Sighted people have the same troubles about people doing shoddy work. Women in particular have difficulty getting good work. I hear this from sighted women friends who own houses. It may be worse because we are blind but it happens to absolutely everybody if one is not careful. The other thing is, if you want a dog, you need a fence. Figure fencing a normal lot to cost about five thousand dollars minimum.
E. At 03:30 PM 7/22/2007, you wrote:
That's one of my concerns. There are those who will do shoddy work because they believe we have no easy way of verifying what has been done. Weeding out workers like that is as important as finding the excellent ones who will attend to all the details. -----Original Message----- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of siss52 Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 12:45 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Apartment Leases I used to know a very capable blind lady who decided, when she got older, to hire someone to clean her house. Well, a sighted friend of mine took me to visit her and afterwards told me that everything looked fine except the inside of the toilet stools. She said they were just brown and looked terrible. Of course the person who did the cleaning knew my blind friend wouldn't feel inside the toilets. I had the hard job of telling my friend what was going on. She appreciated knowing. We need to have things checked by a trusted friend when it comes to things we would not notice. Sue S. ----- Original Message ----- From: "E." <thoth93@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 10:00 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Apartment Leases There is also the question of capable. You need to use licensed people for some things such as electricians or plumbers in many states. You cannot see details of your yard as a blind person which a capable worker with some independent initiative sees such as noticing things need weeding or trees need trimming. It is possible to end up with someone who is reliable about mowing a lawn but does not take it upon himself or herself to notice other things which need doing without being directly asked to do things. Directly asking can be difficult if you are blind because of course you will not notice. E. At 10:09 AM 7/22/2007, you wrote: >Hi E., > >I think I see your point. Finding just the right person, or group of >people, to tend to various tasks around the house could be a challenge. >Some would likely try to do as little as possible, while others will prove >far more reliable. And I imagine that once you find a reliable person, you >want to hang on to them. > >And sometimes, judging someone's performance can only be done after they've >done the work, and you learn whether their standards were high or low based >on things like how soon you have to do maintenance on that thing again. It >can be a costly proposition, in time, money, and quality of work. > >I welcome any advice. Although it'll be at least a year before I endeavor >to buy my own property, I'm definitely into long-range planning. > > >-----Original Message----- >From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of E. >Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 6:55 AM >To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Apartment Leases > >Laura the expense is one aspect of it. Expense is at least something a >person can come to judge. The part I want to warn about is the doing of >the >work. If one is fortunate enough to have somebody reliable to do the >various kinds of work which goes with a house, all is well. This does mean >relying on a lot of dependable people. It is something to consider. >Getting people to do jobs is just plain stressful. One would hope things >run smoothly. At a practical level there are a lot of variables and it >requires a good deal of patience. For a blind person, it is easy to get in >over your head. > >E. >At 08:32 AM 7/22/2007, you wrote: > >Hi E., > > > >Actually, I'm not at all troubled by the questions you ask, because > >I've been pondering the same things myself. > > > >In the next few months, I will be living alone. My skill in doing home > >repair is negligible. That means that just about anything that goes > >wrong, I'll have to hire someone to fix. This can be a significant added >expense. > >I've watched a friend of mine struggle with plumbing problems, and it > >is costing her a fortune to fix them. > > > >Even routine maintenance tasks are either beyond my skill or interest. > >I'd prefer to pay someone to come mow my yard, shovel snow in the > >winter, and clean out the gutters and such. All this begins to add up, > >and would need to be included in my budget as I analyze the costs of > >buying >vs. renting. > > > >The condo in a community would address many of these concerns, but in > >so doing, I'd lose my ability to have a large dog if I chose to. > >Beyond that, I think a condo in a community begins to feel too much > >like apartment living. > > > >I'm certainly not saying that a blind person can't or shouldn't own a > >house, but there are definite issues to consider. > > > >In the end, I shall buy a house. There are many advantages to home > >ownership that I'm interested in obtaining, but in the end, I've got to > >make some careful choices. > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of E. > >Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 9:04 AM > >To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Apartment Leases > > > >I was being conservative. You are correct. Every two weeks is more > >like it. And then there is weeding. If one fails to mow and weed the > >yard ends up looking crumby. We have not discussed the amount of money > >or time spent in winter shoveling out driveway and porch steps. > > > >Mind you there are advantages to home ownership. Maintenance for a > >blind person is truly something to investigate thoroughly. If someone > >buys an older house fixing up may be necessary. Again it is > >challenging finding good quality work when it may be difficult to > >evaluate a contractor and such. > > > >House ownership is tricky given the number of surprises which can arise. > >For a blind person it may present particularly interesting challenges. > >Again rather than thinking my comments please think of them as things > >to ponder. > > > >By the way, for those of you who have read my comments over time, much > >of what I say is meant as things to think about rather than outright > >negative thinking. Sometimes I come across in a way I do not intend. > >Some of that is the limitation of email. Some is the limitation of my > >personality. I am working hard on tact, and expressing myself better. > > > >I am actually a kind person who gives people the benefit of the doubt. > >I have been known to give some people too many chances as it were. > >Anyhow, I just want to add how important all of you on this list are to > >me. Oh yes, I am a bit long winded too. (grin) > > > >E. > > > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to > >bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a > >list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject >line. > > > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to > >bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a > >list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject >line. > > > > > > > >-- > >No virus found in this incoming message. > >Checked by AVG Free Edition. > >Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.11/909 - Release Date: > >7/20/2007 4:39 PM > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to >bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of >available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to >bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a >list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject >line. > > > >-- >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.12/910 - Release Date: >7/21/2007 3:52 PM To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.-- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition.Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.12/910 - Release Date: 7/21/2007 3:52 PM
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