It doesn't have to be fiberboard. I just want it to look the same . The shelf sat atop four pegs.

7/13/2011 12:38:29 PM

Woke up this morning to yet another bad sillcock outside. Easy fix but not what i wanted to be doing this morning. Slowly but surely the new tile is going in our kitchen. Been two weeks today since the asbestos came out. I'm glad they are taking the time to do it right but will be really happy once this is over.

7/15/2011 9:03:35 AM

Just found out my next-door neighbor is having her house foreclosed on. I guess that cements my decision to rent my house out instead of sell it after I move next month.

7/17/2011 2:15:57 PM

Buy hers and rent both.

7/17/2011 3:49:39 PM

Ehh, I'm thinking about acquiring some more property to rent, but I want to buy it in Pensacola so it'll be local to me.

7/17/2011 8:14:51 PM

Tile guys wrapped up last week, my father and I installed a new door yesterday, and the drywall guys are hopefully starting today...




[Edited on July 25, 2011 at 11:39 AM. Reason : SORRY FOR THE HUGE PICS, NOT SURE HOW THAT HAPPENED]

7/25/2011 11:38:46 AM

Just closed on my new house in north Raleigh (Bedford) on Friday and started moving the small stuff. Movers come Wednesday. Pissed that I am losing UVerse and have to go back to TWC. Already met two neighbors and they seem decent, but already feel like we are being watched/judged. Still worth it for the kid-friendly atmosphere.

Won't have our old house on the market for another week or two while we move out and finish some repairs. Hopefully it goes quick. Its a good starter home in north Raleigh (1600 sqft, AWESOME neighbors, all new Hardi siding, all new windows, new roof) and priced below the comps so I think it won't be long, but you never know.

7/25/2011 12:51:53 PM

Quote :

"Already met two neighbors and they seem decent, but already feel like we are being watched/judged. "

Haha, I think this is the best thing about being in your 20s and living next to people in their late 50's on into retirement. Very nice, but as soon as I went out back to level off an area to build a shed I was getting the 3rd degree.

Then one of the neighbors tore down a tree that's on my side of the property and later on tore up my grass, so mr. landlord (dad, buying the house from him when I have enough in savings) pointed out that the little stakes with flags are actually property markers and hey stop fucking up my grass.

Congrats on the house though. I think moving into a house is the best decision I've made and I'm going to be pretty damn happy when I'm the one that owns it. Well, at least up to the point that I have to pay taxes.

7/26/2011 6:14:18 PM

Well, looks like I'm gonna stop making my house payments. I lost my job in April and immediately called BB&T who owns my mortgage. They said to keep making my payments and send in this modification form, and they'd get back to me in 90 days.

Well, 90 days later, I get a phone call from them saying that since I am still making my payments, it's obvious I have the money to do so, so they won't help me with anything. Pretty fucked up, if you ask me.

I called around to a couple agencies, and they all said that was a shitty way to treat someone. Called HUD, and they said they are gonna call BB&T and see why they are being douchebags. Unemployment in SC is barely 1000 a month, so it's not like I'm raking in a ton of dough.

Guess it's time to start packing some shit up and be ready to move back in with the folks >.<

7/27/2011 12:31:11 PM

finally got around to painting my kitchen.

7/27/2011 1:01:19 PM

Quote :

"Well, looks like I'm gonna stop making my house payments. I lost my job in April and immediately called BB&T who owns my mortgage. They said to keep making my payments and send in this modification form, and they'd get back to me in 90 days. Well, 90 days later, I get a phone call from them saying that since I am still making my payments, it's obvious I have the money to do so, so they won't help me with anything. Pretty fucked up, if you ask me. I called around to a couple agencies, and they all said that was a shitty way to treat someone. Called HUD, and they said they are gonna call BB&T and see why they are being douchebags. Unemployment in SC is barely 1000 a month, so it's not like I'm raking in a ton of dough. Guess it's time to start packing some shit up and be ready to move back in with the folks >.<"

They were like, "My bad, B!; I thought you were going to pay us back when we BOUGHT THIS HOUSE FOR YOU. We didn't know you were just renting it while you could easily afford to do so."

7/27/2011 1:27:32 PM

If aaronburro still had his job and it was anyone else in the same predicament, I wonder how he would respond....

Other than, of course, throwing a yellow flag at them and running away like a coward.

7/27/2011 1:47:59 PM

Quote :

"finally got around to painting my kitchen."

your kitchen looks awesome. i think we might have the same countertops.

7/27/2011 1:55:00 PM

just looking more for advice than anything else. is there any reason to keep paying my mortgage at this point? They aren't gonna help me out until I am behind, so why keep paying?

7/27/2011 2:30:27 PM

thanks

on the subject of countertops (mine are granite)

there is a mark IN my granite on one of the edges right by the barstools. it's basically like two bright red semi circles, definitely not something temporary, looks almost embedded in the actual granite, because the surface of the mark is rough and unpolished unlike the adjacent granite. its not quite a stain, i don't think. anyway, it's been there since i bought the place. missed it on the inspection, etc. any clue how to address it? could someone professionally sand/polish it out without deteriorating the smooth surface of the edge? ill try and take a pic later when im home maybe.

this is my first time dealing with granite.

7/27/2011 2:33:36 PM

Quote :

"is there any reason to keep paying my mortgage at this point? They aren't gonna help me out until I am behind, so why keep paying?"

If you can keep making payments why would you stop?

7/27/2011 2:38:21 PM

^ This.

I don't really understand the question I guess. How close are you to falling behind? You only lost your job a few months ago. Are you questioning stopping the payment simply out of spite because they wouldn't help you?

7/27/2011 2:42:02 PM

^^^we too have granite. according to our installers they should be "re-sealed" every 6 months to a year to prevent things soaking into the stone.

maybe this link will help

http://www.housecleaningcentral.com/en/cleaning-tips/stain-removal/granite-stain-removal.html



[Edited on July 27, 2011 at 2:43 PM. Reason : ]

7/27/2011 2:42:09 PM

sorry, maybe my question was confusing.

i sealed them when i first moved in, with the mark already there. it's not something that was like a stain in the traditional sense. this looks almost like a mark that existed from when the granite was first just a raw chunk of rock but somehow looks more man-made. i think a pic will help.

i just dont know who i would call to have them investigate it. the people selling countertops at HD didnt really have any idea what i was talking about either.

7/27/2011 2:44:21 PM

Quote :

"according to our installers they should be "re-sealed" every 6 months to a year to prevent things soaking into the stone. "

yeah they told us the same thing. We're a little over three years now since the house was built and have yet to re-seal. I'm thinking it's not as critical as they tell you

7/27/2011 5:30:47 PM

Quote :

"I don't really understand the question I guess. How close are you to falling behind? You only lost your job a few months ago. Are you questioning stopping the payment simply out of spite because they wouldn't help you?"

i mean, I've got about 10k in savings, and I burn through about 2k a month. I'm cutting expenses as we speak, but just a quick look says that a 1000 mortgage payment doubles how long I can "hold out" without a job. Don't get me wrong, I'm searching hard for a job, but the area I am in is basically an IT dead zone, especially with the largest employer laying off 20% of its workforce (including me).

and no it has nothing to do with spite, mostly. They said they wouldn't help me as long as I was current. Well, does that mean if I'm no longer current that they will help me? Combined with that, I'm still paying mostly interest, so it's not like I'm putting any real equity into the home with the payments. Yes, it's shitty that they won't help someone who until he lost his job was a model customer, always paying on time and even paying a little extra. So yeah, that pisses me off a bit, but I'm really just looking at this from a financial situation. Fucked up credit with 10k in the bank is better than fucked up credit with 0 in the bank.

What gets me even more is that they take "90 days" to respond to anything. You know, long enough to start foreclosure proceedings.

7/27/2011 5:43:41 PM

Quote :

""according to our installers they should be "re-sealed" every 6 months to a year to prevent things soaking into the stone."

Your professional cut and installed stuff should already be sealed pretty well, the lowe's/home depot stuff used frequently in bathroom vanitys will need to be sealed or it will absorb moisture... but it does dry out.

7/28/2011 9:02:55 AM

upon further inspection, i may be able to make a poultice to draw the stain out. might try that this weekend.

7/28/2011 9:49:06 AM

^^^ You could get a roommate, but I suppose if you are really confident you'll be unemployed for 6+ months then it would make sense to stop paying the mortgage if you have a free place to live lined up.

[Edited on July 28, 2011 at 9:56 AM. Reason : ]

7/28/2011 9:55:55 AM

Quote :

"Your professional cut and installed stuff should already be sealed pretty well, the lowe's/home depot stuff used frequently in bathroom vanitys will need to be sealed or it will absorb moisture... but it does dry out. "

that was my thought as well. i'm guessing the granite place we used basically told us that in the event we do something stupid like leave spilled spaghetti sauce on the counters overnight.

7/28/2011 1:56:52 PM

Aaron, I think to stop paying the mortgage entirely would be a bad idea. You are in a transition period. If you were somewhere in California, lost your job, and you owed 100k more than the house was worth, I'd tell you to run and not think another thing about it.

But you are not. You bought the house not too long ago, and probably owe what the house is worth. Once you completely ruin your credit by walking away from the house, you're going to pay for it in the near future once you have another job and need to buy another house.

You need to suck it up, pay what you can, get the payment modified, and do your best to stay in the house or sell it. I'd try to sell it and break even before I walked away from it.

7/28/2011 1:57:56 PM

Well, all the drywall has been hung and mudded in, ceiling scraped and primed, and is getting sprayed right now. Hopefully the paint and trim will be done tomorrow... Really sick of not having washer/dryer.

7/28/2011 2:15:43 PM

^^ that's kind of what I was thinking. Unless you are way "upside-down", if you are decided on giving up the house, why not just try and sell the thing and potentially get out of it without ruined credit? Seems like a better option and a good compromise between 1) paying the mortgage until you are out of money or 2) just walking away to save the money (but ruining your credit).

[Edited on July 28, 2011 at 3:16 PM. Reason : ]

7/28/2011 3:15:52 PM

Can anyone give me a ballpark idea of how much I should expect to pay for a leaking service pipe?

It runs from the city meter, under a sidewalk, and then underground for about 15ft until it reaches my cellar. All plumbing is exposed and accessible once it passes through the foundation into the cellar.

7/28/2011 3:50:24 PM

I would guess $600-$800 depending if they have to dig a lot and how quickly they find the leak.

7/28/2011 4:07:58 PM

The leak's right in the brick foundation. I can touch it with my hand, but patching it with JB weld has been ineffective.

The digging is the silly part that makes me hesitant to hire someone to do this. I imagine them trucking in an excavator and charging me $$$ for what could be accomplished with a pickaxe and an hour or so. I'm just afraid that if I do it myself I'll end up with a geyser and paying the plumber an emergency rate.

7/28/2011 4:42:15 PM

just turn the water off and be very careful

7/29/2011 9:26:12 AM

Why would you have a geyser? Just shut it off with a water key at your box at the street. If you already have access to it, I'd shut the water off and dig down to it. Have a plumber scheduled to come by, and give them a heads up of what they'll be doing. Should be significantly less than I said if you know where the leak is and can dig to it.

7/29/2011 9:27:37 AM

my house is hot & humid. it can't keep up on these upper 90s/100s days. if i was to run the dehumidifier, could the air conditioning potentially cool the house better? the dehumidifier produces heat, which is why i haven't tried this. i don't know enough about house stuff/physics/whatever to know if this will work. HALP

no, i still haven't replaced my a/c

8/2/2011 4:31:43 PM

Potentially? Yes. Heat energy removed across a cooling coil/evaporator coil depends on both the sensible energy (based largely on the dry-bulb temperature you see on your thermostat) and the latent energy off the (return/room) air crossing the coil to be cooled. The latent energy is based on the amount of moisture in the air. In humid climates, the moisture can contribute to a large percentage of the energy load in a space.

However, without knowing how much heat your dehumidifier is rejecting, how much moisture it is removing, and without having actual psychrometric measurements for your house I couldn't really tell you whether it would be worth it at all. If your unit was running properly it would be dehumidifying the air since that is one of the most important things an evaporator coil does this time of year in terms of improving human comfort.

I know we talked about this before but I don't remember the exact scenario. I'm guessing you had a reason before for not changing out the unit?

[Edited on August 2, 2011 at 4:58 PM. Reason : ]

8/2/2011 4:56:50 PM

i would say it does absolutely nothing to remove humidity from the air this time of year.

yeah, we did talk about it before. it all comes down to cost. it's a packaged unit with gas heat from 1997 or so. many many parts have been replaced on it.

my dad keeps telling me to get one of those home warranty things, but i haven't for a couple of reasons. first one: had one from AHS when i bought the house, the repair team was really shitty, went months & months w/ the heat cutting out repeatedly bc those retards couldn't figure it out before i finally got our regular guy to come over. he fixed it in about 15 minutes. other details, but it's a long story. second, the unit is functioning, just not well. i'm 99% sure they're not going to replace it just bc i think it doesn't cool as well as it should, especially based on what i know about how those idiots work now.

our plan had been to be out of this house by now, but the whole housing market collapse thing killed that. we'd like to think maybe we'll move in another couple of years, and so once again i don't want to dump $5000+ into a new unit then move. ugh idk

8/2/2011 5:10:38 PM

Unfortunately, you will probably eat the cost either way in selling and I'd rather not be miserable until you sell it and then just eat it in the sale price of the home. In buying a home, if the unit isn't working I would either ask them to replace it or knock that amount of money off the price (and most people will be like that).

And yes it is hard to say with warranty stuff. And second, (no offense to you at all) the unit is clearly NOT functioning. The condensing fan and the supply fan simply running does not mean your AC is "functioning." If it was functioning the house would be cooling. Also, if it is not humidifying it is also doing crap for cooling. It should be doing both just about simultaneously (except when people vastly oversize their systems but I wont get into that here). Have you had it looked at? Do you know that it is not just a refrigerant leak? Or a valve gone bad?

Example, my downstairs system was running nonstop for the past week or so and not doing a great job cooling and an even worse job dehumidifying (house was getting into the mid 80s). I had a good idea what the problem was and had an HVAC tech out to fix it and it took all of an hour to clean the coils and refill some lost refrigerant (I'll be trying to find the leak next week when I get back home from out of town now) and the system is working well again.

By not replacing the system you are paying a ton more in energy costs, living miserably, and will end up eating the cost when you sell either way (at least imo). I would get a "cheap" new system if you plan to move. 99% of new home-buyers won't care about brand if it is functioning.

PS: Sorry I prob sound mean. I know it's not good news. It's just my opinion based on the little I know (and even less I remember from talking about it before).

[Edited on August 2, 2011 at 5:34 PM. Reason : ]

8/2/2011 5:21:18 PM

Kitchen is nearly done, cabinets, range, fridge, and granite countertops went in today. Tomorrow, plumbing!

8/2/2011 10:24:07 PM

^^ Who did you use? My AC stopped pumping out cool air today.

8/3/2011 10:16:59 AM

I'm beyond aggravated at the pace of the kitchen renovation. Granted I'm getting a deal on the labor and material costs, but damn...

I'd almost pay to have someone build the cabinets at this point...

8/3/2011 10:29:18 AM

^^^pics?

8/3/2011 2:13:34 PM

seventythree, you might consider a window unit in the bedroom or something if you can't afford to replace your unit right away. Might make things more tolerable. You can get an AC unit for about $250 of sufficient cooling capacity, then sell it for what you near what you paid for it in a year or so.

8/3/2011 4:06:20 PM

Quote :

"By not replacing the system you are paying a ton more in energy costs, living miserably, and will end up eating the cost when you sell either way (at least imo). I would get a "cheap" new system if you plan to move. 99% of new home-buyers won't care about brand if it is functioning."

This. We've looked at so many houses, at least 40 at this point, and on any of the ones we've considered, one of the first things we do is look at the age of the HVAC unit and if it's old and/or crappy that's an automatic $5000 reduction in our offer and we tell the sellers as much.

8/3/2011 4:26:28 PM

Yeah, if he's selling, go get a Goodman installed for cheap.

8/3/2011 4:48:47 PM

anyone know of any good financing offers from HVAC companies?

8/3/2011 9:56:01 PM

So there's high humidity in our crawlspace. Then the AC ducts are also condensing and the insulation is now wet. So the next word here is wonderful - mold.

We're having the crawlspace encapsulated, they're ripping out the insulation, putting insulation back in on the walls of the crawlspace, dry ice blasting the floor joists to remove the tiny bit of mold that's starting to form and tying in some positive/negative air to our HVAC to dry it out down there. Termite treatment too thrown in just in case they stir any up from messing in their work on the ground under there.

$5800. I just love spending money!

[Edited on August 4, 2011 at 1:33 PM. Reason : *]

8/4/2011 1:32:20 PM

omg that sux

8/4/2011 1:36:15 PM

^^Did you not have a vapor barrier down before? Is your lot not sloped properly? One of the biggest problems related to moisture in a crawl space is a foundation slope not being properly set up meaning rainwater isn't diverted properly. Otherwise there shouldn't be a lot of moisture in your crawl space with a half-decent vapor barrier.

However, I will say that this is one area (well one of many...) the code currently lags behind known good practice. Crawl space vents do hardly anything to control temperature or humidity in your crawl space. In fact, in many studies, having them open during the summer was worse than having them closed. The best move that home building codes can make related to this in the near future is to completely seal off and insulate crawl spaces as well as possible and supply and return just a little bit of air off the AHU as if it were a zone in the house (or install a small dehumidifier).

[Edited on August 4, 2011 at 1:38 PM. Reason : ]

8/4/2011 1:38:11 PM

That is the worst. $5800 to get rid of something you didn't want and didn't know you had.

Paying for random unforeseen maintenance feels worse than lighting money on fire.

8/4/2011 6:32:51 PM

aaronburro what did you expect bb&t to come back with? i mean, they can restructure but at best it would be lowered slightly

stop "burning through" 2k a month, get a roommate and keep looking for a job

also start selling whatever you can. if you end up having to move, at least you won't have to move as much and it will generate some cash in the meantime

you could also call a relator and look into selling it before you really get into a fucked up situation. or you could move out and rent the whole thing out and still pay your mortgage and move back home where living expenses would be much less

90 days and you're ready to default? epic fail. try again.

8/4/2011 7:30:51 PM