Homeowners: I own 8 different power saws, primarily to attract a mate.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Homeowners: I own 8 different power saws, primarily to attract a mate.

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Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Comrade Gritty posted:

Any tips for finding a reputable alarm installer who can design/install/etc a whole house alarm? Googling mostly returns random places that have ~no web presence or any indication they exist at all besides the entry in google places... which makes trying to determine if they're any good kind of hard. If it matters this is out in the Philadelphia burbs/exurbs.

If you have any cop friends, ask them. They'll know.
If you know anyone who works in the courthouse, they can ask for you if you don't know any cops.

# ¿ Aug 3, 2020 04:50

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 17:13

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

SpartanIvy posted:

Be warned, if your venting is rigid the pressure could cause issues, but I think lint would give before pipe.

Thanks for the fun mental image!

# ¿ Aug 8, 2020 19:33

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

DaveSauce posted:

Our real estate agent drove a Lexus

My real estate agent has a lexus with a vanity plate "REFRALS"

# ¿ Aug 12, 2020 12:12

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

tater_salad posted:

This is probably bad.. that means every service they recommend is due to kickbacks.

Well, he doesn't advertise and only works with people who previous clients have referred. I think that's what he was getting at.

I gave him poo poo about it, and he said it was really a reference to a bar in Key West "Reefer Al's"

# ¿ Aug 12, 2020 12:34

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

LloydDobler posted:

I bought my current 55" Samsung TV in 2008, and I expected it to be long dead by now but it still has a fantastic picture and works great. I'm finding of all the boxes I kept, I really wish I'd kept that one, because it'll probably get wrecked in the move.

Then again, excuse to get a new TV. hmmm....

You can buy TV moving boxes at any big box store for like $20. If you can afford a 55" TV, you can afford to throw away the box. I would definitely pay for the box to move rather than store it for over a decade.

# ¿ Aug 13, 2020 21:32

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Thoguh posted:

My AC unit was taken out by a flying trampoline during the Derecho last week

This is the most improbable combination of words I've seen in awhile. Like one of those state farm commercials. I can't imagine your home owner's policy won't cover it.

# ¿ Aug 17, 2020 22:08

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Blindeye posted:

Which is baffling to me and proof that we are truly hosed. How we can simultaneously be facing the biggest economic collapse since 1929 and have people spending absurd sums on home construction/remodels convinces me that we are all going to die.

It's because the economic collapse is only affecting poor people, who don't own property. Rich people are doing loving amazing.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2020 00:20

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

GoGoGadgetChris posted:

Yeah, I got Roof Life up there to do routine maintenance and they ended up not charging me because there wasn't much to actually do.

The shingles have gotten mighty skinny and you can pull some of the more flimsy ones out with your fingers.

I live in a ~50 home neighborhood built from 1980 to 1984 and my house will probably mark the 50% line for New Roof.

And then a few months later I'll join New Window Gang too!!!

Modern windows are a life-changer. Quiet and energy efficient.

We got several quotes and got all the pushy salesmen out to our house. One guy bragged that his company's windows had less heat loss than the walls around them. What's the point of that?

# ¿ Aug 25, 2020 11:48

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Omne posted:

Sigh...

We live in a one year old house, and they're building the three houses that back up to our property line. We had a fencing company out to give us a quote, and he realized that our property line extends further out than what the builder built to. The silt fence is on our property by 1-2", which has caused the irrigation subs to install the lines and heads on our property as well.

Call them up and tell them. It'll be a lot easier and cheaper now than it will be at any point in the future. Also, I'm assuming 1-2 feet, right? 1-2" is inches.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2020 12:54

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Omne posted:

Sorry yes, one to two feet. I called the office and they�re sending the project manager out to look. Unfortunately the sod was installed this morning. I went out and measured and sure enough, sprinkler heads are on our side. The fence guy couldn�t find the corner marker, he thinks it was either never placed or is now under the sidewalk they installed. He found the others and with his measuring wheel realized how off it was and showed us. He said this is not an uncommon occurrence

You'll be fine. Thank God you caught it now instead of after new buyers had moved in. The builders will probably just fix it and move on. Having potentially 3 new neighbors realize they didn't buy as much yard as they thought they did would be a nightmare.

I'd probably also leave the fencing guy a positive review somewhere that helps him and/or buy him a bottle of Scotch. His awareness helped you out.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2020 17:38

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Residency Evil posted:

Son of a bitch, fridge broke a few months after fixing it. gently caress.

How to fix a fridge: Open up the housing unit on the back that contains the circuit board for the fridge. Google the model number of the circuit board and order 2 from the sketchy third party warehouse company that is the first google result. Pay extra for overnight delivery. Install new circuit board. Keep back-up so you don't have to do that again. Do consider getting a decent surge protector for the fridge. Congrats, you just saved $2-5k

# ¿ Sep 9, 2020 00:15

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Anonymous Zebra posted:

They can take the fridge door off. How big is the fridge without the door? That's the actual size that needs to fit into your house.

To get our fridge into our old house, I not only had to take off the door, I had to also take off the brackets on top that the door attached to. And then it still only cleared by less than a cm.

# ¿ Sep 11, 2020 20:01

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Sundae posted:

How hard is it to do click-lock engineered hardwood flooring on fairly-rectangular room by yourself? I've suffered the curse of elderly cats on a white carpet, and now have permanently-ruined carpet with poo poo and vomit stains everywhere, and my wife wants hardwood anyway.

I've done laminate before, complete with adding extra patterning / borders, etc etc, but never anything requiring actual wood.

It's piss easy, but it requires a lot of attention to detail and manual labor. Unless you are willing to set aside a full weekend with no distractions to do it for the first time, you're better off hiring it out. Also, you're not going to save any money unless you own all the appropriate tools yourself.

# ¿ Sep 14, 2020 02:09

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

FogHelmut posted:

I'm sure it will amount to nothing, but I'm on edge after having legal issues with a condo association last year (association was fining me for not evicting a tenant who moved in with one kid and had 4 kids after a few years, stating they were validating dubious occupancy rules, but evicting someone for having a family is not legal).

Two different fences, two situations.

The back fence is weird, and yeah I didn't do my due diligence about property lines, and it's weird as hell to have to maintain a space that I don't own, but ultimately it can't be used for anything because its too severe of a slope. The effort amounts to just extra weeding a few times a year to prevent stuff from encroaching on my livable space.

IANAL and have no useful advice. But I do appreciate your MS Paint diagrams.

# ¿ Sep 14, 2020 19:50

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

B-Nasty posted:

Um, unless you had a record-setting rain or something, this is a crucial step in the process.

Last thing you want is to be under contract and have the basement flood again before inspection. Buyers will run for the exit.

Nah, only Jesus would walk away from that basement.

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

# ¿ Sep 23, 2020 06:02

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Dik Hz posted:

Nah, only Jesus would walk away from that basement.

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

So I'm an IK in this thread now to help out Moneyball. I guess my 6'er button works.

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

# ¿ Sep 24, 2020 02:07

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

DaveSauce posted:

probes everyone but GGGC? you've entrusted that power to the wrong person.

GGGC is a good poster now, but everyone acts surprised at each decent post and references his long history of poo poo posting. That's gotta be way more deflating than a comedy 6'er.

# ¿ Sep 24, 2020 21:02

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

OSU_Matthew posted:

I�ve got some free legal counsel time from work and am willing to pony up to fight this thing.

IANAL, but these are pretty worthless for anything other than letter writing. Get recommendations and get your own attorney.

Source: My partner is an attorney who used to be on one of these programs. She hated it because the program way oversold it. The clients of the program routinely thought they were getting a full custody litigation for their $15/month payment to the program. When in reality the program only covered an hour consult. And the clients who thought they were getting everything were understandably miffed when they found out they'd have to put up a 4-5 figure retainer to proceed.

I think a better way to proceed would be to ask any lawyers or lawyer-adjacent people (anyone who works in the courthouse, LEOs, etc.) that you know who they would use to help with a property line dispute. Lawyers spend a lot of time ranking other lawyers.

OSU_Matthew posted:

I�ve been asking around for advice and working on getting my documentation, notes, and pictures together before it gets to that point, but I think you guys are right, a lawyer is probably the only person that can give me answers and options right now.

Your lawyer would be the best person to ask what documentation, notes, and pictures are best. No sense creating unnecessary work for yourself because asking your lawyer.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2020 21:24

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Leperflesh posted:

(a bunch of legal advice)
...
In my non-lawyer opinion which is not legal advice.

You're really burying the lede on that post.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2020 22:02

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

StormDrain posted:

don't do anything until you've talked to a your lawyer.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2020 07:32

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

DoubleT2172 posted:

Can't you offer to let them pay to relocate it onto the boundary and if not you're replacing it with your intended fence?

I'd go one step further and offer to pay for it, if it wasn't too much. Get a quote from your fence guys and offer to pay to move it a couple feet. If its less than a couple $hundo, I'd go that route. My experience has been that the big cost is in just getting the guys to show up. Once they're already there, incremental work is pretty cheap.

# ¿ Oct 6, 2020 20:06

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Hadlock posted:

Get hosed; my front lawn is best off looking like JFK airport hosed a christmas tree; if you don't cast a shadow my lights aren't working right

You keep your dark-rear end house looking like the crack house at the end of the street, I know which house is going to get cased first

Nah, you can get hosed. Having motion sensitive lights is just as effective a deterrent and doesn't piss off everyone around you.

# ¿ Oct 8, 2020 10:22

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Quaint Quail Quilt posted:

Metal roofs make it hard to put out fires and can be loud as hell if your attic is under insulated. I've heard some fire depts just try and keep your neighbors from going up because you can't get water in that way. (White roofs are a minor help where it's hot but most people don't like them.)

Pardon my naivete, but if the fire department is putting out a fire via your roof being gone, isn't your house a complete loss at that point already?

# ¿ Oct 8, 2020 11:55

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

therobit posted:

Stop right there.

Better idea.

A 24' backsplash is pretty easy. A regular handyman can easily handle that.

# ¿ Oct 20, 2020 03:43

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Diet Sodium posted:

I�m looking to get some advice on removing a carport. I recently had a company come out to replace my garage door and in the process the owner backed his truck into my carport and hosed it up pretty bad. They are insured and the insurance company is going to take care of it. The only problem is I have to get my own quotes for the replacement and send it to them. I�ve talked to 6 different carport companies and none of them offer any kind of demo work. They only install new carports with no obstructions. So now I have to get some quotes for someone to demo my old one. What kind of company should I call for this? Its just a simple steel carport. It�s something I could do myself, but if the insurance is going to pay for it I�m going to let them.

"Can you please include demolition and removal of the existing structure on the quote for insurance purposes?"

Then do the demo yourself and pay a junk guy $80 to haul it off.

# ¿ Oct 21, 2020 00:31

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Diet Sodium posted:

Thanks everyone. My plan was to just demo it myself and take the money. I just wasn�t sure how y�all would react to it lol. I also thought it was weird that they asked me to get my own quotes. I�m not sure how normal that is. I�ve only had to deal with insurance when it comes to vehicles, so I�m used to them doing most of the leg work.

Edit: My neighbor has already agreed to help me take it down in exchange for the scrap metal.

Well, it's a negotiation, so of course they're going to try to make you name a number first. They either accept your number if it's low or counter with what the lowest number they think they can get away with.

# ¿ Oct 21, 2020 04:36

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Academician Nomad posted:

Managing contractors is super stressful. Currently trying to coordinate a ductless AC system install via a plumbing company with electricians who are simultaneously upgrading the service in the building from 60amp to 100amp. Except whoops, the HVAC company's engineer decides day before installation that he wants to have a meeting to look over things himself before they send out an install team. Uggghhhh

That's why you hire a GC. Welcome to involuntary project management.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2020 12:28

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Happy Thread posted:

Just got a very disturbing letter from our Mortgage Company. The most striking thing in the envelope: A check for over $5000.00. It's made out to someone in another state with an unfamiliar name, from our bank.

The letter states that the loan has been paid in full, and now here's a refund check. Not true.

It goes on to say that full reconveyance of the Deed of Trust (!!!) will be issued and recorded. To that other person I'm assuming??

Looks like a legit letter; it's from our bank, got our loan number on it, mailed to the correct name and our address.

Is this happening to a lot of people? What does it mean?

It sounds like the bank hosed up and applied someone else's refi to your note. Don't cash the check, double check your credit reports, call the bank, and explain the situation.

# ¿ Nov 5, 2020 12:48

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

SpartanIvy posted:

I need this crocheted and hanging in my living room

Also for me homeownership is buying $300 of tools to avoid paying someone $100 to do a $30 job.

This was too perfect and the thread title hasn't been updated in a while. Grats.

# ¿ Nov 11, 2020 02:28

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Sundae posted:

Imagine three switches ~~on the edge of a cliff~~ in my entrance hallway:

If the stair light is on and the entry light is off, turning on the porch light works.
If the stair light is off and the entry light is on, turning on the porch light works.
If both stairs and entry are on, turning on the porch light doesn't work.
If the porch light is flipped to on (even if it doesn't work) and you turn off one of the other two that are on, the porch light turns on.
If the porch light is already on and you turn on the other two, the porch light stays on and the others work too.
If you turn off the porch light from that state and then try to turn it back on, it won't turn on until you turn off one of the other two.

Now I just need to figure out how to get this cabbage and goat across the river and I'll finally have my electrical problems sorted.

Try a single photon and see if you can observe quantum splitting.

# ¿ Nov 17, 2020 03:22

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

GoGoGadgetChris posted:

Three more master bathroom remodel quotes, all starting at $50k for economy grade materials and no features other than basic bathroom appliances. Definitely not the time to do home improvements!

The 4th guy no-show'd the appointment

I have now gotten 14 bathroom remodel quotes between September 2019 and November 2020. Cheapest was ~$45k and most expensive was $115k, all for the same scope

West coast prices are insane. A complete gut plus custom tile finishes is like $20k here tops if you know the right people.

# ¿ Nov 17, 2020 15:06

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

I'd hire a plumber for that, but I live in a low CoL area and can get a plumber out for a job like that for $125.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2020 02:29

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Sirotan posted:

Has manual ice cube making technology advanced at all in the last century? I don't even have ice now because I've got a stupid half sized fridge with microscopic freezer and decided I didn't care enough about ice cubes to sacrifice the space. Whenever I get around to my kitchen remodel I had assumed I'd get something with an ice maker but this discussion has me reconsidering. Is there anything better out there besides little plastic trays that I always end up spilling inside or on the way to the freezer?

Pros:
You don't have to fill ice cube trays.

Cons:
More expensive up front cost.
Can't make clear ice cubes with hot water.
Might destroy your house.
Still need supplemental ice if you have people over.
Less freezer space overall.

# ¿ Dec 9, 2020 15:18

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Cyrano4747 posted:

You might also check your local laws about meth remediation. I'm half remembering something, but I think some states had a moral panic about meth labs and mandated some really onerous remediation if a structure tested positive, and it lead to high profile horror stories where e.g. someone couldn't sell their house because their dipshit brother in law smoked meth in the garage once.

If there's something like that on the books it might be why your agent is recommending it.

I seem to recall something like this also. I'd be real careful with testing if it it permanently devalued the property. If I was the seller I wouldn't allow it. False positives are a real concern.

# ¿ Dec 10, 2020 21:35

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Blackchamber posted:

So you could possibly be slowly poisoning yourself over time

Is there any evidence that this is the case?

# ¿ Dec 11, 2020 12:42

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Blackchamber posted:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/former-meth-lab/

Article from 2010

"Upon moving into a meth house, people have experienced short-term health problems ranging from migraines and respiratory difficulties to skin irritation and burns. Long-term problems are less well known, but the results from a 2009 study in Toxicological Sciences suggest that methamphetamine chemicals may cause cancer in humans. And because children have small, developing bodies and a tendency to play on the ground and put things in their mouths, they are especially susceptible to adverse health effects from meth toxins. "When we go into a lab, if there are children, the first thing we do is take the children to the hospital and assess them for contamination," Smith says."

...

"And although some states, such as Colorado, Washington and North Carolina, employ effective regulations, some experts think that many may not. In Idaho, for example, a former lab is deemed "clean" when there is less than one tenth of a microgram of methamphetamine per square centimeter in the room where the drug was cooked. If the amount of meth detected is at such a low level, some state regulators think, the precursor chemicals are at low levels too. "We just check for meth," says Jim Faust of Idaho's statewide Clandestine Drug Lab Cleanup Program, based in Boise."

The threshold for detection is many orders of magnitude below any conceivable biological activity for those compounds. Without a thorough understanding of thresholds for claimed issues, it's fearmongering. Kinda like the studies that show cocaine residue on some really high percentage of $100 bills.

# ¿ Dec 11, 2020 15:10

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Residency Evil posted:

Fwiw, we paid $1800 this last august to install a new 75 gallon water heater.

I was quoted ~$750 to install one 2 years ago. Fortunately the guy I called figured out that my hot water heater was just fine. He spotted that a wash sink in the basement had the potential to create a loop between the hot and cold water and I had done exactly that trying to turn it off.

# ¿ Dec 21, 2020 13:36

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

H110Hawk posted:

You're not getting a skilled trade in for under $150 trip charge. Especially for a super small job. $300 sounds about right for a 1hr job in covid times. I mentally prepare myself for $1000/day for labor in general. Work backwards from there.

That really depends on your market. Trip charge for my plumber is $75 and they're based one block from me.

# ¿ Dec 22, 2020 02:54

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

Hawkeye posted:

So I�m thinking I need a home energy audit.

We have a 1300 sq ft house built in 1986. No natural gas, everything is electric including the heat (baseboard, probably original or close to). The original water heater is somehow still working and there in the drafty garage. We�ve debated replacing the water heater before it breaks and maybe get a bit more efficiency with a new unit as well.

The washer/dryer are old and we ordered newer high efficiency ones coming in early Jan. We replaced all lightbulbs with LEDs.

We use 1918 kWh in the last billing cycle and 4377 kWh on our last one . Average daily this cycle was 70-80s kWh. Our last (rental) place was a fairly new townhouse with high efficiency everything and in the winter our electric billy barely moved up, so this was a shock. We are going to set the thermostats in rooms lower but clearly we need to see what else can be done. We already feel cold inside all the time...

I can easily see that in a reasonably insulated house in a cold climate.

Townhouses are deceptive. If you're willing to be colder than your neighbors, you can leach heat and barely heat your home. Especially if you have a middle unit.

# ¿ Dec 22, 2020 18:41

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 17:13

Dik Hz: Feb 22, 2004; Fun with Science

My last house was built in the 60s and the basement was never meant to be water-proof. The best and easiest way, imo, to keep water out of the basement is to have good drainage around your house that moves water away from the foundation. Water will find a way eventually.

# ¿ Dec 28, 2020 15:04

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Homeowners: I own 8 different power saws, primarily to attract a mate.

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