> 2) If you post an offer, and someone answers you privately instead of posting a response publicly - be suspicious. Scam artists avoid posting in the forums so their victims can't be warned. I very often email privately. I have an extensive collection of rare/hard-to-come-by plants which I enjoy trading but posting in the forum is the VERY best way to blow my own email box up. I will NEVER hold a trade until I receive my end but life has a habit of throwing curve balls my way and I can be a bit slow. The last trade I sent out was several days late going out, we had a very early cold wave that required some extensive repair and new construction on the greenhouses. I felt SO bad but there wasn't anything I could do about it. The kind lady I was trading with was completely understanding(thanks, Aboo!), I didn't even get a chance to pot up what she sent to me until yesterday(I told her she did an excellent job of packing, and she did; not one of those plants looked at all stressed). I probably won't ever ask for references, if the other person hasn't been around long enough for me to recognize him/her I'll probably just sit back and watch for a bit, or I may offer to send for postage, although it's so much more fun to actually trade. I have some of the most amazing plants and a lot of that is due to the generosity of the wonderful folks I've met here. I've probably had some traders fall through but as long as I get my own end out I'm ok with that, I propagate my own plants so the outlay isn't too high. I can probably count on less than one hand the number of trades that went south(where did that expression come from, anyway????). As far as I'm concerned, trading plants on GW is kind of like gambling at the dog track or playing the lottery but with better odds. I don't offer more than I can afford to lose and most of the time the pay-off is fantastic.

Squirrel, you are probably right in that I couldn't just go to the warehouse to pick it up. And Val, I realize I should have inquired more. I just didn't know to do that. I just figured cost of tile, glue, sealer, sales tax. I was surprised by the delivery charge and didn't know how to react, so I didn't. And yes, the reason I went to this place was exactly because I couldn't find anything even close at HD or Lowe's. I did find a few things that would have sufficed, probably at 1/4 the cost, but they would just be another version of what I have in there now - a peel and stick. I wanted something different - actually wanted ceramic tile. The floor is already raised because we had to put a new subfloor in and my husband refuses to take it out. He said it would be nearly impossible given the number of nails he put in it. So backerboard and tile would have raised that floor to almost a step up. I got something called dura-ceramic, which looks almost like ceramic, and is very, very thin. It can go over the subfloor without a backer. I read a lot of reviews on it. Some like it, some hate it, typical of reviews. When I stopped in the paint store I have purchased from before, they suggested I go to another of their stores where they have had it down in the showroom for three years. I actually got to see it down and that was a big help. I do agree that you get what you pay for. I know I paid more than I would have if I had purchased it online, but I also got some help picking out a paint color (knew which direction I wanted to go, just needed a little help with exact color), so all is good. Today I am off to a local textile store to look for drapery fabric for my bedroom. I just remembered about this place and hope they are still there! The only other source I have is JoAnn's and have already been there. Maybe there was something there, but I surely couldn't find anything, and of course, there was no one there to help. So if I find something today, it may be pricier but at least I will have it. Thanks again for all of your responses. They really helped. I do appreciate this forum. It has helped me greatly with many things, not only questions I post, but I get help from reading what others post as well. So all is well -- now if only it weren't so cold and snowy today. It's much easier to shop when it is warmer.

John, Yes, I saw the contract, and it was just shy of our budget (which now looking back...makes me feel like he did it just to make it seem like a better deal - just my feeling, may not be the reality). What made me "hot" was seeing a relatives deck, which is bigger, used composite (from what I understand, would be less cost than procell) but was only 1/4 of the cost. I know terms and labor details are different and can make a difference... but I'm wondering if a 300% difference is a sign that maybe I need to talk to the contractor. Now, I've not confronted my contractor as I'm still not sure if $60/sq ft is legit or not. Basically, it's not a deck with fancy design or complicated building requirements. However, they did take care of everything (drawing up designs, apply for permits etc...). The work entails them tearing out (and removing) the old deck, and put in a larger deck (thus, more beams were dug) using the old supports. The majority of my frustration is directed at myself for not doing my homework. And I definitely would not be sore with the contractor if we're talking a 10-20% difference... but when you realize that you paid 4 times some others paid... you'd have to wonder. Bottom line, I'm just trying to ask the experts here if $60/sq ft is an absurd price at all for a standard configuration using Procell. If not, then I'd chalk it up to bad planning on my part and move on. However, if this does sound way to high - I think I owe it to myself to confront him. But from the reactions here, it doesn't seem like its too far fetched....right?

We got our Ticor sink from Overstock too. Waited to get it with grids from Galaxy and they were out of stock of the sink when the grids arrived - we should have secured the order. We were desperate as we only had 2 weeks before the granite was to be cut. I search for the Ticor sink S3560 and eventually found it on Overstock. We did the same thing - reviewed the model number, photos etc. and ordered through Overstock. The sink arrived in the Ticor box, appears very solid and is insulated. Our installer said it was a solid sink, they noted that some square sinks can be flimsy - ours isn't. I am glad that Ticor confirmed that Overstock sells their sinks - there was always that question in my mind. We would have preferred to order with Galaxy - they are very good to deal with, but timing became the issue.