Since my guy, Jesus, the best do-it-all contractor on earth (painter, plumber, electrician, carpenter, tiler) is sooooo busy he wouldn't be available for my project for 3 months, I had to think about finding someone else. There are resources online that I thought I'd try, and then I read an article in the Home section of the L. A. Times about a website directory of home and garden services. The headline reads "The Zagat Guide of home improvement" and features www.angieslist.com among others. I gave it a try and found it had an easy search feature and rating system, including customer comments, good or bad. I selected PAINTER - EXTERIOR from the service search field and a substantial list of companies came up. There's a minimal fee to sign up, but being a homeowner I know it's tough to find good workers and reliable service, so I think it's a small price to pay, if it works out. I selected three in the area (It'll provide you the distance from the company in relation to your home) and called. The first number said it was "Not a working number", the second one was busy the few times that I dialed it, and the third one got through. I spoke to Jay Hu, the owner, let him know what I wanted and he said he could come over to take a look at the place the next day. He was here promptly at 2:30. And in my book, promptness gets you big points. Jay walked around the house with Will and I. I showed him the color combination that I put up on the bay window. Showed him the roof brackets I wanted to restore, as well as the trim that wraps around the front of the house. At the end of the tour, we walked down to look at the garage and I asked him about his availability and how long he thought the job would take. Then I told him I found him on Angies List and asked him if he know about that service. He didn't. I showed him the printout that I had and read to him this comment:
"He painted the exterior of my two story 1905 wood
shingle house, advising me well on choice of color...
very responsive to suggestions and specific requests...
The work was performed at the highest level of skill..."
He smiled and with palms together bowed to me and said "Thank you".
He'll fax us the estimate tomorrow. I have a good feeling about Jay Hu. And I can't wait to see the old girl in her new coat.
I can see where the shingle siding has been patched where the 45 degree angle piece connected to the siding. But the painters don't seem to know where to get them. You would think that someone stocked them. 'Cause they're everywhere, in some form or other, on almost all craftsman homes. 
Or you would think that some salvage yard would have a mountain of them. It took some research before I found out what they were called. Not corbles. Brackets are kind of correct. They're actually called knee braces. Now when I'm driving down the street all I see are knee braces. Straight cut knee braces, double straight cut knee braces, milled knee braces, notched knee braces, knee braces everywhere. 
The good thing is Jesus called me and he's coming over tomorrow to take a look at the project and give me a bid. I'll bet he knows what knee braces are. And I bet he knows where to get 'em. And if not I found a solution. Walking with Will last weekend we passed a spectacular house with the most unusual round port windows and lovely knee braces. They were straight cut, but with corble type mill work just at the base. Pretty.
I searched online and found all kinds of corbles and dental molding and Victorian mill work, but NO craftsman knee braces. I did find brackets, but they were solid pieces, not open triangles. Then I found corbles that would create the effect of the one's I like above. So if I order them (I have 15 to be restored) I think I might have a solution. And I think it might work. 
