The Home-ownership Thread

[Samson's Flow]

In better news, my bathroom remodel was finally completed over the weekend. Very excited to be able to use the upstairs bathroom again! 

(All we are waiting on is the glass shower door installer which will be a few more weeks – the shower rod & curtain is temporary)

 

[Eleven]

I could die happily in that bathroom.

[jsb]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ To Samson's Flow

Very nice, did you do the work or did someone else??

 

[Samson's Flow]

  On 10/9/2018 at 3:53 PM, Eleven said:

I could die happily in that bathroom.

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Dude... i've had the thing for less than a week! Don't be getting your blood stains on the new tile!

[Samson's Flow]

  On 10/9/2018 at 3:55 PM, jsb said:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ To Samson's Flow

Very nice, did you do the work or did someone else??

 

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I've done the work in every other room in the house, but my wife was worried that my remodel pace might be a bit slower than preferred for the primary full bath so we hired a contractor. He did some work for us previously removing a weight bearing wall in the living room, and he did a stellar job on this one as well. 

Plus it's nice coming home from work every day and seeing progress rather than dreading having to spend my evenings working on the house. ?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Very nice shower.

[josie]

That bathtub is what dreams are made of. I love baths- epsom salt soaks are nearly necessary with my circus stuff. But I barely fit in ours, and it always get all gyucky afterwards with whatever moisturizers are in the bath stuff I use. 

 

I have two unnecessary luxury items I'd love in a perfect world: a small greenhouse and a standalone bathtub like that. Something I can actually submerge into. 

[Samson's Flow]

  On 10/9/2018 at 4:45 PM, josie said:

That bathtub is what dreams are made of. I love baths- epsom salt soaks are nearly necessary with my circus stuff. But I barely fit in ours, and it always get all gyucky afterwards with whatever moisturizers are in the bath stuff I use. 

 

I have two unnecessary luxury items I'd love in a perfect world: a small greenhouse and a standalone bathtub like that. Something I can actually submerge into. 

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Not to be creepy, but the number of female friends/colleagues that have unsolicited mentioned they want to come over and take a bath in my new bathtub has been an odd mix of concerning/intriguing/uncomfortable.

[josie]

  On 10/9/2018 at 4:49 PM, Samson's Flow said:

Not to be creepy, but the number of female friends/colleagues that have unsolicited mentioned they want to come over and take a bath in my new bathtub has been an odd mix of concerning/intriguing/uncomfortable.

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Hello it is me, your female friend/forum colleague... 

[SwampD]

  On 10/9/2018 at 4:49 PM, Samson's Flow said:

Not to be creepy, but the number of female friends/colleagues that have unsolicited mentioned they want to come over and take a bath in my new bathtub has been an odd mix of concerning/intriguing/uncomfortable.

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How do you feel about male friends/forum colleagues, cuz I'm feeling rather,... dirty?

[Samson's Flow]

  On 10/9/2018 at 4:52 PM, josie said:

Hello it is me, your female friend/forum colleague... 

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Yes. My point being you (and others nearer my age range) are closer to the intriguing range of the spectrum, contrast to hearing about my grandparents bathing habits and what they would use my tub for "back in their day". Those comments are in the uncomfortable side of the spectrum, and make me need a day-long shower crying in the corner.

  On 10/9/2018 at 4:56 PM, SwampD said:

How do you feel about male friends/forum colleagues, cuz I'm feeling rather,... dirty?

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I hate you all.

[pi2000]

  On 10/9/2018 at 3:47 PM, Samson's Flow said:

In better news, my bathroom remodel was finally completed over the weekend. Very excited to be able to use the upstairs bathroom again! 

(All we are waiting on is the glass shower door installer which will be a few more weeks – the shower rod & curtain is temporary)

 

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Fantastic!   Looks great.    What did that cost if you don't mind me asking?   Need to do something similar in our upstairs bath... it's a disaster atm.

Had solar installed last week.   32 panels, 9kw system which will supply 110% of our peak usage.   

During the summer months our electric bill averages $400-$500 (pool + AC).    Winter months is generally around $200.    

The utility (SDGE) squares up once a year where you only pay if your yearly usage exceeds your yearly output back into the grid.  

[josie]

  On 10/9/2018 at 4:59 PM, Samson's Flow said:

Yes. My point being you (and others nearer my age range) are closer to the intriguing range of the spectrum, contrast to hearing about my grandparents bathing habits and what they would use my tub for "back in their day". Those comments are in the uncomfortable side of the spectrum, and make me need a day-long shower crying in the corner.

I hate you all.

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Ya hear that, dark? I'm still in the INTRIGUING range!!! 

 

 

and to the bolded, I am so, so sorry. But it was that or in the back of the Model A, and that well.. that could get cramped. 

[shrader]

HOA meetings add a whole new level of entertainment to the whole home ownership experience.  I thought I was going to sit back and watch a bench clearing brawl last night.  This one guy was about as subtle as a sledge hammer to the face, demanding so many rules be changes for no reason other than he doesn't like them.  He got more and more angry each time he was told that's not how things work, refusing to take anyone's word but his own.  I would probably wind up being the one who gets punched in the face since I was openly laughing at the guy.

[chileanseabass]

  On 10/10/2018 at 2:13 PM, shrader said:

HOA meetings add a whole new level of entertainment to the whole home ownership experience.  I thought I was going to sit back and watch a bench clearing brawl last night.  This one guy was about as subtle as a sledge hammer to the face, demanding so many rules be changes for no reason other than he doesn't like them.  He got more and more angry each time he was told that's not how things work, refusing to take anyone's word but his own.  I would probably wind up being the one who gets punched in the face since I was openly laughing at the guy.

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HOAs are horrible.  We considering moving just because of how much we can't stand ours.

[shrader]

  On 10/10/2018 at 3:20 PM, chileanseabass said:

HOAs are horrible.  We considering moving just because of how much we can't stand ours.

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I find it oddly entertaining, but that's not going to last.  We haven't had many meetings yet since it's new construction and there was no board up until 2 months ago, but the same exact conversation has been had at each one.  That's going to get old very fast.  I had to leave the neighborhood's facebook page for that exact reason, people whining about the same exact thing on a daily basis.

[Sabel79]

  On 10/10/2018 at 3:20 PM, chileanseabass said:

HOAs are horrible.  We considering moving just because of how much we can't stand ours.

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Agreed.  My GF lives in a subdivision covered by one, and works from home a lot.  She sent me a text one afternoon a few weeks ago that she had to go outside and help break up a fistfight between the neighbors on either side of her.  Evidently Neighbor A took exception to Neighbor B's plans for a fence.  Which were evidently approved by the HOA, but whatever.  

The entitlement... worry about your property.  I can understand if there's something that comprises a health or safety risk, but that's why we have building codes and doing zoning laws.  And even those cover far more than that just about everywhere.  Your claim (unsupported by fact) that your property value will be negatively impacted by someone's wholly legal and unremarkable use of thier own property.  

[josie]

  On 10/10/2018 at 3:38 PM, Sabel79 said:

Agreed.  My GF lives in a subdivision covered by one, and works from home a lot.  She sent me a text one afternoon a few weeks ago that she had to go outside and help break up a fistfight between the neighbors on either side of her.  Evidently Neighbor A took exception to Neighbor B's plans for a fence.  Which were evidently approved by the HOA, but whatever.  

The entitlement... worry about your property.  I can understand if there's something that comprises a health or safety risk, but that's why we have building codes and doing zoning laws.  And even those cover far more than that just about everywhere.  Your claim (unsupported by fact) that your property value will be negatively impacted by someone's wholly legal and unremarkable use of thier own property.  

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haha I remember the neighborhood next to ours had a fight break out at an HOA meeting over mailboxes. 

 

Yeah. Mailboxes. One dude didn't want to use the same fancy cover everyone else was, and he wanted a red flag instead of the agreed upon black one. GASP 

 

So ridiculous. I love crazy HOA stories. They're as nutso as nightmare wedding stories. 

[shrader]

  On 10/10/2018 at 3:53 PM, josie said:

haha I remember the neighborhood next to ours had a fight break out at an HOA meeting over mailboxes. 

 

Yeah. Mailboxes. One dude didn't want to use the same fancy cover everyone else was, and he wanted a red flag instead of the agreed upon black one. GASP 

 

So ridiculous. I love crazy HOA stories. They're as nutso as nightmare wedding stories. 

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Our topic that comes up every single time is fences.  Yesterday this guy who admitted that he has no interest in ever putting up a fence kept throwing out the craziest hypothetical situations to test the limits of the current list of approved fence types.  That didn't mesh well with angry arrogant old guy, which I really thought was going to start the brawl.  I could see that happening somewhere down the line and I really hope I'm there to watch.

[LTS]

This is why I refused to live where there was an HOA.

I like to think HOA's are the shining exhibit A of why socialism will never work.

[Sabel79]

Speaking of neighborhood disputes: OH MY DEAR LORD THIS THEAD:

 

[Doohicksie]

We have a Neighborhood Association.  You can participate if you want, or not.  It doesn't cost anything unless you want to join, and then it was only $10 or $20... not much.  We live not far from TCU and student housing is creeping into surrounding neighborhoods.  Our neighborhood association worked with the city to change the zoning of the neighborhood from a mix of multi-family, duplex and single family homes to exclusively single family to prevent developers from building "stealth dorms" in our neighborhood like these monstrosities that were built a little closer to campus.  I see the NA as beneficial but I don't think I'd want a binding Homeowners Association.

 

  On 10/10/2018 at 5:09 PM, Sabel79 said:

Speaking of neighborhood disputes: OH MY DEAR LORD THIS THEAD:

 

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Well bless his heart!  ?

[Doohicksie]

  On 10/8/2018 at 6:22 PM, Doohickie said:

My AC went out Friday.  Hard compressor failure (positive circuit shorted to ground).  My friend who does AC diagnosed it; knowing I have a home warranty he suggested I call them.  Called them on Friday, they sent a tech out on Saturday, I told him the my AC friend said compressor was shorted out.  He went right to that and confirmed it, said someone would be in touch Monday to discuss what would be covered by the home warranty, what our cost would be, and schedule the repair.

Called the warranty folks at lunchtime (Monday) and they still haven't gotten anything from the contractor that came out.

This kind of sucks.  The only saving grace is the weather seems to be relenting a bit; hope we can get enough air in keep the place kind of cool (was 87 inside over the weekend).

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So the home warranty company and the AC company finally got together and agreed to replace my compressor.  It should be done tomorrow for $360 out of pocket.  Not awful.

[chileanseabass]

  On 10/10/2018 at 3:30 PM, shrader said:

I find it oddly entertaining, but that's not going to last.  We haven't had many meetings yet since it's new construction and there was no board up until 2 months ago, but the same exact conversation has been had at each one.  That's going to get old very fast.  I had to leave the neighborhood's facebook page for that exact reason, people whining about the same exact thing on a daily basis.

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We've had our board for a year now, and have already switched management companies once.  The board keeps trying to fine me for having a trailer parked outside overnight that isn't mine.  I keep telling them that and then the next time the guy across the street leaves it out overnight, I get a letter.  It's just a pain in the ass and a waste of my time to keep calling the management company to complain about stupid crap like this.  I could go on with other issues, but I won't.

[shrader]

  On 10/10/2018 at 5:09 PM, Sabel79 said:

Speaking of neighborhood disputes: OH MY DEAR LORD THIS THEAD:

 

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This post is absolutely worthless without being able to see the destruction that is hinted at.  It's like a cliffhanger ending to a tv show that gets canceled before you ever get to see the resolution.

 

  On 10/10/2018 at 6:13 PM, chileanseabass said:

We've had our board for a year now, and have already switched management companies once.  The board keeps trying to fine me for having a trailer parked outside overnight that isn't mine.  I keep telling them that and then the next time the guy across the street leaves it out overnight, I get a letter.  It's just a pain in the ass and a waste of my time to keep calling the management company to complain about stupid crap like this.  I could go on with other issues, but I won't.

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We just took over in the summer, so I'm looking forward to when those letters start to go out.  From yesterday's meeting, I can already tell that they're going to go after the people who leave their garbage bins out front.  It's going to be fun.