^^ I suppose as a bit of a benefit the electricity bills should be a little better, if not the increased comfort in wintertime by having warmer floors? Just thinking out loud, I voluntarily want to do the same to my house because I know I have moisture problems.

I also have a colony of camel crickets under my house which probably still numbers in the hundreds if not thousands. Got a bunch of floor joists covered in camel cricket shit as well. Gotta seal it off at some point just to reduce that issue, ugh.

[Edited on August 4, 2011 at 10:28 PM. Reason : 53 pages of bitching about the american dream <3]

8/4/2011 10:28:44 PM

to get rid of crickets or just about any household pest

step 1: acquire inexpensive pump sprayer from home depot/lowes (<$15)
step 2: acquire Maxxthor SC (http://www.pestcontrolmart.com/store/product.php?id_product=24)
step 3: mix 3-6 teaspoons of maxxthor sc with 1 gallon of water
step 4: apply solution to infested area
step 5: profit

8/4/2011 10:37:27 PM

I had this weird area under my house. You could only get to it by crawling from my dug out basement into my too-narrow-for-21st-century-people crawlspace, then into a hole dug under the south side of my wrap-around porch. It was an expedition I've only done twice.

Once through, it was a vision of hell. The stuff of horror movies. Camel crickets everywhere. EVERYWHERE.

Bayer's insecticide made me dizzy whilst applying it, but I haven't seen a camel cricket in my basement/crawlspace since.

SCORCHED EARTH.

8/4/2011 10:40:31 PM

Quote :

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

I expected them to come back with something, as opposed to "it's obvious you can still make payments." It especially pisses me off that they told me 2 months ago to keep making my payments in full because it would "help me and give them more options," and then they come back and say that since I was still making my payments there was nothing they could do.

8/4/2011 11:06:25 PM

Sorry.

I'm surprised that they weren't more helpful. NCSECU will add 3 months to the end of your loan and allow you to make 1/2 payments for 6 months. I would have thought that BB&T would have something similar that they could do to help you out.

8/5/2011 11:17:00 AM

^^

You're whining about not getting handouts. How liberal of you.

8/5/2011 12:58:28 PM

Quote :

"^^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)."

The house was built in 83 and it had a vapor barrier down at that time, but from getting under there recently, it's tattered. Also in the areas where you can get good airflow under there it's isn't any more humid than the outside air, but the spot where the mold has begun is near one end and behind our porch, which is cement/brick so there's no vents right there. The humidity in that area is sky high.

Quote :

"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."

Absolutely, but in this case it wasn't entirely unexpected. We bought the house in late April. Our inspector did find and let us know about past moisture issues that he told us were probably summertime problems. He said there was evidence of a small amount of mold and that it would be something we'd have to get checked come summertime. So we lowered our offering price by $5000 dollars and it was accepted.

I'd rather spend that money now than to spread it out over the next 20 years and pay interest on it anyway.

I was just hoping it was something we'd be able to hold out on for a year or two, but in that time the problem's just going to get a lot worse. Best to take care of it now.

[Edited on August 5, 2011 at 5:12 PM. Reason : *]

8/5/2011 5:11:42 PM

I just finished spending $500 to repair an AC unit. At least it's no longer 90 degrees inside the house and I didn't have to replace the entire unit.

8/5/2011 7:21:49 PM

^^^

[Edited on August 5, 2011 at 7:22 PM. Reason : ]

8/5/2011 7:22:08 PM

Yeah, $500 is nicer then $3k+.

Also, I must must MUST recommend the orange fluorescent non-bug-attracting lights. My front porch is a miracle of nature now. There's just a few flying bugs hanging out who don't give a what. I don't get assaulted every time I open my front door and I don't have a pile of dead bugs on my front porch any more. Freaking rulz, it just looks orange all the time like I'm celebrating halloween.

8/5/2011 11:47:22 PM

Quote :

"You're whining about not getting handouts. How liberal of you."

No, I'm bitching because they got bailed the fuck out for failing and I've been a damned good customer for several years and am getting fucked by them. Totally different.




anyway, looking like I have a position 2.5 hours away. Trying to decide what to do. I know there's no way I can do that commute every day. I'll probably look at renting the place out. Just doesn't look like I'll be able to sell it any time soon. Any good resources for that? Just go to a realtor?

8/6/2011 1:15:17 AM

Quote :

"No, I'm bitching because they got bailed the fuck out for failing and I've been a damned good customer for several years and am getting fucked by them. Totally different."

Not that you care, but I believe BB&T's official stance was that they were taking the money because the treasury really wanted them to, not because they needed it to survive. If the US government kept insisting on giving me a $3bil handshake, I'd be hard-pressed to say no as well.

8/6/2011 8:37:00 AM

new hvac compressor ordered

thank you AHS home warranty

8/6/2011 12:58:54 PM

AC issue was just a blow capacitor. Pretty happy only having to pay $180 esp since they came out after hours.

8/6/2011 5:36:35 PM

A neighbor pointed out that one of the trees in my yard has a wasp's nest in it. Good times.

8/7/2011 11:28:49 AM

I've determined that the sort of extension to the house that was built into the utility room on the house (replaced the door to the utility room with a window) wasn't really sealed up proper by the contractor. Now I've got ants and bugs crawling freely from the crawlspace through this little hole at the base of the door. I've been trying to figure out where the hell they were coming from, just the hardest to seal up spot in the whole goddamn house.

8/8/2011 12:49:23 AM

From a fully functioning kitchen to this only took two weeks:



And back again:




Now life can go back to normal...

8/8/2011 11:09:48 AM

^ That looks sharp! Did you do it all yourself?

Quote :

"I expected them to come back with something, as opposed to "it's obvious you can still make payments." It especially pisses me off that they told me 2 months ago to keep making my payments in full because it would "help me and give them more options," and then they come back and say that since I was still making my payments there was nothing they could do."

I have read countless stories of BB&T and Bank of America pulling this stunt. I'm surprised no one has gone postal on their headquarters yet.

8/8/2011 11:47:54 AM

^very nice! definitely a good call on the slide in range (looks 100x better than freestanding imo), extending out the counters for a counter bar, undermounting the sink (at least i think it's undermounted), and getting the tall faucet. which countertops did you go with? they look really similar to the one we just had installed. did you go single basin or double basin sink?

it looks like you did a lot of the same things we've done with our kitchen (which should be finished this week) i really like the diamond oriented tile and wonder if we should've gone that route as well.

do you have any more pictures? it looks awesome.

8/8/2011 11:49:42 AM

Hey PaulISdead, this is Beth with American Home Shield. I am so glad to see that you were able to get the new hvac compressor. I am happy you had a postive experince with us.

8/8/2011 4:15:12 PM

^lol

social networking techniques are misunderstood ITT

8/8/2011 4:21:02 PM

$5 for qntmfred

8/8/2011 4:22:20 PM

Quote :

"^ That looks sharp! Did you do it all yourself?"

Well we already had the appliances, and the cabinets/granite we had installed a couple years ago, but unfortunately insurance claims don't work out well that way for DIY oriented homeowners. State Farm paid Cary Reconstruction Company for everything, who subbed out a lot of the work. Instead of doing it myself I had to sit around and make sure everyone did everything correctly.

Quote :

"^very nice! definitely a good call on the slide in range (looks 100x better than freestanding imo), extending out the counters for a counter bar, undermounting the sink (at least i think it's undermounted), and getting the tall faucet. which countertops did you go with? they look really similar to the one we just had installed. did you go single basin or double basin sink? it looks like you did a lot of the same things we've done with our kitchen (which should be finished this week) i really like the diamond oriented tile and wonder if we should've gone that route as well. do you have any more pictures? it looks awesome."

We really started on the kitchen a couple years ago and had finally decided on the paint color and started painting then we had the water pipe spring a leak a few days later... luckily the two year old cabinets, counter tops, appliances, sink (under mounted double basin) weren't damaged and were reused. I had just installed that big ass light fixture a few months ago. Our old faucet got broken when the granite was removed and got replaced and our old back door casing had rotted out at the threshold so we elected to replace the back door while everything else was going on. Our old tile was similar in color and the thresholds had decorative inlay sections but the tiles were only 12in and not laid on the diagonal- the 18in laid out this way was a nice update. What would you like to see pics of, my wife is quite proud of her kitchen and could use some camera practice...

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 6:26 PM. Reason : There was also a custom built in window seat in that bay window that we had removed...]

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 6:28 PM. Reason : Also it is hard to tell but all the door opening trim and most of the baseboard trim is new]

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 6:30 PM. Reason : hj]

8/8/2011 6:23:57 PM

anyone know about cleaning evaporator coils? apparently mine are dirty and the hvac peeps want $100 to clean them

8/8/2011 7:28:26 PM

There are cleaning sprays you can buy at Lowes or Home Depot. I did mine a few years ago. The spray was around $10 if I remember correctly. I'd give that a shot first.

8/8/2011 9:29:54 PM

thanks for the tip. i guess there are 2 ways for them to be stacked and mine is the more complicated way. the reason they're dirty is because i got lazy about changing my air filter. i don't know why, i've had a new one in the garage for probably a year that i walk by every day. so after they left i went and replaced it.

bad homeowner

change your filters people!

8/8/2011 9:38:10 PM

Typically coils are cleaned with a muriatic acid (weak hydrochloric acid) spray and a stiff plastic brush. I don't know if it's available at your typical home improvement store. If you attempt your own cleaning, be careful not to bend the fins.

8/8/2011 11:33:08 PM

^^where is your unit located?

And yes, change your filters. We use the premium 90-day pleated filters but I still change them every 60 days. A good DIY product is Frost King Coil Cleaner.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_129948-1410-ACF19_?PL=1&productId=1129775&cm_mmc=search_gps-_-gps-_-gps-_-Frost%20King%20Foam%20Spray%20Air%20Conditioner%20Coil%20Cleaner

However, depending on where your unit is located and what all you have to remove to get to and clean your evaporator coil it is sometimes easier just to pay someone else.

[Edited on August 9, 2011 at 7:55 AM. Reason : ]

8/9/2011 7:52:49 AM

Quote :

"State Farm paid Cary Reconstruction Company for everything, who subbed out a lot of the work. Instead of doing it myself I had to sit around and make sure everyone did everything correctly. "

lol, still I'd rather someone else pay for people to do the work while I supervise then pay for everything and have to do it myself

8/9/2011 8:51:52 AM

Heh... So we had a Farm Bureau adjuster come out yesterday to look at our roof. It's only about 3.5 years old, architectural shingles, really nice. Anyway, I didn't think there was anything at all wrong with it, but since the hailstorms we had a month or so ago my wife had been nagging me to get them out to check it just in case.

So I called, and they came and checked it.

We're getting a new roof.

It's not terrible damage and not in any danger of leaking but she said there was significant denting due to the hail and that there were some places where water wasn't going to flow correctly anymore and it would end up rotting out the decking.

8/9/2011 9:26:11 AM

after ~3 months of living in a construction site, and a year of using a range with only 1 working burner, we are getting close to wrapping up our kitchen / den renovation and thought i would post a couple pics.

before


after


removed valence above sink
removed and replaced light fixture above sink
replaced blinds
replaced cabinet hardware
removed support spindles from cabinets and anchored to ceiling joist
relocated and replaced range
straightened out the kink in the penninsula
replaced countertops
replaced double basin sink with undermounted single basin
added trays to panel under sink
replaced faucet with tall pull down
installed air switch for disposal
installed backsplash
installed under cabinet lights
tiled kitchen and laundry room
installed crown molding
painted cabinets.

I've been able to DIY a lot of it, but have needed help for most of the bigger projects (tile, counters, wiring the range, etc)

i still need to finish the toe kick, base boards, shoe molding, and door trim. i also need to vent the microwave fan outside through the attic and replace the ceiling fan with something a little less boring. i'm hoping that everything will be done by the end of the week.

it's been a bit of a headache, but everything is turning out better than expected.

8/9/2011 10:58:58 AM

Looks great!

Studying has slowed my projects down a ton. We plan to put crown in the dining room in a couple weeks. Sometime in November when my test is past, we are planning to totally redo the bedroom.

Planning on:

-Painting the room
-Framing out all the windows
-Adding crown moulding
-Adding beadboard and chair rail
-Making a headboard
-And then getting all new furniture and a bed

We have a new mattress (sitting on the floor on box springs ) but other than that we still have mismatched random furniture from our childhood and college in that room so it will be really nice to do a complete overhaul.


[Edited on August 9, 2011 at 11:46 AM. Reason : ]

8/9/2011 11:41:22 AM

The deep single-basin sink is a nice touch

8/9/2011 11:45:16 AM

^^^ looks nice.

8/9/2011 12:35:39 PM

Quote :

"anyone know about cleaning evaporator coils? apparently mine are dirty and the hvac peeps want $100 to clean them"

http://amaynor.com/aboutus.html A. Maynor charged me $85 for a service earlier this year that included the cleaning. They checked freon levels and a few other things while they were here. Took the guy a little over an hour. Best deal I found. They did not find any issues and did not try to upsell me on any other services.

8/9/2011 2:21:24 PM

Did I send you to Anthony? He is awesome. He was one of my flight instructors when I was getting my pilot's license. Very honest guy that does good work, and that's all you can really ask for.

8/9/2011 3:44:40 PM

Do those cabinets over the toaster open on the kitchen side too?

8/9/2011 4:04:03 PM

i got a damned ice maker now, damnit! i am fookin proud of myself for doing such a stupidly simple job, SO EAT IT. now i'm just waitin for my danged ice



also, I'm lookin to change the cabinets in the kitchen a wee-bit. I figure I'll just stain them a different color. Walls all over the house are a tan-cream color. Same color cabinets in the bathrooms, which are a seabreeze color. What's the hip color these days for kitchen cabinets? Counter tops are worthless white formica, and there's not much I can do to change that, unless someone else wants to foot the bill. Is it even worth messing with the cabinets?

[Edited on August 9, 2011 at 5:07 PM. Reason : ]

8/9/2011 5:02:44 PM

Quote :

"Did I send you to Anthony? He is awesome. He was one of my flight instructors when I was getting my pilot's license. Very honest guy that does good work, and that's all you can really ask for."

I searched TWW for HVAC recommendations and yours was one of the ones that influenced my decision. When I called around and most companies wanted $150-$175 for that type of service I decided to give Anthony my business. He sent one of his helpers rather than doing the work himself, but I was very happy with the end result. He'll be the first person I'll call when the time comes to replace my current system.

8/9/2011 7:17:54 PM

Quote :

"Do those cabinets over the toaster open on the kitchen side too? "

yes they do. it's really convenient for setting the table in the dining room.

another pic

Quote :

"also, I'm lookin to change the cabinets in the kitchen a wee-bit. I figure I'll just stain them a different color. Walls all over the house are a tan-cream color. Same color cabinets in the bathrooms, which are a seabreeze color. What's the hip color these days for kitchen cabinets? Counter tops are worthless white formica, and there's not much I can do to change that, unless someone else wants to foot the bill. Is it even worth messing with the cabinets?"

fwiw we used rustoleum's cabinet transformations kit for our cabinets and had good results

http://cabinets.rustoleumtransformations.com/

[Edited on August 9, 2011 at 8:25 PM. Reason : ]

8/9/2011 8:18:56 PM

Quote :

"Hey PaulISdead, this is Beth with American Home Shield. I am so glad to see that you were able to get the new hvac compressor. I am happy you had a postive experince with us."

omf is this for real? HAHAHAHAHAH

8/9/2011 9:24:53 PM

Creepy


Someone decipher this cyrpic text for me.

Quote :

"Residential Deck Permit Procedure Residential decks are wooden structures supported on posts that measure larger than 5 feet by 5 feet. Decks always require a building permit. Plans and an updated plot plan should be submitted for review before beginning work. See the Deck Design Assistant for more information. "

Does that mean if a deck is under 24 square feet you don't need a permit?

8/9/2011 10:00:21 PM

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you don't need a permit to stand on a pallet. It will just suck for you and both of your friends and your grill.

8/9/2011 11:07:19 PM

Its an addition to my front porch(concrete). My deck on the back is huge.

8/9/2011 11:20:15 PM

Quote :

" also, I'm lookin to change the cabinets in the kitchen a wee-bit. I figure I'll just stain them a different color. Walls all over the house are a tan-cream color. Same color cabinets in the bathrooms, which are a seabreeze color. What's the hip color these days for kitchen cabinets? Counter tops are worthless white formica, and there's not much I can do to change that, unless someone else wants to foot the bill. Is it even worth messing with the cabinets?"

Painting cabinets sucks...I'd imagine staining is just as bad.

We painted ours white and midway through, wished we hadn't

It looks good, but very labor intensive

8/10/2011 12:13:03 AM

^^ I was just joking with you. I think you'll be fine though.

8/10/2011 9:13:53 AM

Quote :

"Painting cabinets sucks...I'd imagine staining is just as bad. We painted ours white and midway through, wished we hadn't It looks good, but very labor intensive"

agreed. it's a huge PITA. it definitely makes a big difference though.

8/10/2011 9:44:20 AM

We are planning to paint cabinets in two of our bathrooms at some point. We'll probably go with one of those rustoleum kits. Our cabinets are stained wood which actually looks nice (same as our kitchen), but in these two bathrooms we kind of want to do black to go along with the color scheme in the bathroom.

Hoping it won't be too bad since the vanities aren't large. Both are just 2-door vanities.

[Edited on August 10, 2011 at 10:17 AM. Reason : ]

8/10/2011 10:16:10 AM

I painted our hall bathroom cabinet (4-door vanity) w/o using one of those kits and I freaking hated doing that. And painting it black was the worst because I saw EVERY little minor thing.

8/10/2011 10:26:58 AM

i feel like it wasn't as bad as it could've been with the kit.

after removing all cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware you basically use a scotch brite pad with some de-glosser on all surfaces. after that you use the "bond coat" which seems like paint and primer in one. I used 3+ coats on all cabinet fronts and 2 coats on all the backs. you probably wouldn't need as many if you weren't changing bright orangey oak to white. after that you can use the optional decorative glaze (which we didn't) followed by the clear coat. the hardest part was finding enough places to put the pieces while they were drying that wasn't accessible to pets. i also thought the clear coat was a bit of a pain as it would dry yellow if it was too thick.

all in all it wasn't too bad, but i wouldn't want to do it again.

8/10/2011 12:34:20 PM