Mortgage Monday: Estimates

While I was hoping to get a head start on this process much earlier in the year, sometimes things just don’t go exactly as we plan them. Of course, there isn’t anything really pressing at the moment… there isn’t anything that absolutely needs to get done at the house. There are projects that should be started (and finished) soon like replacing the garage doors but there is nothing that needs to be done.  

Unfortunately, without things being set into motion, there is plenty of time to add things to the list. And the list is getting quite a bit longer than was previously disclosed. All of that means is that the dollar figure at the bottom of the sheet of paper keeps climbing which makes me look back and really start cutting some of the unnecessary expenses from the growing budget. This has become an even more essential task of late as we have received a few quotes.

The biggest expense on the horizon is replacing the existing heating and air conditioning systems (which also means we have to swap out our hot water supply). Currently we have an undersized air conditioning unit (I have to call the home warranty company about this) and a loud boiler in the basement providing us with both hot water and heat through the zoned baseboard system throughout the house. While functional, it is not working for us. We will be switching to a central HVAC system with a hot water heater in the basement. While most would balk as we did at the $25,000 estimate (lowest available for quality work), the simple fact is that we will recoup most of that expense in the increased efficiency.

Some of the essential repairs and alterations needed are also quoting out much higher than expected. Actually, the garage doors and motors were a little lower at $2500 while the interior French doors to my office are much higher at $2500. Some may consider these as extra expenses but, for us, they are two smaller projects that need to be done. I am not going to simply repair or replace one garage door with an uninsulated patch… it makes more sense to just replace both and take care of the motors at the same time. And the office door is needed so that I can actually utilize my office.

The last think on this list of initial quotes is the removal of dead trees. While we had much of the property taken care of a couple of weeks ago, there are still a few leafless monsters swaying in the breeze. Because of their size and location it is not going to be a cheap endeavor. The first estimate is about $2800. Some may see them as simply an eye sore but they are within striking distance of the house and it is an unnecessary risk to leave them standing. I just hope that we can find a better price.

Everything else on our long and growing wish list is pretty much on hold as we pursue these projects and try to find a way to pay for them. Once these are done we will re-prioritize the rest of the list and decide when we want to tackle additional improvements and whether we will be able to budget for them. Of course, we will also factor in what makes sense for us now and in the long run… sometimes it is best to get something done now and other times the better option is to wait. We will just have to see what happens with these first few items from our list.

Technology Can Only Go So Far!

My job which is by no means critical to the security of the country requires me to get information as quickly and efficiently as possible and disseminate that information in a like manner. The majority of the time email will not deliver the results in a satisfactory manner as it does not permit immediate follow up and the process of obtaining all the necessary information can string across multiple correspondences. Even when a dialog has taken place over multiple emails, a call is sometimes still required. By this time, actionable items have passed and deadlines are sometimes pushed back to those projects with remaining viability.

Picking up the phone can cut out much of the time and get me the answers and information I need to take immediate action on a given topic. However, whenever possible, in person meetings are by far the best means by which to get a complete picture on a subject in an efficient manner. Whenever I am given the opportunity to meet with someone, I always make the time. Quality information and program efficiency are two of the keys to a successful PR campaign. Really, they are the drivers in any high volume industry that requires immediate decisions and actions.

There are times when in person briefings, meetings, and information sessions are not possible but I do everything I can to avoid missing the opportunity. This is why the recent report released by the Government Accountability Institute, a conservative watchdog group, were a little mystifying. In that report they report that President Obama has had in-person intelligence briefings during only 42% of his days in office which is slightly lower than the figure reported in 2012. Previously, the White House has addressed the subject saying that the President “doesn’t feel the need to have a daily in-person briefing, but that he reads his intelligence briefing daily on his secure iPad and often sends emails with follow up questions.”

At the very least he should have taken someone from the intelligence community with him golfing. Even if those were his only meetings he might still be over 42%. Heck, he could even have them get some intelligence on how to play particular holes. That could be a win-win scenario.

While I don’t know the statistics from previous administrations it seems that any executive that conducts his intelligence briefings in such a way would be hard pressed to be an effective, well informed, and overall decisive leader. I can’t effectively do my job without having all of the information in my hands as soon as possible. The percentage seems a little too low especially given how many events that have occurred (that we know about) over the past six years. But, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe all those golf outings are just a rouse and the real briefings occur at the third bunker to the right of the 17^th hole at precisely 10:54am.

Back To The Monday Routine

After the craziness last week it was nice to the usual Monday routine. Come to think of it, we haven’t had a ‘normal’ Monday for some time now as we have been jumping from one project to another which pushed back our usual slate of Monday internal meetings to later in the week. While things are still as busy as ever, the lineup of meetings seems to have returned to their usual timing.

However, heading into this week I feel as though I am finally returning to normal and the deteriorated PR skills from my extended time away from the industry are beginning to regenerate. They have been there from the time I started this current job in one form or another but now there is marked growth with a return to my former productivity and efficiency within reach. It is hard to explain but I think the best analogy, and a clichéd one at that, is that if you let a car sit for a year it is going to take some time before you getting working efficiently again like it’s supposed to. Sure it will probably run as soon as you turn it on but there is going to be a lot of things wrong with it that you are going to have to address one by one. Eventually everything is fixed and things begin running smoothly again, like they should be.

Awkward analogy, part of one. Awkward analogy, part of one. Your blog post is ready.

After the success of last week now in the past, it is time to work on the other projects that have been put off or passed off over the last couple of weeks. With that said, there are still many opportunities that have come about from the work done and the meetings held last week with will be in addition to what is usually in the growing pile on the desk. But now there is a schedule that I can rely on until it is drastically changed over and over again. Hey, that is the business and industry in which I strive and what keeps things interesting during the week.

So, the routine survived today which is not bad. Sometimes you have to have a predictable day that allows you to cope with the insanity of the ‘normal’ schedule. I don’t know how long this planned out week will last but until the schedule falls apart I am going to enjoy the predictability for as long as it can hold out (or until we can’t take it anymore). Hey, we are a unique group of people, those in the PR industry, and sometimes we are at our best when the schedule goes to pot so when things are calm for too long we have to switch it up to maximize our productivity. I never said we were a normal bunch.