It has been almost 6 months since we began fretting about this.
You've seen the photo of the starling once before: sitting on the handrail of our deck, preparing to fly up into its nest in our eaves because the vent cover had fallen apart and off.
It has taken these 6 months, or close to it, to finally resolve the situation.
First, we found a roofer who would come out from the city, but he would need 3 houses at $200 apiece to make the job viable for him. We did find 2 neighbours who agreed to hire him, but by the time he was ready to do the job, they backed out, and then so did he. I guess our neighbours like having birds in their eaves. What if squirrels get in?
There was another guy who said that maybe he could do it, but he never materialized at our abode to say yay or nay.
Eventually, Sue found 2 college kids who were painting in the area to come by late on a Friday afternoon before they quit for the summer to go back to school. They would and did for $100.
Sue was tenacious and kept looking around. With a recommendation from Sha who has some connections, Cody came by this morning and soon fixed it. He got the two extra screws in and then, caulked around the edge, so it should be secure for a very long time. His fee was $150, so the job cost $300 in total, and we also had to purchase the vent cover. I think it was ~$30.
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As you can see, ole AC was there to steady the ladder if needed, but as usual in this life, he was surplus to requirements. |
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| Left: the bird access. Bottom: the boys' job. Top: job done! |
Extra Tidbit 1
Cody had a mild accent that I surmised was either an Ottawa Valley accent or alternatively, a Maritime accent. Yes, we do have mild local or even regional accents in Canada. I had to ask, and he does come from a very large clan in the rural centre of the county. He said he has also been Down East where his accent fit in to the point that easterners were asking him if he were local.
Extra Tidbit 2
Back to the painter guys. As you can see from the second photo in the post, one guy did the work while the other guy held the ladder. Look what the holder guy was doing the whole time. Yes, the whole time!
10 comments:
It's good that it's finally done, but what a kerfuffle. The ladder-holding lad didn't really earn his keep, did he?
Believe me, I know how nagging these jobs can be! Hope you have a satisfying weekend having taken care of it. Aloha friend, actually an interesting post
It is so difficult to find someone to come by and do a small job that you can't do yourself. It is good that you got it done.
It makes for an interesting post. Glad the job is finally done right!
This is where I get very annoying and point out that either my next door neighbor or the HOA contractors would have done this!! But anyway I'm glad it's done.
One more thing off the to-do list.
Always feels good to get stuff like that accomplished and crossed off the list. Not a big job, but no way would I climb up that ladder!
I dread the day when I must find people to do small jobs like this. I know it was nearly an impossible task.
How good to see a job well done...if it did have it's spits and starts before the final (somewhat expensive) deed.
It is hard to get workers here these days too. You were lucky to get people to help.
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