22 Places
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Daniel’s 5-star review: I finally jumped onto the Solar bandwagon. Although solar customers got better incentives for selling extra solar energy back to PG&E under NEM 2.0 in California (before April 2023), we wanted solar to have battery backup in the case of an outage. Our neighborhood has had numerous blackouts over the past few years, and with a young toddler at home it's extra inconvenient. To add insult to injury, PG&E is the inly game in town and electricity costs seem to always go up. Solar helps defray the electricity cost while charging up a backup battery for your house. I chose Got Watts from a coworker's referral. There are tons of Solar Companies out there and lots of horror stories. My coworker is an extremely thorough engineer so I trusted his rec. I went with a 10-panel (4 kw) system with Tesla Powerwall 3 battery. The entire project took about 2 months to plan, engineer, secure permits and maybe 3 part-time days to install, commission, and startup. Got Watts deserve 5 stars as the managed the entire process and communicated throughout the process. Their crews were professional and did excellent work. Specific Shoutouts: 1. Samantha is the first point of contact to size and price out your system. She used your annual PG&E statement and Google Earth to calculate number of panels and optimum placement of panels based on solar radiation patterns specific to your home. 2. Chris came out a few days later and used a cool drone to scan the roof and to examine the location of the electric panels, breakers, and garage layout. The position of the Powerwall Battery and Gateway were determines. 3. Mallory was the permit specialist and communication contact who also helped with scheduling. They handle ALL the paperwork and approvals - you just make sure to write checks for each milestone. 4. After two months or so, installation day arrived. They sent a 3-person roofing crew (led by Justin?) and later two electricians (Alex and Dan?). In about 6 hours the panels, gateway, battery, and steel conduit and connections were all done. The mostly worked outside and in the garage, and had to access our attic for some connections. Power outage was near the end and only lasted an hour or so. 5. Alex came back the same week and spent another 2-3 hours finishing up the wiring. 6. Finally, Marc came out the following week to commission, configure, and startup the system. We also managed to get our City Inspector scheduled same day to review and approve the system. Startup had some hiccups due to IT issues but Marc managed to fix it with Tesla Customer Support. The whole process took maybe 4 hours. Highly recommend Got Watts for Solar. It is an investment but for me, the peace-of-mind to have power during blackout and brownouts is worth it, and I'm not 100% confident PG&E will get better. Its also nice to see our future electric bills drop. The payback period will vary - maybe 8 years or so which isn't too bad considering the battery is supposed to last 20 years and the panels maybe 25 years.
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Daniel’s 5-star review: Its bound to happen. You have plans to drop the kid off to school and then go to work. Then, the garage door will open only partially. No one else is home so you can't manually open the door and/or close it once you're outside the driveway. Looks like the kid gets a school day off. We called Local Garage Doors and they were able to come diagnose and fox the issue same day. Turns out the issue were bad rollers which were promptly replaces. The technician also considered getting a new garage door at some point, since they last 30 years and our door looked old! A few weeks later I decided to get a new garage door and upgrade some of the features. I wanted some windows added which makes the garage prettier on the outside while providing good natural light inside the garage. I also opted for a wifi-enabled opener so I can use a phone app to control the garage door. Daniel was the technician assigned and did a fine job on under 3 hours. Best of all, I got a credit for the previous rollers from the initial incident. Highly recommend them for garage door needs. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: Updated review after 5 years: My trees in the backyard were overdue for some care. If you have big palm trees and neglect to trim them every year, you'll find ugly, yellow fronds falling off along with big pieces of bark from the tree rotting off and accumulating on the ground. I called Terry's Tree Service for an estimate and Terry himself came out and provided a quote, along with useful tree care tips. Better yet, he had a large crew available same day if I accept the job. Definitely! With a busy hybrid work schedule and 2yo toddler, scheduling stuff is harder for us. Terry sent a crew of six with three large trucks in the late afternoon. They finished the work in like 2.5 hours and did an incredibly thorough job. My yard afterwards was spotless and they even cleaned my neighbor's yards from falling debris. They did the following: 1. Cutting down a really tall and skinny palm tree down to the stump. I felt bad cutting down the tree, but we get really nervous watching this tree sway during the windy/rainy season. It also did not provide any shade and was more an eyesore. Like Stratosphere Tower from my yard. They had one skilled guy climb the tree with a chainsaw and cut it down, section-by-section. 2. V-Cut trim on my Date Palm Tree. We kept this tree since its shorter and provides lots of shade. Seems sturdier too. 3. Trimming the height and branches from a smaller tree that was scratching our upstairs windows and skylight. Definitely recommend Terry's Tree Service - fair prices, excellent cleanup, and safe and fast execution. Do take advantage of their expertise by asking lots of questions and getting tips during the estimate. For example, getting a V-Cut will extend the maintenance interval for palm tree and sometimes its best not to remove the stump right away (soil erosion risk). -
Daniel’s 5-star review: Updating review to 5 stars, for new AC installation: My AC decided to break down during the hottest week ever with 100-110F weather. Of three companies I called, only Jazz was able to send someone same day for diagnosis. It turns out the AC capacitor is shot, but the real long-term issue is that the unit is 35 years old! I can shell out a few hundred bucks for a temporary fix, but decided to just upgrade to a new unit. Installation was scheduled next day, so just one more day of sweltering. Hero Team 7 did an excellent job and gave lots of useful tips. Installation took two guys 6 hours or so since they had to retrofit the AC coils underneath my furnace. They also did a great cleanup job. Our AC is now running very smoothly and having Google Nest Thermostat is super convenient. Highly recommend JAZZ for HVAC needs. They were a lifesaver for us during this sweltering week. Notes/ Tips I learned: * For a 2000 sqft house you will need a 4-ton unit. * Higher SEER ratings mean more efficient, so I went with the SEER 17.9 over the 14. * Good idea to locate the Thermostat near the air intake vent to the furnace fan for accurate temperature control - unfortunately my thermostat is closer to the front door. * AC will typically last 12-17 years, beyond that you can get by with replacing the capacitors but at some point something else will break. * Keep the bushes away from the AC unit! Thanks JAZZ for doing some landscaping on the side!
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Daniel’s 5-star review: I brought my wife's car for a Smog test on a Saturday morning. Although I was a walk-in I was the only customer. I didn't get much of a chance to browse the magazines in the lobby because the smog test took all of 15 minutes! For me, this is probably the fastest smog test I've ever had! Price wise, it seems a bit pricier than other places, but the Yelp check-in gives a good discount and for sheer speed, it's hard to beat! The funny thing is that SRVB seems to have tons of smog check, auto repair, and gas stations so I do believe competition is stiff. I'm glad Yelp lead me to Smog King! -
Daniel’s 5-star review: One of the many roles I've gotten as a new parent is chauffeur to my VIP client/precious cargo. The summer so far had some really hot days and the back of my Camry Hybrid seems poorly equipped to block out the all the glare and heat. Those stick-on window blinds from Amazon were not cutting it, so I made the decision to tint my rear windows. I used Yelp and managed to get an appointment on my Friday off with help from David. The shop is located in a business park right next to the San Ramon post office on Alcosta. Eddie explained the various options for tinting to best fit my needs. Overall, I was very satisfied with the service and product. 5 stars! 1. I went with the darkest tint - Vortex IR5 on my three rear windows. This film has ceramic nanoparticles and the highest rejection of UV, IR, and heat. My wife riding in the back with my toddler confirms it felt much cooler and the glare is gone. Best of all, I had no problems seeing through my rear-view, even with sunglasses on. Not sure about nighttime driving though - guess I need to be extra careful! 2. The total job took about 2 hours. They do need to temporarily remove/relocate your child car seat but otherwise the car comes back clean. 3. The have three price ranges, with the lowest deal for $99 for three rear windows. However, my main criteria was minimizing radiation, heat, and glare so I opted for the Vortex. 4. They have a waiting room with comfy couches and a clean restroom with Mandalorian art. While you wait for service, you can get a haircut/salon services next door or walk a few blocks to Crow Canyon Commons for food.
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Daniel’s 5-star review: After being somewhat disappointed from another well-known cleaning company (with a 5-star Yelp rating to boot), I decided to look locally and stumbled across Susana. I hired them to clean our a rental home with 3 BR / 2 BA with 1300 ft2 along with vacuuming a mostly empty but fairly dusty garage. The kitchen also had grease stains all over the stove and cabinet. Susana arrived with a crew of four women and they did an incredibly thorough job in just over 90 minutes. I was actually surprised they arrived in three separate vehicles. The kitchen was like brand new, with no more grease stains. They even cleaned every window inside and out, along with dusting the window sills. In the end the price I paid was comparable to the other cleaning company; however, the main difference is the quality of the work and the fact that Susana and her crew went above and beyond. I would definitely recommend giving their house cleaning service a try. They can quote you via email, text, or phone call. Although Yelp mentions they serve Bay Point and surrounding areas, they actually do jobs as far as Pleasanton. In my opinion, her service is definitely five stars. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: With the pandemic, it seems everyone is catching up on home repairs and remodels. One of my neighbors (who I share a fence with) saw some wood rot and he hired Reuben Borg to replace all three sides of his backyard fence. I decided to piggy back a bit and hire Reuben Borg to replace a few of my damaged fences as well. Overall, a very good experience and the project was completed efficiently. 5 stars! Tips: 1. These guys are busy! I got the estimate from Mr. Reuben Borg himself back in October 2020 and the job was scheduled in late January 2021. 2. We had this gigantic rain storm supposedly coming during installation day. RB Fence was proactive and scheduled me one day earlier with sunny weather. A crew of three guys replaced about 70-feet worth of fence in a day - including demolition, installation, sealant, and cleanup. 3. Maintain good communications with your neighbors - they'll have to agree to pay half for the shared fence. The work contract is with you but there's split invoiced for all parties to sign. 4. No down payment or deposit for me - they basically collect the check at the completion of the job. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: Like humans, prolonged wear and tear, exposure to the elements, and just age can cause your big, heavy front door to ail. In my case the door dragged on the threshold. In cases like this, your door needs to see a doctor for a checkup! Although a skilled handyman can probably fix the problem, its best to go with the professionals in cases of locks and front doors! The Door Doctor was flooded with patients and I got onto a 2-week wait list with no confirmed appointment. After a week of waiting, I proactively (after nudged by the wife, LOL!) followed up and managed to get a slot right before Thanksgiving. Justin arrived early and solved the problem in 15 minutes by adjusting the hinges, grinding and adjusting strikes, and reshaping the drip up on the door shoe. The door opens and closes super-smoothly now and the lock seems better aligned too. When your door is not feeling well, I recommend calling the Door Doctor. Note that like some medical providers, it can be tricky to get an appointment. The key, like many things in work and life in general, is to follow-up, follow-up, and follow-up. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: I found Gabriel through Yelp of course, and am definitely in the 5-star club with fast, friendly, and reasonably-priced service! He also offers high-security locks if your'e willing to invest in a more robust lock. My job was a small one and took less than 5 minutes. I have this heavy wooden door which had a deadbolt that was getting harder and harder to turn. A squirt of WD-40 does not work, and attempting to go to You-Tube for a DIY solution is not ideal given the importance of home security. Money you save by DIY is not worth the risk of messing up and causing more damage nor my valuable time. Time to call in the professionals! Over time, houses with wooden frames tend to settle. Maybe the half-dozen or so small earthquakes over the past 7 years contributed to the door's deadbolt becoming slightly misaligned. I got a next-day appointment with Gabriel and he used a special power tool to shave away some of the metal from the deadbolt's strike plate. Sparks were flying, and afterwards Gabriel vacuumed away the shavings. Definitely not a DIY Solution since it would take much longer with a regular drill bit or metal file! Would definitely recommend Gabriel for your locksmith needs, both big and small. Check out his website to learn more about the difference between regular deadbolts and high-security locks. Scary thing to see! -
Daniel’s 5-star review: This is the first time I hired professional movers for a local move about half hour away. We collected some furniture and lots of stuff over 8 years in our 1-story 3BR/2BA (~1300 sqft) house and were going to move into a 4BR/2.5BA house (~2100 sqft). Overall, Handy Movers were outstanding and worth the price. I chose a team of 4 guys, and they sent Roberto (the lead), Jose, Adrian, and Jonas. Even though the hourly rate is higher than say a team of 3 guys, I'd figure the move would be more efficient and smooth and total hours would be less. Kristen from the HQ was also pleasant and extremely helpful - answering all my questions, giving great suggestions, and following up. The moving truck arrived at the exact appontment time, and I was glad they called ahead. Roberto then walked through the house and I explained what needed to be moved and what didn't. The move then started - from dissassembling furniture, wrapping up the parts in blankets, and moving all the boxes and pieces to the truck took 1.5 hours only. The truck (~32 footer I think) was barely full so I decided to add some more stuff like dissassembling the garage storage cabinets and other big appliances. These guys were meticulous, efficient, and amazing to watch in action. The unloading was equally efficient - 1.5 hours also. They helped us tighten up a few loose table and chair legs and helped put on the felt pads on the furniture (we were moving into a house with hardwood floors). Roberto even gave useful suggestions on how to arrange furniture to open up the rooms and make it more welcoming - after all they do this full time and probably saw lots and lots of examples. Bottom line - thank you Yelp for helping me find these guys. I would not hesitate to use them again for their sheer efficiency and the peace of mind you get. Be sure the mention Yelp to get the discount. Another suggestion is to pack as much as you can into boxes with labels! -
Daniel’s 4-star review: If you live in the Bay Area and call up Samsung for service on kitchen or laundry appliances, chances are you'll get referred to Service Quick. I kinda stumbled onto them when our 4-year old refrigerator was sporadically making loud noises, like a motorboat. Freezer and fridge still worked, as did ice machine and water. The fridge would be quiet a few days, then that annoying sound. I called Samsung's main support number and it took 1-2 days to schedule a service appointment day. Once I got connected to Service Quick, I was told that I will get a call from 8am-10am to confirm service time. After getting a call at 11am or so, the technician Mario confirmed he was available 1-3pm. The scheduling process could probably be more Simple, Clear, and Decisive. So 3 stars, but kudos for Samsung for having multi-state coverage. Mario the tech, deserves 5 stars. He diagnosed the problem as a faulty defrost sensor, which can cause ice to build up near the back section where the fan was. The fan blade would hit the ice from all that accumulation, making that annoying sound! Mario defrosted the ice with a handheld steamer, replaced the sensor, and also replaced the rear water filter. All done in under an hour. Overall, 4 stars since I got my problem solved quickly and Mario was very open in giving tips for refrigeration settings for optimum performance. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: I've been going to "Roz" for over ten years, and she is my favorite dentist by far. I used to dread going to the dentist as a child, but Roz makes the experience bearable. In fact, I've referred many coworkers who have complained about their dentist. Roz is down-to-earth, extremely caring (always asking if I feel pain), and meticulous. We are about the same age, which is cool. She takes the time to explain her x-rays, give suggestions, and will take extra time to make sure everything is perfect. I also liked how her office kept up with technology over the years : one time they went to digital x-rays and even had a drill-less air powered device for deep cleaning. On my last visit she offered new Zirconia based crowns but I opted for the traditional gold ones. Yelpers rely on having healthy teeth to continue to enjoy life and yelp. For that reason having a great dentist is a must, and I am most lucky to have Roz! -
Daniel’s 5-star review: I bought my first house ever in the Bay Area over a decade ago. It closed on Chinese New Year incidentally! We've since moved and converted the house to a rental property. After the tenants moved out, I've elected to fix up the property and put it up for sale soon. Being a landlord just isn't my cup of tea! Central Bay Painting was recommended by my realtor. I hired them to paint the front exterior and door, interior. and garage floor and back patio. Overall, they did an excellent job and covered up several large cracks near the corners of the doors. The epoxy seal on the garage floor made it look nearly brand new! The painters were meticulous and didn't leave any mess for the most part. It would have been nice if they remembered to move all my old trimmers, mowers, and blowers back in the garage however. No big deal - I liked the work they've done with the place. Hopefully it will help with the selling price! -
Daniel’s 5-star review: I found Window Genie through Yelp of course. I have this skylight with UV window film installed by the previous owner. Over a few years, the film began to discolor and show signs of degradation. Total eyesore! I Googled whether it was a simple DIY job to replace the window film and was convinced it was not! So I rubbed the Yelp magic lamp and found Window Genie! John the owner came out for the initial appointment to take measurements and provide an estimate. I opted for the 3M film (awesome company who knows their film!) and replacing film on all eight window panes - four of them were angled so it could be a tricky install. The films were supposed to last for decades. The previous owner must have used some inferior stuff for sure! Installation occurred a few weeks later and went smoothly. It took two guys about 3.5 hours to complete the job. They were meticulous and did a great job. Film looks smooth and doesn't have those bubbles and streaks like the older film. I was very happy with the service and end product. Highly recommend Window Genie! Definitely leave window film installation to the pros! -
Daniel’s 5-star review: I was getting an early start to decluttering and used Yelp to get a few quotes for hauling away some junk. I had some e-waste, queen-sized mattress, recliner, yard furniture, and a few other odds and ends. I chose Left Coast Hauling for their transparency in explaining their prices and flexible policy. After scheduling them, they'll come to your own and look over what you want removed. They'll give a free, no-obligation quote before proceeding. Its roughy $40 per cubic yard of waste, with some surcharge for mattresses and really big TVs. My job was just 5 yards and was not even close to filling half the truck. I threw in some additional old heavy blankets at no additional charge. Ismael and his helper did an awesome job and were efficient and professional. Yes, they will help you disassemble, move, and load! All done within 30 mins and they even let me know whether they can come early. Highly recommend Left Coast Hauling for your junk removal needs, big and small. I like their linear pricing style - you pay by the yard, and not by truckload or half-truckloads.
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Daniel’s 4-star review: With the smoky air and cold evenings, we've been using the heater quite a bit these days. In order to do some preventive maintenance, we decided to schedule an air-duct cleaning. We've never had this done since moving into the house five years ago. I found Norcal Air Duct Cleaning via Yelp, and was able the schedule an appointment with the owner, Dan the same week on my off Friday! I chose the Gold package which included cleaning 12 vents, the dryer vent, and sanitation. The process takes about 90 minutes for the whole house, where a powerful vacuum cleaner with a 20-30 foot hose with rotating brush is applied for each vent. The downstairs vents are usually dirtier so it required a very powerful vacuum called "The Beast." For those high ceiling vents, a 6-foot aluminum ladder was sufficient. The technician, Brandon happened to be over 6-foot tall so it worked perfectly. Overall service was great and Brandon was both thorough, organized, and sociable. He's the owner's son and happened to be available on a Friday which really great for my schedule. He also gave good advice on different types of filters to consider for the return vent register. Highly recommend them. Although we don't have pets and haven't done any home renovations, it felt good to clean the air ducts at least once. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: I found this local plumbing company through Yelp, and boy did they come through in replacing my leaky water heater! My gas-fired, 50-gallon heater had a good run (model year 1996), but yesterday night the supply valve failed and water was leaking to the bottom and slowly spilling over the catchpan. Despite Yelp listing that they close at 7pm, I called a little afterwards and managed to talk to a person to get an appointment next morning. Boris came and did an excellent job with the replacement. In 2.5 hrs or so he managed to drain out all the water, remove the old unit, replace with the new unit, connect up the piping, valves, and exhaust, and do a test run. Plus, he managed to clean-up all the water from the previous leak. Friendly, fast, and Stress Free - so 5 stars! The new heater works great - hot water back in 45 minutes! Looks like the unit is a little more efficient than the old model, 40,000 BTU/hr vs. 50,000 BTU/hr from the old model. So hopefully I get lower PG&E bills too. Definitely recommend Plumbing cares, and for Yelp of course! Boris commented that they are "mostly" a 24/7 company, so don't hesitate to call them anytime if you have an urgent plumbing need. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: Updated review. We finally made the decision to replace our home heater. The old heater is already a few dozen years old, and over the super cold Bay Area winter it decided to stop working again! Not only was the old heater only 80-85% efficient, but it was a total P.I.T.A. to access and change the air filter! Comfy once again comes to the rescue! We bought their "Silver Package," a Rheem 2-Stage 100,000 BTU heater thats super quiet and starts up real fast. 95% efficient as well! The filter slides in and out from the front easily. The only downside is that you need to run two separate little ducts out the house - one for the flue gas and another for condensed water. Installation was done by Franco and Hector and was completed pretty quickly - maybe 4 hours tops. Highly recommend Comfy for HVAC needs!
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Daniel’s 5-star review: The COVID-19 shelter-in-place has us cooking more at home these days, especially for breakfast and dinner. We have a Jenn Air gas stovetop that has been acting up with two issues. (1) The steel knob controlling the fan no longer works. In fact, once the fan is on, it won't go off unless you pull the power cord. (2) It seems to take forever for our high-powered burner to light up, if at all! I wasn't sure appliance repair shops were still open but was happy to find Fuse Appliance Repair willing and able. Sergey stopped by same day already wearing face mask and gloves. He quickly diagnosed the problem, suggested which parts to order, gave a transparent and fair quote, and came back in a week to fix the problem after the parts came in. The second visit we had rain so Sergey brought shoe covers. We did our beat to maintain social distancing of course. So happy my cooktop is now back to normal. I definitely recommend Fuse Appliance Repair - having a fully functional stovetop is definitely essential for this Yelper! FYI * Those Jenn-Air fan control knobs are made of chrome and cost about $25 on Amazon. They look shiny and sleek but inside there's this little plastic piece that grips the fan control shaft on the cooktop. If that plastic gets deformed or breaks like in my case, you need to buy an entire knob. Simply plug the new one in, straight-side facing right for OFF position. * The solution to the poor burner ignition was to replace the burner completely. This requires special screws so its best to have a professional like Sergey remove the old one and replace with new. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: Being a first-time parent in the age of COVID19... We made an early decision to hire a night nanny/Newborn Care Specialist, since we were first-time parents without easy access to parents or relatives who can provide effective childcare support. We also have concerns over a smooth recovery period after giving birth, which requires sleep and rest for her. As for me, I value sleep too! The first few months for an infant is a critical time, so we wanted some professional help. After talking to several agencies, I decided to go with Robin to help us find a night nanny for 3 months. Robin was responsive to our questions (before and during COVID) and was transparent with her fees. The placement fee for a 3 month contract was very reasonable compared to other agencies. Best of all, she found us the perfect night nanny, G.G. G.G. worked for us 40 hrs/week on weekdays and did all the usual night nanny duties of feeding, burping, changing, cleaning, etc. while we were able to get uninterrupted sleep. G.G. managed to get our son (now 3 months old) able to sleep through the night, 6pm to 7:30am. Yes, you can learn to feed and burp a baby while he's half asleep! A good night nanny also serves as a friend and mentor - we learned so much childcare tips from G.G. that there is hope we can be decent parents, LOL! Although she works only at night for us, G.G. gives great suggestions for daytime care, what baby supplies to buy, feeding schedules, and suggested play activities. Hiring a nanny is risky during COVID19, but not having adequate child care (we are amateurs!) and not getting sufficient time to recover is also risky to our health. It was a calculated risk on our part, and I believe everything worked out. I highly recommend Robin for your specific nanny needs, especially if you're looking for a night nanny. -
Daniel’s 5-star review: Its a blessing and a curse to have two gorgeous, huge palm trees in the back yard. Blessing since it brings a bit of vacation vibe every day at home, along with provide shade when chilling on the patio. Curse since the fronds grow and can eventually touch parts of the house and sometimes over our neighbor's trees. There's also the cost of upkeep every two to three years, which definitely require professionals, aka tree ninjas! I found New Life Tree Service when I saw them work on my neighbor's trees. I figured we were overdue for some trimming and their manager Duane, gave us a verbal quote on the spot. We updated it a week or two later since we wanted some additional trimming for trees that hit our skylight during windy periods, which was surprisingly frequent these days. The job was scheduled two weeks out and Brian (Duane's brother) and his crew came and did an excellent job. 2 hours for removing the dead fronds from two large palms (one tall and skinny and one wide and stubby) and for trimming back a third tree. Their post-job cleanup was immaculate. Totally recommend giving New Life Tree Service a try - it will definitely give your trees a new-life look.
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