I'm sorry. This entire process is so sobering. Our jaws hit the floor when we started getting quotes for the work we had done to our home. The cost of labor, at least here in MN, is probably 3x what it was pre-Pandemic. As you probably remember, all but one of the contractors we worked with—even though they were highly rated online—turned out to be nightmares. To add insult to injury we recently discovered that we had a few very expensive things stolen from our home during the time the work was being done (although we have no way to know/prove exactly who did it). Having someone you know/trust will do the job correctly accounts for a lot.
As for crypto...I see so many people lamenting online about how much the cypherpunk narrative has been lost. You probably saw that BitMex announced they were shutting down for good yesterday. The space definitely isn't what it used to be but think there are still opportunities there, especially if the Clarity Act is passed within the next few weeks. That could kick off a decent rally. We shall see though, as we've learned these past few years, the market doesn't behave like it used to.
I know you had a lot of issues which is why I have been leaning towards going with someone I know and trust. The problem is, he has gotten so big lately that he uses subs for a lot of his work, so is it really the same? I have been offline most of the weekend, we were camping in an area with poor service. I didn't see that about BitMex.
I see your point about subs. Hopefully your friend has properly vetted the subs. Whatever you decide I wish you good luck!
I think he has, but it still is a bit of a bummer. I was talking to my parents the other day and my mom said she misses the days when it was just him that came over and did the work for them.
Familiarity and trust go a long way. We have a good friend who's a handyman and it's always such a weight off our shoulders when we can hire him instead of a contractor.