advice

[bird]

Hi guys,
   This has nothing to do with tools....  but looking for anyone's advice.  My dear friend Jimmie (who's 70 and has NO business being out in the sun after THREE heart surgeries) insists upon mowing my lawn, and my neighbor's lawn.... who's he's never met. ...  he's just that kind.
     Anyhow, my neighbor just realized that one of the sliding glass doors is shattered....  and there's a rock that looks like it hit the sliding glass door from getting "spit out" of the lawnmower.
       Nancy, my neighbor and friend, doesn't want Jimmie to know about it because she won't let him pay a dime. Things are more complicated because she rents the house.  The owner said they would pay for half of the cost. But, it looks like it's going to cost anywhere from 4-900 dollars to get it replaced!  Should a 44 by 78 door shatter from a rock? Would the door/ glass be insured by whoever put it in?
       I can probably find someone who would replace it for free.....  accept materials.  But, the owner wants "a credible person with a warranty."  All my friends wouldn't have "paper work"  to go with repairing it.  But, they know what they're doing...  probably more then most "glass repair persons" would. The same person that built that house built mine....  both, a piece of shit (structurally....  I love my house!)
     For instance, my neighbor's (same neighbor)  chimney blew off because of the wind a few years back....  it was secured with four bolts.  I don't know how my house ever passed "code."   The pipe that was supposed to be be slanted downhill from my shop drain was actually slanted uphill.... thus my shop had tons of water in it. Once again, I have good friends....  someon cut off the pipe/pvc and put a new one in that went downhill.....  what a concept!
     The foundation of my house isn't even close to being underground, for the "specs" of the building code.  What a mess.
No one ever saw a rock hit the window, it just seems like the most likely situation. I know Jimmie's not liable......  no one would argue that he was, anyhow.  Of course, assuming that it was him, he would have noticed, payed for it, and had it fixed before anyone even knew about it.....  he's just that kind.
        Does anyone have any insurance hints, the best place to find someone to fix it, ect.
Just throwing this out there.
cheers,
bird.

[Neals]

I can confirm that a rideum lawn mower will take out a window at considerable distance. Not sure of the range of a push mower. Not surprising that Jimmie didn't notice. Can't hear much over mower noise and his hearing may not be the best at 70. Don't ask me how I know.

[johnsironsanctuary]

How about passing the hat among your neighbors. If everyone kicks in, maybe the landlord will stretch a little. After you have commitments for 3/4 of the cost, then maybe ask Jamie to kick in a little or pass the hat again.

[Papaw]

If the home has homeowner's insurance, that's the way to go. If not, then getting everyone to pitch in would work.

[rusty]

>Should a 44 by 78 door shatter from a rock?

Yup

I once fixed a window that was across a street and several hundred feet away from where they were mowing the lawn, *and* it had a screen in front of the window (with a nice round hole in it).

900 is kinda steep for a patio door, the lower end should be more in line with what I see, but it may depend how far someone has to travel to get there. It also takes two trips, once to measure it, so the glass can be ordered, and a second to install it, if you remove the door and take it to a shop it will cost less....

>Would the door/ glass be insured by whoever put it in?
Not for broken glass, no

Homeowners may cover it, but landlords usually have high deductables and make the tenant pay for things, so you are probably stuck on the insurance, unless your neighbor has renters insurance, which I recommend if you rent a house, but hardly anyone ever buys it :(

>But, the owner wants "a credible person with a warranty." 
If the window leaks and water goes under the inside of the door it could damage the subsill of the house, so this isn't unreasonable, but, most places are only going to warranty it for the glass install, the door itself may or may not still be in servicable condition, we normally except any existing conditions when warrenting things....
(most patio doors installed before the late 80's are total garbage anyhow)

Getting a broken window fixed used to be cheap, it isn't anymore, sorry :(

[skipskip]

I might look into a whole new sliding door unit.

the prices you are talking about  should t cover that with some to spare.

Skip

[bird]

You folks are both kind and realistic. I suppose my neighbor and owner of the house (both friends of mine)  will have to spend a good bit of money to replace the thing.  Wow....  when I think of what I could spend 900 dollars on.......... ughhhh....  a freakin' door.  It always sucks to spend money on things you "have to do" verses "things that would be fun to do." 
     Unfortunately, I haven't seemed to make it to the frivolous things that "I'd love to do." Those pesky things that I have to do keep coming in the way!!!!  But, on a better note, those "pesky things" haven't sunk me yet!  So, until that happens, you're all still stuck reading my rants.
cheers,
bird.
Please pray for my grandmother....  if any of you do that type of thing.

[geneg]

If you are going the do-it yourself or friend's fix route.  Just make certain that the replacement glass is tempered or laminated.  It is a code issue, but more importantly, a safety issue.   Most glass shops can order in just the glazing  (I assume that it is insulated) & have it is about a week.  If it isn't insulated,  they can cut a piece of laminated in house.    For $900, you could buy an entire patio slider unit as long as it isn't high end.  Find out the brand of the unit & do some surfing to find a new leaf.  Even Homer Depot could help you with that.  If you can't  find it shoot it the info to me,  I know that I can source it,  just finding someone in your area may be a challenge.  BTW  How about my wrench?   Gene

[George Mulvey]

I go along with all the advice so far.
Glass isn't cheap anymore. The prices on everything has gone up, but glass is out of sight. I went to Safelite to get a small "star" crack filled in with resin, and the estimate was over $100! After picking up my teeth off the floor, they said they'd put that toward a new windshield if the "repair" job broke the glass further!!! Just crazy!

[scottg]

 Depends on what he wants and the size of the door.
You can spend $2000 without batting an eye.
or about $350 gets something 1/2 decent in the usual size ranges from Lowes or another building supply. 
  50 bucks tops at a building salvage! 

  You only have to replace with "just as good", not brand new for a years old sliding door, if it was.
No court in America would order brand new full retail payment for an old door.
(yeah I watch Peoples Court)
"The business of courts is to make the person whole, same as they were before the accident.  Not a bonus improvement over their previous situation."

  Find a Habitat for Humanity store. Your best bet of all!
New leftovers accumulate there sometimes.

Demanding a licensed bonded mainstreet glass installer is going to totally blow the budget sky high.
I would make the landlord prove this is how the original door was installed.
  I doubt it was. Probably just came with the building in which case any regular contractor will do.
If the door was years old, in a rental property, a good competent handyman should be fine.

Look around and see what is genuinely possible in your neighborhood, not just armchair talk.
Then see the landlord again.   
    yours Scott