[UCGal]

[quote=sdduuuude]

The big builder here is K-Co. They did our first remodel project. I consider them honest and fair. They are not the cheapest – above average cost but not over-priced. I think all things considered, they are a good option if you don’t have “do it yourself” tendencies like I do. Consider having your builder leave the walls ready to paint and ready for flooring and do that yourself.

[/quote]

We had k-co bid on our granny flat – on the first round of bids. They were the absolute highest bidder, which suprised us because he seemed so down to earth. Even with our issues (more than one contractor, legal fees, etc) we still got it done, in total, for more than $100k less than we were quoted by k-co.

Caveat – we first put out to bid when contractors were not hungry – fall 2006. Things were still frothy. We put it out to bid again, a few months later, as housing was starting to collapse, and bids were half what the first set was. (Different contractors – but more importantly, contractors were more hungry.)

We had good vibes with k-co, liked his work… but the price (at the time) was out of our ballpark.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdduuuude]

The big builder here is K-Co. They did our first remodel project. I consider them honest and fair. They are not the cheapest – above average cost but not over-priced. I think all things considered, they are a good option if you don’t have “do it yourself” tendencies like I do. Consider having your builder leave the walls ready to paint and ready for flooring and do that yourself.

[/quote]

We had k-co bid on our granny flat – on the first round of bids. They were the absolute highest bidder, which suprised us because he seemed so down to earth. Even with our issues (more than one contractor, legal fees, etc) we still got it done, in total, for more than $100k less than we were quoted by k-co.

Caveat – we first put out to bid when contractors were not hungry – fall 2006. Things were still frothy. We put it out to bid again, a few months later, as housing was starting to collapse, and bids were half what the first set was. (Different contractors – but more importantly, contractors were more hungry.)

We had good vibes with k-co, liked his work… but the price (at the time) was out of our ballpark.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdduuuude]

The big builder here is K-Co. They did our first remodel project. I consider them honest and fair. They are not the cheapest – above average cost but not over-priced. I think all things considered, they are a good option if you don’t have “do it yourself” tendencies like I do. Consider having your builder leave the walls ready to paint and ready for flooring and do that yourself.

[/quote]

We had k-co bid on our granny flat – on the first round of bids. They were the absolute highest bidder, which suprised us because he seemed so down to earth. Even with our issues (more than one contractor, legal fees, etc) we still got it done, in total, for more than $100k less than we were quoted by k-co.

Caveat – we first put out to bid when contractors were not hungry – fall 2006. Things were still frothy. We put it out to bid again, a few months later, as housing was starting to collapse, and bids were half what the first set was. (Different contractors – but more importantly, contractors were more hungry.)

We had good vibes with k-co, liked his work… but the price (at the time) was out of our ballpark.

[UCGal]

Ok… I think most people would agree that housing was overpriced during the bubble.
Do people want it to “recover” to the overpriced values? Or find a natural market.

For decades housing appreciated VERY slowly… Often less than inflation. People might have to get used to that mindset again.

[UCGal]

Ok… I think most people would agree that housing was overpriced during the bubble.
Do people want it to “recover” to the overpriced values? Or find a natural market.

For decades housing appreciated VERY slowly… Often less than inflation. People might have to get used to that mindset again.

[UCGal]

Ok… I think most people would agree that housing was overpriced during the bubble.
Do people want it to “recover” to the overpriced values? Or find a natural market.

For decades housing appreciated VERY slowly… Often less than inflation. People might have to get used to that mindset again.

[UCGal]

Ok… I think most people would agree that housing was overpriced during the bubble.
Do people want it to “recover” to the overpriced values? Or find a natural market.

For decades housing appreciated VERY slowly… Often less than inflation. People might have to get used to that mindset again.

[UCGal]

Ok… I think most people would agree that housing was overpriced during the bubble.
Do people want it to “recover” to the overpriced values? Or find a natural market.

For decades housing appreciated VERY slowly… Often less than inflation. People might have to get used to that mindset again.

[UCGal]

I’m with Cbad on this one. I did a LOT of babysitting as a teenager – both highschool and college. I was solidly booked and the #1 choice by several families – so I must have been trusted. And I did some minor snooping.

Hey – you get bored.

I consider the “permission” to use the tv kind of telling. TV should be assumed to be available to the sitter after the kids go to bed. Seriously – you won’t get many sitters to come back a second time if you don’t let them watch tv in that time between the kids sleep and you come home.

I’ve also learned (based on my experience as a former babysitter, and a parent that hires babysitters) – have decent food for the sitter. They’re going to raid the fridge – make sure there’s something tasty for them and point it out to them.

Our laptop is password protected, and we have a guest account. I wouldn’t have any problem with a babysitter using it to check facebook or their email, or surf the web.

[UCGal]

I’m with Cbad on this one. I did a LOT of babysitting as a teenager – both highschool and college. I was solidly booked and the #1 choice by several families – so I must have been trusted. And I did some minor snooping.

Hey – you get bored.

I consider the “permission” to use the tv kind of telling. TV should be assumed to be available to the sitter after the kids go to bed. Seriously – you won’t get many sitters to come back a second time if you don’t let them watch tv in that time between the kids sleep and you come home.

I’ve also learned (based on my experience as a former babysitter, and a parent that hires babysitters) – have decent food for the sitter. They’re going to raid the fridge – make sure there’s something tasty for them and point it out to them.

Our laptop is password protected, and we have a guest account. I wouldn’t have any problem with a babysitter using it to check facebook or their email, or surf the web.

[UCGal]

I’m with Cbad on this one. I did a LOT of babysitting as a teenager – both highschool and college. I was solidly booked and the #1 choice by several families – so I must have been trusted. And I did some minor snooping.

Hey – you get bored.

I consider the “permission” to use the tv kind of telling. TV should be assumed to be available to the sitter after the kids go to bed. Seriously – you won’t get many sitters to come back a second time if you don’t let them watch tv in that time between the kids sleep and you come home.

I’ve also learned (based on my experience as a former babysitter, and a parent that hires babysitters) – have decent food for the sitter. They’re going to raid the fridge – make sure there’s something tasty for them and point it out to them.

Our laptop is password protected, and we have a guest account. I wouldn’t have any problem with a babysitter using it to check facebook or their email, or surf the web.

[UCGal]

I’m with Cbad on this one. I did a LOT of babysitting as a teenager – both highschool and college. I was solidly booked and the #1 choice by several families – so I must have been trusted. And I did some minor snooping.

Hey – you get bored.

I consider the “permission” to use the tv kind of telling. TV should be assumed to be available to the sitter after the kids go to bed. Seriously – you won’t get many sitters to come back a second time if you don’t let them watch tv in that time between the kids sleep and you come home.

I’ve also learned (based on my experience as a former babysitter, and a parent that hires babysitters) – have decent food for the sitter. They’re going to raid the fridge – make sure there’s something tasty for them and point it out to them.

Our laptop is password protected, and we have a guest account. I wouldn’t have any problem with a babysitter using it to check facebook or their email, or surf the web.

[UCGal]

I’m with Cbad on this one. I did a LOT of babysitting as a teenager – both highschool and college. I was solidly booked and the #1 choice by several families – so I must have been trusted. And I did some minor snooping.

Hey – you get bored.

I consider the “permission” to use the tv kind of telling. TV should be assumed to be available to the sitter after the kids go to bed. Seriously – you won’t get many sitters to come back a second time if you don’t let them watch tv in that time between the kids sleep and you come home.

I’ve also learned (based on my experience as a former babysitter, and a parent that hires babysitters) – have decent food for the sitter. They’re going to raid the fridge – make sure there’s something tasty for them and point it out to them.

Our laptop is password protected, and we have a guest account. I wouldn’t have any problem with a babysitter using it to check facebook or their email, or surf the web.

[UCGal]

LOL – sorry ’bout that.

[UCGal]

LOL – sorry ’bout that.

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