We signed a simple contract (no fancy company form) with a plumber. They did not show up, nor called until I called them. They said they will show up some other day, not sure when. A long story short - they rescheduled, but seemed uncooperative after I wanted a county inspector to inspect their work (after they would be done in the future) and after I asked them to pull a work permit. They seem not to be licensed with Residential Builder's Commission. Now they told me I must wait nearly 2 months to get my money back as they say they already bought the materials for the advance payment that I paid them. I said it's ok to refund part money and part materials for the job, but they still unhappy and they now told me the plumber went to a hospital for 1 month. I think they are liars and they just trying to keep my oney, but they don't realize how big of the trouble they got themselves into since I'm gonna file a complaint of unlicensed contractor to the State Investigations and Enforcement commission etc. I guess I hit the scammers yet again... but I know what to do: report them, they get fined, cease and desist and prison time, then sue them in Small Claims Court and go to the end until their property gets sold and I get compensated. The money they got from me is over $1000 (for buying materials). I also will write and post my story in the forums and on a blog, so their plumbing company gets really damaged and hopefully they will not get much business anymore. Once I go after someone, it's for life. Any additional suggestions or experiences?

Do you have a written contract,if so reread it for the specs on the foundation. Did you get a permit,if so discuss this with the city so you know what they want in your area.In fact its always a good idea to do this before you start constustion. If your job is completed and you still have half the money your in pretty good shape as long as you and your contractor decided beforehand how the foundation was going to be done in writing. John

Like a CIRCULAR stairway?? I must have been absent for geometry class that week. Don't buy the story, or accept the stairs with two different railing heights. The stairs look like they are nicely done, too bad the guy did not understand how to run handrail. They should be the same height aboove the stair tread. He is right in that you need the configuration of fittings on the right, because code requires that the handrail is "continious" , so it cannot terminate with a matching volute and then pick up again at the lower stairs. These kind of designs pose a real challenge and require lots of thought and layout, and always look awkward, but the height mismatch is wrong.

As everyone has said, practices for winter protection or the lack thereof differ widely among gardeners. My personal rule of thumb is that I pull off the protection in spring when conditions approximate those in which I put on the protection, and I make sure to put on the protection LATE in the season. In most places, including the east coast I think, the moisture in the spring is as big a danger as anything in the winter you're protecting against. My temperature range for putting on protection is when the HIGHs for the day don't get above 20, so the same applies in taking it off. As long as your highs most days stay above 20, I'd go ahead and take it off. Even though you can get a late frost that would nip early leaves, by the time the leaves are out you shouldn't have any protection on anyway, so it's best to let the rose warm up at a natural pace along with the rest of the soil. Of course things may differ in your zone, but I think many of us think roses can't handle the cold as well as they often can. Even my hybrid teas and teas are fine as long as the highs are above 20 and the lows not into the single digits. Cynthia