# My note to Nicole Curtis



## Kowboy (May 7, 2009)

I posted the following on the Facebook page of Nichole Curtis, HGTV/DIY Network's "Rehab Addict" host:

Ms. Curtis:

An edited online chat of yours from the Washington Post's Home Front recently appeared in my local paper, the Sarasota Herald Tribune. A homeowner doesn't know what order in which to proceed, has an extensive amount of work to perform, is a "perfectionist" and asks if they should be their own general contractor. You saw no problem, advised her to save money and do it herself. This is bad advice.

A successful general contractor does "charge you money to manage your work", but brings tremendous value, particularly to a homeowner who doesn't know in what order work is performed. Let’s say this homeowner hires an electrician who installs duplex receptacles in the backsplash area of her new kitchen, gets final approval from the inspection division, and collects payment in full. The countertop contractor installs the backsplash, but will not install the electrical box extensions required to bring the receptacles flush with the front of the splash. The electrician will not return without additional payment. The homeowner, the electrician, and the countertop contractor are all pointing their fingers at each other. This would not happen with a general contractor in charge.

Aside from knowing in which order to proceed, a general contractor has something a homeowner can never get. Leverage with subs. If the general contractor awards the electrician $50,000.00 worth of work a year, he’s going to call in a favor. The electrician will return smiling at no additional charge. In fact, he would never have to return, since a general contractor knows the order in which work is performed he would have told the electrician not to get his final until the backsplash was installed and retained final payment. What leverage does the homeowner have? A nasty letter to Angie’s List saying the electrician got final approval and payment for doing what he was contracted to do?
How many electricians do you think this general contractor had to weed through to get to a reliable sub? Plenty. Having your weeding done for you is valuable, maybe more so than job coordination.

Having been a licensed and insured general contractor and a reliable sub, I have first-hand experience with these issues. General contractors don’t stay in business by ripping people off or performing services that a homeowner can do on their own. We bring value to our satisfied customers every day. Don’t believe me? Have your mom cut your hair. Hey, she did it years ago. Think of the money you’ll save.

Sincerely,

Joseph Corlett
https://www.facebook.com/nicolecurtisrehabaddict?fref=ts


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Great writing!

Unfortunately, it will probably be blown off completely and immediately by an entry level employee of the network.

They are in the TV business.

I actually sent a similar email to Mike Holmes and invited him to sign up here awhile ago after much discussion was raised about a technique he approved.

No response from him of course, but I now get regular emails with his newsletter. I've unsubscribed a dozen times and still get his newsletters.

Bottom line is they really don't care.


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## Bearded Wonder (Jan 21, 2011)

Spot on. 


Some people don't get it. Some you can educate, some you can't. If a potential client is waffling on this after a conversation or two, I move on to the ones who get it.


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## mikecocozza (Aug 18, 2011)

Kowboy said:


> I posted the following on the Facebook page of Nichole Curtis, HGTV/DIY Network's "Rehab Addict" host:
> 
> Ms. Curtis:
> 
> ...


Another Sarasota resident. Cool! Nice article. I'm not a big fan of those shows. Her show I. Particular. She does some Mickey Mouse stuff on that show. Feel bad for the people who buy her homes.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

She's hot. That's all that matters to me. It's my favorite show.


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

VinylHanger said:


> She's hot. That's all that matters to me. It's my favorite show.


I just googled (not oogled, ) her, and she looks like a tweeker.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

A.T.C. said:


> I just googled (not oogled, ) her, and she looks like a tweeker.


You must have much hotter tweakers than we do.:laughing:


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)




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## AustinDB (Sep 11, 2006)

I read the FB page and their are some wacky posts there


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

If a customer wants to omit the GC and do that portion themselves, I as a sub do one of two things, either decline or price with the 'HO GC' factor aka PITA...so...what savings do they have now?


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

Perhaps you could send that letter in to the newspaper that publishes her column... Might hit the target audience a little better.:thumbsup:


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I will admit, some things she does makes my eyebrows raise. She had one house where the paint was all peeling and the edges were rough. She just popped off the loose paint and sprayed. Took her a day to do what would take me three weeks to prep, prime, back brush and paint. Looked like ass, but it was serviceable, though for how long I don't know.

Did I mention she is hot?


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Most people here would loose their ass on those turds she buys. 

You fix and redo what has to be done, clean and pretty up the rest of it. 

To keep something affordable for many people to be able to afford and be able to sell quickly, you can't spend unlimited hours on them. 

I used to do a bunch of work for an investor in my town, it took a couple years to realize it was not for me, they just want solid C+ work. He makes good money, employs two guys full time and is a heck of a nice guy. It is just a different mentality. 

Yes, I only watch the show to oogle at her.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Most people here would loose their ass on those turds she buys.
> 
> You fix and redo what has to be done, clean and pretty up the rest of it.
> 
> ...


I think this is the key. It is turn and burn. However, she does a step above than in most areas and it is nice to see how she saves money and brings back houses on death row at the same time. Not everybody wants a fully restored house, they just want a safe and serviceable vintage house with good wiring and plumbing.

That is what she gives them.


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## ToolNut (Aug 9, 2012)

It's a good thing it's a TV show. She pays to much for the house then she is so freaking slow that when interest and time lost is figured in she made nothing. Most flips are a hurry up deal just so you don't build up big finance and interest costs. Something a real crew could do in 2 days it takes her a month.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

So much better to watch though..


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

Chris Johnson said:


> If a customer wants to omit the GC and do that portion themselves, I as a sub do one of two things, either decline or price with the 'HO GC' factor aka PITA...so...what savings do they have now?


yup bump the cost up 1/3 for head scratching and "what in the heck were they thinking I'd do with this?" or "are they ever going to get such and such done so I can do this and that?" time


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

ToolNut said:


> It's a good thing it's a TV show. She pays to much for the house then she is so freaking slow that when interest and time lost is figured in she made nothing. Most flips are a hurry up deal just so you don't build up big finance and interest costs. Something a real crew could do in 2 days it takes her a month.


She pays peanuts most of the time. She bought one house for a dollar. You can afford to take your time in that case.


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## Roofcheck (Dec 27, 2011)

VinylHanger said:


> I think this is the key. It is turn and burn. However, she does a step above than in most areas and it is nice to see how she saves money and brings back houses on death row at the same time. Not everybody wants a fully restored house, they just want a safe and serviceable vintage house with good wiring and plumbing.
> 
> That is what she gives them.


Google her and Palm Beach mugshots....


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Roofcheck said:


> Google her and Palm Beach mugshots....


I see nothing that resembles anything close.


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I see nothing that resembles anything close.


The brunette.

Not sure if its the same chic, though.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Yeah, her getting a d and d on spring break makes me like her less.. :no:


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> Yeah, her getting a d and d on spring break makes me like her less.. :no:


Her now being a blonde, makes me like her less.

:whistling


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## SuperiorHIP (Aug 15, 2010)

I searched but didn't see it, can someone post a link? I have watched the show, I enjoy watching her.


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

rselectric1 said:


> Great writing!
> 
> Unfortunately, it will probably be blown off completely and immediately by an entry level employee of the network.
> 
> ...


Most people only care about their own little bubble. Not to mention that they don't care if what they are saying is true or not as long as other believe them. Life is full of a lot of B.S. in my opinion.


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