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Discussion Forum

How to find a trim carpenter

und76xx | Posted in General Discussion on January 25, 2011 09:35am

I read with interest the recent post: “What is a trim carpenter worth?”  I am on the opposite side of the coin.  I have a few small projects in my home.  They include installing some new doors – switching from flat to 6 pannel with new trim – and some baseboard trim.  I could try all of this myself and actually love working with wood and a beer.  But I have no pnumatic gun, no power miter box and no 6′ level.  Other than that I am all set – I have the beer.  I have called many a trim carpenter.  Only one reponded and so I hired him.  The trim looks horrible.  Remember the addage:  “Chaulk and paint make things what they ain’t”?  Well there is not enough chaulk to cover this mess.  So, I need it done again.  How do I find a decent trim carpenter?

 

Any suggestions welcome.  I am not so interested in current economic thought but if you feel an obligation to school me in capatilism go ahead just include a few tips on how to find a good carpenter, please.

 

Mike

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  1. DonCanDo | Jan 25, 2011 06:20pm | #1

    Since all of my work comes from referrals, I would suggest you ask your friends, family and neighbors if they can recommend anyone.  In addition to other things, I do trim carpentry, but I don't advertise.  There are probably many others like me so you need to start asking around.

  2. toolpouchguy | Jan 25, 2011 07:05pm | #2

    never advertise

    I am the same I have never advertised before ,and have been very busy for many years ,

    I am trying to stray away from trim only it is starting to get hard on the lungs ,

    seem everybody want's MDF builtin's nowday's cheap and paint's ok

    go to a local trim company they will find you a good trimmer .

    1. calvin | Jan 25, 2011 07:59pm | #3

      You might try.

      A kitchen cab company-they should know who is good.

      The local yard-they might know who is good, but they sure would know who pays their bills and seems busy.

      Some good painters should be able to advise.

  3. calvin | Jan 26, 2011 09:06am | #4

    of course............

    the painter should know what's good work.

    As far as the work practices-a painter that works for or after a good remodeler would be able to answer that question.

    Is he ready when he says he is?

    Does he take care of the customers property?

    Is he demanding of the painter.

  4. AVR | Jan 26, 2011 09:54am | #5

    where at

    Where are you located?  Maybe someone here will be able to recommend someone.

  5. DonCanDo | Jan 26, 2011 05:31pm | #6

    Visit BTC

    If you haven't already, try posting in the Reader Classified section at Breaktime Classic.  It's has a lot of participation from members who came from here.  Many, in fact, have given up on this forum completely because of its cumbersome format.

    Breaktime Classic can be found here: http://forums.delphiforums.com/breaktimeclass/messages/?start=Start+Reading+%3E%3E

    1. calvin | Jan 26, 2011 06:28pm | #7

      Many,in fact have given up on this forum completely.........

      A shame isn't it. 

      I do see migrations back from some.  Not to poke fun at the place or to shill for the other site, but it appears to inject some information to questions asked.  Nothing wrong with that.  Might be the need to help unfamiliar people in distress.

      It's too bad they gave up so soon, might have helped to have the masses to get them to actually work on the format.  The changes thus far have been long on coming and short on substance.  Still, if we can enlist the help of some overworked staff at FHB, might be able to make it at least more intuitive.  Hell, some questions get asked and even discussed with some vibrance, only to never see the original poster show up.

      Now there's a real shame.

      1. DonCanDo | Jan 26, 2011 08:34pm | #8

        ////////////////////////////////

        some questions get asked and even discussed with some vibrance, only to never see the original poster show up.

        I know, I see that happen a lot.  It tempts me to ask for clarification before I attempt to answer just to see if the person who posted the question is paying attention.

        Maybe they think they post the question here and then a team of experts comes to their house with the anwser.

        Or maybe (much more likely) they can't figure out how to navigate this mess.

        1. und76xx | Jan 27, 2011 09:05am | #9

          DonCanDo

          Don:  I might be one of those who ask a question and then appear to loose interest because I never find the answer.  It is not because I have lost interest in the answer - it is simply a soul who is lost on this site.  I grew up on the old site and loved it.  Every so often I would even go to the Woodshed Tavern just to ignit my weekend.  Now I have a difficult time navigating around to even find my own question and the various suggestions or answers.  It is a real shame because I love the answers and often the side comments.  I have been a member for 4+ years and just now learned how to get to my old Q and A areas.  I also used to get an e-mail notification if anyone submitted and answer to my question so I would know to enter the site and read.  Not so much anymore.

          Oh well - my rant for the day.

          Mike

          1. DonCanDo | Jan 27, 2011 11:17am | #10

            Reply to und76xx

            I still subscribe to Fine Homebuilding because I think it's a very good magazine.  Unfortuneately, they don't also believe in fine forum building.

            In the old site, you could at least tell if the poster had returned because each post had a read/unread indicator.  It's something that has been requested and was acknowledged as having value, but apparently is not important enough to warrant the time/effort/expense.

            In your profile, there is a checkbox to indicate that you want email notification if a thread is updated.  Oddly, mine is NOT checked and yet I still get email notification so I can't tell you if it actually works or not.

            There is also a checkbox towards the bottom of the reply screen to select "Notify me when new comments are posted ".  On my reply screen, this one is checked so that's probably why I get notification.

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