# property preservation



## Guest (Apr 27, 2011)

Hi, Im new to this site and Im not sure if im posting to the right area but here goes. I have a question, Im doing work for AMS and Im having issues with the what qualifies a cyd to them. Is anyone getting paid for a contractor bag being 1 cyd?

Thank you
Michele


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## Guest (Apr 27, 2011)

That'd have to be one huge contractors bag to be equal to a cubic yard. There's about 8 gallons in a cubic foot, so a 55-gallon drum liner would be about 7 cubic feet. That means you'd need about 3.5 bags to make a cubic yard. 

Stupid question, maybe- but isn't this something you should have found out up front??


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2011)

*cubic yard*

Well, I know that a cubit yard is 3x3x3 and two contractor bags equals a cubic yard. I was told by one of the trainers that a contractor bag is a cubic yard by their standards and was just inquiring if anyone had that experience.
Thanx
Michele


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## Guest (May 3, 2011)

eastcoast said:


> Well, I know that a cubit yard is 3x3x3 and two contractor bags equals a cubic yard. I was told by one of the trainers that a contractor bag is a cubic yard by their standards and was just inquiring if anyone had that experience.
> Thanx
> Michele


I was working for ams and had problems with what they consider a cubic yard. Basically in the end of the argument they consider a couch or sofa a cubic yard. Because after you put it through a wood chipper it would fit in a 3x3x3 . Not so good for business, when it really takes up 60 yrds and they say its 10.


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## Guest (May 6, 2011)

For me, a contractor bag is 3x3x3 and is a cubic yard. We have not had a problem with most companies.

I have an application from AMS in my inbox right now btw.


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## Guest (May 6, 2011)

foothillsco said:


> For me, a contractor bag is 3x3x3 and is a cubic yard. We have not had a problem with most companies.
> 
> I have an application from AMS in my inbox right now btw.


I guess I'm in the wrong State then. Do you do pool boarding and securing? That pays the best around here.


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

mbobbish734 said:


> I guess I'm in the wrong State then. Do you do pool boarding and securing? That pays the best around here.


HUD is charging back for pool "boarding" right now to the service companies if the County/City ordinance's does not state the pool has to be boarded. HUD will pay up to $400 allowable for tarping and there is no profit in that when the tarp is costing $250 ++ for the winter pool covers that are to be used. I did get 2 overallowables this week for covers but still not a decent profit. 

FYI I hope you have approvals on the pool covers for a REO property or paperwork from the County/City that states you have to board the pools. I personally have never ever seen where you board but you must use a minimum 8mil cover to satisfy City ordinances. 

Good luck:thumbsup:


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

FremontREO said:


> HUD is charging back for pool "boarding" right now to the service companies if the County/City ordinance's does not state the pool has to be boarded. HUD will pay up to $400 allowable for tarping and there is no profit in that when the tarp is costing $250 ++ for the winter pool covers that are to be used. I did get 2 overallowables this week for covers but still not a decent profit.
> 
> FYI I hope you have approvals on the pool covers for a REO property or paperwork from the County/City that states you have to board the pools. I personally have never ever seen where you board but you must use a minimum 8mil cover to satisfy City ordinances.
> 
> Good luck:thumbsup:


For us, boarding a pool or hot tub is always bid. I refuse to batf them. Further you need to be explicit in what your "cage" will be in your estimate. For example, "2x6s at 16" OC, followed by 6x6 mesh wire, followed by 6 mil or tarp quality plastic tucked under the edges.

For some of our clients, they require a custom pool cover that costs upto $600 for the cover. So we are tripling it to take into account, carrying costs, installation, cost of cover. Luckily we don't get many of these.

I used to take one for the team so we could continue our volume but I'm not in that mood anymore.

Finally, a good cheat sheet of local ordinances, dump fees and such is mandatory for our office when writing estimates. For example, we have a dump that charges us $5 per gallon of paint. Without our little line about dump fees (name, address, phone), we justify charging $15 per gallon.

I'm not sure about other states, but in Colorado, if Denver passes an ordinance, it's adopted statewide and the other cities just refer to Denver's list. Therefore, we don't research every muni, just Denver. We have something on windows, unsecure sheds and openings, pool covers, debris, grass, trees, bushes.

Finally, we call code enforcement when we see something that is a blight to the community or just plain wrong. This doesnt mean we automatically get the job, but it does mean it gets fixed right away.

This call to code enforcement is a check box on our company work orders.


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

FremontREO said:


> HUD is charging back for pool "boarding" right now to the service companies if the County/City ordinance's does not state the pool has to be boarded. HUD will pay up to $400 allowable for tarping and there is no profit in that when the tarp is costing $250 ++ for the winter pool covers that are to be used. I did get 2 overallowables this week for covers but still not a decent profit.
> 
> FYI I hope you have approvals on the pool covers for a REO property or paperwork from the County/City that states you have to board the pools. I personally have never ever seen where you board but you must use a minimum 8mil cover to satisfy City ordinances.
> 
> Good luck:thumbsup:


Around here the city never gets in the way of what these wack jobs want. Last one I did the city inspector came to see how I do it.2x6 deck 16 o.c.6mil poly and #10 mesh. These are inground pools. When I was done ,2k richer and inspector gave the thumpsup.


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

mbobbish734 said:


> Around here the city never gets in the way of what these wack jobs want. Last one I did the city inspector came to see how I do it.2x6 deck 16 o.c.6mil poly and #10 mesh. These are inground pools. When I was done ,2k richer and inspector gave the thumpsup.


Just giving you and everyone else a big heads up. Understand the city doesn't really care if you build a wooden cage on a pool just so that pool is secured BUT if the HUD audit/Compliance Dept happens to call THAT CITY where you built the pool cage and they don't have an ordinance that requires a cage then you will be $2000 poorer + cost of materials + Time when you get charged back. 

This is what a large national told us recently: "HUD hired a 3rd party auditing company and has several hundred employees that only call to check City Ordinances to see where they can negate invoices" The big "RED FLAG" is any invoice over $500 is suposedly audited for any compliance issues. The biggie right now is plumbing/electrical and HVAC work:::::HUD has started asking the Service Companies to provide a copy of the paid receipt from the Professional to be certain that YOU the P&P Contractor has followed the rules to have a properly licensed Professional complete the work per City/County/State/Federal Laws/Ordinances. Such as the Plumbers, Electricians, HVAC contractors and others depending on your State.....

Foothills is right...KNOW your codes...its in your contract that you, the P&P Contractor, is responsible for following all codes, ordinances, laws etc etc. 

Ie....Respect the TRADES:thumbsup:


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

mbobbish734 said:


> Around here the city never gets in the way of what these wack jobs want. Last one I did the city inspector came to see how I do it.2x6 deck 16 o.c.6mil poly and #10 mesh. These are inground pools. When I was done ,2k richer and inspector gave the thumpsup.


Just giving you and everyone else a big heads up. Understand the city doesn't really care if you build a wooden cage on a pool just so that pool is secured BUT if the HUD audit/Compliance Dept happens to call THAT CITY where you built the pool cage and they don't have an ordinance that requires a cage then you will be $2000 poorer + cost of materials + Time when you get charged back. 

This is what a large national told us recently: "HUD hired a 3rd party auditing company and has several hundred employees that only call to check City Ordinances to see where they can negate invoices" The big "RED FLAG" is any invoice over $500 is suposedly audited for any compliance issues. The biggie right now is plumbing/electrical and HVAC work:::::HUD has started asking the Service Companies to provide a copy of the paid receipt from the Professional to be certain that YOU the P&P Contractor has followed the rules to have a properly licensed Professional complete the work per City/County/State/Federal Laws/Ordinances. Such as the Plumbers, Electricians, HVAC contractors and others depending on your State.....

Foothills is right...KNOW your codes...its in your contract that you, the P&P Contractor, is responsible for following all codes, ordinances, laws etc etc. 

Ie....Respect the TRADES:thumbsup:


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

FremontREO said:


> Just giving you and everyone else a big heads up. Understand the city doesn't really care if you build a wooden cage on a pool just so that pool is secured BUT if the HUD audit/Compliance Dept happens to call THAT CITY where you built the pool cage and they don't have an ordinance that requires a cage then you will be $2000 poorer + cost of materials + Time when you get charged back.
> 
> This is what a large national told us recently: "HUD hired a 3rd party auditing company and has several hundred employees that only call to check City Ordinances to see where they can negate invoices" The big "RED FLAG" is any invoice over $500 is suposedly audited for any compliance issues. The biggie right now is plumbing/electrical and HVAC work:::::HUD has started asking the Service Companies to provide a copy of the paid receipt from the Professional to be certain that YOU the P&P Contractor has followed the rules to have a properly licensed Professional complete the work per City/County/State/Federal Laws/Ordinances. Such as the Plumbers, Electricians, HVAC contractors and others depending on your State.....
> 
> ...


Around here the codes for securing homes and pools, says refer to hud standards. I don't work for nationals. I did but it left a bad taste in my pocket book. I work for realtors and brokers. When they ask me to bid the following and approve the work, I don't care what the nationals are doing about it.3 yrs in business as property preservation and not a single charge back. Thumbsup.


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