"You can't make this stuff up!" Topic

Dear List

I had some repairs done to the house in the last two weeks. The old chimney was rotting away and falling apart, and the cement floor in the rear of the garage was cracked and sinking so I had to have it chiseled out and replaced.

in the course of this, which all went well and now is quite beautiful, the mason said I would have to have a roofer come over and do the flashing around the chimney to keep the rain out. OK. This should cost around $300. USD

I called several roofers to price it out and get quotes and hire one. I eventually got one who did it for $350 USD which was fine and now it's done. All is well.

However one guy called back, the first one to call back,-- name's Jeff-- and said it would be $2,400. USD I told him "Ummm… I'll have to get some other quotes, that's awfully high, in fact, it's MORE than the whole chimney cost me to put in a new one!

A few minutes later my wife calls me to the phone. Mr. $2,400 USD is on the phone and said "If you give me cash in $100 USD bills he will do it for $1,900. USD

I say to him after a moment's silence. Umm.. You don't know this Jeff, but I am an I.R.S. investigator.

I'm not, but the hang up click came so fast I wonder if he had a conniption right there.

Otto

Awesome stuff

Sounds like when my friend who works for the IRS got that scam call saying he had to pay the IRS right away with his credit card or go to jail.

It all began when I stopped in to get petrol & my oil & water checked in the old Dusenberg.

It only clicked later but I was distracted by 'Pete', the hulking mechanic whilst 'Jo-Jo', his undersized mate worked on my needs before mysteriously disappearing.

As I drove off, there was a horrible knocking coming from the engine. I drove hurriedly back to the petrol station where Pete informed me I'd need an entire front end. I hit him twice for being so personal but he then explained it was the Dusenberg that needed the front end. The price? 42 000 Pacific Pesos.

On a whim, I opened the car's bonnet & there, crouched inside was Jo-Jo with a brass hammer, hitting the engine.

Boy, did I give them a piece of my mind (which kinda explains my results in my last IQ test).

This is * Utter Drivel* isn't it?

After a career spent in homebuilding including 7 years as a purchasing manager I am totally jaded about contractors. In fact I despise most of them. Get bids lots of bids, ask lots of questions, break down labor and materials. Don't be afraid to ask why things cost what they do. Negotiate and make an offer. I've got some really good ones I keep because we built personal relationships based on trust over the years.

Can't be Jo-Jo's brother, he's working on a new front porch for me. Apparently labour in Acapulco is expensive so it'll cost me $42,000 USD plus shipping costs over the Pacific to Thailand. But he swears I'm getting a primo product an I'll be really impressed.

My brother tried to get me to hire his contractor friend to redo my 2 bathrooms for 3500. The guy talked about smashing the tile out & pretty much doing the whole job in 2-3 days. I didn't like being rushed, passed & did them both myself (including soldering all new copper plumbing needed behind the wall. No leaks yet after 4 years .) Sure , it took me 4 months, but I also salvaged most of the old tile, reused most of it (fun scraping the old adhesive off the backs. Neighbor also had a bathroom redone around the same time, and I got a whole lot of other tile that also matched), which is from the 70's and worth about 5$ each! Brought it all in for under 500 (the wallpaper cost more than the new tub.) It should last another 40 years… ;-)

Want to be popular…. hand out an IRS business card.

My lady was washing her car at one of those washing bay companies with an oil change company beside it.
She asked for the cost of an oil change. $180.00 USD plus taxes.
She told me and I said call Canadian Tire. $109.00 USD plus taxes.
We went to Canadian Tire.

That seems pretty high. I can get an oil chance here for $30 USD just about anywhere.

$19.99 USD here in expensive land, with a coupon, for a basic oil change.

Sadly, I have to get them done at the shop, since the Japanese auto designers designed the car so you need a lift to get to the oil filter.

Of course, at that price, given the cost of oil now, might as well get it done in the shop, and not get my hands dirty.