Well, it’s been another eternity since my last posting. OMFG, so much has happened. First, our roof got done. Holy crap, who the hell knew a foam roof would make such a drastic difference. I mean, sure, the sales rep TOLD us to expect the inside of our house to be 20 degrees cooler, but whatever: people throw exaggerated numbers around all the time. Still, my skepticism stands corrected. The next day, it was in the 90s outside, and I came home to a place that practically felt air conditioned. Insane.

Also, we did fork over a premium, but I will say, the professional outfits do it right from start to finish: smart and knowledgeable sales guy, formal contracts and warranties with e-sign, we were kept apprised of the schedule all summer, we got the permit paperwork, invoicing was clear, crew showed up on time, they were clean and tidy, and the inspector came a week later. Done. Any area that we pointed out, the crew addressed immediately and simply, they just did a good job. For example, I commented that the gutter hole in one spot cracked the roofing panel. They spackled and painted all the holes without me saying, “please check all the holes.” It was just another reminder to me that just as not all realtors are the same, not all contractors are the same.

After the roof, my painter dude came back. Super quiet worker: always on time. I’ve come to see that lowest price isn’t always the best choice. Sometimes you want someone who is punctual, reliable, and careful. And why should that person’s service cost the same as someone who doesn’t return calls and doesn’t show up when he says he will?

Anyway, the biggest beneficiary of the new roof is def Bentley. Our little Yeti had been sweating his brains out for many months, and now every part of the house is consistently comfortable.