AsktheBuilder.com News - September 25, 2022

Issue #1201 (I think...)

Dear ,

ZOOM! Another week is in the record books. Are you a new subscriber? Welcome! I think you'll like this issue. Here's why:

I've created a large video playlist of the new house being built down the street from me. You can see all the videos in one place now. Wait until you see the video of the foundation-out-of-level MISTAKE. Holy tomato!

I've got an update on the EV-battery drum I've been beating and a related offer from DeWALT.

Speaking of video, I just discovered I never shared with you an outtake reel of my own flubs. I love hearing my two daughters laugh in the background.

Then humility. Have you ever wondered about why your DEFENSE shields go up when someone starts talking about something that is part of your inner fiber? 

I know I discovered something new about myself reading a very provocative article. Let's hope you will too.

Let's get started.

Lithium Battery COST - Think!

Just after I got married I started taking a few university night school classes to try to help me in my fledgling building business. You see, while I was getting my geology degree I didn't have much room for elective classes. I crammed a four-year geology program into three years because I didn't take Geology 101 until my sophomore year.

One of the night classes I signed up for was Economics 101. The book was 2.5 inches thick. After two classes, I dropped it because my head was swirling with all the terms and concepts. I thought there was no way I'd understand the topic.

Thirty years of life then taught me what I could have discovered in ten weeks had I not been a quitter. 

Here's what the sign said above my high school football locker room:

Quitters NEVER win. Winners NEVER quit.

How much do you really know about the law of Supply vs. Demand? 

Add to that the depth of your ignorance concerning the geologic deposits of lithium carbonate? Yes, you must read about Dr. Caster, one of my best college professors.

Guess who produces most of this key material required for all those EV car batteries and the batteries you're buying for your power tools?

China

The price of lithium carbonate has tripled in the past year with the price now above $71,000 a ton. Gulp.

What do you think is going to happen to the price if more and more people get bamboozled into thinking that electric power is the way to go for everything?

Can you afford a new car every four or five years? What do you think it's going to cost to get a replacement battery for your car when the original one wears out? It's now over five figures. 

What will the cost be six years from now with inflation raging out of control and the Chinese producers (SUPPLY) grinning as they ratchet up the price of the lithium carbonate we so desperately need (DEMAND)?

Perhaps now is a good time to tell you about DeWALT's great limited-time offer.

Here's what Emily, the fantastic DeWALT PR person, sent me just after I put last week's newsletter to bed:

"I wanted to make you aware of a rebate that DEWALT is offering now through October 31, 2022. For each single-transaction purchase of $300 or more on DEWALT 20V MAX* cordless power tools (excluding outdoor equipment), customers will receive a free 4.0Ah battery which is a $159 value. Your subscribers must apply for the rebate by November 15, 2022."

Key Points:

The offer GOES AWAY on Halloween.

You MUST APPLY for the rebate by November 15, 2022.

The cost TODAY for ONE power tool battery is $159.00. What do you think it's going to be X years from now? 

You do know these batteries WEAR OUT, right?

CLICK here to get the details.

Penny Wise - Pound Foolish

This past week quite a few people decided to gamble thousands of dollars each. Most, if not all, are going to LOSE the bet. I know this for a fact.

They used the Ask Tim page on my website and asked me very complex questions about how to do something.

I responded to each request letting them know we'd have to jump on a phone call. Each person rejected that offer.

In almost all cases, these situations require a conversation because I have questions to ask. Going through this process allows me to give the BEST ADVICE.

Years of experience have taught me if you try to do this via email folks always have follow-up questions to my original answer. All of a sudden you have 30 minutes invested.

Here's what I received from one of these folks this week:

"I've been a subscriber for quite a few years now, and have used your tips a number of times... I have attached a close-up photo of my slate terrace. Each approximately 2' by 4' piece is about 1 inch thick, and the joints are about 1 inch wide... Last year I put polymeric sand in the joints and everything looked great, but this year it's all fallen out. What would you suggest to....."

Did the dimensions of those gaps between the slate sink in? How many 50-pound bags of polymeric sand did he buy last year at $70 each?

I can answer it: LOTS of bags. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of bags.

Do you have any idea how much typing I'd have to do to tell this man exactly how to fix the issue so it doesn't happen again?

I suggested to him we jump on one of my fast 15-Minute phone calls. He decided against it even though he feels my past advice is spot on.

Don't you make the same mistake. Invest the $50 and get information from me so you Do It Right, Not Over!

I'm pretty certain this subscriber is going to be redoing his joints next summer. But as Kenny Chesney says in his hit song, "...only time will tell but it ain't talkin'."

Funny Tim Outtakes

Kathy, my lovely wife, reminds me almost daily that I'm not perfect. Here's the proof!

New House Video Playlist

A new house is being built just down the street from me. Things, in my opinion, are not going so well.

Go to this page and SCROLL DOWN below the top video. You should then see a video player with all of my videos. WATCH all of the videos one right after another as the job progresses.

Humility and Your Ego

Imagine if you and I could jump into a time machine right now. I don't know about you, but if I could have three wishes, that would be one of them.

You get to spin the dial to the year we go back to. Pick one of these moments in time:

• the debate about what is the center of the solar system
• the debate about is our Earth flat or not
• the debate about blood-letting being the cure of illness

I know there are more time periods that might interest you, but humor me please.

Which side of those debates do you think you'd be on if you were alive back then? Keep in mind that deep powerful psychology was being used by people in power even back then.

My guess is you'd be on the wrong side of history.

GO HERE now and read this article slowly. 

You're about to discover why you might end up on the wrong side of debates on a routine basis.

That's enough for an early autumn Sunday wouldn't you say?

I'll be back next Sunday unless I get abducted or God needs me up in Heaven for an emergency repair.

Tim Carter

Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Cannon Mountain POTA - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Listen, did you really read that Humility article with an open mind? I'll bet you didn't. Do you realize it's all about the strength of your ego - or should I say weakness?

Please READ IT ONE MORE TIME. You'll be a better person.