I've been asked... "What is this program you signed up for?" Here it is...- Dr. M

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Homeowner Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program

www.ci.lancaster.oh.us/dept/commdev/hhra-commdev.asp

The City of Lancaster provides funding to eligible city residents to rehabilitate their homes.

The homeowner housing rehabilitation assistance program upgrades single family dwelling units within the incorporated area of the city of Lancaster. It provides low and moderate income households with a safe, decent, sanitary and sound place to live and it preserves our most valuable material asset - our homes. Funds are available to rehabilitate structures to meet Housing Rehabilitation Standards, they are not available for improvements such as swimming pools, recreation rooms, extensive landscaping, moveable improvements, appliances, etc.

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I used this, too. In fact, this is the first program I used and a requierment of getting the downpayment asssistance, was using the home rehab program as well.

Downpayment assistance:

www.ci.lancaster.oh.us/dept/commdev/haap-commdev.asp

Week 2 Begins (c. 09-18- Unposted until now)

Woke up later than usual to let the crew in. This is probably only the second day of my adult life where I did not take a shower. There just was no time as I had to stay on top of the workers and later I was just exhausted.

The city project supervisor arrives and inquired of me "how are these kids working out?" and expresses concern that he thinks there is to much standing around and not getting started til after 10am and that they haven't completed much in nearly 2 weeks. Though he has *some* reason why he is waiting to tell them to speed up. I'm told that I "can't expect I will be getting a job from TOP REMODELERS, INC. for just $20,000" and that (paraphrasing) we basically have to let them screw up, *then* tell them they have to go back and re-do this and this. Which seems like BS to me. Because then they will be doing it under duress, PLUS it will TAKE LONGER!

They are now in the crawlspace wrapping the ductwork. From their amatuerish reactions, I picture them back home the night before, checking the chapter "how to insulate crawlspaces and wrap ductwork" in their copy of THE HOME HANDYMAN.

I just like this picture for some reason.

I suppose this is like shooting fish in a barrel. But here is half of my 4 person work crew HARD AT WORK.

SMALL WORLD KINDA STUFF... Had a neat experience tonight. My new neighbor lined up a friend who might buy my old Toyota. Says his name is, "Griz." "Griz arrives and it's a childhood playmate! "BIG TIM", from my grandma's old neighborhood, some 40 years ago. I haven't seen Tim since high school. Thru our brief reunion, I mentioned my rehab project. Turn's out Tim's mom went thru this City Rehab program and got "the same business" a few years back. They actually tried to retrieve her contract to removed a work item. He told me to watch them like a hawk......

Already being done..........

TOO MUCH STUFF- Today was trash day in my neighborhood. This bed frame was put out just across the street at a neighbors. I had a hard time not running over to save it for recyclings sake, for a project of some kind or yard art. I am so loathing of having so much STUFF right now, I was able to resist. But it nagged me so bad, I at least had to take a picture.

1 foot deep trench in my backyard to get the wiring to the garage:

HAND IN MY POCKET- I should get $5.00 an hour back from the contractor, for every instance of hands in pockets. I haven't seen them do many tasks yet, where it doesn't take 1 or 2 standing by and watching. This must be an important position.

Kevin, Bobby and BUTCH. My electricians. Butch reminds me of an old-time movie star. I couldn't place it exactly for a while. But he and his crew working together reminds me of the THREE STOOGES.

They rely on a lot of joking and ribbing each other to get thru the job. For instance, Bobby was on his stomach, on the floor to get to some wiring and Butch walks into the room... "There's that Bobby, laying down on the job again!" They remember each instance of who screwed up something last.

I think they come *this close* to whacking each other over the head with a big wrench.

Suddenly it occured to me. Butch is SHEMPS separated-at-birth twin:












(Thanks to ATLAS FILMS for the Shemp pic.)

Here is Butch and Bobby installing my new outdoor electric service drop.

Woke and prepared for another day with too many people in my house.

2 young workers arrived at 9am. Sat in their cars smoking cigarettes til 9:15am. Went into the basement where they'd last worked. (If you can call it that.) Were back on my front porch steps at 9:30am, smoking and waiting for the contractor to arrive.

Back to the basement, they are now painting waterproofing on the walls. They started with something different that had no odor. Whatever they put on last, now makes my house smell like it's burning. My eyes are watering as I type.

Next the tiny girl arrives that they have doing the insulation in the crawlspace. The fiberglass is getting to her. Today is the first time she has wore a mask. Comments lead me to believe even more that this is the first time these KIDS have insulated a crawlspace.

You don't want to see this in your living room:


The insulation (Pink Panther on cover) also has a STRONG odor. Added to the waterproofing, my house is becoming a toxic nightmare.

Next up will be 2 rooms of new carpet. Went to Lowes tonight to try to find low odor carpet I'd seen written up in the paper. Was surprised to find they offered NO KIND of low chemical carpets.

I was able to find a satisfactory shower surround. Didn't take long to pick, as there was only ONE to pick from. A one piece will not fit in my bathroom. But this 4 piece- 3 walls + floor, locks together and I'm hoping it will do.

My empty living room. Almost everything has been taken to the one "safe room" in my house. I told them I want to know ahead of time, when I need to get stuff moved or covered. Next thing I know, they'd be sawing out switchplate covers right over open boxes of books or videotapes. It's been like working ahead of a wrecking ball.

Here's BUTCH, my electrician. Now here's a guy who knows what he's doing. I wish his crew could do all the rest of the project.

BACK PORCH- Here's my spiffy new fuse box. One of my few triumphs in this deal so far. I had to bitch and growl to get them to move it up from the cellar/basement. How am I going to get down there when I'm 70?

THE KITCHEN- Trying to get things covered. Nothing works fully. I'm going to have to wash everything I own to get back to normal.

THE HORROR!

Thru the ordeal of the POSSUMS (see earlier posts) and in anticipation of their insulating the crawlspace, it was suggested there may be no other way than to RIP UP THE FLOORBOARDS to access the space. And they very nearly did! I nearly had a STROKE, when they had to open this up (cold air register between 2 rooms), to crawl under the house and do the work.

>>>>> I thought the city was paying for this work // go straight to a lawyer!

It's an **interest free loan** that is added to my home loan. In addition to $5,000 towards the downpayment. All has to be payed back- but only if and when I sell the house. Not before.

Much complicated. Essentially, I signed without knowing that I was turning my house into a government project. They choose all thats done and all details how and when it's done.

I'm supposed to be glad to benefit from the free interest and end results.

I'll know how bad the rest of this is going to be when the city inspector arrives tomorrow and the tone of his response to my concerns.

I'm not a "I'm gonna sue person" and don't know any of the ropes to do so. Could probably get screwed doing that, too.

Well see...

Mark

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>>> M: I thought the city was paying for this work, as part of that house rehab program? YOU are paying for this shitty work? If so, I'd say f*ck the city jerks and go straight to a lawyer!

Work is work!- R

You know I've been skeptical of this whole deal from the get go. Still can't believe it's played out this badly. This has certainly, been one of the 100 most stressful experiences of my life.

>>> re: can I fire my contractor

Hard to explain details briefly. I am bound by this city rehab program, who advertised and only had 2 responding contractors. My only contact with either was a rushed 15 minute walk thru of my house, where I was instructed to hold my questions. My gut feeling was one guy (my contractor) was a party boy and the other guy asked several wise questions (like about materials) during the walk through. I wanted the latter. I was rushed to pick one by the city program and swayed towards the one I have. "He's worked for us before and has to be certified." (And was just $200 cheaper.) Turns out he had worked for the city in individual job capacity, but this is his first whole house project. I still anticipated a "conference" with chosen contractor prior to the work starting, which never materialized.

Am anticipating my first contact with the city rehab manager on Monday. Will report the deception and poor workmanship to him. Have had such poor rapport with him before. Not sure what to expect. Will try to keep everyone here posted.

Thanks for the concern,

Mark

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almost the norm / Re: Alph and Ralph Have Arrived At Dr. Marks Posted by: "jb" Date: Fri Sep 15, 2006 Are you obligated to use these guys? Can you fire them and hire another contractor?

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Re: Alph and Ralph Have Arrived At Dr. Marks Posted by: "Mt" Date: Fri Sep 15, 2006 Mark, how did you end up hiring this contractor? Does your state have a Contractors Licensing Board website? I would fire them and start from scratch, getting references and getting EVERYTHING in writing - what they plan to do, the materials they plan to use, how long they expect the work to take, etc., and what it will cost.

Greetings,

I haven't reported on this for a while... After **2 years** of waiting, work on my house has *commenced*.

Day One

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Alph and Ralph showed up at 7am while I was still in bed. They came in thru the unfinished closet, right in the bedroom and when they opened the sliding door, it slid right off it's hinges and landed with a SLAP on the floor! As I sat up in bed, Ralph greeted me with a boisterous, "Howdy Doody!" Then she and Alph broke for lunch at 7:45am. Ralph had a big submarine sandwich in her dinner bucket. (GREEEEEN Acres is the place to be...)

I only *wish* this was exaggerating. My construction crew arrived after 2 false starts at 9:30am last Friday. PLEASE SEE PHOTO (where valid) and try to gauge my surprise. Contractor seems to be a party guy. (Just my gut feeling.) The crew is 2 kids, about 20, one being a tiny goth girl that's the one going in the tight crawlspace.

The stepped into my living room, stating, "We're not really sure what we're going to do today."

Decided to start with a "walk thru" which I followed them 3/4 of the way. Backed off and let them alone. Altogether, 45 mins had passed. They passed back by me... "We're going out to the truck to have a coffee break and decide what we're going to do next." They did. 20 mins later they came back and spent another 45 minutes measuring for windows.

At 11:30am, they left... for the day!

It's been downhill from there. The work they are doing is shoddy to the point of amateurish. Clues abound that this is indeed their first whole house job. I'm their guinea pig. After 4 days on the job, there is at least one situation, that may be total slackerdom, and involves lying about work that was said to be completed, but was not.

I've spoke about the cramped 2 room crawlspace with impossible access. They claimed to have completed insulating both rooms, but I was "asleep" over the least accessible room and never heard a peep of movement. (They can access the basement wo. entering the house.)

The electricians, Goober Crew #2, were cussing them for putting up the insulation before they had pulled their wires. (Despite their 3 Stooges/good old boy nature, I *like* the electric crew. They actually work!) One of them went in, got to where the insulating crew claimed to have not been able to get to- and got to it- confirming no insulating done in there. They will have to remove ductwork to gain access to the front bedroom, which is what I suggested to the party crew before they started and they did not do. We'll see where it goes... I've got a bad feeling about this...

When it rains it pours... What better time than in the midst of all this, for my 85 Toyota hatchback to die after 16 years together. The frame has cracked near a strut and welding will apparently be impossible due to the frame being 90 percent rust. Called our out of town mechanic, who I'd trust to do surgery on me, he refused to work on it and it would cost over $800 to do anyway. So he had a 1995 Dodge Neon he'd rebuilt for $1800. Long story short, I bought it. Just about 5 hours ago as I type. More later.

Frenzied,

Dr. Mark

Questions?/Comments? * This Has Been e-mail From: "Dr. Mark" Hill * The Doctor Of Pop Culture /*/ drmark7@juno.com