Monday, September 29, 2014

Today? Just a Question.

Ok. For months now, Tom and I have toyed with these ideas:

1.) We desperately need a closet built in Tom's room (took us three years to figure that would be the best solution). I'd show you a picture of his room, but you'd call Adult Protection Services on us. Heh. He designed a closet on graph paper, but that's as far as it's gotten.

2.) We want nylon Berber carpet installed in our living room and office. The cheap carpet that was already here is looking embarrassingly-bad. We had a quality Berber in our other suburb house and it still looked new after 11 years. And yes, everybody nowadays is all wild about wood flooring, but when we had that out at the farm, Tom constantly had to wear shoes lest he slip. And well, that's not really fair to him.

Oh, and installing new carpet will involve hiring a moving company to move and store our furniture for a day or two. Alas.

3.) We need three sets of tall white bookcases for our office. We know exactly what we want and wouldn't mind (too much) buying new ones which need to be assembled, but we'd rather hire someone to put them together for us.

4.) We'd like a new (larger) bathroom vanity installed.

5..) We'd like a real door put at the top of our basement stairs with a cat door installed in it (there's an accordion door there now).

These are ideas we've had for (what feels like) forever and after months and months of searching online for solutions and people to help us, we're still sitting here closet-less, new carpet-less, bookcase-less, larger vanity-less and basement door-less.

It's quite annoying, really.

So today I got to thinking: Is it possible to hire someone to take charge of all these projects? Someone who'll hire the necessary people to get them done? Someone who can find good deals for us? Someone who can help us poor ol' procrastinating slugs get these things done before another long Buffalo winter bears down on us?

Someone like a decorator, but not really a decorator? We don't need decorating ideas, but rather, someone who will do our dirty work for us, like lining up workers and deals and the order in which things should be done, etc. Maybe an organization expert, even though we don't need additional organization ideas?

Gah. What do you call someone who does those things? Or are they even out there?

And that is my question: What is the name of someone who swoops in and saves the day for you? Someone you just keep handing money over to to do what you can't? I need an actual title so that I'll know what kind of a person to look up online.

I know at least one of you smart people will be able to answer this question and save us from getting a bit too close to that Uh-Oh!-We're-Feeling-Too-Overwhelmed-To-Do-Anything-So-Let's-Do-Nothing queasiness. (And boy do I hate that feeling!)

In other words...... Helllllp! :)


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Oh, and please don't suggest just going on Craig's List or Angie's List or Home Advisor for each needed fix. We've already spent endless hours at each place. (And yes, we're pretty pathetic.)   :) Again, we need the title of a person who'll do all that for us.


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Update!

Over at Facebook I've gotten suggestions for a general contractor, which I did consider earlier, but wondered if these jobs would be too small, especially during this busy time of year. Maybe contact a couple and see if later in the season would work out?

Or maybe contact a former general contractor who's more of a handyman/carpenter now? Hmm.... 

Please keep the ideas coming!

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe a Handyman?

Good luck.
Kathi

Anonymous said...

Remember-just suggestions.
Have the carpet co. install the carpet.
When you buy the basement door they will have someone to install it, or recommend someone to you. This person may know someone to build the closet.

Buy already assembled bookcases and have them delivered.

Maybe, go to your local hardware store, they may know someone to build the closet and/or put in the door.
Ask neighbors, if they know anyone. Could Tom use a wardrobe, instead of a closet? O.k. you ask, lol. Joyce

Pam said...

Where we live, all the lumberyards keep a list of carpenters. What about contacting the people who installed your new windows? Often, they work with carpenters and know which ones are most reliable. Good luck!

Debra said...

Thanks, Ladies! We appreciate your suggestions. Our realtor friend, Cher, let us know that she and a friend have put together a whole network of reliable service people so we're going to check with her about that.

I think we'll start with a carpenter for the closet, vanity and basement door (that basement door will be complicated because of its smaller size so we need someone who knows about finding custom ones. Home Depot type stores will not have them).

And yeah, having the carpet installed isn't too complicated--it's having to practically move out in order to have it done that's a big hassle. sigh. All that packing and unplugging! But we do know of a couple moving companies, fortunately.

In order to find ready-assembled shelves, we'll have to shop at a lot of used furniture stores--and that's what's held us back. Some have photos online of inventory, others don't, so that means lots of driving around and shopping for hours--things we both, well, hate. Ready-assembled *new* bookcases in the style we want is either impossible to find or super expensive. More impossible to find--I've searched for months online.

We considered a wardrobe closet, but it just wouldn't be big enough. H
Tom's got soooo much big stuff like amplifiers, guitars and suitcases. sigh.

So, well, one thing at a time, right? And I think I'll contact Cher today about a carpenter and start there. Just making a start will be a wonderful thing. :)

Thanks again! Blessings, Debra

Anonymous said...

Here is another suggestion for you...have the carpenter (the one you hire for the other work) build you some bookshelves.