I just washed these windows, AMA  

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 06/05/2017 at 23:55 • Filed to: Modest living, Window washing AMA

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“The house that broke my spirit” edition. The header image is not the main house. It’s not even the guest home. It’s the separate recording studio. Which at 5 bedrooms, 4 bath, 3 stories, and a garage with 8 cars in it... Is by far the smallest building on the property. Fml

The recording studio garage certainly had some neat cars in it. Its one of four garages on the lakeside property, along with an additional 40,000 sq ft of living space divided between the main house, and two guest homes. At some point today this terrible, terrible job site broke my will and I just started taking pictures of cool things because I’ll be there all day tomorrow and the next day regardless of how late I stay tonight and it will be even hotter, and more miserable and I need a new career, and lots of alcohol, and a free revving motorcycle to ride off into the sunset never to return and—

Okay. Deep breathes. Be cool. It’s cool. We’re cool, right? Right.

The more interesting the home, the tougher the job. This home... is interesting. Unfortunately none of the pictures I took managed to quite convey how much work the windows at this home are. I was not in photographer mindset when I snapped these.

Let’s try something. Count every single pane in your home. Your standard apartment-grade bedroom windows, with one stationary pane and one sliding pane, is 2 windows. Simple enough. Okay, you’ve got five minutes........ How many panes oppo?

This job? Slightly over 1200 panes, not counting ANY of the French panes (of which there are hundreds) or the 90 skylights. Have some pictures...

One side of the smaller guest house. There are eight sides, total. Three other sides like this, three others sides like this but with a third floor row of windows, and the last side was four stories and basically all bedrooms from what I could tell.

One side of the larger guest house. This image is what greats you when you pass through the gate into the compound. A cruel joke to put such a seductively easy looking section front and center to hide the dark secrets that lay beyond

And onto some of the cool things in the recording studio. First three shots are the lounge. Next shot is one of three recording rooms.

I was trying to get a shot of the Bop-It, but huh. I think there may be a harp in there as well..?

Floor shot. I know that there is some Brazilian rose wood (Jacobia wood?) in there because the owner mentioned it, but beyond that...

Upholstery choices, Yay or nay?

The studio with the nicest gear was locked, and the one in the middle was dark and I literally spent 5 minutes trying to figure out how to turn a light on to no avail. So no pictures. This last one looked to be the studio for family rehearsals.

And finally, the cars. Keep in mind that these are in the recording studio garage. I haven’t been in the main garages yet.

I saw Ferrari memorabilia so I’d imagine there’s at least one, somewhere. But honestly I could care less. I hate this place. Steve Ballmer’s house? No problem. Happy to go there. Bill Gates? Once every 18 months, worth it just to say you’ve worked for the richest human on the planet. The family who controls the space needle? Modest home. Red Robin of North America CEO? That house is a bitch and a half, but relatively small.

But this place.... Ahhhhh. This. Fucking. Place. This is the first time I’ve ever looked at a home, and thought to myself, “this is too much”. Four people live here. In this massive estate. It’s not even in some super special multi-millionaire community like some of the homes I go to regularly. A block away is an old apartment building that even I could afford a place at (maybe. Probably not). For local oppos, if you were curious the home is located on Juanita drive, just half a mile up from Spuds fish and chips.

I’m going to go find an empty lot, and do donuts until my heart is at ease. Hope your Monday was a bit more enjoyable Oppo!

TheHondaBro > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:01

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Goals af.

AestheticsInMotion > TheHondaBro 06/06/2017 at 00:03

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10/10 would live in that recording studio forever and ever

Steve in Manhattan > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:10

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Is there a good ER nearby? Or at least a massage therapist?

C62030 > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:13

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Velour upholstery woulda been better.

Edit: Went internet hunting. It’s worth $4.7 million. God bless you, Google Maps.

Edit squared: The people who live there also worked for Microsoft and the Gates Foundation, according to a reverse address thingy. I’m having too much fun with this.

TheHondaBro > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:14

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Seriously.

AestheticsInMotion > Steve in Manhattan 06/06/2017 at 00:16

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I’ve yet to get a professional message. I should really try it... But there’s a large check at the end that will fund many car things and probably a small trip.

AestheticsInMotion > C62030 06/06/2017 at 00:17

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Ha. Only in your dreams

notsomethingstructural > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:17

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are the windows clean now

also it would be fun to say you cleaned up Windows for Bill Gates

also the floors might be Jatoba. they look too much like hickory for my taste.

AestheticsInMotion > notsomethingstructural 06/06/2017 at 00:19

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Not yet. The first day is sanding the panes with 50, 75, and 100 grit sandpaper. 2nd day 200, 350, 600 grit. Third day 700 grit followed by steel wool. It’s a process

MonkeePuzzle > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:20

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oh... not just soap and water.

w

o

w

!

!

AestheticsInMotion > MonkeePuzzle 06/06/2017 at 00:26

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One the glass on the surface is past its prime you have to sand down to a deeper level. It’s just like cleaning your car’s exterior

AestheticsInMotion > MonkeePuzzle 06/06/2017 at 00:28

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My lawyer friend told me to stop telling people that, but I think he’s just jealous because he didn’t figure it out first and had to settle for a career in criminal justice

facw > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:29

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C62030 > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:31

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Apparently the residents worked for Microsoft and the Gates Foundation and the place is worth $4.7 million.

God bless you, Google Maps.

AestheticsInMotion > facw 06/06/2017 at 00:32

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No scrub a dub dub because I use the superior sandpaper method

-see above-

facw > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:33

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That’s at least still sort of scrubby...

AestheticsInMotion > C62030 06/06/2017 at 00:35

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Wow. Reverse image search or did you just look up Juanita drive..? The Google-fu is strong in you.

AestheticsInMotion > notsomethingstructural 06/06/2017 at 00:38

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Oh god how have I never thought of that! Cleaned up windows for Bill Gates... Brilliant

notsomethingstructural > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:39

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I think you mean it’s a... Pane?

What do you get a pane on those, $30-50?

AestheticsInMotion > notsomethingstructural 06/06/2017 at 00:43

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Har har.

And my brain is tired so not exactly sure what you’re asking. Pricing structure? $4 per pane (that includes inside and out), which for this area at least is well below average. French panes are bid out differently

500 Days of Kittens > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 00:55

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12. 12 panes in my apartment.

Scuse me while I sacrifice a virgin and hope.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 01:14

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Damn. What do they do and how do they do it?

AestheticsInMotion > 500 Days of Kittens 06/06/2017 at 01:20

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9 panes here. I know the feels.

On the plus side if you ever hired a window washer your bill would be a bit less than Mr. 1200+ panes!

500 Days of Kittens > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 01:43

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Probably a higher percentage of my annual income though. At least until this virgin thing takes effect.

random001 > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 06:36

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I do not envy the pain with which you will suffer post this job, but I always really enjoy your posts.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 08:11

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Interesting. I have noticed that glass suffers from the environment here, but I had never heard that you could hand-resurface it. I know that over time the stuff becomes porous enough that things start hanging on it and growing, since the place I live in has some skylights that are way past their prime, essentially uncleanable, and they rapidly grow green stuff even after I clean them the best I can.

You’d also likely hate where I live. We have a bunch of tiny panes on most of our awful windows, some weird big windows in the rear with lower slider windows, etc. If it was my house, the windows would need replacement ASAP because they’re garbage, then the carpets because they’re suffering old nylon carpet syndrome, then a massive kitchen remodel... Still, the place is worth at least a million, which is kind of ridiculous to me.

notsomethingstructural > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 08:30

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Damn, that’s a lot of work for what seems like not a lot of money. Do you really use 50 grit sandpaper right on the glass?

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 10:01

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If you count the sliding doors, 9. I grew up in an old house with small square windows, a lot there.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > C62030 06/06/2017 at 10:04

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4.7M wouldn’t get you anywhere near that in SF. My uncle just bought my grandparents house back for about that much.

C62030 > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 10:23

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Looked up Juanita, used the little scale bar to figure out how far a half mile was, then zoomed in and looked around the 3D buildings till one looked familiar. Dropped into Street View and looked at the address. Then just reverse address and LinkedIn. Took ten minutes tops.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 12:34

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Holy shit. Hope this is a 5 figure job for you!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > notsomethingstructural 06/06/2017 at 12:35

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I’ve been debugging windows for Bill Gates all day - ha!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 12:36

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“I’ve been debugging windows for Bill Gates this week.”

CaptDale - is secretly British > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 13:32

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4 * 2 pane windows in my apartment

AestheticsInMotion > CaptDale - is secretly British 06/06/2017 at 17:21

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I’m at 6 panes in my condo. With some basic napkin math, after talking to my clients live-in grounds keeper I realized he’s spending over 75k a year on basic maintenance.

....I like small homes

CaptDale - is secretly British > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 17:28

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I like properly sized homes for whatever I need. But personally my prefered home would be a run own Victorian that I could remodel my self (pretty handy) and make things a little more modern, but leave it aesthetically Victorian. Like restomod a house. Then have a high tech barn garage.

AestheticsInMotion > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 06/06/2017 at 18:37

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Respectable 4 figure job, but with very low operating costs and relatively quick work, that’s still a tidy profit!

AestheticsInMotion > CaptDale - is secretly British 06/06/2017 at 18:39

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Major remodeling yourself would be a blast. One home I go to every two years is a beat up Victorian on the outside... And INCREDIBLY modern tech wonderland one the inside. The family purposely made the exterior look like it’s half falling apart. It’s like a sleeper car...

CaptDale - is secretly British > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 19:01

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I would want the exterior to be pristine too. With big stained glass windows and such and the same on the inside, but with subtle modern upgrading and such to make it liveable.

Never heard of a sleeper home, but that is kinda cool.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 06/06/2017 at 22:26

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Nice. Estimated total man hours for the whole job?

AestheticsInMotion > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 06/07/2017 at 00:34

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About 36 total, but half of that is me so... Savings!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 06/07/2017 at 09:31

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As long as it’s worth the pain! You probably need a multiplier on you per-pane fee for especially obnoxious/dangerous jobs. =)

AestheticsInMotion > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 06/07/2017 at 20:20

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Totally joking. Please do not sand your windows. Unless you film it and post the results here.

0000 steel wool is real though. It’s pretty good at getting organic materials off safely. Not quite as good as a razor blade, but much safer, and potentially faster.

Yeah this area... I’m wondering if the market will ever go to w I think of as normal, or if this is the new normal? My one bedroom, 70s condo in totem Lake that was beat to shit when when got it 4 years ago was 90k. It’s now valued at about 300k. Which would be great.... If houses didn’t basically start in the high 800's near my work area.

AestheticsInMotion > notsomethingstructural 06/07/2017 at 20:22

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Totally joking. Please don’t do that haha. Real bad stuff gets a razor blade treatment, or CLR (Calcium, Lime and Rust) bath. Few other tips and tricks but no... A 50 grit window cleaning would probably go over poorly with the homeowners...

AestheticsInMotion > random001 06/07/2017 at 20:25

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It’s all done! Writing about it helps make it more bearable. Plus I like showcasing some of the interesting homes around here. Win win!

AestheticsInMotion > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 06/07/2017 at 20:26

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Apparently Microsoft big shots. Both of them, and both retired late 30's.

As to how... Satanic pact? I don’t know man, I’m just the cleaner!

random001 > AestheticsInMotion 06/08/2017 at 06:34

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Truth!

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > AestheticsInMotion 06/08/2017 at 22:08

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I have used 0000 for cleaning before. Great stuff, but I haven’t had any around lately. I did scrape them, but it was only marginally effective and the environment working up there was harsh so I could only work it so hard (direct sunlight, plus the reflection off the glass, was not kind to my sensitive eyes and skin).

That’s crazy. Mind you, it’s everywhere. I don’t know where I’ll find a job paying 3x what I’ve been making to afford a house that is 3x as expensive as they were when I moved here...

TomServo (Resides on the Satellite of Love) > AestheticsInMotion 11/12/2017 at 21:53

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You wash Windows for Bill Gates? Where I live, the biggest house is 10,000 square feet, and my parent’s house at 6,000 square feet is considered gargantuan. There are a few nice neighborhoods, but not a lot. My parents bought a house in the nicest neighborhood in town, a 6000 square foot 2 story with a 4 car garage, only paid 400k, and it’s the best looking house in the hood.

AestheticsInMotion > TomServo (Resides on the Satellite of Love) 11/12/2017 at 21:58

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I debug windows for Bill Gates, yes.