Year 2 - Day 224

Adelson, our Brazilian sheetrock guy, came this evening. He didn't think he wold makeit as he was stuck in traffic but he and the guys turned up at 6:30pm to do the 2nd coat. So far they have worked the Saturday of Labor Day w/e, then Adelson worked a few hours Labor Day Monday and then this evening. Sorry to say it but I don't think an American guy would do that.

Luis, his flooring buddy, came over to quote on finishing/polyurethaning the floor. Bob (ever the voice of reason) suggested we use Luis so here is my dilemna: I would like to do the finish as well seeing as I laid it however the opportunity cost of having Luis do it for $600 is tempting as I would spend, at first estimate, over $300 on materials and sander rental alone.

Varathane Random Orbital EZ Sander rental - 1 day - $35
3 gals (minimum) Varathane Diamond WB Floor Finish @ $47/gal - $141
Sand paper for the orbital sander- low estimate - $64
Lamb's wool applicator - $35
Respirator - $37

Add in rags, rubbing alcohol, dish bowl for the urethane, an orbital hand sander for edging, sand paper for that and you can chuck on another $100 without counting $65 for a nice DeWalt hand sander. So then I'm up to $400. So I'd only save myself $200.

I had an earlier quote for everything - installation and finish of $2200 from Bischof Flooring. By installing myself I spent ~ $800 so take of $600 for finishing and I've saved $800 already.

Do I want to finish it myself and make it a nice round $1000? Or is the time I would take to do it worth more than the $200 I would save?

Also got gouged a bit at Ring's End. Catalog say $2.05 / lin ft for cedar siding and they billed me $2.70 / lin ft when I paid tonight. I called them back to say I think you over charged me and he said that prices have gone up. I did get him down to $2.45 / lin ft which is probably just the contractor price that I should've asked for anyway.

Bumped into Cote in the hardware store and he said he had a wall in his basement strangely covered with cedar siding and I could have it for nothing. So I went up and scouted it and it is 10.5" and mine is 8" so I said no but after talking to the Ring's End guy I figured I could just get Cote's and cut it down to 8" with my circular saw. I'd do it on a table saw but I don't have one. Maybe I could lug it up to Macaluso's and rip it there?

Another dilemna as Ring's End are scheduled to deliver $360 worth of cedar siding on Friday. The more I think about it the more I think I might take Cote up on his offer - I can use it on one side of the window where if there's any edge thickness differences it won't show. And then buy the remainder that I need from Ring's End.