LazBro
Prolific Poster 
Posts: 10,290 
|
Post by LazBro on Jul 7, 2022 10:06:27 GMT -5
This was squared away a week or so ago. We're getting the original plan at the original price. AND our permits have just come in today. Not sure the day, but work should be starting very soon. This has not started yet. We don't know when this will start. Our contact said maybe today, but we never got confirmation or follow up when we asked for an update or if we would be having any kind of logistics discussion.... Still no actual communication from the contractor, but when I got home yesterday there was wood everywhere. Two massive stacks of wood planks sitting on the front lawn. Which, why not out back where the patio goes, but whatever. |
|
Baron von Costume
TI Forumite
Like an iron maiden made of pillows... the punishment is decadence!
Posts: 4,685
|
Post by Baron von Costume on Jul 8, 2022 8:51:55 GMT -5
I am getting a new roof today... perhaps my stress level about the damage will finally drop even 5% You f'ing optimist Baron... Day 3 of them banging around now and my head is constantly aching  |
|
LazBro
Prolific Poster
Posts: 10,290
|
Post by LazBro on Jul 13, 2022 7:56:57 GMT -5
I am getting a new roof today... perhaps my stress level about the damage will finally drop even 5% You f'ing optimist Baron... Day 3 of them banging around now and my head is constantly aching The patio work has started at my place in earnest. My upstairs office has a window facing the backyard, so I sit less than six feet from where framing work is being done.
Through some combination of obliviousness, ignorance, and denial, I hadn't before considered that this was going to be loud as shit!
|
|
|
|
Post by Powerthirteen on Jul 13, 2022 12:39:52 GMT -5
Maybe the best part about buying a new old house is wandering around looking at the walls and thinking.... why on earth did they put this nail/drywall anchor/eye bolt here? What was that for?
|
|
|
|
Post by Gumbercules' Jugband Christmas on Jul 18, 2022 9:02:51 GMT -5
A friend of mine is a realtor and she visited a listed house with a client yesterday. She had said that there was mold growing on the basement floor (blue and white fuzz, not black mold) but still something the owner or selling agent could have quickly cleaned up. Then later in the day she posted this picture from that same house.  |
|
LazBro
Prolific Poster
Posts: 10,290
|
Post by LazBro on Jul 18, 2022 9:44:37 GMT -5
Our contractors completed the build of the new patio structure last week. There is still plenty of finishing to do, but it's there, shingles and all, and we're really happy with how it looks.
Knowing nothing about how a project like this is supposed to go, we thought it odd that they built the structure before laying the new cement. The flooring project is kind of odd: our existing patio is split into two sections, one cement floor, and one kind of gravel composite floor that I hate. It looks okay, but it's hard to clean. So for this new project, we opted to keep the existing cement portion to save money and then tear out the gravel pad and replace it with cement. We're then also more than doubling the total size of the pad with still more cement. So, one patch of old floor remains, but it will all be the same type of floor in the end. Where our concern and confusion comes in: two of the piers are dug into grass, far out from the house where the new edges of the patio will be. That's fine. Maybe doing that before laying cement makes sense. Maybe the big holes are in fact filled with cement (or whatever) for stability. Cool. The other two piers, though, one is on the old cement, but one is also on the gravel pad .... which is due to get ripped out ... or should be. Is that right? Is it normal to build a pier on top of a surface that's going to be removed? Wouldn't be easier to do the floor first?
To be clear, I've asked my contractor these same questions, via text, but haven't heard back, and it's annoying me.
|
|
|
|
Post by Powerthirteen on Jul 18, 2022 10:04:40 GMT -5
A friend of mine is a realtor and she visited a listed house with a client yesterday. She had said that there was mold growing on the basement floor (blue and white fuzz, not black mold) but still something the owner or selling agent could have quickly cleaned up. Then later in the day she posted this picture from that same house. After having his victim drink all that Amontillado, including a toilet was the least he could do. |
|
LazBro
Prolific Poster
Posts: 10,290
|
Post by LazBro on Jul 18, 2022 10:16:27 GMT -5
Our contractors completed the build of the new patio structure last week. There is still plenty of finishing to do, but it's there, shingles and all, and we're really happy with how it looks.
Knowing nothing about how a project like this is supposed to go, we thought it odd that they built the structure before laying the new cement. The flooring project is kind of odd: our existing patio is split into two sections, one cement floor, and one kind of gravel composite floor that I hate. It looks okay, but it's hard to clean. So for this new project, we opted to keep the existing cement portion to save money and then tear out the gravel pad and replace it with cement. We're then also more than doubling the total size of the pad with still more cement. So, one patch of old floor remains, but it will all be the same type of floor in the end. Where our concern and confusion comes in: two of the piers are dug into grass, far out from the house where the new edges of the patio will be. That's fine. Maybe doing that before laying cement makes sense. Maybe the big holes are in fact filled with cement (or whatever) for stability. Cool. The other two piers, though, one is on the old cement, but one is also on the gravel pad .... which is due to get ripped out ... or should be. Is that right? Is it normal to build a pier on top of a surface that's going to be removed? Wouldn't be easier to do the floor first?
To be clear, I've asked my contractor these same questions, via text, but haven't heard back, and it's annoying me.
Nevermind, The contractor responded and the answer is yes, they're still replacing that bit and this is how it's done.
Ok.
|
|
Baron von Costume
TI Forumite
Like an iron maiden made of pillows... the punishment is decadence!
Posts: 4,685
|
Post by Baron von Costume on Jul 20, 2022 12:07:37 GMT -5
That would be weird to me too fwiw
|
|
LazBro
Prolific Poster
Posts: 10,290
|
Post by LazBro on Jul 28, 2022 7:33:02 GMT -5
Crew pulled a big shift yesterday. I don't think it was the same people the whole time, but it was over 11 hours they were back there. Gravel pad is gone, garden is gone, sandbox is gone, the space where the all new flooring will go is dug up and leveled, the frame for the new floor is constructed, and the crosshatch of rebar is installed. I'm in the office for the first time is 2 weeks today, so I won't know if they're working today until this afternoon, but I sure hope this means they're pouring cement today. There's still more to do - electrical, some finishing - but having the new pad put in will feel like such a leap forward after a week of wondering if anything was going to happen. We'll finally have an idea of what the thing is really going to feel like to live with. I can't wait.
|
|
Ben Grimm
TI Forumite
Posts: 7,544
Member is Online
|
Post by Ben Grimm on Jul 28, 2022 8:37:36 GMT -5
We close on our new house tomorrow. Movers are scheduled for Wednesday, but I'm off after today until the following Monday. We start shuttling stuff over probably tomorrow right after we close; we're getting a U-Haul van Monday and Tuesday (we couldn't get one for the weekend and the date was in flux until very recently).
|
|
LazBro
Prolific Poster
Posts: 10,290
|
Post by LazBro on Aug 2, 2022 9:40:07 GMT -5
Still waiting on cement. We're still in the range of what our contractor said it would take, so I have no reason to be mad or anxious or anything*. I'm just really excited about this patio and wish it was done. I can't wait to arrange things. Set up my grills all in a row where I want them, put in my prep table.
(*I mean, for one thing, having a better covered patio doesn't change the fact that we're hitting 100+ degrees every day. It's not like anyone will want to go out there.) |
|
|
|
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 2, 2022 10:07:27 GMT -5
So far this year I've:
- bought an additional shelving unit to store bareware and booze on, which cleared up a lot of space in the kitchen
- added a charging station to the now-empty spot
- given away some old kitchen stuff that was just taking up space
- bought a new headboard and night stand for the guest room and two new bedside lamps
- replaced the curtains in the bedroom and living room
next up: I have new light fixtures picked out for the kitchen (over the table), entry way and upstairs landing; I'm gonna order them officially tomorrow and then find an electrician because I'm not messing with electricity. While they're installing that I also have another light fixture in the kitchen that needs some small repairs.
HMM I need to buy a bunch of LED bulbs lol.
|
|
Baron von Costume
TI Forumite
Like an iron maiden made of pillows... the punishment is decadence!
Posts: 4,685
|
Post by Baron von Costume on Aug 2, 2022 13:38:04 GMT -5
During my AC servicing last month the guy pointed out that it was about 10 years older than I for some reason thought it was, combined with kinda sub par performance this led me to accept an offer for a new one as they'd got a pretty good deal on at the moment...
The new unit is so fucking big, I feel like it would serve a house twice the size but at least I should be able to live in my office when it's hot instead of having to retreat and work in my living room.
|
|
|
|
Post by Floyd Dinnertime Barber on Aug 2, 2022 23:38:06 GMT -5
This evening I replaced part of the flushing mechanism of the upstairs toilet. Still have to see if that fixed the water leak, or if I have to take the entire toilet apart to replace the flapper. I also installed an add-on bidet attachment I bought a while back. We shall see how all this works out.
In other plumbing news, I also installed a water flow timer valve on the hose running to the horse water tank in the west pasture. I have it set to run water for fifteen minutes, every six hours. If it works, we won't have to go back and forth every day filling the water tank. Eventually I hope to run a permeant water line out there, but the backhoe attachment for the tractor isn't quite ready for that yet.
|
|
|
|
Post by Liz n Dick the Halls on Aug 3, 2022 10:55:14 GMT -5
Forward progress: My feckless kitchen designer totally abandoned me, but I have a contractor coming today to talk about the range installation, so maybe by this evening I'll have someone lined up and I can stop worrying about that! (I have done woefully little kitchen tidying/cleaning, so this contractor may very well be too disgusted by the squalor in which I live to want to take the job, of course...) And I contacted a septic engineer last Friday about getting started on replacing our septic system; he seemed very nice and professional and eager!
Ugh, not enough progress at all: The septic engineer said he'd get a proposal to me on Monday and I've heard nothing since. Now the awkward dance of "did he get my email wrong and I should call today to find out what's up? Or should I wait a few days and maybe he's just got a ton of work and hasn't gotten around to my proposal yet?" This engineer comes highly recommended by legit sources, so I know he's not just a flake. And I know that this is a multi-month process anyway, so I shouldn't expect things to be moving quickly. But still. I'd like to know we're locked in.
Seriously, WTF is wrong with you that you think that's going to happen?: A neighbor down the street sent out a blast email to our little corner of the neighborhood this morning going on about how he just finished getting his septic system replaced, but only because he'd gotten so exhausted of butting heads with the township about extension of the public sewers to our streets. Right now we're two short blocks in either direction from public sewers, and when we moved in 17 years ago there was talk that maybe that would be extended to our property in the near future. It eventually made it to the public ballot and died there. When I talked to the township septic authority guy a few weeks ago, he laughed about how they've been kicking around with that notion for 60 years. Sewers are NOT coming to my house, and they were NOT coming to my neighbor's house either. But he sent us all this email anyway this morning, going on about how we can all see for ourselves how our streets are included in the township's wastewater plan, and how he's giving up the fight because he's so exhausted by it, but we are all welcome to pick up the mantle. I read the last posted wastewater plan on the township's website to see what the deal is... and the plan says specifically of our houses (with addresses included in the public document, so we can be absolutely certain they mean us) that it's not a burden to the existing infrastructure to expand sewers here, but it is prohibitively expensive and the per-household expenses would be higher than the cost of just maintaining/repairing/replacing individual septic systems. Like, dude, it says it RIGHT THERE, IN THE DOCUMENT, that you need to just be happy with getting your new septic system installed, and I need to do the same. Yeesh.
Am I delusional, or is THIS actually going to happen: ETA on the new fridge is "late August". I am becoming giddy with excitement. I really hope that means the installer will be available to bring it here immediately, and I don't have to wait extra weeks for it. I might only have to buy ice at the grocery store, like, three or four more times!
Anyway, lately I've been looking back at what Hugs and I were saying at the start of this year, that we were going to tackle a bunch of "make the house feel newer" projects and spruce-ups. We were so young and naive and not planning to have to replace our septic system back then!
|
|
|
|
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 3, 2022 13:25:19 GMT -5
I officially ordered three new light fixtures today; they should get here in about two weeks so hopefully I can have them installed by the end of the month. They will replace our over-the-kitchen-table light, our entryway light and our upstairs landing light, all of which are currently shiny brass and plastic and very ugly. The new ones will be rubbed bronze and match better with the other existing kitchen fixtures and our living room lamp. So I'm pretty jazzed.
After that... a few random repairs we've been putting off or ignoring, maybe some bathroom upgrades (we have a big ugly bar light in our master bath which is rusted and also in need of replacement, but I suspect replacing it with anything other than the same size fixture will require some drywall work maybe or at least paint? I have no idea how it's attached to the wall.
|
|
LazBro
Prolific Poster
Posts: 10,290
|
Post by LazBro on Aug 3, 2022 14:04:41 GMT -5
Electrician starts today, cement pouring on Friday. It's getting real now.
|
|
|
|
Post by Liz n Dick the Halls on Aug 3, 2022 15:30:00 GMT -5
Contractor update:
Me, on the phone with him on Friday, "I'm looking for someone to help with a very small job. A designer referred me to you because this is such a small job, and she said we just needed to find a contractor who would take on this job that is too much for me to handle, but still, quite small for a professional. This is NOT a kitchen remodel, we're just cutting a counter to put in a range. VERY SMALL JOB."
Him, on Friday: "Sure thing! I'll be over on Wednesday!"
Him, today, after being walked through it in person: "Oh. I was under the impression from your call that this would be... well... a whole kitchen."
What the actual fuck?
He seems like he's going to do it, though, so that's a relief. (He lives a few blocks away and was like, "I like helping out my neighbors." Ohhhh-kaaaaaay. Make it sound like you're graciously deigning to do this out of the goodness of your heart, sure. I SAID IT WAS A SMALL JOB ON THE PHONE, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!)
|
|
|
|
Post by Liz n Dick the Halls on Aug 3, 2022 15:32:12 GMT -5
I officially ordered three new light fixtures today; they should get here in about two weeks so hopefully I can have them installed by the end of the month. They will replace our over-the-kitchen-table light, our entryway light and our upstairs landing light, all of which are currently shiny brass and plastic and very ugly. The new ones will be rubbed bronze and match better with the other existing kitchen fixtures and our living room lamp. So I'm pretty jazzed. After that... a few random repairs we've been putting off or ignoring, maybe some bathroom upgrades (we have a big ugly bar light in our master bath which is rusted and also in need of replacement, but I suspect replacing it with anything other than the same size fixture will require some drywall work maybe or at least paint? I have no idea how it's attached to the wall. It's amazing what new light fixtures can do for a house. We've twice sort of impulsively gotten new lights for our front hall, just cheapo sort of things from Lowe's, and both times it's been completely transformational. That's so exciting for your kitchen! |
|
|
|
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 3, 2022 21:10:31 GMT -5
I officially ordered three new light fixtures today; they should get here in about two weeks so hopefully I can have them installed by the end of the month. They will replace our over-the-kitchen-table light, our entryway light and our upstairs landing light, all of which are currently shiny brass and plastic and very ugly. The new ones will be rubbed bronze and match better with the other existing kitchen fixtures and our living room lamp. So I'm pretty jazzed. After that... a few random repairs we've been putting off or ignoring, maybe some bathroom upgrades (we have a big ugly bar light in our master bath which is rusted and also in need of replacement, but I suspect replacing it with anything other than the same size fixture will require some drywall work maybe or at least paint? I have no idea how it's attached to the wall. It's amazing what new light fixtures can do for a house. We've twice sort of impulsively gotten new lights for our front hall, just cheapo sort of things from Lowe's, and both times it's been completely transformational. That's so exciting for your kitchen! It’s funny, there are three lights in the kitchen - above the sink, in the middle and above the table. The first two match, the third… is a very cheap looking plastic pendant light and I don’t understand. But soon they will all at least roughly coordinate! |
|
LazBro
Prolific Poster
Posts: 10,290
|
Post by LazBro on Aug 4, 2022 7:39:00 GMT -5
It's amazing what new light fixtures can do for a house. We've twice sort of impulsively gotten new lights for our front hall, just cheapo sort of things from Lowe's, and both times it's been completely transformational. That's so exciting for your kitchen! It’s funny, there are three lights in the kitchen - above the sink, in the middle and above the table. The first two match, the third… is a very cheap looking plastic pendant light and I don’t understand. But soon they will all at least roughly coordinate! Read that as "pedant" light at first and thought, "Well, what other kind of light would you want?" |
|
Baron von Costume
TI Forumite
Like an iron maiden made of pillows... the punishment is decadence!
Posts: 4,685
|
Post by Baron von Costume on Aug 4, 2022 10:03:29 GMT -5
Repairs continue and things are ripped out, I'm back to having a super loud dehumidifier running.
I know this will end eventually but I just want my comfy little house back.
|
|
|
|
Post by Powerthirteen on Aug 4, 2022 12:13:07 GMT -5
Pro tip: when you buy a house, get a pest inspection during closing. Ask me why I suggest this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 4, 2022 12:44:15 GMT -5
Pro tip: when you buy a house, get a pest inspection during closing. Ask me why I suggest this. oh man, I will never buy a house without a full inspection, ever; it saved our asses from a money pit. whatcha got, termites? |
|
|
|
Post by Powerthirteen on Aug 4, 2022 13:47:52 GMT -5
Pro tip: when you buy a house, get a pest inspection during closing. Ask me why I suggest this. oh man, I will never buy a house without a full inspection, ever; it saved our asses from a money pit. whatcha got, termites? Oh, we got a full home inspection, which was very enlightening and is going to keep my weekends busy indefinitely, but a house inspector does not check for or report on, for example, whether or not the crawl space is a bottomless sea of mouse turds |
|
|
|
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 4, 2022 13:49:38 GMT -5
oh man, I will never buy a house without a full inspection, ever; it saved our asses from a money pit. whatcha got, termites? Oh, we got a full home inspection, which was very enlightening and is going to keep my weekends busy indefinitely, but a house inspector does not check for or report on, for example, whether or not the crawl space is a bottomless sea of mouse turds I mean.... shouldn't they? Our home inspector definitely looked in crawl spaces and attics; it's one thing if it's not immediately obvious but that should be!! Also, big shudder. |
|
|
|
Post by Powerthirteen on Aug 4, 2022 14:05:09 GMT -5
Oh, we got a full home inspection, which was very enlightening and is going to keep my weekends busy indefinitely, but a house inspector does not check for or report on, for example, whether or not the crawl space is a bottomless sea of mouse turds I mean.... shouldn't they? Our home inspector definitely looked in crawl spaces and attics; it's one thing if it's not immediately obvious but that should be!! Also, big shudder. Nope, they're actually specifically not allowed to report on evidence of pests that isn't structural damage (e.g. termite damage to structure) because it's not what they're trained/licensed to do. |
|
Baron von Costume
TI Forumite
Like an iron maiden made of pillows... the punishment is decadence!
Posts: 4,685
|
Post by Baron von Costume on Aug 4, 2022 14:15:33 GMT -5
Uhhh. yeah that's a big nope lol, my inspector definitely told me about pest damage on one property. Yet another reason to be glad not to be in the states I guess since I have to assume that's a legal liability bullshit thing. and seconded on that Pedantic Editor Type , I feel very happy that I bought in a market where there was no pressure to go inspection free to make sure I got a place. |
|
|
|
Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Aug 4, 2022 14:15:40 GMT -5
I mean.... shouldn't they? Our home inspector definitely looked in crawl spaces and attics; it's one thing if it's not immediately obvious but that should be!! Also, big shudder. Nope, they're actually specifically not allowed to report on evidence of pests that isn't structural damage (e.g. termite damage to structure) because it's not what they're trained/licensed to do. I wonder if that varies by state... hm. I did not know that, but ours took lots of pictures, I feel like he would have just sorta casually included a picture of obvious droppings in the report. Anyway. I'm sorry about the mice. |
|
