Obtaining Quotes 2

I recently posted about using ‘Get Quotes Services’.

As a follow up here is my experiences with 2 different companies we asked for quotes from, for our air conditioning. ( We did contact 3 companies but only 2 responded)

Staycool Heating and Air Conditioning

Following a google search we found this company only a few km away.

We visited their industrial unit and talked with their representative about units and decided that Daikin Units with a high star rating are what we required.

The representative made a booking to come out to our house and talk to my wife.

The representative discussed the locations respectfully with my wife. He mentioned that  a couple of shrubs would need to be removed and asked whether the old box air conditioners would need to be removed and whether we wanted the holes fixing. My wife told him the shrubs would be removed by me and as long as the old units were removed I would repair the holes.

He returned to his office and later that day we received a detailed quote including model numbers of the units.

The Advert From The Newspaper

We also found an advert in the paper saying:

Air conditioners supplied and fitted, ask for seniors discount, with a mobile number,

So we thought we would give that a go.

The representative called round, had a cursory look around and handed my wife a handwritten quote basically just Saying “2 Daiken  air condition units” and a price, which was less than Staycool.

My wife said he treated her like ‘The Little Woman’ who wouldn’t know anything.

When I got back I phoned him and asked if the units were of the required star rating which he verbally confirmed.

I then asked for a written quote containing the model numbers, to which I still haven’t had a reply. . . . obviously customers who want written accurate details are too hard.

Summary

Here are some thoughts about getting quotes

If you are getting quotes make sure the quotes are on the same basis. . .  For instance the same model number, or a convincing reason why a different model is being offered.

Make sure the quote is detailed for example:

  • Model Number
  • Location of Units
  • Additional Work/Work by Owner

Remember accepting a quote is really accepting a contract. . . . Verbal information about a quote ‘Isn’t worth the paper it isn’t written on.

If you are getting work done and there is a problem it is much easier if you know the address of the supplier.

Finally

We used Staycool who turned up at the agreed time, did a fast and neat installation, and even lent me a nail gun to make a temporary patch of the holes where the old air conditioners were removed.

 

Disclosure: I have not been paid, received a discount, or any got any other benefit from Staycool for writing this post.

The Priceless Benefits of Investing in a Home Security System

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

Sourse: Shutterstock

With the installation, the bills and the upkeep, it can be easy to fall into thinking that a home security system is too much hassle.

However, that’s simply not the case.

The peace of mind as well as the safety that comes along with a security system is unparalleled.

Furthermore, in the case of a burglary or an attack, having a security system in place will vastly help police after the event.

The benefits of a home security system can outweigh the costs, and we’ve outlined why below.

Protect what matters most

Naturally, your home is where you store your most valuable things.

Where you house sentiments, memories, heirlooms and the like.

It would be absolutely counterproductive not to protect your most precious items.

You’ve worked hard to get where you are and to purchase what you own, so do yourself the favour of protecting these items.

Remember that not everything that is stolen is replaceable.

There is a wide range of home security systems on the market these days that are able to be customised to suit your every protective need.

Deter criminals

A home security system also doesn’t just have to act as a reactive measure, either.

An alarm, for instance, will deter a potential burglar from entering your home in the first place.

These measures, such as motion sensor lights, a dog barking and a security alarm, will save you a huge amount of time, stress and money down the track if it deters a criminal before they attack.

The more home security systems that exist in your neighborhood, the more likely it is for crime to drop overall.

Help your neighbors; help yourself.

Lower homeowner’s insurance

As well as the physical safety that you and your belongings will now experience, you may actually save some money even if a burglary doesn’t occur.

Yes, you are paying out-of-pocket to increase your home security.

However, depending on your homeowner’s agreement, having a home security system may lower your homeowner’s insurance by up to 20 percent.

Increase peace of mind

There is most definitely no price that can be put on peace of mind.

When you install a home security system, you will sleep easier at night knowing that you, your family and your valuables are safe in your sanctuary.

This extra layer of defense is perhaps the greatest benefit of all.

Improves electricity management

Many security systems offer energy efficient thermostats and outlets.

That means, if you’ve forgotten to change your thermostat before leaving for a holiday, these systems will allow you to control the thermostat on any device with internet.

Moreover, this works as a great tool to turn lights on and off while you’re on vacation to help give the home the appearance that someone is there.

There are many things to think about when it comes to home security systems – it can seem overwhelming.

However, there is no doubt about it: a well-installed security system has so many benefits for you and your household.

Of course, each and every security system will be different, and it’s up to you to decide just what processes you need in place to protect your valuables and your loved ones.

Bunkersville USA

Have you ever watched those ‘Doomesday Preppers’ TV shows on Foxtel?

Perhaps you would like your new home to ‘Be Prepared for Doomesday’

Well this is the subdivision for you!

It is called Vivos X Point and is located close to the Black Hills, South Dakota.

You could have your own 8m x 20m bunker or the deluxe 8m x 26m bunker, along with 574 other families.

Check out their website for more information.

 

For more Unusual House Photos, Wins, and Fails, have a look at: What the………………….?

7 Ways To Regain Control Of Your Overflowing Pantry

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

Source: Shutterstock

An overflowing, clumsy looking and completely disorganised pantry is unfortunately a nightmare that many people have to deal with everyday.

Whether you have a big family and huge grocery hauls every week, or are simply a cooking aficionado who has every ingredient under the sun from Saffron to Squid Ink, a messy pantry can easily cause anxiety levels to soar.

Here are 7 ways in which you can regain control of your overflowing pantry, leaving your life running just that little bit smoother.

It’s Time To Totally Detox!

If your cupboards are exploding with packets that have merely a handful of rice or pasta left, it may be time to completely purge your shelves and do a complete overhaul.

Go through all the items you have in your cupboards, throw anything that is expired into the bins and any ingredient that you may no longer need or want to use.

If you have had an ingredient that you’ve only used once and has been sitting there for years, it’s time to get rid of it.

This is also the perfect time to purchase nifty storage solutions from stores that sell homewares online in Australia to help you organise what is left of your pantry.

Get In The Zone

Once you have all your ingredients, spices, oils and vinegars sorted out, it may be time to keep them all in separate zones to avoid clutter and confusion.

Keeping similar items together will help you locate them in times of rush such as when you’re rushing to prepare breakfast or are looking to cook up a quick dinner in the evening when you’re feeling ravenous.

Store bottled items such as sauces, oils and vinegars together; other items such as crackers and biscuits should be kept in the same storage container or box and spices should be neatly stored in a spice containers which you can purchase online.

Label All Your Items

Every wondered if a jar was full of sugar or salt?

Instead of wasting your time having to taste or smell every ingredient before using it, easily identify your ingredients by labelling all bottles and jars with label stickers.

Whether it is long grained rice, sushi rice or bomba rice, you’ll never be confused again!   

Height Matters

Due to the nature of hot air rising to the top of the room, always remember that the coolest part of your pantry will be on the bottom shelves or drawers.

Lower drawers and shelves are a good place to store items that need to be kept cooler, such as Chocolates, Apples and Spreads.

Other more robust items can be stored on higher shelves – this way, you prevent wastage by having to throw out food items that have gone off due to improper storage

Light It Up!

There is nothing worse than having to fumble around a dark pantry, looking for ingredients you need and not knowing where they are because of the dim conditions of cupboards.

A great idea would be to install some lighting into your pantry or close by to your cupboards and drawers to avoid the need of rummaging through items and picking up the wrong thing.

Keep Check Of What You Do & Do Not Have

One of the reasons many people end up with exploding pantries is because they do not know whether they are out of a certain ingredient or not – thus, when at the supermarket, people end up buying duplicates of items they already have at home.

A great way to avoid this twin-magic scenario is to always keep a grocery list stuck up on the pantry door.

Every time you are out of an item, write it down.

This way, when you do go shopping, you know exactly what you need instead of trying to recall if you still have that packet of crisps from last week in the cupboard or not.

All It Takes Is 10 Minutes A Day

To further prevent disorganisation in a pantry, all you have to do at the end of the day is take 10 minutes to ensure that everything has been put back in its proper place.

Ensuring this on a daily basis will also help you fight the battle against a messy pantry.

The term that many chefs use, “clean as you go”, can be used as inspiration when it comes to organising your pantry and making sure that everything is in its place at the end of everyday.

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With these 7 ways to regain control of your overflowing pantry, the chaos that is your overflowing cupboards and over stuffed drawers will be nothing but a nightmare of the past.

Obtaining Quotes 1

I recently moved into a new house and wanted both solar power and reverse cycle split air conditioning so I decided to try a couple of those ‘We will get you quotes’ services with mixed results.

Solar Quotes – Reasonable Outcome

What was good about the service

  • Great site with absolutely lots of free unbiased general information for anyone thinking about solar power.
  • Lots of references from customers on the contractors that ‘Solar Quotes’ recommend.
  • Lots of information on the various solar panels and inverters including quality ranking.
  • Ability to communicate with the owners of the site and ask questions.

What was disappointing

  • I only received a single quote rather than the three I was expecting. . . . We live in Dandenong not a rural area!

Overall

The quote I received from the Solar Quotes Company ( Essential Solar ) was less than the quote from the company that installed a system in my last house, for comparable quality. so I used Essential Solar

Melbourne Air Conditing Quotes – Hopeless

What was good

Nothing.

What Was Disappointing

  • Poor website with very little information about selecting units or any sort of references.
  • In spite of sending my details twice I did not receive any contact from companies wanting to quote.
  • No way to communicate by email, or phone, with the owners of the site to resolve the problems.

Some Final Thoughts

All these ‘We will get you quotes’ sites rely on the company that gets the work paying them a finders fee. . . . This means that good companies that mainly rely on word of mouth may not use these service.

Without publishing reviews of customers on the web site how will you know those providing quotes are capable of providing a quality job rather than just competing on price.

Are You Causing Light Pollution?

When I first arrived in Australia I lived in a rural area and I was struck by how impressive the stars looked at night.

Now I live in Melbourne the views aren’t quite as good.

A large part of the reason is lights shining upwards that illuminate specks of dust which make it hard to see the stars clearly and blocks out the fainter stars.

This slide shows the effects of various fitting and how to reduce light pollution.

For more information check out this slide show: Light Pollution

Outside Lighting

Why does the builders standard outside light fitting seem to be a floodlight?

In my view they are quite unsuitable:

  • A really harsh light, especially if you are looking towards it.
  • A fairly limited field of illumination, so you need 2 or 3 if you want all round light.
  • Typically high power use, although more modern LED floodlights are becoming available/

So what do I recommend?

Bunker Lights

I have found ‘Bunker Lights’ to be a great light source for my backyards.

This is the one in my current backyard.

I like them because:

  • They are inexpensive,
  • Give a soft 360 degree light,
  • Water proof,
  • Can be wall or soffit mounted,
  • Available in a range of styles;
  • and this LED example only uses 4 watts. (that’s $0.01 for an hours use!)

It replaced a 150 watt flood light that cost $0.4 per hour to run.

So when you go for your Selection Meeting don’t forget to specify bunker lights for your backyard/

 

Do You Think They May Be Scottish?

I found this picture on the ‘Terrible Real Estate Agent Photos‘ website.

It reminds me of a house we went to inspect back in 1983 in England.

All the rooms had this fairly new cream carpet with these huge red roses, it looked hideous.

The agent told us as the carpet was new they wanted a substantial extra amount on the house price to leave the carpet!

We said that if we had been really keen on the house we would have paid to get the carpet removed.

 

For more Unusual House Photos, Wins, and Fails, have a look at: What the………………….?

 

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