Home Depot Trip #23

You probably know if you’re cut out to be a handyman — and if you’re not.

While I consider myself to be a smart individual, that doesn’t seem to be particularly helpful when it comes to replacing a broken storm window that’s been on my to-do list for the last few weeks.

I took the measurements over the weekend, and finally had a chance to stop at Home Depot yesterday.

After flagging a salesperson — no small accomplishment — I told told him what I was looking for: “a combination, exterior storm window to go with a 1937 double-hung, Denison window,” I announced, and proceeded to give him the measurements.

“Opening size, or unit size?,” the salesperson asked.

Umm, uh . . I can’t remember,” I admitted with a trace of defeat.

Trip #2

A round-trip home and a half-hour later, I had the answer: “unit size!,” I announced, definitively.

“Flange to flange?,” the salesperson asked.

I suppose if I knew what a flange was, I could have fielded the question correctly.

Instead, I got a brief demonstration, and set out to really get it right this time, absolutely no more screwing around.

Trip #3

Another 30 minutes later, I was back with the answer.

So, what could I have possibly left out now?

“Vinyl or aluminum?,” the salesman asked helpfully. “And was it 2-track or 3-track?”

At this point, I either started crying or breaking things — I don’t recall which — and ultimately left the store.

Three trips down, twenty-three more to go??

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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