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Post by sherri on Feb 13, 2017 22:14:02 GMT
Any suggestions? Have people here used any programs they particularly liked? eg picmonkey. Basically I would just like to sharpen some photos. Not after too many special effects but don't mind a few.
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Post by DADDY O on Feb 25, 2017 23:21:40 GMT
Lola is the expert on this, but I like to use the Google programs because you can change back at the click of a button.
Picasa 3 is good, if it is still offered (free), and Google Photo works the same way.
I have used the big expensive programs, like Photoshop, but found out the learning curve was more than I wanted to participate in.....it would be easier for me to rebuild a Mercedes Engine than using that program.
You should ask Champ what he uses.....he's a whiz at it.
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Post by sherri on Feb 26, 2017 11:53:20 GMT
@ the photoshop comment. I have heard it isn't the easiest program in the world to master!
Thanks, daddyo. I have quite a few photos that are fairly faded and a few that have the crease thing happening too. I looked at a bricks and mortar photo shop's website and it seems photo restoration (beautiful as it may be) is not cheap. The shop was boasting of 'only' costing $150 for a photo that had had $550 quotes elsewhere. They did say photos may cost a lot less than $150 depending on amount of work, size of photo required etc. But.. unless I win the lottery I can't afford to get a whole album full of photos done. So it looks like I will have to do it myself, hence the query.
Yes, I did ask Lola and she recommended 2 programs. One is a free download called photoscape and does a reasonable job for brightening/sharpening and even a few special effects/frames if you want them. Haven't seen any repair type options but at least the price is right!! And the program is intuitive. I just started using it without any instructions so it is obviously made with the novice in mind.
Lola also recommended Paintshop pro9 ultimate. It costs about $145 but I will look at what it can do and see if it is something I would use a lot.
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Post by lola on Feb 28, 2017 14:09:03 GMT
I find using a couple of different photo programmes help, as they all have some individual strengths. For instance, I like the clone tool in photoscape, and if you know how to use it correctly, you can actually take creases out of old photos etc. I just bought the Paintshop pro9 Ultimate, on special in Officeworks at present, and seems to do some good things so far, although I haven't had much time to play around with it, as being in the middle of having no kitchen, and tiling the floors last few days, and tomorrow, paint the walls, before the kitchen goes in this weekend (yes Sherri, the builder moved it earlier to do it, rather than on Monday next, and this has put a lot of stress and hurry ups on our part). For instance, he wants to work on Saturday, and I say, no can do, going to an engagement, and I am taking the photos. So then I cave in and say okay to Saturday morning and be gone by 1pm. Well, once it's all done, I will do the before, during and after photos on here.
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Post by sherri on Feb 28, 2017 22:20:09 GMT
Look forward to seeing the photos!
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Post by lola on Mar 26, 2017 10:52:18 GMT
Look forward to seeing the photos! An update on the kitchen, painfully slow completion, and all because of the benches not getting done. What is it with some businesses, we dropped the templates off 6th March, and he said it would be a week and a half. Then I went in last week, to check, and nothing done, so he said, it will be ready by Friday (just gone)...I phoned on Thursday, and was told they won't be ready until next week....really, WTF! So I had the electrician and gas fitter in to at least get the cooker going and installed, and yesterday, hubby did the rangehood. At least I can now cook in the kitchen, with scraps of boards taped on for bench tops, but still hard with no sink or dishwasher. Sigh.....it's really taking the sparkle off, and with son's wedding coming up in Bali soon, I feel stressed. Well, that's the update :-P No before and after photos yet, sorry to say.
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Post by sherri on Mar 26, 2017 10:57:28 GMT
I hate it when tradesmen don't keep you informed & in the loop about timelines.
Any business can get delayed or find they can't finish something when they expected to, but they should be letting the customer know & finding out exactly when things will be done.
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Post by DADDY O on Mar 26, 2017 17:15:21 GMT
There is an easy way to solve that. Simply add what is known as a "Liquidated Damage" clause to the contract. It gives the owner a way to insure that their project will be on time, and it gives the contractor "incentive" to finish on time.
Liquidated damages clauses are generally enforceable, so long as the amount stated is reasonable in light of the contract’s subject matter. Such clauses are used when the parties have difficulties calculating the exact measure of damages in the instance of a breach.
What you do not want to do is call it a penalty. THe courts are reluctant (in the USA) to enforce penalty clauses.
So let's say the contract amount is equal to $10,000, and the estimated completion time will be 100 days. This would equate to you spending $100 per day for the construction of the project. If the contractor does not finish in time, through no acts of god or other unforeseeable instances, then your liquated damges should be estimated a $100 per day as a "reasonable" amount.
The clause might be as simple as this:
LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
The OWNER and CONTRACTOR hereby agree the time to completion of this project shall not exceed 100 calendar days, excluding delays in construction due to Acts of God or other unforeseeable incidents not caused by the negligence of the CONTRACTOR or OWNER. Therefore, the amount of liquidated damages for non completion of the work in the time period agreed to by the OWNER and CONTRAOTOR shall be levied at $100 per day for each and every calendar day the work is not completed and acceptable by the OWNER.
And one other thing........always, always, always hold 10% of the contractor's bills until the completion of the job. If you don't, you'll get screwed every time..............and not in a good way.
Good luck with your project. We look forward to the photos.
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Post by sherri on Mar 26, 2017 23:13:18 GMT
Daddyo I doubt very much if any kitchen contractor over here would agree to add that clause into a contract. My brother in law is a builder (a good one) and there is no way he'd go with it. Probably just say here is our normal contract, take or leave it. They don't generally give you a completion date when you sign, you are told 'about 6 weeks, we'll contact you closer to the time when we're ready.'
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Post by DADDY O on Mar 27, 2017 7:52:30 GMT
It is standard language on this side of the pond. Holding your Contractor accountable for his/her work is not an unreasonable request. Contracts should work both ways, if they don't then you usually end up with poor quality craftsmanship.
Ask your Brother-In-Law if he would sign an agreement that "if the project were completed BEFORE the agreed upon completion date, he would be paid $100 per calendar day, extra to the contract amount". In other words, if the contract time was 100 days, and he completed the project in 60 days instead of 100 days, would he be willing to accept terms to the agreement that would raise his contract price by $4,000?
No one would say no to that........would they?
You Aussies need to put the shoe on the other foot and exercise your power of being the OWNER.
Part of negotiating contracts is the willingness to walk away and negotiate with the next contractor.
Never forget the "Golden Rule"............................he who has the gold...................rules....................so to speak.
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Post by sherri on Mar 27, 2017 12:22:55 GMT
A penalty clause is in a lot of building contracts-for homes. What usually happens though is builders put the expected completion date way back to make it unlikely they will be caught out.
And that penalty clause is usually only when you build with a company, not if you are an owner builder.
I also doubt you would get any consumers who would agree to pay extra for early completion.
Most times, tradies are reasonably reliable. They will give you an appointment date and time range to come give a quote & most of the time they give a time range they think the job will be done in & usually it is. To me, the main thing is if there is a delay, to let the buyer know & to be able to tell them where the project is at and what the alternative arrangements will be.
It is bad form to say you will be out on a particular day then not confirm it or get back to the person & I think that happened to Lola. For all they know, she could have arranged a day off work.
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