# Blown-in cellulose in the attic



## socket2ya (Oct 27, 2016)

Do you guys charge extra for having to work in attics that have blown-in mounds of grey snow. Makes the jobs the job a lot more difficult and messy than traditional bats of insulation. The cellulose gets everywhere and is nasty to breath in. Today while I was working in such an attic, there were pieces of plywood available that I used as a floating platforms to stand on to get where i was going. Then how about digging through 2' of the stuff to route wires under joists, what fun! I'm thinking about letting the next poor b*stard deal with it next time one of these jobs comes along. 
At my own house I had an energy audit and upgrade done and decided to go with additional fiberglass over blown-in for my attic. The research that I did found that the fiberglass was very slightly less efficient, but I think the benefits outweigh the aforementioned problems with cellulose.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

I agree it's a pain, but I haven't considered charging more for it.

But it is cool to see it being put in. Have you ever seen the static electricity the hose builds up? 6 inch arcs can jump out and get the unsuspecting passerby. It's fun.


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## drewsserviceco (Aug 1, 2014)

I'd take cellulose over fiberglass any day. I'm sure that's just me. Less itchy. I always wear a cartridge respirator when going in attics anymore. I bring a rake up with me, which in a way is easier that cutting a batt in half, or fighting the stapled vapor barrier to get where I'm going.


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## Julius793 (Nov 29, 2011)

Working with it sucks but I don't charge extra.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

All somebody has to do is mention attic to me and the price goes up.


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

What year was that place built? Before 1973? If it was, I'd have the stuff tested for asbestos. You can't tell just by looking at it.


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## PlugsAndLights (Jan 19, 2016)

Blown in cellulose is a nuisance but it's a lot nicer than blown in fiberglass. 
Just like cellulose, blown in fiberglass gets air born easily but of course it's 
really itchy and makes you cough till you gag, and then some. It's also 
about as easy to re-fluff as fresh fallen snow. 
P&L


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Dust mask!


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

joebanana said:


> What year was that place built? Before 1973? If it was, I'd have the stuff tested for asbestos. You can't tell just by looking at it.


You know that is just a big hoak right? You watch to much jerry springer while sitting at home.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

just like any other cancer type thing, you never know who it will affect. i know someone dying from it and i know lots of people exposed to it long ago that have no problem with it , including me . dust mask is an inconveinence that may save your life, but not with asbestos


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

also charge more for deep insulation! it takes more time besides the hazard!


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

I know what I might have to get into before taking the job and negotiating the price. Do I price more for attic/crawl space work? You bet your ass!


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

does that big nose help find things?:laughing:


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Things to keep in mind for some situations.

Are you alone or with employees, costs more. 
Added labor means higher bid.

Have to clean as you go and or clean when done or not allow dust/debris to get anywhere else, costs more.
Tarping off, drop clothes, vacuuming, taking art down, moving furniture means higher bid.

Multiple attics or crawl spaces and you need to inspect/wire thru them all, costs more.
F THAT, higher bid.

Added materials needed to navigate without real pita, costs more.
Masks, gloves, suits, booties...etc etc... higher bid.

If it's not a bid, higher hourly rate with minimum charges.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

whoa, buddy! moving fine art and furniture, whatever, not in the contract! im like a bullin a china shop with a red flag at the other end!~:laughing:


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Yeppers... Majewski nails it...

If I buy a car, there is a basic model then I have all the additions that I can add, each item costs more. 

If I go to a hotel, I have a room, then maybe I pay a little more for an early check-in, late check-out, wifi, parking, etc... 

If I have internet service, there are tiers to the amount of data I can stream, the speeds at which I can upload/download, etc....

Successful business charge more for goods and services that are more difficult, dangerous, and costly to themselves. Why should we be any different?


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Oh and the most important thing.....write messages in the open walls in attics for warning to the next poor sob(s). I like to add things like, Travis is a doosh or, Jennifer is hot.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Charge outright more for dealing with cellulose, no.

Charge more for the added labor, ABSOLUTELY!


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

sbrn33 said:


> You know that is just a big hoak right? You watch to much jerry springer while sitting at home.


Have you ever heard the song "My sihts f*cked up" by Warren Zevon? 
It's kinda an autobiography. The back story was, his father used to own an antique shop. When Warren was a youngster, he would play in the attic, which had blown in insulation. He died of mesothelioma at age 56.
He never knew how he got it, but ..............It only takes one fiber and 30, or 40 years to "f*ck your siht up".
I'm just sayin', they put that stuff in everything, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, transite, shingles, pipe wrap, insulation, and that "cellulose" insulation has to have some fire ******ant properties, otherwise it's a fire hazard.
They thought lead in paint, and gasoline was a good idea too.
Jerry....Jerry....Jerry.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I'm not sure if I understand this "charge extra" thing. Extra compared to what? You always estimate according to the difficulty of the job. If you're charging out time then you're covered. 

Do it the Maj way. He takes a tablecloth, a box of donuts and a jug of coffee up there and makes a day of it  .


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## socket2ya (Oct 27, 2016)

Let me give you an example. If estimate a job of adding 4 recessed lights and a switch to a living room I would usually be around $650 for that. If there is blown-in stuff I'm thinking that same job is now $800. It's going to start spreading through the house the minute I pull down the attic stairs, as well as the other issues.
If you want to do it for the same price you normally would then you can have it. I'll go work on one of my clean roughs or finishes. I sound like a spoiled baby, I know, but I'ts a busy time right now and I'm starting to get choosy with the work I do.


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## drewsserviceco (Aug 1, 2014)

99cents said:


> Do it the Maj way. He takes a tablecloth, a box of donuts and a jug of coffee up there and makes a day of it  .



Im sure Maj likes his donuts, but in my head the joke works better with bagels and lox....


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

drewsserviceco said:


> Im sure Maj likes his donuts, but in my head the joke works better with bagels and lox....


Racist! :jester:


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

The customer is already paying for it b/c of the extra time involved. You don't want to price yourself out of the market. There is only so much you can charge for the pain factor. Anything more and it starts looking like a phone or cable bill.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

99cents said:


> I'm not sure if I understand this "charge extra" thing. Extra compared to what? You always estimate according to the difficulty of the job. If you're charging out time then you're covered.
> 
> Do it the Maj way. He takes a tablecloth, a box of donuts and a jug of coffee up there and makes a day of it  .


Living the dream baby. One asbestos fiber at a time.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Bird dog said:


> The customer is already paying for it b/c of the extra time involved. You don't want to price yourself out of the market. There is only so much you can charge for the pain factor. Anything more and it starts looking like a phone or cable bill.




Horsefeathers.


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## lighterup (Jun 14, 2013)

99cents said:


> I'm not sure if I understand this "charge extra" thing. Extra compared to what? You always estimate according to the difficulty of the job. If you're charging out time then you're covered.
> 
> Do it the Maj way. He takes a tablecloth, a box of donuts and a jug of coffee up there and makes a day of it  .


and don't forget your hammer to occasionally bang on the roof trusses
make lots of noise that way it sounds like your real busy up there:laughing:


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## mitch65 (Mar 26, 2015)

boss charged a customer for 2 5" potlight cans he lost in the insulation of an attic a couple of years ago......


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

drewsserviceco said:


> Im sure Maj likes his donuts, but in my head the joke works better with bagels and lox....


Antisemite.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

lighterup said:


> and don't forget your hammer to occasionally bang on the roof trusses
> make lots of noise that way it sounds like your real busy up there:laughing:


Yes, that's common sense.


mitch65 said:


> boss charged a customer for 2 5" potlight cans he lost in the insulation of an attic a couple of years ago......


Good for him! lol


RePhase277 said:


> Antisemite.


I wouldn't want it any other way!


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Majewski said:


> Living the dream baby. One asbestos fiber at a time.


To prove that mesothelioma is no big deal, I once inhaled an ounce of asbestos a day for a whole year. I got mesothelioma and 5 other cancers. I beat them all just by flexing in the mirror for 15 minutes. True story.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Bird dog said:


> The customer is already paying for it b/c of the extra time involved. You don't want to price yourself out of the market. There is only so much you can charge for the pain factor. Anything more and it starts looking like a phone or cable bill.


Well, they aren't really paying for it if you didn't calculate the extra time into your price.


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## electricguy (Mar 22, 2007)

lighterup said:


> and don't forget your hammer to occasionally bang on the roof trusses
> make lots of noise that way it sounds like your real busy up there:laughing:


thats what the cordless impact is for


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Majewski said:


> Yes, that's common sense.
> 
> Good for him! lol
> 
> I wouldn't want it any other way!


Waking up the termites... that's the ticket.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

RePhase277 said:


> To prove that mesothelioma is no big deal, I once inhaled an ounce of asbestos a day for a whole year. I got mesothelioma and 5 other cancers. I beat them all just by flexing in the mirror for 15 minutes. True story.


I had mesothelioma when I was a toddler as I think most people did back then. (Binky's were made of asbestos back then for fire safety.) So I don't think I can get it now, I am immune. I sleep on a pillow with asbestos filling now because it brings me back to my childhood, I literally sleep like a baby.


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