John,

Thanks for the information you are posting. I'm facsinated to find out what kind of response you get. I'm also working the "how-to" side of things right now, and am already trying to learn about hiring contractors, what to pay them, how to pay them, etc.

Of course I'm getting ahead of myself. My preference would be to do the work myself. My perfectionist nature could be an advantage here, as I imagine that higher pricing would be easier to come by if the quality of the work done is absolutely first rate.

I'd love to chat more about this with you via email. My address is above, if you care to swap ideas back and forth.

Thanks everyone, for such an informative post!!

Mike Long

> It's a classified. "DECK RESTORATION
> --- Your deck like new again...overnight!
> Free estimate. 555-5555." It's Don's
> ad, with a few words changed so I'm not
> directly copying him.

> It runs for a week starting tomorrow. I'll
> let you know the exact results.

> I love this! 24 hours ago, I would have
> never even considered deck renewal, and here
> I am running an ad. Isn't life an adventure?

> I also contacted Dever Enterprises, and they
> are a very user-friendly, enthusiastic
> group. They explained a lot to me about the
> renewal process, probably more than I would
> have learned at Home Depot. Seems that
> stripping the deck is necessary (using
> Cuprinol or similar) if it has been
> previously stained.

> My next challenge (after learning how to
> apply the stuff without splattering it all
> over the world...and do it with enough
> dignity so it looks like I've done it at
> least once before...can you tell I'm no
> handyman?) is learning the ins-and-outs of
> hiring contract workers, depending on the
> number of responses I get.

> By the way, we've got a pretty good thread
> going here, haven't we? Don made the same
> single post in a gazillion other forums, but
> we seem to be the only ones taking action
> with it.

> Thanks for the kickstart, Don.

> John