Neighbor going through some tough times

[ohiofarmer 3,265]

  A woman into her eighties lost her house to a fire this summer. A few of us old guys helped her clean up a bit before the excavators arrived.

 Now she is at her wits end as she may have been too optimistic on the pricing she was given and possibly she had the purpose of her room [sewing room] drawn into her plans. Even though only two people will be living in the house, it sounds like the health inspector is going to count that room as a bedroom. the consequence for that is remove and ugrade the septic tank to a larger unit . Budget buster.   I volunteered to help her son hang the thirteen interior doors, and she asked me to also hang two outside units. They were commercial and did not come with all the hardware. I had to give her the bad news that it would be cheaper to just get new exterior doors.

 The contractor wants to hang the siding. I have no desire to get in his way or enter a peeing match with him. I offered to hang her 18x9 garage door to offset some cost, but I will need help for such a wide and high unit for the top section. i asked her why such a big door [that cost 1k more than a 16x7 high R unit], and she did not really know

 

 Long story short is her having to go to the bank and borrow more. At her age--just wow.  She was our church president and our church gave three thousand to the Dayton Tornado church fund who built a basketball court for the affected neighborhood. There is a huge irony somewhere.   Now our church has been convinced that we have no future unless we consolidate with two other congregations of a different faith. In the long term that may be true, but i feel more like this is a hostile takeover than something beneficial. Our little church closes in one week. I wonder how many of us may drift to other churches. As for me, I am sure that I will have a difficult time listening to sermons from someone from whom I have lost a great deal of respect   This fine lady is losing weight and it is concerning and depressing. I am wondering if she will even survive to see her house built . 

 

    I don't really blame her for building "too much'' house. with insurance settlements, it is a use it or lose it affair as you cannot take the cash except at a large discount.  When the extra costs came up with the house, it is on the customer if the insurance is at the limit...

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

Im sure she has paid a big premium for many years! Which raises the question what is insurance for . As we get older 

one might wonder will we be able to retire 

and are they pushing us to work to death to pay for  Insurance that in the long run 

wont pay for 💩! I hope it all works well for 

her and she will get her just reward one

day!! God bless us all !! 

[ohiofarmer 3,265]

Update>>>>

 

  I offered to help her son trim out the house as he does some woodworking.  This could be a long story as he should be in his shop right now making door jambs and such stuff. they have some doors from the habitat for Humanity repurpose store, but the hardware is not on them.   i explained that is a big problem when you figure the old doors have mortise locksets and they take a long time to work over. Contract that with about ten minutes to hang a prehung unit. Especially true when there is a straight house frame.

 

  She did call and say that she had a garage door that needed to be hung. I hung that beast by myself as it is a 18 foot by none foot.  The opening is only 8 feet tall. I hung it anyway [a perfect job if I do say so myself] and the opening force is about ten pounds.   I hate to say how much money was wasted on the special order for this unit. I did the job for free. At least she knows that someone cares... I imagine that a garage door opener may be in my future, but that can be done on my schedule. 

 

 Sort of in a position of being between a rock and a hard place. Worked yesterday and today hanging that six section monster because i know drywallers will be on their way. I have no desire to be put on a schedule, but understand that the work has to flow. a customer can make problems for a contractor if hold-ups occur.