MOLD MADNESS

Mold Madness

 

If you're thinking of moving to Las Vegas, bring your electrician, plumber, carpenter and painter.  You never know when you’ll need them.  Surely nobody here wants to take responsibility to recommend one.  I’ve had so many no shows since I moved here that my plans now include making a second appt. for the same time slot.  I feel like an airline that double books.

 

Next to Death Valley and Phoenix, this has been the hottest place in the country this summer and it’s been relentless.  I don’t think we had a day under 100 for almost 40 days.  Very unusual.  But I’m off the subject.  Since the average humidity hovers somewhere between 5& 15 degrees one would think that mold could not be an issue in the Southwest.  If it could happen, it will happen to me.  And it did happen to me.  My condo was damaged by mold from the abandoned apartment next door that got flooded.  Months later my place is still torn apart, with a tenant living there.  I need an entire new kitchen due to someone else’s neglect.

 

Why, you must be thinking is she talking about this?  It’s a reminder to see if you have mold insurance.  If mold is ever found in property you want to sell, forget it!  This is in addition to the dangerous health hazard that is claimed to exist by all experts involved.  Understand your home owners insurance policy.  Floods, water and mold are all different.  But really, I just have to get it off my chest. 

 

It’s facinating, the reporting, demolition and clean-up process that precedes rebuilding.  The first line of defense is these guys in space suits.  They are followed by a team of real suited guys with clipboards, cameras and measuring tapes.  They all file detailed reports including photos of the meters that they bring showing the reading on the dials before and after the clean-up.  The affected area is sealed off with heavy duty plastic where they can create a vacuum with this huge machine to keep the mold contained and for the final mold test.  The doorway is formed by a floor to ceiling zipper.  The good thing is that they leave it for the reconstruction that creates an inordinate amount of dust due to new dry wall and sanding.

 

Did I mention the cost?  You don’t want to know.

 

The apatment next door was completely gutted so my poor tenant was living with openings to both places until I hired a carpenter to put up wall board to at least seal off the two places. I am now ready for the following steps.  Not one of these people was my original line of defense, so you can take it from there.

1.      Getting a cabinet guy (oye vey)!!!  Ended up at Lowes and are they wonderful.  Who knew it could be so easy.  The guy I was going to hire was supposed to get back to me a week ago so that I could give him a deposit.  I took it as a bad sign when he didn’t. After a few days I went to Lowes. I also interviewed a carpenter who was going to use the old stuff and put things back to its original shape.  The cost was so high it was better to start  with all new cabinets. 

2.      Need more demolition, remove all top cabinets before final repairs. Need a demolition and hauling crew.

3.      Hired a Taper, he tapes the wallboard that the carpenter I hired earlier installed. He also has to texturize the walls that have to be repainted.

4.      I hired a painter who will follow these guys and get the place ready for cabinets.

5.      Cabinets get delivered one day and installed another.

6.      Then the estimator comes to measure for the new counter top.

7.      New counter gets installed

8.      Hire a plumber to hook up all the utilities in the kitchen.

 

And there you have it folks, as easy as pie...and did I tell you this costs a lot, a lot of money. (I know I did)  This all started mid-April.  And did I tell you I’m fighting with the condo board because of their negligence that caused all this in the first place.  And did I tell you I’m being committed in a few days??? Huh, did I tell you??