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Homeowner/House Thread: It's going to cost how much, now?

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    YamiNoSenshiYamiNoSenshi A point called Z In the complex planeRegistered User regular
    Corvus wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    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.

    How many religious icons did you have to dispose of when you moved in? I want to see if you can beat my score.

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    DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    Not religious, but I had a fun one on my final walk through Monday.

    Ooh I see you have a nazi navy flag and a helmet with an ss sticker on it in the garage. Cool....coolcoolcool.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    I like to ART
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    electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    So we got the house! More or less spot on at the predicted price from the bank, and well within our budget. Being able to go "yeah we'll sign at the end of the week" was a huge advantage ultimately, I suspect because it's right before christmas.

    I am excite - a building that I'll actually own makes a huge difference. I will also continue to not understand in anyway what my father has been thinking this last year with "we must DIY renovate all the things". But everyone is happy and still talking, which ultimately is what I was looking for.

    Family and real estate: just don't do it.

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    YamiNoSenshiYamiNoSenshi A point called Z In the complex planeRegistered User regular
    So we got the house! More or less spot on at the predicted price from the bank, and well within our budget. Being able to go "yeah we'll sign at the end of the week" was a huge advantage ultimately, I suspect because it's right before christmas.

    I am excite - a building that I'll actually own makes a huge difference. I will also continue to not understand in anyway what my father has been thinking this last year with "we must DIY renovate all the things". But everyone is happy and still talking, which ultimately is what I was looking for.
    Congrats!
    Family and real estate: just don't do it.

    Nodding so hard my head flies off into traffic and causes a car crash.

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    DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    As someone who just bought a house with his brother...I'm going to live in blissful naivete until such that things change.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    I like to ART
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    YamiNoSenshiYamiNoSenshi A point called Z In the complex planeRegistered User regular
    Doodmann wrote: »
    As someone who just bought a house with his brother...I'm going to live in blissful naivete until such that things change.

    We let my mom pressure us into buying a condo on an FHA loan and using my cousin as a realtor. We wanted to continue renting and saving. Have fun finding all the mistakes!

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    SimpsoniaSimpsonia Registered User regular
    Corvus wrote: »
    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.

    Not sure about the blinds, but I know my grandma and lots of others from the older generation liked having two sets of curtains. One a lightblocking one, and one a sheer curtain to break visbility but still allow natural light in.

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    DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    Doodmann wrote: »
    As someone who just bought a house with his brother...I'm going to live in blissful naivete until such that things change.

    We let my mom pressure us into buying a condo on an FHA loan and using my cousin as a realtor. We wanted to continue renting and saving. Have fun finding all the mistakes!

    ooh, yeah that is not good. This is a 2/3 - 1/3 ownership splitting the mortgage for a couple years with the long term goal of buying each other out or renting it once we move on.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    I like to ART
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    CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    Corvus wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    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.

    How many religious icons did you have to dispose of when you moved in? I want to see if you can beat my score.

    Zero, actually, the house was empty once we got possession. There was literally a baby jesus on a table during the showings though.

    :so_raven:
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    MortiousMortious The Nightmare Begins Move to New ZealandRegistered User regular
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    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.

    Not sure about the blinds, but I know my grandma and lots of others from the older generation liked having two sets of curtains. One a lightblocking one, and one a sheer curtain to break visbility but still allow natural light in.

    ...yes, older generations

    Move to New Zealand
    It’s not a very important country most of the time
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/mortious
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    Captain InertiaCaptain Inertia Registered User regular
    edited December 2019
    Deck jacked up

    No patio for now

    Captain Inertia on
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    CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    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.

    Not sure about the blinds, but I know my grandma and lots of others from the older generation liked having two sets of curtains. One a lightblocking one, and one a sheer curtain to break visbility but still allow natural light in.

    Yeah, I see that. Probably helped with some insulation with the super shitty single pane windows too.

    :so_raven:
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    ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    You exert your dominance over the neighborhood and don't install any curtains.

    Blinds are expensive! Walk around your house naked.

    If the neighbors are that upset, they can buy you new blinds.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
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    OptyOpty Registered User regular
    edited December 2019
    Professionally installed blinds are pretty expensive, blinds you install yourself without checking for studs or using drywall anchors and will fall out of the wall the second someone tries to use them are cheap.

    Opty on
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    schussschuss Registered User regular
    We easily spend $500+ on blinds and curtains for our house and installed all ourselves. Expensive but worth it

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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Corvus wrote: »
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    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.

    Not sure about the blinds, but I know my grandma and lots of others from the older generation liked having two sets of curtains. One a lightblocking one, and one a sheer curtain to break visbility but still allow natural light in.

    Yeah, I see that. Probably helped with some insulation with the super shitty single pane windows too.

    It helps even today with semi-modern windows.

    I got some super high quality thermal curtains (it was a couple hundred dollars to do a single room) and it has drastically reduced my cooling needs mid-day in the summer up here. Like I was cooling in the neighborhood of ~$230 a month and it went to like ~$175 (averages so not entirely accurate). But my AC did run much less according to my nest.

    You want two because with just one it's not creating a pocket. One is plenty fine if you just want to block out some light.

    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
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    DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    bowen wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    Corvus wrote: »
    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.

    Not sure about the blinds, but I know my grandma and lots of others from the older generation liked having two sets of curtains. One a lightblocking one, and one a sheer curtain to break visbility but still allow natural light in.

    Yeah, I see that. Probably helped with some insulation with the super shitty single pane windows too.

    It helps even today with semi-modern windows.

    I got some super high quality thermal curtains (it was a couple hundred dollars to do a single room) and it has drastically reduced my cooling needs mid-day in the summer up here. Like I was cooling in the neighborhood of ~$230 a month and it went to like ~$175 (averages so not entirely accurate). But my AC did run much less according to my nest.

    You want two because with just one it's not creating a pocket. One is plenty fine if you just want to block out some light.

    Modern double pane windows are a wild improvement for any household. Would recommend++

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    I like to ART
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Yeah if your windows were not installed on or after 2010 (nearly a decade ago) they are costing you money.

    I mean even double pane from 1980... that's 40 years ago, and most houses rarely last past a century (or at least didn't). That's extremely old technology. One of the best things you can do for energy efficiency in your house is replace the windows and insulate the dead space around them and the doors.

    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
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    To put it in perspective, a window from the past 5ish years reflects enough energy to melt vinyl siding on houses across the road or next door to you.

    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
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    DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    Also, retrofit replacement windows have become super easy to install. They just pop into the existing frame.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    I like to ART
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    ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    bowen wrote: »
    Yeah if your windows were not installed on or after 2010 (nearly a decade ago) they are costing you money.

    I mean even double pane from 1980... that's 40 years ago, and most houses rarely last past a century (or at least didn't). That's extremely old technology. One of the best things you can do for energy efficiency in your house is replace the windows and insulate the dead space around them and the doors.

    We just replaced most of our windows and the difference this winter has been astonishing so far. The pellet stove used to barely warm us up and now we're too hot at night. It's amazing.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
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    SimpsoniaSimpsonia Registered User regular
    bowen wrote: »
    Yeah if your windows were not installed on or after 2010 (nearly a decade ago) they are costing you money.

    I mean even double pane from 1980... that's 40 years ago, and most houses rarely last past a century (or at least didn't). That's extremely old technology. One of the best things you can do for energy efficiency in your house is replace the windows and insulate the dead space around them and the doors.

    I think that's a bit dependent on a number of other factors though too. My building is 110 years old and is all plaster and lathe with no real insulation at all behind the walls. I've got double pane from the early-mid 2000s, and they help a lot, but I doubt that new windows are going to make that much of a difference when the rest of the house itself isn't air-sealed.

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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Of course if you are in a 100 year old building there are likely other factors that could be improved if they have not in the past century.

    I don't think I was being uncharitable for not addressing that directly for the small cluster of people that it applies to.

    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
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    MNC DoverMNC Dover Full-time Voice Actor Kirkland, WARegistered User regular
    The home theater company I used to work for would install custom, programmable, silent, motorized blinds that would cost in the $1,000s. Granted, these were top-of-line luxury items, but blinds are no joke when it comes to pricing.

    Need a voice actor? Hire me at bengrayVO.com
    Legends of Runeterra: MNCdover #moc
    Switch ID: MNC Dover SW-1154-3107-1051
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    Captain InertiaCaptain Inertia Registered User regular
    There are bee-holes all over the exterior trim of my house

    Bee Holes!

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    QanamilQanamil x Registered User regular
    Things to fix, but I just want to find good large bookshelves so I can unpack all the books ugh.

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    djmitchelladjmitchella Registered User regular
    We put these blinds in previous house and current one, and they've been great. As long as you measure your window properly, it takes a couple of screws to install the brackets, and then you just clip the blind into those. (we went with the no-dangling-cords and option because we had small kids and pets to worry about, and the adjust-from-both-ends option because of where the sun comes in at some times of day, but you can knock a fair bit off the price if you don't need that).

    (that's the canadian link, the US site is blinds.com and looks basically the same)

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    SimpsoniaSimpsonia Registered User regular
    bowen wrote: »
    Of course if you are in a 100 year old building there are likely other factors that could be improved if they have not in the past century.

    I don't think I was being uncharitable for not addressing that directly for the small cluster of people that it applies to.

    I've researched it, and apparently there isn't a lot we can do without a full gut/rehab outside of simple things like proper caulking, weatherstripping, etc. Apparently just adding insulation into the walls of an old building like this without tearing off all the walls and installing a vapor barier is the quickest way to cause mold problems. As moisture and humidity pass from the interior air-space, it gets trapped in the insulation (typically blown cellulose) then starts to rot/mold. So either the whole house has to 'breathe' or you tear it all out and install vapor barriers and proper R rated insulation.

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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    bowen wrote: »
    Of course if you are in a 100 year old building there are likely other factors that could be improved if they have not in the past century.

    I don't think I was being uncharitable for not addressing that directly for the small cluster of people that it applies to.

    I've researched it, and apparently there isn't a lot we can do without a full gut/rehab outside of simple things like proper caulking, weatherstripping, etc. Apparently just adding insulation into the walls of an old building like this without tearing off all the walls and installing a vapor barier is the quickest way to cause mold problems. As moisture and humidity pass from the interior air-space, it gets trapped in the insulation (typically blown cellulose) then starts to rot/mold. So either the whole house has to 'breathe' or you tear it all out and install vapor barriers and proper R rated insulation.

    Yeah you're going down to the studs on your external walls, but, insulation, drywall, and vapor barrier are cheapish!

    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
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    StraygatsbyStraygatsby Registered User regular
    edited December 2019
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    bowen wrote: »
    Of course if you are in a 100 year old building there are likely other factors that could be improved if they have not in the past century.

    I don't think I was being uncharitable for not addressing that directly for the small cluster of people that it applies to.

    I've researched it, and apparently there isn't a lot we can do without a full gut/rehab outside of simple things like proper caulking, weatherstripping, etc. Apparently just adding insulation into the walls of an old building like this without tearing off all the walls and installing a vapor barier is the quickest way to cause mold problems. As moisture and humidity pass from the interior air-space, it gets trapped in the insulation (typically blown cellulose) then starts to rot/mold. So either the whole house has to 'breathe' or you tear it all out and install vapor barriers and proper R rated insulation.

    That's how our first place was: 100 year old PNW craftsman = no insulation unless you drill and pump it in (and there's a lot of opinions out there that suggest it becomes a mold slurry at the bottom of those channels over time and is just not worth the trouble).

    Our takeaway was just that old houses be drafty, and we compensated with a fireplace upgrade and some comfy blankets. Part of the charm, I guess.

    Our new place has giant fucking 8 foot picture windows from the 80s that are all custom and single pane, so it's a similar dilemma we intend to address in the same way because fuckkkkk no I am not getting quotes on these giant windows being replaced.

    Straygatsby on
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Sprayfoam insulation is another alternative, there are some that act as vapor barriers too.

    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
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    MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I'm still trying to figure out why people like rooms with tall ceilings because all I can think about is the wasted hot air that ends up there during the heating season.

    Like my mom is cold a lot of the time and her living room has 12' angled ceilings (12' at the tall end). She didn't buy the house because of that aesthetic but I've never understood it

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    DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    My house funded today and closes tomorrow. Looks like I am once again part of the landed gentry in this fine nation.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    I like to ART
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    I'm still trying to figure out why people like rooms with tall ceilings because all I can think about is the wasted hot air that ends up there during the heating season.

    Like my mom is cold a lot of the time and her living room has 12' angled ceilings (12' at the tall end). She didn't buy the house because of that aesthetic but I've never understood it

    they're aesthetically pleasing and let you not worry about christmas trees being too tall.

    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
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    YamiNoSenshiYamiNoSenshi A point called Z In the complex planeRegistered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    I'm still trying to figure out why people like rooms with tall ceilings because all I can think about is the wasted hot air that ends up there during the heating season.

    Like my mom is cold a lot of the time and her living room has 12' angled ceilings (12' at the tall end). She didn't buy the house because of that aesthetic but I've never understood it

    No idea. We had looked at a house with a two story living room and my only thought was "This must be a nightmare to keep warm." This was in NJ.

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    StraygatsbyStraygatsby Registered User regular
    to each their own, but I'll take a vaulted ceiling and picture windows that's an icebox over a cozy 8 foot ceiling and new vinyl windows all day, erry day.

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    Stabbity StyleStabbity Style He/Him | Warning: Mothership Reporting Kennewick, WARegistered User regular
    to each their own, but I'll take a vaulted ceiling and picture windows that's an icebox over a cozy 8 foot ceiling and new vinyl windows all day, erry day.

    Yeah, I like the cold. I overheat way too easy.

    Stabbity_Style.png
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    ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    bowen wrote: »
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    bowen wrote: »
    Of course if you are in a 100 year old building there are likely other factors that could be improved if they have not in the past century.

    I don't think I was being uncharitable for not addressing that directly for the small cluster of people that it applies to.

    I've researched it, and apparently there isn't a lot we can do without a full gut/rehab outside of simple things like proper caulking, weatherstripping, etc. Apparently just adding insulation into the walls of an old building like this without tearing off all the walls and installing a vapor barier is the quickest way to cause mold problems. As moisture and humidity pass from the interior air-space, it gets trapped in the insulation (typically blown cellulose) then starts to rot/mold. So either the whole house has to 'breathe' or you tear it all out and install vapor barriers and proper R rated insulation.

    Yeah you're going down to the studs on your external walls, but, insulation, drywall, and vapor barrier are cheapish!

    Not that cheap! We'd be looking at another 10k-ish to insulate our house. The windows were a great fix because our house had the original windows still (mostly cracked, all single pane), but the walls still don't have insulation. Or at least not enough.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
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    MortiousMortious The Nightmare Begins Move to New ZealandRegistered User regular
    I've been watching a lot of videos about food forests and permaculture in resedential plots.

    Now the people doing this usually have about double to quadruple the space available to them that we do, but they're also trying to go full self-sustainable, which we are not really looking at.

    I'd have to limit the max height of the trees we plant, but I couldn't find anything prohibiting me from replacing my backyard with one. Hopefully the neighbours won't mind.

    Move to New Zealand
    It’s not a very important country most of the time
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/mortious
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    Stabbity StyleStabbity Style He/Him | Warning: Mothership Reporting Kennewick, WARegistered User regular
    Mortious wrote: »
    I've been watching a lot of videos about food forests and permaculture in resedential plots.

    Now the people doing this usually have about double to quadruple the space available to them that we do, but they're also trying to go full self-sustainable, which we are not really looking at.

    I'd have to limit the max height of the trees we plant, but I couldn't find anything prohibiting me from replacing my backyard with one. Hopefully the neighbours won't mind.

    Are you in a good hardiness zone for it?

    Stabbity_Style.png
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