Quote :

"The transformer for my doorbell is in the crawlspace. You should be able to follow the wire if you have a crawlspace"

nope, not even in the crawlspace! i replaced the doorbell button and the updated to a new chime, I just need to wire in a new transformer now...

4/21/2010 2:33:16 PM

Not sure if this has been posted before, but you can request and get a 10% off coupon from Lowe's by filling out information on your "move" at http://www.lowesmoving.com

4/22/2010 11:20:26 AM

doh, i keep forgetting that. I just bought and installed new locks for all the exterior doors this past weekend, oh well.

PS I hate how no one sells double keyed deadbolts in their standard sets, they have to be "special ordered." I ended up buying a front door set that was on sale and then buying a separate double keyed deadbolt to replace the single keyed one in the set. Not a huge deal, but when the house has a lot of glass, I hate the fact that someone could break a panel and just reach in and flip a single keyed one.

4/22/2010 12:32:37 PM

when I said house, i meant door. As in the front door in the house we bought has a lot of glass on the front that could be broken to reach in and flip the thumb-turn on a traditional single cylinder deadbolt.

4/22/2010 2:42:54 PM

Trying to sell our townhouse... our neighbors just bought the identical unit next to ours for $107k about 11 months ago - CHEAP AS SHIT AND A GREAT VALUE


We just got an offer for 91k and when we countered at $104k the guy said he did not see it as a good investment and would only make minimal gains when he sold it eventually. He walked away.... We bought it for 90.5k....According to him, it is okay for us to make $500 over 4 years - but he wants to make 10-15k over 2 years


I fucking hate people... and we have our dream house lined up... anyone want a townhouse in Holly Springs? PM

4/22/2010 10:40:52 PM

Wow - I got this Fridge yesterday (http://www.lowes.com/pd_134304-46-G2IXEFMWQ_4294857971+4294964267_4294937087?productId=3116891&pl=1¤tURL=/pl__4294857971%204294964267_4294937087_?identifier=)

for $730 after adding a $99 4 yr protection plan and taxes.

Lowe's will price match on-line ads, then they were giving 10% off yesterday for appliances, I had a 10% off coupon from lowesmoving.com, and then another 15% off from the Energy Star rebate.

4/23/2010 10:51:07 AM

Quote :

"We just got an offer for 91k and when we countered at $104k the guy said he did not see it as a good investment and would only make minimal gains when he sold it eventually. He walked away.... We bought it for 90.5k....According to him, it is okay for us to make $500 over 4 years - but he wants to make 10-15k over 2 years I fucking hate people... and we have our dream house lined up... anyone want a townhouse in Holly Springs? PM"

I don't know why you wouldn't expect to make a ton of money after holding a house through what is one of the worst real estate collapses in the history of our country. And I'm appalled that someone who claims to be an "investor" would try to buy at a discounted price while the market is low and it is very difficult to sell a home. That guy sounds like a total dick to me.

4/23/2010 11:55:57 AM

We would no be making a ton of money - we would be actually selling for less than market value based on comparable sales within the same year.... and he wanted all closing costs. We would have been taking a loss after all was said and done... which I am becoming ready to accept... since we are not bums that are affected by this economy. It is a good deal and a good investment at the price it is at - even in this bullshit economy.

[Edited on April 23, 2010 at 12:14 PM. Reason : don't fucking argue dude, just don't - Let me complain]

4/23/2010 12:08:44 PM

Quote :

"don't fucking argue dude, just don't - Let me complain"

ha ha...ok.

4/23/2010 12:33:36 PM

update on my retaining wall that I was pricing out to different contractors. My best price so far actually comes from my highest recommended contractor (best rating with like 70 ratings on service magic and I also know 2 people who work at my company who have used them).

They quoted me $6000 today. That quote included:

-4ft Natural stone/boulder retaining wall (tapering on the sides as the horizontal elevation changes...if you're curious, I have pics posted on the previous page)
-landscaping fabric behind the rocks to hopefully avoid the situation I am assuming cyrion has (your boulders don't have landscaping/filter fabric between them and your dirt right?)
-fill dirt required to level the yard
-grading all the dirt once its in
-overseeding the yard and fertilizing when they finish

and then I would have to take it from there of course.

I had gotten 2 other quotes at $9000 and $7000 for essentially the same thing, slightly varying on materials.

You'll notice that didn't include and sod and that is because if I go this route, I definitely am maxing out my budget I have set aside for the lawn and really don't want to cave any more to get the irrigation system and the sod. I think I've decided I'd rather have it level and work on the grass over time than have the sod looking nice on a yard that is too sloped to really enjoy.

[Edited on April 27, 2010 at 4:38 PM. Reason : ]

4/27/2010 4:36:05 PM

How dues ftl

4/27/2010 6:08:04 PM

I plan to paint the inside and outside of my front door this weekend. Its a standard door that comes on most homes these days. Its not a solid metal door or solid wood door, so I don't really know what they make them of. (I'm guessing some sort of laminate over foamcore or something?). Anywho, do I need to do any sanding or anything or do you think I am probably pretty fine to paint straight on top of the old faded blue paint with thick black combination paint+primer? On the inside, I am painting white over the current light tan/canvas color the previous owner painted it but also plan to use combination paint+primer.

I know if its a wood door you would normally sand, wet wipe, and let it dry (maybe even sand again) but I'm hoping not to have to do that

4/27/2010 8:03:37 PM

Spent about an hour looking for that damn transformer for the door chime. I ended up getting a wireless system and it didn't turn out bad at all, imo. We'll see how long the batteries last though...

4/28/2010 5:06:42 AM

^^I would scuff it lightly with sand paper. Nothing too hardcore. Then a wet wipe. Shouldn't be too bad.

Not sanding runs the risk of the paint chipping or peeling off when cleaning or nicked. It's only a couple minutes and saves you some potential hassle down the road.

4/28/2010 9:37:22 AM

So I'm purchasing a house that is currently being built and they are giving me allowances to pick out appliances, light fixtures, and countertops.

The negotiations aren't done, but my realtor is estimating $60 per sq/ft for the countertop. I'm going to with stainless steel appliances, so what do you guys think best matches up with that?? I'm guessing granite is going to be a common response. What about quartz or corian?? I also love stone, but have a feeling that's going to be pretty expensive. I've done some browsing on Lowes.com (where he's probably going to get most of the appliances), but they don't have that big of a selection.

4/28/2010 12:48:21 PM

I did corian because it was less expensive and I didn't think similar houses in the neighborhood which sold for 150-190 would have granite.

4/28/2010 1:04:46 PM

^^^thanks.

^^any of the solid surface counters will look good with stainless steel appliances if you get the right coloring going on with your other finishes in the kitchen. What color are the cabinets and what color and material are the floors? Are you planning to do a tile/marble/other material backsplash or paint?


[Edited on April 28, 2010 at 1:16 PM. Reason : ]

4/28/2010 1:05:42 PM

Floors are a medium-to-dark wood.

Haven't chosen the color of the cabinets yet. I'm thinking a lighter wood color...but not set on it yet, black/or darker knobs/hinges.

4/28/2010 1:16:34 PM

I'm always a fan of cherry or some "darker" wood color on cabinets (darker than say the standard oak color)...but that is also the color that I like for flooring so we are going through that debate now. We have nice cherry colored cabinets but I had envisioned a medium to darker wood floor so I'm not sure whether to carry that into the kitchen (in which case I would go with very light counters when we upgrade them) or to put a lighter tile color down (in which case the counter colors could go either way, dark or light).

I would say for you (then again I have no idea what your tastes are), it depends on what kind of "medium to dark" you have on the floors. Is it a straight brown or some red or cherry hues? If it is a definite brown, you do have the option to go with a darker wood for the cabinets if it has some cherry hues in it to separate it from the floor or vice-versa. If the floor has a lot of cherry hue to it, you could go with darker cabinets if you went with more of a straight brown. Once again, if you did that, I would go with a lighter counter top (be it granite, corian or whatever).



I don't know if you're into that look at all though. (i just mocked that up in a room design thing so the hues are just whatever was available to me)

[Edited on April 28, 2010 at 1:41 PM. Reason : ]

4/28/2010 1:36:07 PM

That's not bad. I'm more a "darker" fan myself, but for some reason I got talked into lighter colors for the cabinets. The kitchen is in the back of the house and doesn't get a lot of light. So my realtor convinced me that the colors should probably be lighter.

My flooring is straight wood color. I might be able to get a picture...although not finished. Hold on...

So these are two pictures of the kitchen. The 2nd one being a little more lighter because it's closer to the windows...and there's the fireplace in the background of course:





And here is a picture of the floor unfinished:



[Edited on April 28, 2010 at 1:51 PM. Reason : see if these pics work]


[Edited on April 28, 2010 at 1:53 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on April 28, 2010 at 1:54 PM. Reason : .]

4/28/2010 1:47:50 PM

yea i can understand that. If you wanted to go darker I think the big thing would just be getting a lighter counter as well as a light backsplash or light paint on the walls and the backsplash area. If you go with a maple for a lighter wood in the kitchen, I'd go for a darker granite or something to get some contrast on the cabinets and counters still.

edit: pics aren't working, looks like their linking to your email. Either that or they are on one of the many sites that are blocked at work for me heh. If you put them in your tww gallery, itd be easier (even though the quality sucks)

[Edited on April 28, 2010 at 1:52 PM. Reason : ]

4/28/2010 1:51:58 PM

Just added the pics to my gallery.

4/28/2010 1:56:03 PM

so if the floor is unfinished, you have a little bit of play (not a lot though with it being a naturally darker wood) in the tint of the final floor if you want to stain it. For example, I think I am going to get maple floors ( a light would) but stain it medium to dark because I like the grain in it better than a lot of naturally darker woods. Or you could just finish it like it is and a darker brown or cherry cabinets would go fine against that if you wanted.

I can also try and find a picture of my father-in-law's kitchen if I can find one anywhere on my computer tonight (I'll have to dig through some old pictures from times we were there). He has standard colored oak hardwood floors (similar to what yours will probably look like when finished) with lighter cabinets and very dark granite counters and it looks pretty good.

[Edited on April 28, 2010 at 2:06 PM. Reason : ]

4/28/2010 2:05:42 PM

anyone have experience pulling out large (5-6ft high) boxwood bushes?

1) how should I do it?
2) what should I replace them with?


I was thinking of renting a truck from home depot and using that to pull them out (i have access to a full size silverado pickup, but don't want to risk messing it up)...and i'm thinking a larger truck would make it easier

At this point I'm planning on replacing them with some sort of flowering bushes...maybe azaleas but it seems like everyone uses those in front of their houses.

4/28/2010 3:32:18 PM

I've pulled some up. I just pushed them over by hand and then took an axe and chopped the roots that were still attached.

I'm not a big dude or anything, and it wasn't too hard to get them out.

4/28/2010 4:15:36 PM

you sir, would be correct that my retaining wall didnt have fabric. the bags of sand im using to fake seal it are holding up through the first few rains though.

4/28/2010 10:13:38 PM

Quote :

"I've pulled some up. I just pushed them over by hand and then took an axe and chopped the roots that were still attached. I'm not a big dude or anything, and it wasn't too hard to get them out."

how tall were yours?

did you put other plants in their place? the reason i wanna pull them up is to get most of the roots out too.

4/28/2010 10:17:58 PM

You should be able to pull those out with a truck or SUV no problem.

4/29/2010 8:31:02 AM

^^ Mine were about 5 feet or so. I just kinda grabbed hold of the top of the bush and pushed it over. The roots on the side I was on broke, and the roots on the other side bent over. Then I just took my axe and chopped into the dirt to get the big roots out. The soil where they were planted was a bit loose, so that might have made it easier. It's cheap, and it can't hurt to try.

I planted Hawthornes , azaleas, and forsythias back where they were. Hawthornes had little white flowers, but I'd say they were mostly green leaves. Forsythias flower nice yellow blooms early, and then leaf out. And you know about azaleas.

[Edited on April 29, 2010 at 9:13 AM. Reason : ^^]

4/29/2010 9:13:17 AM

The control panel in my air handler keeps blowing a 5A fuse on the secondary side of the 24v transformer whenever its a call for a/c. I think I've traced it back to the contact coil on the compressor outside. It should be open between the 24v control and common at the contact if there is no call for a/c, right?

5/2/2010 7:23:39 PM

Soaking the ground around them for a day makes pulling them much easier.

5/3/2010 10:10:14 AM

^^ I would assume so, but I really don't know that much about the wiring of home systems :/

Quote :

"^^I would scuff it lightly with sand paper. Nothing too hardcore. Then a wet wipe. Shouldn't be too bad. Not sanding runs the risk of the paint chipping or peeling off when cleaning or nicked. It's only a couple minutes and saves you some potential hassle down the road. "

I went ahead and sanded down the front door before I painted. I used a 120 grit real quick over it, wiped it wet, then used 200 grit, wiped it wet then dry. Probably only spent 15 minutes on it, so it didn't take a lot of time and hopefully it helped.

Also painted the kitchen and shutters on the 1st floor windows (still have the 2nd floor to do soon). The Behr Premium Plus Ultra or whatever (the paint + primer combined) was pretty solid to work with. Didn't run hardly at all, and as long as you spend the time to spread it evenly it looks really good. I had read some reviews saying it left lap marks easier or was too thick here and too thin there...I really think those people just didn't do a good job of spreading the paint evenly.

One coat on the door and shutters and they were completely covered well (helped that I was using black here). Even in the kitchen though, I was going from a light neutral "canvas" to a light yellow and I am satisfied with it after 1 coat. I have a feeling the areas we are painting some form of red will still end up needing two coats to look good though. We'll see.

I would definitely recommend a good roller though when you're using this paint inside. I had some semi-smooth extra rolling pads and I started using them (being cheap, trying to avoid opening a package of smooth ones since we were only doing 1 wall in the kitchen ) but I wasn't that happy with how even it was. Switched to the better pads and the paint was really spreading a lot better and dried looking great imo.

[Edited on May 3, 2010 at 11:19 AM. Reason : ]

5/3/2010 11:05:19 AM

just bought a house. one of many items on my to-do list is to replace the locks. has anyone used electronic deadbolt locks? its a normal deadbolt lock but with a keypad on the outside so you can get in by punching in your combo if you don't have your key with you. seems like a nice feature but not sure its worth the ~ 100 bux extra

5/4/2010 5:39:41 PM

I don't think its worth the money at all but I dono. Especially not if you have a keypad to get into your garage (where you could hide a key inside in a much more obscure location). I don't know if you do though. Seems like that comes on the majority of houses we looked at when we were looking for a house though.

[Edited on May 4, 2010 at 6:42 PM. Reason : ]

5/4/2010 6:24:08 PM

Not worth it in my opinion.

It seems like thats away every bit of security as well, since someone could just be watching you enter the code with binoculars.

5/5/2010 7:49:53 AM

so I've finally closed on the house. The old realtor put a key lock box on the door and hasn't taken it off. Is there a way to take it off without taking the door knob off? I know the combination, so I already got the key, but now the lock box just hanging on my door knob. It looks similar to this.

5/10/2010 7:53:52 PM

Call the realtor up.

5/10/2010 9:44:56 PM

I haven't had much luck getting in touch with them. They're not a local company.

5/10/2010 9:56:33 PM

after we closed on our house a little over a month ago, i called the seller's Realtor twice, and left a message both times. However, I changed the locks and door hardware anyway so taking it off wasn't a problem. I just had it sitting in our house and gave them a chance to pick it up or get it in case they didn't want to just essentially throw it away.

They never got in touch with me so after a month I trashed it along with their Realtor signs. Their loss.

5/10/2010 10:02:04 PM

I had the same problem with the seller's realtor when I bought my house. I called them multiple times to pick up their sign. They didnt return the calls.

So, for shits and giggles, I took the for sale sign and staked it in front of their building one night. It was fun

5/12/2010 9:18:42 AM

haha nice

5/12/2010 9:26:40 AM

55 yr old cast iron pipes finally getting serviced this Friday... Getting a warranty when I bought this house was definitely a smart move

5/12/2010 7:23:10 PM

Need to replace a disposal in the sink. The one I have is 1/3 horsepower, is there a size difference between that and the more horsepower (1/2, 3/4, etc)?

5/18/2010 10:29:42 AM

shouldnt be, but you can always take the old one out and compare.

disposals are fairly easy to replace, IMO

5/18/2010 10:42:26 AM

Good to know, I haven't looked into replacing it yet but all the potential fixes (turning the blades, resetting, etc.) aren't working. I've heard it can be a little bit tricky, any advice before jumping into it?

5/18/2010 10:58:45 AM

I replaced one before, it's pretty simple if you can use all the old connections.

Turn off and unhook the power and drain lines, and loosen the flange at the top that holds it to the bottom of the sink. There should be a doo-dad you can slide a screwdriver through to get some leverage to turn it.

The new one fits right back in on the old fittings, and re-attach the power and drains. At least, it did for me.

5/18/2010 11:39:48 AM

yeah i replaced mine. it is as easy as "screwing" it off and replacing it. some require you to rewire the power cord but thats just connecting two wires.

i did have some problems putting it back on. its in an awkward position so turning it fully was a bit of a fight, but we got it.

that said, don't let it sit for a while like i did. it was clogged so water sat and got mold. it had the look and consistency of vomit and was the worst smell ive ever experienced.

5/19/2010 9:57:40 AM

how long after closing should you receive your closing paperwork (insurance policies, etc...)? I closed 2 weeks ago and still haven't received anything.

5/19/2010 10:25:01 AM

I actually received my insurance policy declaration and information before closing, it just had the effective start date as the closing day. Home Warranty information came about 1 week later. What other paperwork are you waiting on? I pretty much got everything by closing. The one thing I still have to check on is the form I need to fill out to make sure this house gets counted as my primary residence so I am only taxed at 4% instead of the 6% or whatever. Anyone know where I should be able to find that? Didn't see anything on my county's website.

5/19/2010 10:35:31 AM

well, my agent just called me and said she got a copy of the survey for me. I already got the HUD/loan documents at closing. I guess I should go ahead and contact my insurance agent for the insurance policies.

5/19/2010 12:55:27 PM