Interesting Job of the Month - Dan H.

DanHolohan

with the guys at HVACTV.com (see their button on the navigation bar) and we came up with an idea that I think you'll like.

Back when, I used to videotape problem jobs, or just really good-looking jobs, and show these tapes at my seminars. The group would then talk about what we saw. It was a lot of fun.

What I suggested to HVACTV.com was that they work with us Wallies to broadcast a home video of a job each month. It could be a job that you're really proud of, or one that needs troubleshooting. They go live on the last Tuesday of each month and Ric and Debbie will broadcast your tape while we meet in the chatroom (or sometimes in the studio) to comment on it.

Interested? It doesn't have to be fancy. All you have to do is use a camcorder (any format will do) and tape a job. Talk onto the tape from your end of the camera and walk around the job. Send it to me at the Bethpage address at the bottom of the Wall. I'll watch it and send it on to Ric (with a non-technical synopsis) and he'll take it from there.

If you get a job on the air it will also go into their Archive and that's a great way to show off your work to potential customers. If you have a Find a Contractor ad here at HeatingHelp.com, and you get your job on the program, I'll link your ad to the Archive and that will make your site within our site even more interesting.

Send me your videos and we'll kick this one off.

DanHolohan

Please let me know

if you like this idea. Thanks.

DanHolohan

Talk

to me.

Mark Hunt

Sounds like a good idea.


I'll start bringing the camera with me on audits.

Mark H

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Steve Ebels

Dan

Is there any particular format these tapes have to be in? VHS only or can you work with 8mm and/or digital tape? I have a camera that uses digital video tape. About the size of a small box of matches.

DanHolohan

Any format at all

Thanks.

DanHolohan

How about some

CO dangers? Thanks, Mark.

David Sutton_2

how about ,

installation jobs maybe a step by step . not the hole thing just pices here and there of the old stuff coming out and the new going in?

DanHolohan

It would sure be fun

to watch Ron Jr. working in one of those tiny boiler rooms!

David Sutton_2

would you have to black out the rear belt line?? LOL

DanHolohan

Nope

That's where we park the mountain bike ;-)

Unknown

Whew , what a day

just got back from pulling a bike tire from my **** . Who gave my helper that idea ?

Im gonna try and tape an installation in Levittown , one of the jobs we have to cut the wall out to remove the big ol' York , but my partners dont even like when I stop to take just pictures . I'm gonna tell em theyre gonna be famous , maybe .

DanHolohan

Can't wait!

Thanks, Ron.

Thom Masse (a rookie)_2

Sound good to me.

The next job we get I'll have "Bob" buy a video camera. Added to the job cost.Tell him I'm going to video "Jim" while he does all the work. I think he'll go for that!
(I won't get the tripod thingy.)
Seriously, sounds good it will help us all in some way. "Nothing can be taken away from you,if you've learned it."

Mark Hunt

Ya think?!?!?!?!


Oh!!! Am I into that!!!

Comin' up!

Mark H

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

DanHolohan

Bring

it on.

Matt Connolly

OK Dan..

I'm finishing up a hybrid system using Stadler pex in the basement floor, Heatway staple up in the joist bays, an indirect DHW tank, and a unit heater in the garage (I offered to put pex in the garage but they said no - it was a $500 add on before the pour. Later they realized they wanted heat there. The unit heater cost $750 installed!). The entire thing is being heated by the Monitor FCX condensing oil boiler (76 Mbh output). I'll video on thursday and send the tape asap. By the way, thanks for the books at the NH show last week. I've already read two of them and learned a great deal, though most of it too late! I'll use the new info on the next job, I promise...
Matt

Scott22

O.K., here goes!
I'm just wrapping up a project that's lasted over 3 years. I won't even mention the Mechanical room, because this is not the place for a 500 page essay. Suffice to say it involved weeks of workand it looks beautiful. I'll send pictures if anybody is interested. To jump to the part I like, lets talk about the plumbing trim. Of the new stuff, the most interesting is the body sprays and domb showerheads. Flushing lines that have set for 2 years is a
pain, especially when no water is allowed to touch the floor. Grrr!
The real fun on this job was the old toilets and ped lavies. In 1928 porcelain must have been real cheap, because these babies weigh a ton. My buddy Frank Park and I took a day and a half just replacing all the non porcelain parts on the potties. Back inlet ballcocks (all copper and brass, including float balls), chrome necks, behind porcelain collars (what a pain, (:-)), it's a wonder we're still not fighting leaks. One of the lavy faucets we reused. New stems etc. and a nice plating job later it was ready to install. Unfortunately, it was an A.S. faucet going on a Kohler Cast Iron Peddy. Had to grind the bottom of the spout to compensate for a hump on the back of the deck. One of the AS peds was missing its porcelain wall hangers. No problem. Place in Murphy's Calif. had just what I needed, in pol. nickel, too.
Here comes the real treat on this job. Had 2 Kohler WC's with odd shaped bowls, one green and one white. Had one seat, pink. What to do. Called the seat people (Bemis, Olsonite. Their reaction: Ha ha ha!
Took the pink seat to a wood worker. He said he'd make one and to strip the other one and repaint it. After he starts making
it, I call and say they want it in mahogany. No problem. Two weeks later, "Come get your seat." $530.00
Now I take the old hardware to a machinist and say make me these parts x one. Two weeks later, "Come get your parts." $1300.00
The plater gets all the parts, old and new and plates them: Pol Nickel. $85.00 Such a deal.
Got to drill the new seat to accept the hardware. Go to another mechinist, with everything, and say, "Put it all together". One week later, he calls me and says something is wrong. I say, "Just drill and fit it".
Next day, "Come pick everything up". $515.00?
Reason for high price to do a simple job. The new seat was not exactly square and true. Evidently, he really battled the Damned thing.
Now I have a seat, sort of. Got to take it to the painter and have it lacquered. But that's on the GC, thank God!
Total Cost (less my time): $1430.00
Result: Priceless! Or, I hope the owner, who knows nothing of the cost of this thing, thinks it is.
This is the kind of thing that happens during a $15 million remodel.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Scott Denny

Scott22

Here goes!

Total cost: $2430.00 OOPS! Why aren't we making money?
That's why I always take a second look when figuring plans at 3A.M.
Scott

DanHolohan

Thanks

Look forward to seeing it!

Ric Murray

Videotapes

Guys:
It's great that you guys are interested in doing this! To answer your question about format, just about any consumer format is OK, VHS, Hi-8, Digital 8, Mini DV etc is OK. Word of advice though...tripods are good, shaky video does not compress well for the internet. Even if you just set the camera on the hood of your truck it helps. Looking forward to seeing these! Also travel movies from ISH would be very cool! I wanted to go myself!