BLACK line is a 4-inch pipe. The purple lines represent 3-inch pipes, the gold lines are 2-inch pipes, and the blue lines are 1.5-inch pipes.

When you change directions with a horizontal pipe in a plumbing system, it's best to do it with a 45-degree bend. If you need to turn 90 degrees, then you put two 45s together and space them apart a foot or so if possible.

You want to avoid putting 90-degree-angle fittings in a building drain because a drain-cleaning snake has a tough time navigating them.

You can put 90-degree fittings under a slab at the base of vertical stacks, but be sure they're sweep 90s. A sweep fitting has a greater radius than a normal 90-degree fitting. The same is true for the 90 under the toilet. Be sure it's a sweep 90.

CLICK or TAP HERE if you want me to draw your building drain layout!

Tactica M250 - What is That?

I reviewed another small tool this past week. I wasn't impressed with the name, but then again it's got to be hard to come up with a name for this:

tactica m250 tool

If you're a gun person, this tool might be your thing. That's a magazine containing common bits and the bit holder is in a barrel at the top of the magazine. The holster is the object on the bottom.

CLICK or TAP HERE to discover much more and tell me how fast it's going to take you to order one of these with the gold-plated bits!

It's VERY IMPORTANT You READ my SHORT review of this tool, EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT ONE!!!

Google Play Books SCAM?

I read each night before traveling to Sleepyville. I'm attracted to history books, and about four nights ago Google Play offered up a book about the Great Hurricane of 1938. I have a deep interest in that storm living here in New Hampshire. Not only was it a monster storm, but it raced up the Atlantic Ocean coastline like a cheetah chasing its lunch.

It was advertised for $2.99 and the author was not familiar to me. I thought, "Well, I'll try a free sample to see if it's any good or not, and then buy it if it is." Some books are so poorly written, they hurt my brain which is why I often opt for the free sample if I don't know the author.

This one wasn't bad. It was quite good. I must have worked my way through twenty, or more, pages before I got tired. I turned off the tablet and drifted off to sleep as if I was in the attic of a house that became a boat because the storm surge and 150 mph winds ripped it off the rest of the house. Yes, this happened to quite a few houses in GH38.

The next night I went to buy it and it was now $9.99.

Hmmmmm... Was it a one-day sale or does Google track how much you read of the sample and the MORE YOU READ the HIGHER the PRICE GOES?

Do you know the answer? Has this happened to you? Let me know.

Etched Glasses Follow Up

I shared a column with you last week about my clear etched drinking glasses.

One of the things I LOVE about this newsletter is you may be one who routinely responds with great additional information. That happened once again!

If you don't want to have etched glass of any kind when you use your dishwasher, then you MUST GO READ what Brad shared. CLICK or TAP HERE to do just that.

Installing Tile Over Cracked Concrete?

Is it a good idea to install ceramic tile over a crack like this:
cracked concrete slab
Let's say you have to do it and you're on a limited budget.

Do you think there are methods and products to deal with installing tile over concrete and cracked concrete? CLICK or TAP HERE and tell me what you think of the idea I came up with to help Sarah.

That's quite enough for a Sunday! Next Saturday, I'll be in Maine all day with four other radio professionals. We're doing an 80 and 40-meter NVIS test. Want to know what that is and why? Would you like to see race cars go 100+ mph down curvy gravel roads? WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: CLICK or TAP HERE.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
BEST DARN CLEANER - www.StainSolver.com
NVIS MAN! - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Your honey has asked you to remove finish nails from trim lumber. She wants to salvage and reuse it. How can you remove the nails WITHOUT DAMAGING the good side of the trim lumber?

I thought you'd never ask! CLICK or TAP HERE to see me with dishwater blonde hair!

Tactica M250

Posted on by Tim Carter
Tactica-M250-Unholstered

Tactica M250 | Here's the Tactica M250 after it's taken out of the holster that can fit on your belt.

Tactica M250 - I Hate to Say It #FAIL

This could be my shortest tool review ever. I got the magazine out of the holster and BOOM - #FAILURE.

The slots the bits fit into were so tight, it was impossible for me to get the bits out of the magazine.

Not only could I not fit my finger into the small gap, but when I forced it in there the tips of the sharp bits hurt my finger so much I couldn't even begin to push them out.

I was only able to get the bits out of the magazine using my fingernail clippers. There was so much tension that when the bit finally came out, it shot across the room ten feet away!

The photos should tell the tale. Note the tiny gap between the top of the bits and the magazine. No way I could get my finger in there.

Tactica M250 Gap

Tactica M250 Fingertip

Tactica M250 Clippers

Tactica M250 Bit Slide

Tactica M250 Bit

Love tool reviews? Look at my Gerber Prybrid Utility knife review.

Gerber Prybrid Utility Review

Posted on by Tim Carter
Gerber Prydrid Utility

Gerber Prybrid Utility | It may look attractive, but it's a trick! That said, you may actually love the way it feels in your hand. Not me!

Gerber Prybrid Utility - UGH!

The Gerber Prybrid Utility fit in my hand like I was holding a ragged piece of Meredith Porphyritic Granite or a prickly piece of cactus.

Look at its boxy shape with the hardened edges. It was so uncomfortable in my hand.  But to you, it may feel like a two-day-old velveteen chick.

I understand why it happened because Gerber went down the multi-tool path. They claim it's eight tools in one. Strangely they don't list its primary purpose first. Here's how they list the features on their website:

  • pry bar
  • nail puller
  • wire stripper
  • small flathead driver
  • large flathead driver
  • bottle opener
  • standard utility blade
  • cord cut notch

Comfort is King

Tools are like handguns. A very good friend of mine is a retired ATF Senior Special Agent and he coached me when I purchased my first handgun. "Tim, the gun has to feel good in your hand. Trust me, not all handguns feel the same. There are huge differences. Don't purchase a gun that feels bad."

He was so right! I discovered long ago that most utility knives felt so-so in my hand. But you made do with what was available.

However, about eight years ago, I came across a unique Stanley utility knife, the QuickSlide, that has since become my favorite utility knife of all time because it feels perfect in my hand.

In my opinion, the Stanley QuickSlide is the right shape, it's the right thickness, and it's the right length. What's more, it's designed to do one thing: be a utility knife.

When you decided you're going to do lots of things at once, you're probably not very good at any one thing. That's what happened with the Gerber Prybrid Utility in my opinion.

Gerber Prydrid Utility

This is why they named the tool the Prybrid. This is the mini pry bar end. It may work well to pry things up in a house made for a mouse. Those two tips also are the flathead screwdrivers and the notch is the nail puller. No way you're going to be pulling out a 16d nail with this tool.

Gerber Prydrid Utility

This is what the tool was designed to do, I think. Cut things. You can see the cord-cutting notch near my finger.

Gerber Prydrid Utility Back

Here's the back of the tool. It's definitely got a boxy shape.

Gerber Prybrid Stanley Quickslide

This is the photo you've been waiting for. Look at the difference in design. My favorite utility knife of all time - I'm talking 40+ years of using one - is in the center. It's the Stanley Quickslide. I BEG YOU TO GO BUY THREE OF THEM NOW BEFORE THEY STOP MAKING THEM. The yellow Stanley utility knife at the bottom is not bad, but it's fatter and just doesn't fit as good as the Quickslide. But guess what? You may think it feels GREAT! Your mileage may vary indeed!

Stanley Quickslide

BUY THIS ONE NOW! CLICK on the photo.

Do you get hungry cutting things? Me too! Look at my SHARP Steam Countertop Oven SSC0586DS review.

High-Pressure Sales and Secret Psychology

Posted on by Tim Carter
micromesh gutter guard

High-Pressure Sales Tactics - You may become a victim of secret psychology if you sit through a sales presentation for gutter guards like you see here. PREVENT losing thousands of dollars by reading just the first 120 pages of Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion. It's the best thing you'll ever do. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

"Scarcity is like crack cocaine to your tiny defenseless gray cells."

High-Pressure Sales Tactics - BEWARE Jedi Mind Tricks

This column is long overdue. It’s a fantastic example of you can’t see the forest for the trees. I’ve made the awful assumption all these years that you know as much about the topic as I do. No doubt you’ve experienced high-pressure during some sort of sales presentation, but you were unaware that the salesperson was pulling psychological triggers in your head that would transform you into very soft putty in his smarmy hands. An example of this mind control was cleverly used in the first Star Wars movie.

The inspiration for this column came from Les. He recently reached out to me via my AsktheBuilder.com website and said,

“After many years of going up on my roof to blow out 260 ft of gutters lots of times during the fall months, I'm finally going to take your advice on Gutter Guards. I had Leaf Filter come out and give me their inclusive pitch which ended with an $18K quote ... Very laughable ...”

I knew what Les meant by inclusive. At that point, the light-bulb went off in my head, and I decided to reach out to my newsletter subscribers to see if they’d share their gutter guard sales-pitch stories as well as the quotes they received. I have a giant spreadsheet of this data on my website. Just go to Gutter Guard Costs.

I was astonished at the tsunami of responses. As I suspected, there were tales of woe and borderline thievery. I don’t know what other word to use when a person is charged $90 per linear foot for a product that costs probably less than $2 to make and 100 feet of it can be installed probably in an hour. Yes, you did the math right. $9,000.00 for 100 feet of gutter guard. The thought of that happening to you is hateful to me.

Allow me to share some knowledge I obtained as part of a very exclusive mastermind group I helped start in 1999. Very powerful psychology is used to influence your decisions on an almost daily basis. Fear is also a major component of this fiendish brew. You see, fear automatically shuts down that part of your brain that does critical and clear thinking. This is why panic is can be deadly.

The military, police, and many businesses use this psychology to control behavior. In fact, you’ve probably used it yourself without even realizing it. It works because these psychological triggers are inside every human’s brain.

Reciprocity - The Simplest Psychological Trigger

Let’s discuss the most basic trigger of all, reciprocity. You fall victim to this if you accept a gift from someone. Think of those pieces of cheese on a toothpick in the grocery store. In the case of the high-pressure salesman, he offers you a discount on the price of the item. If your eyes light up and you accept the lower price, your brain whispers to you, “Okay, now you must give him something back.” All the salesman wants is your signature on the contract.

Authority - Most Succumb To This Trigger

Authority is a very clever psychological trigger. You see this in everyday life. It’s why police wear uniforms, priests wear special garments, and shamans wear unique headdresses and other jewelry. The salesman sitting in your living room might squeeze this trigger in your head when he places the call to his manager to authorize another special price or discount. After all, how can you ignore this higher power? If the salesman starts to pull out his phone, be sure to ask him to put it on speakerphone so you can hear what the manager says.

Social Proof - STOP Following the Crowd!

One of the most powerful psychological ploys that’s put upon you in the sales presentation is social proof. You see this all the time in TV commercials where four or five strangers tell you how the product took away pain, how it cleans so well, or how it allowed them to lose weight. After the last one, your brain screams at you, “Well by gosh if it’s good enough for them, I need it. Take my money!” Social proof is as intoxicating as that delicious aroma of your favorite food you smell when you come in from the garage. You’re drawn to the kitchen like a lamb being led to slaughter.

Scarcity - BEWARE of this Ploy

The most powerful psychological trigger of all is scarcity. Only the strongest and battle-hardened consumers can resist this. Scarcity is used to make POWs sing like canaries. Make oxygen scarce, and you start to discover all sorts of information. You see scarcity in play each day in your life when you see and ad or read an email that says, “The sale ends in hours.” The business is making the savings scarce. My guess is you’ve bought something you really didn’t need when you saw this message.

That salesman in your home uses scarcity when he says the final lowest price is only good until such time as his taillights leave your driveway or some other short period of time. You’re forced to make a decision or else lose thousands of dollars. Scarcity is like crack cocaine to your tiny defenseless gray cells.

How can you steel yourself to prevent being taken advantage of? I suggest you get a copy of the easy-to-read book I read where I discovered all of this powerful magic. It’s:

Influence Book CoverINFLUENCE - The Psychology of Persuasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini.

Once you read the numerous case studies in this book, you’ll train your brain to resist the Jedi mind tricks the salespeople are trying to use on you. In fact, you’ll be able to use the same psychology on the salesman to get him to do what you want! Now that’s a big win if you ask me!

Column 1373

September 27, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

You're a new subscriber, aren't you? I thought so. I'm elated that you've decided to become part of the AsktheBuilder.com family.

You, though, might an experienced AsktheBuilder.com newsletter rodeo rider. Tell me, do you recall the video I recorded sharing a secret trick carpenters use to square up walls, foundations, roof trusses, or anything without using a calculator or any hard math at all?

All you need is a silly tape measure! Seriously! CLICK or TAP HERE and you'll be amazed how how easy it is to square something.

The Les Gutter Guard Tsunami

In my September 25, 2020 Newsletter, I asked for your stories about Gutter Guard scams. Here are some of the replies I received.

A week ago Les, who resides in Greensburg, IN, stopped by my Ask Tim page and shared the following:

"After many years of going up on my roof to blow out 260 ft of gutters lots of times during the fall months, I'm finally going to take your advice on gutter guards. I had LeafFilter come out and give me their inclusive pitch which ended with an $18K quote...Very laughable...."

At first, I thought Les had typed that wrong. There's no way someone could quote $64.28 per linear foot for a product that costs about $1.75 per foot to manufacture. But Les's story was the truth.

gutter guard illustration

I don't know about you, but I've been seeing lots of TV ads for LeafFilter in the past several months. These are being shown on a major network where the ad costs are in the stratosphere.

You, the consumer, pay for these ads with higher product prices. That's Business 101.

I decided to ask you what your experience has been with gutter guard quotes and I wasn't surprised. CLICK or TAP HERE to see the data I've received so far about recent quotes and contract prices for gutter guards all across the magnificent fruited plain here in the USA.

I also have on this page five disturbing high-pressure sales stories. At the very least, read a few of them. Be sure to give SERIOUS CONSIDERATION to purchasing the book I highlight on all the pages so you never again get screwed by a salesperson.

Cloudy Drinking Glasses - Dishwasher Gel/Soap!

drinking glass - no longer clear

You may think the glass is coated with hard-water salts or deposits. I thought that about 30 years ago. My mother-in-law got a good chuckle - you'll have to read the story using the following link.

CLICK or TAP HERE if your drinking glasses used to be CLEAR but now are starting to look like mine. You're not going to believe what you read.

Bathroom Fan Exhaust - The Right Way

bathroom exhaust fan disconnected in attic

What do you think of that flexible metal bath exhaust pipe in the above photo? It's aimed at a powered attic ventilation fan.

Do you think you know the absolute BEST WAY to vent a bathroom or kitchen exhaust fan? I'm willing to bet you a pound of dark chocolate Aglamesis pecandes you don't.

CLICK or TAP HERE and see if you were right.

Use the Right Shovel

Four types of shovels

There are lots of odd-looking shovels. Each one has a specific purpose.

I've got a question for you. Back in the 1850s, work crews installed telegraph poles from the Mississippi River to California. They did it in a record nine months!

There was a pole about every 200 feet. Can you picture how the work crews dug the 1-foot diameter holes down 5 feet in deep soil?

CLICK or TAP HERE for the answer. I'd also click that link if you want to know how I use each of those shovels in the above photo. Which one do you think is my favorite?

That's quite enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Best Darned Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
Morse Muff Soon - www.W3ATB.com

P.S. If you pray, I need a favor. A very dear friend of mine has been suffering and could use a bunch of prayers. I need you to pray exceedingly hard this coming Friday. Thanks in advance.

Gutter Guard Cost

Posted on by Tim Carter
micromesh gutter guard

Gutter guard costs | This is the best gutter guard I've ever tested. This is my own home in NH. A stainless steel micromesh prevents any pine needles or other small debris from getting into the gutter. Copyright 2020 Tim Carter

Gutter Guard Cost - Actual Installed Prices From Homeowners

In late September of 2020, I asked the subscribers of my FREE AsktheBuilder.com newsletter about their gutter guard cost. I wanted to create a helpful spreadsheet for you showing you a wide range of prices.

Several of my subscribers also shared horror stories of high-pressure sales tactics. The psychology used by the salesmen is covered in the easy-to-read book BELOW the spreadsheet.

If you want to avoid getting SCREWED by any salesman in the future, purchase the book and READ it.

What Gutter Guards Are On Your House, Tim?

I have micromesh gutter guards on my house. I won't share the name with you because I've since severed the relationship with the company because I received numerous complaints about the dealer sales tactics.

CLICK or TAP HERE to buy stainless-steel micromesh gutter guards JUST LIKE MINE. Simply read the reviews and make a solid choice.

I URGE YOU to read all of these horror stories:

Gutter Guard Scam in MO

Gutter Guard Scam in WI

Gutter Guard Scam in IL

Gutter Guard Scam in NJ

Gutter Guard Scam in SC

I also urge you to read one of my original gutter guard columns that contain several videos showing my actual gutter guard tests. CLICK or TAP HERE for the Gutter Guard Truth.

The following table is dynamic and new data is slowly coming in all the time. I sorted it according to the alphabetical names of the gutter guard products.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You may have to use the top and bottom and side-to-side SLIDER bars to see all the data.

Psychology Tricks Book

Purchase this book ASAP and read it. It's very simple to understand.

Once you read it, NO HIGH-PRESSURE SALESMAN will EVER BE ABLE TO SCREW YOU AGAIN!

Influence Book Cover

PURCHASE THIS BOOK NOW. CLICK or TAP HERE.

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Gutter Guard Scam Jonesville SC

Posted on by Tim Carter

Gutter Guard Scam Jonesville SC - Beware High-Pressure Sales

One of my newsletter subscribers responded to a call I put out about gutter guard sales presentation and installation horror stories. I asked them to share any tales about high-pressure sales tactics and the use of undisclosed subcontractors.

That input of information helped create my Gutter Guard Cost page. You should look at it. It contains OTHER gutter guard scam links.

BEWARE Powerful Psychology

His story is powerful and it speaks to the often unethical tactics used by salespeople that prey on folks like you. They make use of extremely effective psychology that works on every human being. It's much like the Jedi mind tricks Obi-Wan Kenobi used in the original Star Wars movie.

This psychology is all covered in an easy-to-read book titled: Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion

I link to it below my subscriber's story. I BEG YOU TO BUY IT so you NEVER GET SCREWED AGAIN.

LeafGuard is going to be none too happy about this story but they only have their dealer to blame. Federal Law allows me to publish stories like this so you can avoid heartache as my subscriber suffered.

Tim,

We called a local company, LeafGuard, for an estimate after extensively researching gutter guards. After we found the guards we wanted (stainless steel mesh) we priced the guards on Samsclub.com. From comments on that website from people who had paid someone to install them, we had a price in mind and we were comfortable with paying a little more if need be.

A salesman came out and "measured" from the ground. All we wanted was an estimate but we got a four-hour hard sell.

Even though this company advertises that they will use your existing gutters (ours were six years old and in great shape) the salesman said their product would not fit our gutters and they would need to be replaced! We just had these six-inch gutters installed and now he wanted to replace them with five-inch gutters.

He gave us an initial quote of almost $5000 dollars and after we got up off the floor we said Absolutely Not. That's when he went into his spiel about how he could maybe give us a discount for various things:

  • time of year (his crews needed winter work)
  • a special discount from his manager (he actually called him (?) on the phone)
  • a discount because we would be buying gutters at the same time

The discounts kept coming and we kept saying NO and trying to get this guy to LEAVE.

Finally, when he got down to $2995, he got mad and told us we were wasting his time. He said he couldn't afford to give the product away and became very agitated.

I was a little frightened but luckily he finally left. The next day we ordered stainless steel mesh gutter guards from Sam's. We needed just over 200 feet and since they sell it in boxes containing 92 ft., we got three boxes for $255.00.

Then we found a local handyman company to install them. They charged us $200.00. We had enough materials left over to do our garage gutters too and we could reach them with just a step ladder.

So instead of almost $5000, we got the house AND the garage completed for around $450.00.

I know you can't use this as one of your examples of how we got "taken" by a shady company- because we didn't. But it does serve as a cautionary tale. Thanks for staying vigilant for us, Tim. We appreciate all you do.

The LeafGuard salesman was invoking the reciprocity, authority, and scarcity psychological triggers:

  • Reciprocity (Offering generous discounts - makes you feel obligated to give your SIGNATURE in return)
  • Authority (Calling his manager)
  • Scarcity (taking the deal away if you don't sign RIGHT NOW)

Scarcity is the most powerful psychological trick of all. It's why we waterboard POWs. We take away oxygen and the POW starts singing like a canary.

Psychology Tricks Book

Purchase this book ASAP and read it. It's very simple to understand.

Once you read it, NO HIGH-PRESSURE SALESMAN will EVER BE ABLE TO SCREW YOU AGAIN!

Influence Book Cover

PURCHASE THIS BOOK NOW. CLICK or TAP HERE.

 

Gutter Guard Scam Glenview IL

Posted on by Tim Carter

Gutter Guard Scam Glenview, IL - Beware High-Pressure Sales

One of my newsletter subscribers responded to a call I put out about gutter guard sales presentation and installation horror stories. I asked them to share any tales about high-pressure sales tactics and the use of undisclosed subcontractors.

That input of information helped create my Gutter Guard Cost page. You should look at it. It contains OTHER gutter guard scam links.

BEWARE Powerful Psychology

His story is powerful and it speaks to the often unethical tactics used by salespeople that prey on folks like you. They make use of extremely effective psychology that works on every human being. It's much like the Jedi mind tricks Obi-Wan Kenobi used in the original Star Wars movie.

This psychology is all covered in an easy-to-read book titled: Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion

I link to it below my subscriber's story. I BEG YOU TO BUY IT so you NEVER GET SCREWED AGAIN.

LeafGuard is going to be none too happy about this story but they only have their dealer to blame. Federal Law allows me to publish stories like this so you can avoid heartache as my subscriber suffered.

Tim,

I had 160 feet of LeafGuard gutter guard installed on my house for a total cost of $1,900.

I told the salesperson to measure and give me an estimate so I could think about it. I didn't really want him to come into my house but he insisted.

The first price was $1900 with the discount in the promotion I found in my local paper. I said thank you and I would think about it.

He then said he could give me an additional discount of about 10%. I gave him the same answer. After more sales pitch, he lowered the price again if I would commit to having the work done this week, he had a crew that needed the work.

I said no, I did not want to commit now. After more sales pitch, he said if I sign right now, he would give me the job for his price of materials, which was $600. Normally I would have committed, but I was so upset at that moment that he was willing to give the job away at 1/3 the original estimate, and by now he was badgering my wife to get me to sign, that I basically had to show him the door, and he left very upset.

The LeafGuard salesman was invoking the reciprocity and scarcity psychological triggers:

  • Reciprocity (Offering generous discounts - makes you feel obligated to give your SIGNATURE in return)
  • Scarcity (taking the deal away if you don't sign RIGHT NOW)

Scarcity is the most powerful psychological trick of all. It's why we waterboard POWs. We take away oxygen and the POW starts singing like a canary.

Psychology Tricks Book

Purchase this book ASAP and read it. It's very simple to understand.

Once you read it, NO HIGH-PRESSURE SALESMAN will EVER BE ABLE TO SCREW YOU AGAIN!

Influence Book Cover

PURCHASE THIS BOOK NOW. CLICK or TAP HERE.