Q. Bathroom sink pipe sprung a major leak, 15 minutes worth of tap water soaked hardwood flooring, plaster walls and ceilings and ran into some duct work...also we are concerned about the electrical wiring behind ceiling and walls, what are some good characteristics to look for in hiring a contractor who specializes in this type of work? Also, is it typical for the homeowner's insurance to cover the plumbing work? So far, the adjuster says only work to repair damage is covered but not the plumbing that caused the problem...sound right?

A. Your adjuster is correct. Your insurance policy owes for access to get to the plumbing leak and to repair it but NOT for the part itself. Start by making sure your house is dried out properly by a certified water damage restoration company (i.e. ServiceMaster). They will find out where the water damage starts and ends, take moisture reading of your flooring and walls & may place fans/dehumidifiers to dry out your home. After the place is dried out, then address rebuild. If you need paint, drywall, flooring or baseboards...ask your adjuster if they have a "preferred" general contractor that is on the company's preferred program. Go with one of them if they do. Good luck.

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Q.

A. American Home Shield They have an excellent plan for under $500/yr. Service calls are $55 each to repair or replace. Some items have a 30 day waiting period for new customers. They cover not only appliances, but electrical, and plumbing as well. I have used them for years. In one year they replaced my 38 year old (orig. to the house) hot water heater, 38 year old (orig. to the house) dishwasher, and 38 year old (org. to the house) paper duct work. Each time it only cost me the service call. All work is guaranteed by the contractor for 90 days. We recently moved, and they warranty my new house as well.

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Q. I want to get my earnest money back, and I want ALL OF IT !! I made an offer on a house with the intentions of living in it not rehabbing it. The offer was accepted, and we had the home inspected. There are a lot of things wrong with the house. It costs more money to repair these things than I can afford, and besides I'd rather buy something worth the money I would have to spend, rrather than put money into the house for major things. The house needs new windows, tuckpointing all around and a new roof. Here is a letter I wrote to the seller, tell me what u think. HELP !!!! All these problems need to be remedied before this transaction can go any further. If the issues are not addressed we will continue on our search for a home. FURNACE The furnace/central air needs to be properly and completely installed and functioning. The furnace needs a shut off valve, and a plastic exhaust pipe. Debris in the "clean out" area at the base of the chimney should be removed as part of system service. PLUMBING The old steel piping is subject to corrosion on the interior of the pipe. As corrosion builds up, the inside diameter of the pipe becomes constricted, resulting in a loss of water pressure. This piping is typically replaced when the loss of pressure can no longer be tolerated. ELECTRICAL Extension cords should not be used as permanent wiring. This wiring should be removed through out the house. Poor connections between newer wiring and the old-knob-and-tube wiring were observed. All connections of this type should be performed within junction boxes, fitted with cover plates. The installation of a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is required in the kitchen and bathroom. GFCI offers increased protection from shock or electrocution. STRUCTURE Evidence of termite damage was observed and there is risk of additional hidden damage since termites can do a substantial amount of damage. If the property hasn't already been treated, a licensed pest control specialist should be engaged to eliminate further termite activity within the home. All damaged wood should be repaired or replaced. ROOFING The downspout should discharge water at least 5 feet from the house. Storm water should be encouraged to flow away from the building at the point of discharged. Install downspout at left rear section of house. Stairs leading to basement need hand rails. Drop ceiling in same area needs to be repaired. The fireplace needs a damper. All appliances must stay.

A. Well did you make your offer based on it passing inspection or your obtaining financing? Those are two very common terms when putting down earnest money. Did you understand what Earnest Money was? The earnest money is an amount of money that the buyer puts up to show he or she is serious about purchasing the property. The money represents the buyer's commitment to buy and acts as an unofficial option on the property. After receiving an earnest money check, the seller will usually stop showing the property, and wait to see if the buyer can get a mortgage. Earnest money is important to the transaction because it shows the seller that the buyer is operating in good faith (hence the name, "earnest"). The bigger the deposit, the more reassuring it is to the seller, who thinks, "This buyer is serious.'' It also ties the buyer to the property and keeps him or her from looking for additional properties. When Do I Get The Earnest Money Back? If the sale goes through, the earnest money is used as part of the cash down payment and is paid to the seller. If the sale does not go through because of a reason covered by a contingency in the contract (if, for example, the buyer could not get a mortgage), the seller should sign a release of escrow and the earnest money will be refunded to the buyer. The earnest money should also be refunded to the buyer if the sale does not go through because of a problem on the seller's side. If, however, the buyer backs out of the deal for no reason at all, or for a reason that is not covered by a contingency, return of the earnest money may go to the seller. FSBO (For Sale By Owner) Earnest Money If negotiating directly with the seller without the assistance of a Realtor®, never give the earnest money directly to the seller. If you are dealing with a for-sale-by-owner seller who insists upon earnest money before a contract can be executed, write the check to their lawyer or closing attorney or your lawyer or closing attorney, and write fiduciary agent after the lawyers name. This money will then go into a trust, or escrow, account until the negotiations are completed, the contract signed, and all contingencies met. If the deal falls apart, you'll get it back. But if you give the earnest money directly to the seller, you may never see it again, or you may have to go to court to get it back. Good Luck to you.

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Q. I need to do a complete gut and remodel of my bathroom and I don't know how to find the right contractor. I have asked several people and I get horror stories. I live in a small town and there aren't many remodelers to choose from. I am working with a budget so I am nervous about hiring the wrong person and getting ripped off. I just need advice on how to find the right contractor. If anyone else has had this issue, could you please give me some tips. Thanks :)

A. References: start with yellow pages and look under home repair. have 3 to 5 come in and give you written estimates. then ask for references from the 2 to 3 that fit your budget and actually call them and visit the job if possible. have had my best luck when dealing with smaller family owned businesses. It gives you more of a personal touch as their business truly does rely on word of moth advertising more then a flashy add on tv.. small town environment just begs to spend a few days watching the road. when you see companies working in the area watch to see where and don't be shy go up to the door and ask what the home owner thinks about their work and was their any problems. What you are taking on will involve tile work, plumbing , exhaust fans , electrical and based on whats found when walls are removed possibly some stud framing repair you may find 1 company to do it all but more likely it will be several sub-contractors working for the main company so be sure to get it clear if there is to be sub's working on the job that the company you contracted will also guarentee the work of the sub in writting as you have no contract with them and have know way to get them to fix anything. getting ripped off is not getting everything in writting, owner "i want a pink camode" salesman "sure we can do that" actuall worker " sorry the work order only says new toilet not pink toilet. Check referances , ask at church and neighbors, watch for work in your area, ask lots of questions and do a little overview about what you are having done so you know what they should be doing not what the say there doin. Good luck - hope this helps

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Q. I have an older home that needs several things done: new roof, porch repair, plumbing and electrical upgrades, and remodeling of the kitchen and bathroom. What are the advantages of using a general contractor to do the work, as opposed to hiring companies that specialize in one kind of home improvement?

A. I'd presonally say that you're better off to hire a general contractor and pay them the extra money. If you put it out on individual contracts you open yourself up to a headache. Coordination of trades becomes your problem and if someone isn't on time and it holds someone else up they can make a claim against you for causing them a lost day. Also as the others have said by selecting individual contractors you run the risk of getting someone that's bad. An experienced general contractor is going to select subs that do the job right, do it for the right price, and do it when it's supposed to be done. Since most of the work looks like it could be performed by a general contractor you're better off with a single prime contractor instead of multiple prime contractors. If the only work being performed were specialized then i'd suggest going straight to the subs and saving the money but with the extensive nature of the remodel let the pros handle the headache.

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Q. I can't find any type of mobile home repair companies around. I recently bought a rather large mobile home, that needs A LOT of work. It has the potential to be a beautiful home, but it needs some rewiring, some floor repairs, a bit of dry wall, some new carpet, painting, a good cleaning, some new cabinets, a bit of plumbing. I'd like to find someone who can do it all for a set price, can a contractor do this, or who would I contact? I'm hoping to put less than $10,000 into the home. Some of it I can do myself like paint, carpet, drywall, but the wiring, plumbing, and flooring needs an expert.

A. Any competent tradesman should be able to do that stuff. Unless your mobile is very old. most of it will be very much the same as the same stuff in any house and if it isn't then someone with a little experience ought to be able to figure it out. Just make sure you get someone licenced and properly qualified for the plumbing and electrical. Ask around for a good contractor, or simply an experienced carpenter who can assess what order you should be doing things in. What he can't do, you get the electrician and plumber in for. If you can't afford it all at once, electrical is where I'd put my money first because it's a safety issue. Plumbing next, then probably the floor if it's structural. If it's just replacing floor coverings, do that last.

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Q. Hello I am having electrical problems and some of the wiring has been installed by other than licensed electricians. Will electricians work on it or just make me rip it all out first? Thanks. am in Georgia; dwelling is single family; am owner. House originally wired (section giving trouble) in Fifties by electrician. Other parts done by owner's father. Trying to resolve issue with frequent abnormal dimming of fluorescents in house when A/C window units and washing machine kick in.

A. They don't care who installed the wiring, but you will pay by the hour to bring the service up to code. If the wiring is from the 50's its time to upgrade your service. I just got mine upgraded last year. BTW: It's normal for fluorescent lights to dim when large appliances startup.

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Q. (No I didn't do it.) I have a used vacuum and it has some damage to it's electrical cord by someone running over it several times. Some of the electrical wires are exposed but there is no damage to the wires, so it seems. What do you recommend other than replacing the vacuum? Thanks You all did a good job! Thank you!

A. You say that the cord is damaged and the electrical wires are exposed. I'm working on an assumption that the "outer" (black) insulation of the cord is damaged and you can actually see the "inner" insulation that covers the wires inside the cord. ( black, white and green) If this is a correct assumption, it is my "suggestion" that you purchase some "Scotch 33+" electrical tape and wrap the damaged part of the cord using 1/2 wrap each time you go around the cord. Starting 2" from the end of the damaged area. wrap the tape, keeping it pulled taunt, and go past the damaged area 2" down. 1X is good. 2X even better. The use of "jap crap" (cheap) electrical tape is just asking for trouble. Yes, the cheap tape is .55 a roll and "Scotch 33+ is $5.00 a roll, but I promise you that you do this once and you'll never have to do it again. Unless you loan the vacuum out to the person that did it in the first place. (Ha-Ha) Now, if there is ANY copper showing in the damaged area, please, please do NOT try to repair it. Replacement is safer. Good luck in all you do and may God bless.

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