Garage electrical

My neighbor came over and offered to rewire my garage with a friend visiting from Africa. His friend wants to learn everything he can so I guess they decided my garage was a good candidate.  I know he is familar with the inadequacies of the garage, as the previous owner and he were friends. And the previous owner was very creative with home repairs.  After I bought the house, he told me he had cut electrical lines in the yard to the pond and all outside lighting because he knew they would not pass inspection. 
All  I need is to get an electrician out to find out how it is powered --where the lines are buried from the house and update that-- and he will do the rest.
Neighbors are good.

Hydrangea outside my front door. This is the first it has bloomed in a couple years. Previously we would have a cold snap at an inopportune time and freeze all the wee blooms off. Not this year! 

Giving something away on Craigslist or How To Weed Out Your Responses Responsibly

In prep for my new garage doors, I bypassed the $300 dismantle and dispose fee and listed the old ones on craigslist.  This is how I weed the emails out. 
I posted the ad with a picture of the doors.  I only use the craigslist response email, I do not give any personal info, no phone, no email, no address in the body of the ad. Here is the ad.
"Three garage doors, two mahogany, one I don't know. Four paneled doors, all with glass panels, approx 8 x 7.  Ca. 1970's. They are being replaced with metal garage doors.   Use them for gardening? Building a chicken coop? Your own creative object d'art? Sometimes I am looking for weird stuff on craigslist that I know people are getting rid of, so I thought I would see if anyone is looking for these! "
  The key thing is I am going to have them work (they had to dismantle and take the doors) so I want to make sure they know there is a reason I am giving them away.  That they have all the information they need.  I do not hide problems with the item and hope they don't notice when they get here... that wastes my time and theirs.  The only big problem with this ad is I did not give dimensions.   Here is how I navigate responses. I edited and changed the following emails and names to protect the innocent. Ha.


1. This guy totally legit, since he is emailing from work (bad employee!) and gives his full name.  Since I wanted to get rid of the whole thing, I passed him by for other folks who wanted all three.

From: Dean F <deanf@autoparts.net>
To: -3077420896@sale.craigslist.org
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 9:24 AM
Subject: GARAGE DOORS

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

I need 2 to 3 wood panels, and no glass. Are your new doors up. I can pick the panels up at noon if they are.

Dean 

2. The following three I never respond to other than to tell them they are gone.  Many people just surf the free section and don't even really need the item, they just look at it as a resale.  This first guys problem is lack of intelligence, and I prefer not to have strangers over that miss such key information. Such as it is an item priced as free and listed in the free section.
Sent from my iPad

CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

How much?


Cecil


3.  These are what the free surfer dudes look like. I guarantee when you call him he will have no idea what you are calling about and you have to remind him because he responds to anything he can resell.  I have found these fellows to be inconsistent (not always showing up) and uncareful in removal(since it is not for their own use).
Sent from my iPhone
Very interested please call me . Aaron 360-611-


4. Do NOT EVER ask this. Just don't. Say you are interested, you can pick it up soon, that you have a way to transport it, why you want it.... but never this.
Sent from my iPhone
Do you still have the doors?


5. This is who I ended up giving it to. He wanted it for a fixer upper he just got from the bank. He had a large truck, was so courteous and careful, and regaled me with stories of Hollywood and the house he just bought. He was a fellow ole house lover! He also was persistent (two emails) had a real email and name (not hotmama69@yahoo.com or spacyfrieddude@msn.com)
and used capitals in his sentence. I know that the youngsters probably would not blink if someone didn't use capitals, but it is just one more sign they have a semblance of wherewithall to know if you are sending an email out into the ether because you want something for free, and someone is going to trust you to come to their home... well you can throw a little punctuation and capitals in that sentence.

From: Phil D 
To: 3077420896@sale.craigslist.org
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 2:57 PM
Subject: garage doors

** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams

I emailed you earlier, wondering if they are still available and that I can come and get them as soon as I here from you..I can sure use them..Thank You..Phil at 425-

From: Andrea blueshoefarm@gmail.com
;
Subject: Re: garage doors
To: "Phil" <phil.@.com>
Date: Friday, June 15, 2012, 3:18 AM

Hi Phil,

You understand I am replacing them... so they are definitely not perfect? Andrea

Yes thats fine.Where in poulsbo,and what time tomorrow would work best for you?thank you,Phil

To finish it all off be courteous and let the responders know your item has been given away, and take the ad down from craigslist when it is gone.

xyz@bye.com
Re: Garage doors

Hi, They all got picked up today. Thanks for your interest.

Andrea

Garage doors

Pics: This is the post in the best condition with the foam dug out. I have three garage doors, two which don't open. I got bids to replace them and one bidder noted "it doesn't appear anything is holding this whole wall up." Upon looking closer it appears someone had patched WITH FOAM major structural pieces and then painted it to match. Only when you poked it was it apparent there was nothing of substance, the paint was the toughest thing there.
So yesterday new handyman Erik came over and fixed them. He is a local, and me trying to find another local person for repairs since Javier is all the way in Seattle and always booked solid.
All the support posts holding the three garage doors were rotten and missing except one. I did not take a pic of the most dramatic because my camera went dead, but take this image times three and you get the picture. Erik said my building was being held up by the 70's steel rails from the garage doors. At least they were still making solid stuff in the 70's otherwise my garage would be slumping. I talked to him about converting the third garage into a studio but it not looking like a "former garage door closed off to make a room." To do that would not be a quick job and take some more concrete and structural work so I put that off. I still have a bathroom to fix.
More garage images here...