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Residency Evil posted:Since you seem to know this stuff, is there any new construction that isn't terrible? All the 'good' construction contractors are typically wrapped up in custom building - better margins, better clients. Good spec homes almost don't exist. The difference being "design and build a custom home for me" (custom home building) vs "I want to buy a new home that has already been constructed/designed" (speculative home building). The two categories attract very different clients largely, but not entirely, separated by their view of (1) overall cost and (2) market value. Custom home building clients largely care less about overall cost, and definitely care less about market value.
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Dec 29, 2020 01:00
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StormDrain posted:Oh I got to overhear my coworker who's getting a house built. Among her complaints was the base spec was lovely, the specific items were round knobs and toggle (not rocker) switches. Those are all the wrong things to be worried about. It's nothing other than ye ole standard bike shedding: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_triviality Tezer posted:All the 'good' construction contractors are typically wrapped up in custom building - better margins, better clients. Good spec homes almost don't exist. And you (the builder) don't have as much money on the street when the home is commissioned. And money on the street costs money. So yeah.....exactly what you're saying here.
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Dec 29, 2020 01:06
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It also doesn't help that in places like Toronto (where I am) the plot of land itself is so loving valuable that people still buy without inspections.
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Dec 29, 2020 01:10
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Also for further hilarity this is the second conditional offer my partner and I watched explode; the first one was a gorgeous house built five years ago but the seller said he was divorced when in fact, he was in the process of a divorce and his wife and her lawyers were very not cool with him trying to sell the place lol.
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Dec 29, 2020 01:14
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Less Fat Luke posted:It also doesn't help that in places like Toronto (where I am) the plot of land itself is so loving valuable that people still buy without inspections. Yeah, hot markets are not buyers markets. This is mostly bad, but it can be good in the short term. Even if you buy a complete piece of poo poo you can get out of it pretty quickly without losing much money because you'll be able to find a no-inspection cash closing sucker. You know...as long as the music is still playing. Hope you're sitting down when it's not anymore.
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Dec 29, 2020 01:14
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Motronic posted:Yeah, hot markets are not buyers markets. This is mostly bad, but it can be good in the short term. Even if you buy a complete piece of poo poo you can get out of it pretty quickly without losing much money because you'll be able to find a no-inspection cash closing sucker. Yeah our goal is to buy a solid place we'd be in forever (we're in our forties); if the value dropped I'd be fine with it for the lower taxes.
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Dec 29, 2020 01:20
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Less Fat Luke posted:Yeah our goal is to buy a solid place we'd be in forever (we're in our forties); if the value dropped I'd be fine with it for the lower taxes. That is a very sane plan, and the only one I'd suggest. Otherwise you're timing the market with the thing you live in. Seems like a bad plan.
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Dec 29, 2020 01:21
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Motronic posted:
Ya, it took me a while to even think of one person I know doing spec houses. She's an architect married to an electrician, and the spec homes she builds are when she just happens into a lot accidentally at a good price, I think she's done three. They are good houses, but are drastically different in fit and finish from her custom homes. Big focus on maximizing bedroom/bathroom count as you might imagine.
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Dec 29, 2020 02:02
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Motronic posted:Those are all the wrong things to be worried about. It's nothing other than ye ole standard bike shedding: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_triviality It's also the only things she has much say in. The point wasn't that those things matter, just that her opinions are wrong and she's annoying. And home builders are ripoff artists.
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Dec 29, 2020 02:04
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Tezer posted:Big focus on maximizing bedroom/bathroom count as you might imagine. Bedroom/bathroom count and $/sq ft don't say poo poo about quality, but boy howdy that's the metric that matters for the bulk of the homebuying population. So you can be a commodity vendor or you can be an artist. Each has their markets.
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Dec 29, 2020 02:11
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Motronic posted:We've got entire developments of stucco homes that need 6-figure repairs because of poor stucco installs from one of our local shitbox manufacturers. I assume you're referencing: https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/housing/water-damage-home-construction-defects-rotting-toll-cutler-stucco-20181115.html which is my go-to for Crappy Construction horrors. Toll Brothers is a luxury manufacturer, thank you very much 
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Dec 29, 2020 20:01
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B-Nasty posted:I assume you're referencing: https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/housing/water-damage-home-construction-defects-rotting-toll-cutler-stucco-20181115.html which is my go-to for Crappy Construction horrors. Nailed it. And I always laughed at "luxury manufacturer". Like seriously.....this is what somebody who's once seen a tv show about rich people would design a house to look like.
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Dec 29, 2020 20:48
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 This has been a problem under our heat pump, first house and first time living way North, HVAC people say it's fine and normal from their perspective but I don't like that all the ice is pooling up against the house. I've gone through with a hammer and chiselled away one layer already but it's pretty annoying and time consuming... Any ideas how to deal with this? The pad is canted towards the yard but water seems to freeze before it really travels anywhere... Was thinking maybe just getting essentially some drip trays underneath the unit I can swap out periodically but at best it seems like a tacky solution, might be fine this winter.
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Dec 29, 2020 20:50
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That's not a problem. It's working as designed. If you don't like the ice there address it via grading.
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Dec 29, 2020 20:51
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Ice building up under / against the siding isn't going to be an issue?
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Dec 29, 2020 23:43
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Mr. Crow posted:Ice building up under / against the siding isn't going to be an issue? It's not optimal, but it's a grading issue not an HVAC issue which is why you got the answer you got from HVAC people. Hammering and chiseling ice out is 100% doing more damage than leaving it.
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Dec 29, 2020 23:57
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B-Nasty posted:I assume you're referencing: https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/housing/water-damage-home-construction-defects-rotting-toll-cutler-stucco-20181115.html which is my go-to for Crappy Construction horrors. This is a great article thanks for sharing. What a nightmare.
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Dec 31, 2020 18:02
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laxbro posted:This is a great article thanks for sharing. What a nightmare. yeah, geez. The article only mentions insurance once. Would a typical home insurance policy help most of those people?
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Dec 31, 2020 18:36
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B-Nasty posted:I assume you're referencing: https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/housing/water-damage-home-construction-defects-rotting-toll-cutler-stucco-20181115.html which is my go-to for Crappy Construction horrors. Click the article and notice it's from the Philly inquirer - "Hey that's a paper somewhat close to me!" Read first sentence about Bucks County, PA - "I live in Bucks county..." Remember house is built in 1962  yikes, what a read; and Buckingham is only about 15 miles away.
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Dec 31, 2020 18:45
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The Rev posted:Buckingham is only about 15 miles away. I think that makes 4 of us within 30 minutes or so. Yeesh.
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Dec 31, 2020 18:49
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Motronic posted:I think that makes 4 of us within 30 minutes or so. Yeesh. Falls Township. I guess if anything ever goes horribly wrong with my place and COVID no longer exists I'll see if I can afford your hourly rate to come take a look and tell me how hosed I am. 6 pack of beer is complimentary of course.
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Dec 31, 2020 19:00
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The Rev posted:I'll see if I can afford your hourly rate to come take a look and tell me how hosed I am. 6 pack of beer is complimentary of course. That's actually my exact hourly rate.
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Dec 31, 2020 19:15
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I have a weird wall in my house that's just a single sheet of drywall screwed into what appears to be a former double doorway. This is a great opportunity for me to cut a kitty door into another room! After cutting a hole in the drywall, what's the best way to tidy up the edges so they don't look horrible or leak dust constantly?
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Dec 31, 2020 19:18
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rt4 posted:I have a weird wall in my house that's just a single sheet of drywall screwed into what appears to be a former double doorway. This is a great opportunity for me to cut a kitty door into another room! They need to be trimmed out. The easiest way I could possibly think of to trim out a kitty door would be to use an actual kitty door. Even if you don't want the flap, just take it out. Anything else would likely require tools, materials and skill sets that I don't think someone asking this question would have. E: https://www.amazon.com/Kitty-Pass-Interior-Hidden-Litter/dp/B017KXN7DG/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=cat+door&qid=1609439377&sr=8-2 lol use that one. It doesn't even have a flap, just the parts you'll need.
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Dec 31, 2020 19:28
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Lol we used the Purrfect Portal for the door to our basement, which looks very similar. We get a lot of comments about it. When I out it in I was worried that it was too small for my cats, one fat and one tall. So I tossed some treats through it and they both squeezed through it at the same time. When we first put it up I wanted a way to keep I like a closed so we can lock them down during a party but as it turns out the one who hates guests just hangs out and whaps them a little and the other who is afraid of guests goes and hides upstairs. Cats man.
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Dec 31, 2020 19:45
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Hello thread! In my continuing quest to gross out my very traditional mother in law, we have asked for a bidet for Christmas (after getting a toilet from her 2 years ago). She has obliged on the condition that we shop for it and pick it out, so she only has to give us some money. I recall there being someone in this thread who has done extensive research, but I can't find it anymore. Anyone have recommendations? We have a small bathroom, so it definitely can't be a separate unit, and we're not looking to replace the toilet, so it'll have to be a standalone nozzle (or maybe seat I guess?). Hit me up poo goons! EDIT: Of course just after posting I found it. What's the advantage to the seat ones over just a nozzle? Do they heat water or something? Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 20:24 on Dec 31, 2020 |
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Dec 31, 2020 20:17
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Motronic posted:
We got this exact kitty door so we could convert a closet into the Litter Box Room and it's great. Even though our cat is a monstersaurus  He doesn't mind squeezing through 
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Dec 31, 2020 20:24
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lookit that orange chonk.
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Dec 31, 2020 20:27
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Grumpwagon posted:Hello thread! In my continuing quest to gross out my very traditional mother in law, we have asked for a bidet for Christmas (after getting a toilet from her 2 years ago). She has obliged on the condition that we shop for it and pick it out, so she only has to give us some money. You want a washlet, which is just a fancy seat and not a whole new toilet. I haven't actually bought one yet so I can't advise beyond the post you already found, but I'm leaning towards the Toto C200 Connect+. If you want heated water (and heated seats, seriously this is the best part imho) you'll need to have an outlet available nearby too.
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Dec 31, 2020 20:33
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I ordered a bio bidet for $30 from Costco just yesterday, since I have no access to power. And I know I have no short or medium term options for power either, the bathroom power circuit is maxed out as it is.
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Dec 31, 2020 20:38
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Sirotan posted:You want a washlet, which is just a fancy seat and not a whole new toilet. I haven't actually bought one yet so I can't advise beyond the post you already found, but I'm leaning towards the Toto C200 Connect+. If you want heated water (and heated seats, seriously this is the best part imho) you'll need to have an outlet available nearby too. Not just an outlet, but usually a dedicated circuit. All the Kohler's require dedicated per their spec, Toto it varies (they give you actual draw data), but at least half of their line up also needs a dedicated. Usually the dedicated can be 15A.
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Dec 31, 2020 20:41
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hello goons I bought a new construction house October 31st in central Texas It had a county drainage ditch behind it that I was told, by the home building company’s foreman / warranty guy, couldn’t be filled in. It was county property and inviolable. The ditch leads to a creek bed a few hundred feet away and down slope. But the ditch starts from the edge of my lot, and my fence had to be built a few feet around it in order to comply with some code or another. Here's a picture of it before the fence and grass and everything was put in:  However, as construction around me proceeded this ditch had to be crossed by excavators and dirt movers - and so it was partly / roughly filled in. Here it is, December 21st: https://i.imgur.com/A7jwspO.mp4  You'll notice a rock embankment around 10 seconds in. I'm pretty sure there's a storm water pipe under it. You'll see. Here's a chromatic abberation'd video of a caterpillar crossing where the ditch used to be: https://i.imgur.com/XqfEJHk.mp4 December 23rd, the excavation company filled it all in and leveled it and put some straw and net over the part that wasn’t a road. That is, the rock embankment and the depression in front of it - all of which is my lot, but behind my back fence. https://i.imgur.com/lCi1LCu.mp4 "neat" I thought "I guess the county doesn't mind their ditch being filled in!" But then it started raining last night and hasn't stopped. Today, here's what's going on:    https://i.imgur.com/uXNcOkL.mp4 This seems bad. I texted the builder's foreman he seemed to have made a drainage / grading problem for me, or covered a storm water drain, and sent him a dozen pictures and videos. He replied, verbatim: "I'm not sure what they're doing. I'm sure the road is temporary. We'll keep an eye on it." I suppose the practical solution to this is the excavation company puts a cylinder at the bottom of this road they made, connecting the storm water drain pipe to the ditch and thereby the creek - and when construction is complete dig it all up. Thoughts? I know the name of the digging company. I'm going to try calling them pretty shortly. I could also try calling the county, I guess? e: how do i make embedded videos smaller
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Dec 31, 2020 20:44
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wolfs posted:This seems bad. This isn't a problem you need to know how to solve. It is not a problem you should have suggestions on how they might solve. This is a legal question. If you aren't getting the answers you want promptly you should hire a real estate attorney in your area.
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Dec 31, 2020 20:53
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Grumpwagon posted:Hello thread! In my continuing quest to gross out my very traditional mother in law, we have asked for a bidet for Christmas (after getting a toilet from her 2 years ago). She has obliged on the condition that we shop for it and pick it out, so she only has to give us some money. a friend got me a tushy bidet and it's perfectly serviceable. this model goes between your toilet and toilet seat and doesn't offer heated water, but it seems like tushy offers a fancier version that does if that matters to you it took an hour to install myself, and a screwdriver, and it's uh saved me a lot of TP. i've used maybe 1.25 rolls since November? it's great
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Dec 31, 2020 20:54
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Motronic posted:This isn't a problem you need to know how to solve. It is not a problem you should have suggestions on how they might solve. This is a legal question. yeah well the excavator deferred to the contractor the county is now apparently sending someone to my house to look at the stagnant water / hear my story, so that's neat e: a sheriff showed up and told me to complain to the builder and the county zoning office - which is closed til monday wolfs fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Dec 31, 2020 |
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Dec 31, 2020 21:41
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Just a general comment on the Toto washlets. I have found the Toto stuff to be good but sized for smaller people in terms of aim and points. If you’re a large framed American you will probably want something from Brondell or Biobidet and get a Toto for the wife. My buddy has that exact setup and everyone is happy. YMMV.
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Dec 31, 2020 21:46
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Motronic posted:That's actually my exact hourly rate. Oh poo poo, I can have someone who at least seems like they know what they're talking about come out to my house and tell me what's wrong for the cost of a 6-pack? What's your schedule like? I'm vaccinated.
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Dec 31, 2020 22:35
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Hed posted:Just a general comment on the Toto washlets. I have found the Toto stuff to be good but sized for smaller people in terms of aim and points. If you’re a large framed American you will probably want something from Brondell or Biobidet and get a Toto for the wife. My buddy has that exact setup and everyone is happy. YMMV. 6’4 Sasquatch with a Toto C200 checking in—after about 9 months I’m still very much liking it! Here’s the wirecutter article I based the purchase on. We just plugged it into the bathroom wall outlet and haven’t had any problems with it not being on a dedicated circuit. I ran a new dedicated circuit for the wall heater, and I can check the amperage being pulled by the bidet, but there’s not much else on the bathroom circuit besides LED lights and the electric toothbrush charger. I’m not planning on drying my hair while drying my tush, otherwise I don’t expect there’s much draw most of the time.
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Dec 31, 2020 23:22
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pmchem posted:yeah, geez. The article only mentions insurance once. Would a typical home insurance policy help most of those people? Almost definitely not. Insurance doesn't typically cover water damage that has been ongoing for a long period of time (years.) The magic terms when calling insurance about water damage is that it is "sudden and accidental", which this doesn't meet.
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Dec 31, 2020 23:35
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OSU_Matthew posted:We just plugged it into the bathroom wall outlet and haven’t had any problems with it not being on a dedicated circuit. I ran a new dedicated circuit for the wall heater, and I can check the amperage being pulled by the bidet, but there’s not much else on the bathroom circuit besides LED lights and the electric toothbrush charger. I’m not planning on drying my hair while drying my tush, otherwise I don’t expect there’s much draw most of the time. If I remember right they're considered fixed equipment and max draw needs to be 50% or less of the bathroom circuit (7.5A for a 15A, 10A for a 20A). A non-code compliant install may not trip a breaker, but that doesn't mean it would pass an inspection. This is probably a better question for the electrical thread if anyone is really curious, as I'm going off rusty memories here. I just tell clients that it's going to be another circuit, because they always pick a Kohler or a nicer Toto.
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Dec 31, 2020 23:46
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