Tonight I am spending what is probably the last night I'll spend in this apartment, after 8 and a half years!
Feels pretty good! Also I suck at painting but I've never done it before so yeah.
As long as the paint job is pretty good nobody but you will know about the little mistakes.
Unfortunately, it is bad. Hopefully after a second coat it'll even out and look better. Right now it's really rough
You'll need surprised at how different multiple coats can make. I found using a extender for the rollers helped a lot, even if I could reach the spot as being farther away helped with overlaping those Ws.
Well, five days later, we're almost completely out of the apartment, just a few random stuff we need to clean before we move, and the cleaning supplies.
Then we just gotta clean the apartment and unpack ... everything.
Bought a lot of curtains these past few days. Houses have WAY more windows than an apartment does!
Did some more work at the new place today. Had a foundation repair and waterproofing company come out to inspect the basement Friday night. Unfortunately they are booked until mid February. We took that booking and are on their 24 hour notice call list so I'm crossing my fingers that someone with a similar size job cancels soon. Also got set up with an air purifier system from them that will be installed in about a month so at least the air down there and going through the rest of the house won't be full of mold and other unwanted joys.
When we removed the supply line to the sink they were so rusted through the compression fitting basically melted in my hands.
What are the dimenions on that shelving unit you have on the toilet there? Our toilet is recessed in between the bathroom wall and the shower wetwall and it's a real tight space, but maybe I'd be able to get something like that in there to add some fucking storage space.
Oh also our appliances were NOT brand new like we thought and are in fact some number of years old.
The water dispenser on the fridge does not work. No clue why! We don't drink much water, so I don't really care, in theory, but also I want my things to work, ya know?
Also also, the damn dishwasher didn't finish it's first run, and there's an inch or so of water in it. Again, no clue! Guess I get to do the fun part of this home-owning thing sooner rather than later.
So far the most annoying thing has been getting utilities and whatnot set up, since there's like 5 different companies and each has a different setup for starting a new account/taking over the existing account
Thanks all! I agree that the aesthetic is not for everyone. I really like high contrast stuff like that though. Still trying to decide on what I want to paint everything in there. In retrospect I should have done that first but eh. I also wanted to do vinyl planks.
What are the dimenions on that shelving unit you have on the toilet there? Our toilet is recessed in between the bathroom wall and the shower wetwall and it's a real tight space, but maybe I'd be able to get something like that in there to add some fucking storage space.
It's probably about half an inch to get behind the toilet, if that. If your toilet is recessed you'll have an issue. Theoretically you could "build it" behind the toilet if you can't get behind the tank I guess. They do make wall mounted ones that have shelves that might work better in your situation. I have a bathroom where the toilet tank is recessed in the wall and I dunno wtf they were thinking on that one.
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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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Oh also our appliances were NOT brand new like we thought and are in fact some number of years old.
The water dispenser on the fridge does not work. No clue why! We don't drink much water, so I don't really care, in theory, but also I want my things to work, ya know?
Also also, the damn dishwasher didn't finish it's first run, and there's an inch or so of water in it. Again, no clue! Guess I get to do the fun part of this home-owning thing sooner rather than later.
Which reminds me. I need a lawn mower.
Woo (legit am so happy though)
Does tge fridges icemaker work? If not, odds are the fridge isn't hooked up to the water. Either because the plumbing is a pain or hard water.
Also also, the damn dishwasher didn't finish it's first run, and there's an inch or so of water in it. Again, no clue! Guess I get to do the fun part of this home-owning thing sooner rather than later.
Sometimes a bit of broken glass or flatware jams up the drain impeller. It's actually pretty easy to fix that for most models. Just need some screwdrivers and get underneath to remove the impeller from the drain line so you can look inside.
DisruptedCapitalist on
"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
Our dishwasher broke; we looked up the error code and it was ‘call a technician’ so we said fuck it and removed it entirely. We still need to get the pipe connecting the garbage disposal to the dishwasher properly sealed.
I looked up the age of our various appliances once. The washer is only 3 years old, but the dryer is 16! And I think the fridge and microwave are similarly old. Everything is still working very well for now - touch wood - and hey, it’s good to see appliances lasting.
man a quote for 550 sqft deck, using pressure wood and pretty basic rails for 14k cdn (about 10.5k usd)
That was higher then I expected. What's interesting is it seems really cheap to have someone come put posts in the ground for a deck, I wonder if I could build the rest myself...
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CambiataCommander ShepardThe likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered Userregular
Thanks all! I agree that the aesthetic is not for everyone. I really like high contrast stuff like that though. Still trying to decide on what I want to paint everything in there. In retrospect I should have done that first but eh. I also wanted to do vinyl planks.
man a quote for 550 sqft deck, using pressure wood and pretty basic rails for 14k cdn (about 10.5k usd)
That was higher then I expected. What's interesting is it seems really cheap to have someone come put posts in the ground for a deck, I wonder if I could build the rest myself...
Yes. The most important part is having the footings installed correctly. Everything else is using a square, tape measure, circular saw and a drill.
man a quote for 550 sqft deck, using pressure wood and pretty basic rails for 14k cdn (about 10.5k usd)
That was higher then I expected. What's interesting is it seems really cheap to have someone come put posts in the ground for a deck, I wonder if I could build the rest myself...
As coincidence has it, I saw today on Mike Holmes' instagram, his top Don't for Outdoor Projects Do's and Don'ts was Don't Build a Deck Yourself
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FishmanPut your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain.Registered Userregular
The foundation got poured for the front downstairs extension on the renovation house! Yay!
My new apartment has a yard. I haven't had a yard in my entire adult life....so how the fuck do I yard?
Basically what I mean by yard is that I have a decent sized* plot of what should be grass but is instead some devil hybrid of wheat/weeds/sticky shit. I'll take a picture to post in the not too far future, but I need to kill it all (and it's a perennial as far as I can tell) and then I need to reintroduce top soil that doesn't suck and then grass and god dammit this is an apartment, but I'm looking at at least a few grand in materials even if I do the labor myself (which is fine).
So, first question: How the fuck do I kill an entire lawn worth of perennial weeds without chemicals so this doesn't become a wasteland?
*
I live in Los Angeles so really decent sized means something slightly larger than a postage stamp. I'll grab dimensions at some point.
JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
If what you've got is all weeds and no grass, you'll probably want to wait until early next spring* and rent a cultivator from Home Depot and just plow up your entire lawn to a depth of six inches. Go over it a couple of times and really chop that organic matter into the soil. At this point, you should test your soil. It looks like the extension service for Los Angeles County doesn't provide free soil testing, so you're probably better off just buying a cheap testing kit from your local garden center to determine pH and do a jar test to see what your composition is like. The nursery specialist at your local garden center should be able to help you interpret these results and add the appropriate amendments to your soil.
Next, heavily seed the amended soil with grass seed or clover seed or whatever ground cover you're going with. You'll need to water it well while it gets established, whatever it is, and your lawn is going to be hella raggedy for the first year because of all the weed seeds in the soil. You'll probably need to do a certain amount of hand weeding whenever you see some particularly rambunctious patch of weeds trying to take over.
Year 2 Spring 1, you'll need to make a choice. You can either broadcast a pre-emergent herbicide every spring or dedicate yourself to grubbing out all the weeds by hand for the rest of your tenure in this house. I'd recommend the former. As long as you steer clear of weed-and-feed combos that flush lots of nitrates and phosphates into the storm drains, pre-emergents are generally pretty friendly to the environment. And once your lawn is established, it doesn't take much chemical help to keep it looking good.
*This is from my experience in a temperate climate. If your lawn grows year round in LA, there's no time like the present to get started.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
My new apartment has a yard. I haven't had a yard in my entire adult life....so how the fuck do I yard?
Basically what I mean by yard is that I have a decent sized* plot of what should be grass but is instead some devil hybrid of wheat/weeds/sticky shit. I'll take a picture to post in the not too far future, but I need to kill it all (and it's a perennial as far as I can tell) and then I need to reintroduce top soil that doesn't suck and then grass and god dammit this is an apartment, but I'm looking at at least a few grand in materials even if I do the labor myself (which is fine).
So, first question: How the fuck do I kill an entire lawn worth of perennial weeds without chemicals so this doesn't become a wasteland?
*
I live in Los Angeles so really decent sized means something slightly larger than a postage stamp. I'll grab dimensions at some point.
You dig up all the sod then lay down whatever you want.
Before you lawn, check to see if you have to put grass in. If you don't, I recommend considering xeriscaping, especially if the state bonuses are still available.
webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Yea, maybe do a pea gravel and raised garden box setup. You can plant a lot of awesome stuff with next to zero upkeep, especially if you automate the watering of the raised beds.
Actually it's been proven that clear plastic is better/quicker for that, but yes - it's an option I'm considering.
As is the xeriscaping and other drought resistant options. I need to talk the landlord into letting that happen and then splitting the cost with me to get it done (because he gets the tax break).
We have lodgers! A couple of weeks ago, some birds made a nest on top of our front porch light
The eggs are now birds, and they're doing very well (though things are getting a bit crowded in there):
They're gone! We happened to be looking out the window at the right time to see one of them heading across the road:
and into a tree on the other side (not very high into the tree, but off the ground, at least)
Now the nest is empty, and there is a lot of poo scrubbing to take care of:
Before you lawn, check to see if you have to put grass in. If you don't, I recommend considering xeriscaping, especially if the state bonuses are still available.
Looking at those pictures. My childhood dog would have loved running all over, sniffing each flower, and coming back inside with a face full of pollen.
Oh also our appliances were NOT brand new like we thought and are in fact some number of years old.
The water dispenser on the fridge does not work. No clue why! We don't drink much water, so I don't really care, in theory, but also I want my things to work, ya know?
Also also, the damn dishwasher didn't finish it's first run, and there's an inch or so of water in it. Again, no clue! Guess I get to do the fun part of this home-owning thing sooner rather than later.
Which reminds me. I need a lawn mower.
Woo (legit am so happy though)
Does tge fridges icemaker work? If not, odds are the fridge isn't hooked up to the water. Either because the plumbing is a pain or hard water.
Unclear! It is full of ice but has been since we first looked at the house. And the ice seems like the type that the icemaker would make so, I dunno! And the filter for the system seems to be in normal status, so, again, unclear!
I'll look into it, eventually, when I make time to. Tomorrow the washer and dryer are being installed, then Friday is my new desk, and I'll probably need a lawnmower sooner rather than later.
Before you lawn, check to see if you have to put grass in. If you don't, I recommend considering xeriscaping, especially if the state bonuses are still available.
I hate xeriscaping personally because around here it's mostly aggregate with no plants
Posts
Thiwip, and release.
Thiwip, and release.
The eggs are now birds, and they're doing very well (though things are getting a bit crowded in there):
Our mailbox / porch, not so much:
Then we just gotta clean the apartment and unpack ... everything.
Bought a lot of curtains these past few days. Houses have WAY more windows than an apartment does!
Battle.net: IronSquirrel#1462
Before:
After:
When we removed the supply line to the sink they were so rusted through the compression fitting basically melted in my hands.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
breathe
What are the dimenions on that shelving unit you have on the toilet there? Our toilet is recessed in between the bathroom wall and the shower wetwall and it's a real tight space, but maybe I'd be able to get something like that in there to add some fucking storage space.
The water dispenser on the fridge does not work. No clue why! We don't drink much water, so I don't really care, in theory, but also I want my things to work, ya know?
Also also, the damn dishwasher didn't finish it's first run, and there's an inch or so of water in it. Again, no clue! Guess I get to do the fun part of this home-owning thing sooner rather than later.
Which reminds me. I need a lawn mower.
Woo (legit am so happy though)
It's probably about half an inch to get behind the toilet, if that. If your toilet is recessed you'll have an issue. Theoretically you could "build it" behind the toilet if you can't get behind the tank I guess. They do make wall mounted ones that have shelves that might work better in your situation. I have a bathroom where the toilet tank is recessed in the wall and I dunno wtf they were thinking on that one.
Does tge fridges icemaker work? If not, odds are the fridge isn't hooked up to the water. Either because the plumbing is a pain or hard water.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
@Janson
Sometimes a bit of broken glass or flatware jams up the drain impeller. It's actually pretty easy to fix that for most models. Just need some screwdrivers and get underneath to remove the impeller from the drain line so you can look inside.
@Moriveth goals, yes?
Our dishwasher broke; we looked up the error code and it was ‘call a technician’ so we said fuck it and removed it entirely. We still need to get the pipe connecting the garbage disposal to the dishwasher properly sealed.
I looked up the age of our various appliances once. The washer is only 3 years old, but the dryer is 16! And I think the fridge and microwave are similarly old. Everything is still working very well for now - touch wood - and hey, it’s good to see appliances lasting.
Oh when it does that it means you need to plug it in.
Plug? In?!?
That was higher then I expected. What's interesting is it seems really cheap to have someone come put posts in the ground for a deck, I wonder if I could build the rest myself...
Your bathroom looks nice, but obligatory:
Yes. The most important part is having the footings installed correctly. Everything else is using a square, tape measure, circular saw and a drill.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
As coincidence has it, I saw today on Mike Holmes' instagram, his top Don't for Outdoor Projects Do's and Don'ts was Don't Build a Deck Yourself
We're tracking 50% over budget! Boo!
Basically what I mean by yard is that I have a decent sized* plot of what should be grass but is instead some devil hybrid of wheat/weeds/sticky shit. I'll take a picture to post in the not too far future, but I need to kill it all (and it's a perennial as far as I can tell) and then I need to reintroduce top soil that doesn't suck and then grass and god dammit this is an apartment, but I'm looking at at least a few grand in materials even if I do the labor myself (which is fine).
So, first question: How the fuck do I kill an entire lawn worth of perennial weeds without chemicals so this doesn't become a wasteland?
*
Next, heavily seed the amended soil with grass seed or clover seed or whatever ground cover you're going with. You'll need to water it well while it gets established, whatever it is, and your lawn is going to be hella raggedy for the first year because of all the weed seeds in the soil. You'll probably need to do a certain amount of hand weeding whenever you see some particularly rambunctious patch of weeds trying to take over.
Year 2 Spring 1, you'll need to make a choice. You can either broadcast a pre-emergent herbicide every spring or dedicate yourself to grubbing out all the weeds by hand for the rest of your tenure in this house. I'd recommend the former. As long as you steer clear of weed-and-feed combos that flush lots of nitrates and phosphates into the storm drains, pre-emergents are generally pretty friendly to the environment. And once your lawn is established, it doesn't take much chemical help to keep it looking good.
*This is from my experience in a temperate climate. If your lawn grows year round in LA, there's no time like the present to get started.
You dig up all the sod then lay down whatever you want.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
As is the xeriscaping and other drought resistant options. I need to talk the landlord into letting that happen and then splitting the cost with me to get it done (because he gets the tax break).
They're gone! We happened to be looking out the window at the right time to see one of them heading across the road:
and into a tree on the other side (not very high into the tree, but off the ground, at least)
Now the nest is empty, and there is a lot of poo scrubbing to take care of:
Looking at those pictures. My childhood dog would have loved running all over, sniffing each flower, and coming back inside with a face full of pollen.
Unclear! It is full of ice but has been since we first looked at the house. And the ice seems like the type that the icemaker would make so, I dunno! And the filter for the system seems to be in normal status, so, again, unclear!
I'll look into it, eventually, when I make time to. Tomorrow the washer and dryer are being installed, then Friday is my new desk, and I'll probably need a lawnmower sooner rather than later.
I hate xeriscaping personally because around here it's mostly aggregate with no plants