So if anyone asks 'should I buy a house or continue to rent?'. I will supply this little antidote.
Was finally a nice day to get all the rest of the leaves that the trees shit out before real winter sets in.
Got up on the roof to blow out all the gutters. First story goes well. Get 3/4 of the uppers story done, it's a ranch style home with a master bedroom addition built as the second story, and I had to use this little step stool to be able to reach the upper gutters.
Fast forward to one of the legs snapping on it, me slamming face first into the roof.
Then sliding down in slow 'mo and slipping off, luckily kinda grabbing the gutters to slow my fall. As I fall 12 feet onto my driveway. Landing pretty much fully on my right elbow.
Don't think it's broken, but fuck, I broke my leaf blower.
Sorry to hear that, but I think that's more of a lesson on making sure you use some kind of fall restraint when operating on the roof.
What's the best way to deal with burying abandoned low voltage wiring in walls? Finally got around to tearing out the bedroom closet to renovate it. Finally got around to sawing through the hinges of this strange lockbox we never got a key to. Turns out it wasn't just some sort of lockbox, it was a control panel for some long abandoned security system. I don't even know where the sensors/zones might be. Battery backup was long dead. I'm not reading anything over .05v AC on any of the wires. Do I just cut everything to different lengths, and tape it all up and shove back inside the wall like I would do with abandoned telephone lines? At least on of the lines is marked at least a source from a 110v AC transformer, but that reads dead. However who the hell knows what switch or whatever (there's a lot of switches we have that we can't figure out what they do) would activate it.
You can cut them to whatever length you want, but you should cap each individual wire if you don't know where it goes.
You typically don't need to cap telephone type low voltage wires, from everything I've read (also too small of a wire for any wire nut I've found). But after going to the hivemind at /r/homeimprovement a security system tech convinced me to install a recessed gang box and cap the wires that would go to a potential transformer. Which lead to me driving to Home Depot at 8am because the wife needed the car at 9.
On the plus side my oscillating multi-tool made the perfect hole for the new recessed box. On the downside, I found out (after burning through my first wood cutting blade) that I not only have wood lath, but metal mesh lath on my walls too. This means that the metal-finding stud-finder I had been looking at will not work and the only reliable way I have now is to drill pilot holes and fish around with a coat hanger to find one.
I continue to stand by my rotozip. Cuts though plaster and lath walls like butter, and that chicken wire only slows it down a little.
What's the best way to deal with burying abandoned low voltage wiring in walls? Finally got around to tearing out the bedroom closet to renovate it. Finally got around to sawing through the hinges of this strange lockbox we never got a key to. Turns out it wasn't just some sort of lockbox, it was a control panel for some long abandoned security system. I don't even know where the sensors/zones might be. Battery backup was long dead. I'm not reading anything over .05v AC on any of the wires. Do I just cut everything to different lengths, and tape it all up and shove back inside the wall like I would do with abandoned telephone lines? At least on of the lines is marked at least a source from a 110v AC transformer, but that reads dead. However who the hell knows what switch or whatever (there's a lot of switches we have that we can't figure out what they do) would activate it.
You can cut them to whatever length you want, but you should cap each individual wire if you don't know where it goes.
You typically don't need to cap telephone type low voltage wires, from everything I've read (also too small of a wire for any wire nut I've found). But after going to the hivemind at /r/homeimprovement a security system tech convinced me to install a recessed gang box and cap the wires that would go to a potential transformer. Which lead to me driving to Home Depot at 8am because the wife needed the car at 9.
On the plus side my oscillating multi-tool made the perfect hole for the new recessed box. On the downside, I found out (after burning through my first wood cutting blade) that I not only have wood lath, but metal mesh lath on my walls too. This means that the metal-finding stud-finder I had been looking at will not work and the only reliable way I have now is to drill pilot holes and fish around with a coat hanger to find one.
I continue to stand by my rotozip. Cuts though plaster and lath walls like butter, and that chicken wire only slows it down a little.
They look interesting, but the multi-tool does the same job and many others I need much more, such as flushcuts. And it did make it through the metal mesh just fine once I had the proper bi-metal blade on. Just didn't figure on the metal so I had a HCS blade in.
Anybody ever do any stained concrete flooring? It's about time to replace my carpeting and I want to go with something easier to maintain. Any first hand experience and trouble I should be aware of?
So another fun weekend project that has been a few weeks in the making was my Samsung Fridge. I've read all the stories about how terrible these things are, about how the condensor coils freeze over, making the compressor run all the time. Queue the last month or so I noticed that my fridge was running way way more than usual. I wanted to open it up and take a look, but procrastination, and fear of what I'd find kept making me put it off. I did have one other thought. Behind the fridge is an old cast iron baseboard radiator. When I bought the house I noticed this was here, and it stretches about 12 feet from the fridge, behind cabinets, to behind the stove. I pulled out the stove and made sure the valve was turned off, then gave it no more thought. Wanting an alternative, I pulled out the fridge and touched the radiator. It was hot. The valve doesn't really work because hot water is making it up through the return valve (which apparently is not one way, gotta love century houses). So I ran to home depot and bought some foil backed polyiso foam board insulation and just made a shield-box to completely cover the radiator. Seems to have worked pretty well so far. I don't think I've heard the compressor run nearly as hard as I had been.
Stories like that are why I will never, ever get on my roof.
You can go on your roof... probably don't use a step stool to do roof work.
Low blow, it's all I had to reach the upper gutters and I just wanted to get it done as today there was a snow storm.
Just take a lesson from me. Don't have to be a dick about it.
I think Bowen knows you know this whole thing didn't go as you planned, it was more just letting AbsoluteZero know he shouldn't be afraid of his roof. More of a "Do as Bloodycow says, not as he does" situation.
Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
It's heavy, but I can use it for basically anything.
It's also real nice for getting into my attic because the asshole developers put the access at the top of the stairs, so I can be secure having the upper and lower legs at different lengths with having the top flat.
Well the place I was attempting to buy had too much fucking around and an inflated sqft value. Identical condos (as in identical layout, building design, same development) sold for 12-15k less months ago. I basically have given them a fuck off offer today, still during my inspection period because on top of overpricing it and refusing to fix anything they keep haggling like used car salesman in what I consider bad faith.
Not happy about it, but it's better to waste 1k on inspections than 200k on a place I'd be pissed off about. I dropped my offer by 10k and told them I'd fix the shit myself. I'm sure they won't sell considering it's substantially below what they countered with.
Dishonest behavior invokes a stubborn anger that I'm pretty comfortable with.
Got the guy who did foundation work for the previous owner out (since there is a warranty on that work). They said the previous work was just in the middle of the house and that piers are needed around the perimeter as well.
So, that's $fun$. Getting a second opinion, of course.
Stories like that are why I will never, ever get on my roof.
You can go on your roof... probably don't use a step stool to do roof work.
Low blow, it's all I had to reach the upper gutters and I just wanted to get it done as today there was a snow storm.
Just take a lesson from me. Don't have to be a dick about it.
I think Bowen knows you know this whole thing didn't go as you planned, it was more just letting AbsoluteZero know he shouldn't be afraid of his roof. More of a "Do as Bloodycow says, not as he does" situation.
Yeah bloody's situation is one we've all done at one point or another.
not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
So me and Bulgarian girl have found a house we can afford comfortably, which doesn't impact our commutes too much, and which has the type of space we were looking for. Building inspection didn't find any serious issues so we're going back to see it again tomorrow and make an offer. Biggest problem with it is that we'll be joining the time honored Australian tradition of living quite near a national park which might catch fire, but it's pretty sensibly built so it's not actually backing right into the forest (and thus the appeal: the view is amazing).
1) Drill hole with screw - no luck - plaster + some kind of other boarding - can't seem to find stud despite being right next to the window frame.
2) Enlarge hole with drill bit to insert drywall anchor, which doesn't fit and smooshes when being tapped in.
3) Get angry, pull out the anchor with pliers, ruining anchor and making a mess.
4) Drill hole some more, with swearing.
5) Insert new anchor, place fixture, screw in.
6) Do this 8 times.
7) Notice the 8th fixture kinks to the right about 20 degrees. Swear more.
8) Vacuum up the mess you've made while swearing.
9) Hang curtains and note you can't really see the issue thanks to the way the rod sits on the fixtures and the curtains hang.
10) Put tools in the area of where they should go but not actually put them away, making a mess for the next time you need them.
You can add to that
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Stories like that are why I will never, ever get on my roof.
You can go on your roof... probably don't use a step stool to do roof work.
Low blow, it's all I had to reach the upper gutters and I just wanted to get it done as today there was a snow storm.
Just take a lesson from me. Don't have to be a dick about it.
I think Bowen knows you know this whole thing didn't go as you planned, it was more just letting AbsoluteZero know he shouldn't be afraid of his roof. More of a "Do as Bloodycow says, not as he does" situation.
Yeah, I know he didn't mean anything by it.
I was just being cranky as my whole right side of my body was sore as shit yesterday and I couldn't get out of going to classes. Was a pain in the ass.
" I am a warrior, so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet.”
― John Quincy Adams
Man, I gotta say, somehow the most stressful part about buying a home so far is talking to people on the phone. Maybe it's just me, but I haaaaate it. Gotta talk to my car insurance agent and see if they have any sort of discount bundling thing for getting car and homeowners insurance through them. And if so, pass his info along to the lender. Ughhhh, gotta psych myself up!
Man, I gotta say, somehow the most stressful part about buying a home so far is talking to people on the phone. Maybe it's just me, but I haaaaate it. Gotta talk to my car insurance agent and see if they have any sort of discount bundling thing for getting car and homeowners insurance through them. And if so, pass his info along to the lender. Ughhhh, gotta psych myself up!
Most insurers do. However, it's on you to get the insurance quote, which they will send on to the lender.
You can add to that
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Same issues with towel rods this past weekend
Or notice that the windows are not aligned with each other, the floor, the ceiling, or our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
So do you make parallel to the ceiling which makes them crooked to their window, or to each window which makes them crooked to the ceiling?
You can add to that
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Same issues with towel rods this past weekend
Or notice that the windows are not aligned with each other, the floor, the ceiling, or our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
So do you make parallel to the ceiling which makes them crooked to their window, or to each window which makes them crooked to the ceiling?
You sin greatly and surrender to horizontal blinds.
dispatch.o on
+2
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AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
I had a similar experience with putting up really heavy wooden blinds. Nothing is square or symmetrical in old houses I swear. The whole thing is funhouse mirror construction.
I had a similar experience with putting up really heavy wooden blinds. Nothing is square or symmetrical in old houses I swear. The whole thing is funhouse mirror construction.
Or standard size. We've been trying to replace our rear screen door for ages and I'm almost at the point where just building one might be easier than trying to find something that fits this wonky door frame.
"If complete and utter chaos was lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards'."
Hm, so I just got a dwelling replacement quote from my agent. Is it normal for that to be above the purchase price of the home?
Yes, as it's not just replacing the house, but it's contents as well.
It's also more expensive to build a new home "sticks up"; in part because there are code changes that you must now abide by (also labor and materials prices are more than you'd expect)
Hm, so I just got a dwelling replacement quote from my agent. Is it normal for that to be above the purchase price of the home?
Yes, as it's not just replacing the house, but it's contents as well.
It's also more expensive to build a new home "sticks up"; in part because there are code changes that you must now abide by (also labor and materials prices are more than you'd expect)
It's a new home, though, still under construction. And the dwelling replacement quote was like $75,000 more than the purchase price of the home. I certainly don't have that much stuff. I'll ask my lender if it seems right.
You can add to that
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Same issues with towel rods this past weekend
5) Drywall mud the now too wide holes
6) Spot paint over the patched holes (because even if nobody else would ever see them, you'd know...every time you looked at the damn curtains).
You can add to that
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Same issues with towel rods this past weekend
5) Drywall mud the now too wide holes
6) Spot paint over the patched holes (because even if nobody else would ever see them, you'd know...every time you looked at the damn curtains).
7) hang curtains
8) realize that even though the curtain rod is level and parallel to the window, the floor is somehow not, and the curtains are too long on one side.
9) go to 1.
"The world is a mess, and I just need to rule it" - Dr Horrible
+8
Options
ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
You can add to that
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Same issues with towel rods this past weekend
5) Drywall mud the now too wide holes
6) Spot paint over the patched holes (because even if nobody else would ever see them, you'd know...every time you looked at the damn curtains).
7) hang curtains
8) realize that even though the curtain rod is level and parallel to the window, the floor is somehow not, and the curtains are too long on one side.
9) go to 1.
I always enjoy when I hang a TV over someone's fireplace and they get mad at me because the TV isn't level. Then I pull out my level showing the TV is perfectly level, but the mantle is off one way and the ceiling is off the other.
You can add to that
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Same issues with towel rods this past weekend
Or notice that the windows are not aligned with each other, the floor, the ceiling, or our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
So do you make parallel to the ceiling which makes them crooked to their window, or to each window which makes them crooked to the ceiling?
You split the difference and make it look like a design choice.
Hm, so I just got a dwelling replacement quote from my agent. Is it normal for that to be above the purchase price of the home?
Yes, as it's not just replacing the house, but it's contents as well.
It's also more expensive to build a new home "sticks up"; in part because there are code changes that you must now abide by (also labor and materials prices are more than you'd expect)
It's a new home, though, still under construction. And the dwelling replacement quote was like $75,000 more than the purchase price of the home. I certainly don't have that much stuff. I'll ask my lender if it seems right.
Right, but you're going to move in at some point and they aren't going to re-write your policy for that. They write the policies to be worth more than the actual replacement cost of the home (and they'll adjust it every year) because people don't carry insurance on their bedroom furniture, TVs, clothes, etc. You'll also need money to rent/buy another place to live during the re-building period.
It is completely normal for the "replacement value" to be higher than what you paid or what you would get if you sold it.
Having bought a fifty year old house, I can't quite figure out why each window had blinds and two sets of curtains. Like shit, we live in the Pacific Northwest, it's not that bright here.
Having bought a fifty year old house, I can't quite figure out why each window had blinds and two sets of curtains. Like shit, we live in the Pacific Northwest, it's not that bright here.
Probably used to be inhabited by vampires. Apparently there's a bunch of em up here.
Having bought a fifty year old house, I can't quite figure out why each window had blinds and two sets of curtains. Like shit, we live in the Pacific Northwest, it's not that bright here.
Probably used to be inhabited by vampires. Apparently there's a bunch of em up here.
Unlikely, it was a super religious Portuguese family. There is literally a religious icon of a saint stuccoed to the outside of the house.
Posts
Sorry to hear that, but I think that's more of a lesson on making sure you use some kind of fall restraint when operating on the roof.
Got what I deserved on that one.
― John Quincy Adams
I continue to stand by my rotozip. Cuts though plaster and lath walls like butter, and that chicken wire only slows it down a little.
They look interesting, but the multi-tool does the same job and many others I need much more, such as flushcuts. And it did make it through the metal mesh just fine once I had the proper bi-metal blade on. Just didn't figure on the metal so I had a HCS blade in.
You can go on your roof... probably don't use a step stool to do roof work.
It didn't even occur to me that this was something to measure, I thought the sizes were pretty standardized.
wait until you buy a fridge
i had to cancel an order because i had no idea counter depth fridges were a thing, i thought they were standard too
I'm only aware of it because I need to buy my own washer/dryer and in measuring noticed that a bunch of combos were too wide for my area.
Low blow, it's all I had to reach the upper gutters and I just wanted to get it done as today there was a snow storm.
Just take a lesson from me. Don't have to be a dick about it.
― John Quincy Adams
I think Bowen knows you know this whole thing didn't go as you planned, it was more just letting AbsoluteZero know he shouldn't be afraid of his roof. More of a "Do as Bloodycow says, not as he does" situation.
It's heavy, but I can use it for basically anything.
It's also real nice for getting into my attic because the asshole developers put the access at the top of the stairs, so I can be secure having the upper and lower legs at different lengths with having the top flat.
e: Main drawback is that it's quite heavy.
Not happy about it, but it's better to waste 1k on inspections than 200k on a place I'd be pissed off about. I dropped my offer by 10k and told them I'd fix the shit myself. I'm sure they won't sell considering it's substantially below what they countered with.
Dishonest behavior invokes a stubborn anger that I'm pretty comfortable with.
So, that's $fun$. Getting a second opinion, of course.
Yeah bloody's situation is one we've all done at one point or another.
1) Drill hole with screw - no luck - plaster + some kind of other boarding - can't seem to find stud despite being right next to the window frame.
2) Enlarge hole with drill bit to insert drywall anchor, which doesn't fit and smooshes when being tapped in.
3) Get angry, pull out the anchor with pliers, ruining anchor and making a mess.
4) Drill hole some more, with swearing.
5) Insert new anchor, place fixture, screw in.
6) Do this 8 times.
7) Notice the 8th fixture kinks to the right about 20 degrees. Swear more.
8) Vacuum up the mess you've made while swearing.
9) Hang curtains and note you can't really see the issue thanks to the way the rod sits on the fixtures and the curtains hang.
10) Put tools in the area of where they should go but not actually put them away, making a mess for the next time you need them.
Walk away hoping no one else will ever know.
4a) Realize the hole is now too wide/loose to support the drywall anchor.
4b) Move all anchors (you've already done) plus this one over an inch and create new holes.
Same issues with towel rods this past weekend
Yeah, I know he didn't mean anything by it.
I was just being cranky as my whole right side of my body was sore as shit yesterday and I couldn't get out of going to classes. Was a pain in the ass.
― John Quincy Adams
Most insurers do. However, it's on you to get the insurance quote, which they will send on to the lender.
Or notice that the windows are not aligned with each other, the floor, the ceiling, or our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
So do you make parallel to the ceiling which makes them crooked to their window, or to each window which makes them crooked to the ceiling?
You sin greatly and surrender to horizontal blinds.
Yes, as it's not just replacing the house, but it's contents as well.
Or standard size. We've been trying to replace our rear screen door for ages and I'm almost at the point where just building one might be easier than trying to find something that fits this wonky door frame.
It's also more expensive to build a new home "sticks up"; in part because there are code changes that you must now abide by (also labor and materials prices are more than you'd expect)
It's a new home, though, still under construction. And the dwelling replacement quote was like $75,000 more than the purchase price of the home. I certainly don't have that much stuff. I'll ask my lender if it seems right.
5) Drywall mud the now too wide holes
6) Spot paint over the patched holes (because even if nobody else would ever see them, you'd know...every time you looked at the damn curtains).
7) hang curtains
8) realize that even though the curtain rod is level and parallel to the window, the floor is somehow not, and the curtains are too long on one side.
9) go to 1.
I always enjoy when I hang a TV over someone's fireplace and they get mad at me because the TV isn't level. Then I pull out my level showing the TV is perfectly level, but the mantle is off one way and the ceiling is off the other.
You split the difference and make it look like a design choice.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Right, but you're going to move in at some point and they aren't going to re-write your policy for that. They write the policies to be worth more than the actual replacement cost of the home (and they'll adjust it every year) because people don't carry insurance on their bedroom furniture, TVs, clothes, etc. You'll also need money to rent/buy another place to live during the re-building period.
It is completely normal for the "replacement value" to be higher than what you paid or what you would get if you sold it.
Probably used to be inhabited by vampires. Apparently there's a bunch of em up here.
Unlikely, it was a super religious Portuguese family. There is literally a religious icon of a saint stuccoed to the outside of the house.