Custom homes discussions and local services.
adam_thomas
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RE: Tiny Living, Big Tech: Alexa or Google Home for a Small Space?
The small-space caveat is speaker and microphone placement. In a studio, one device may hear you from nearly anywhere, but that also means accidental wake-ups from TV or kitchen noise are more noticeable. Conversely, pla...
RE: Green Mortgages vs. Energy-Efficiency Loans: Which Makes More Sense?
GREEN MORTGAGES VS. ENERGY-EFFICIENCY LOANS: WHICH MAKES MORE SENSE? We actually went the green mortgage route back in 2017 when we did a big solar install and some insulation upgrades. At the time, it felt like a no-br...
RE: What if your city paid you to use less water?
I hear you about mulch blowing around - had a few windy springs where half my bark chips ended up in the neighbor’s driveway. Still, I keep coming back to mulch for the water savings. One year, I skipped it and the soil ...
RE: Using eco-friendly sheetrock for a reno - worth it?
USING ECO-FRIENDLY SHEETROCK FOR A RENO - WORTH IT? Had a similar situation in our mudroom last year. We went with the recycled board because my wife’s big on the green stuff, but I’ll admit, it didn’t hold up as well a...
RE: Weighing the pros and cons of switching to a 15-year mortgage
WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS OF SWITCHING TO A 15-YEAR MORTGAGE I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually found the flexibility of a 30-year to be a lifesaver more than once. When my wife lost her job a few years ...
RE: Choosing Between Saving for Emergencies or That Dream Vacation
That hits home. I spent years socking away every spare penny, convinced disaster was lurking around every corner. Then the furnace died and, sure, I was glad for the emergency fund - but I also realized I’d been skipping...
RE: Anyone else feel awkward talking to their TV?
I’ve had my fair share of “conversations” with the TV that ended in frustration. Sometimes I feel like I’m auditioning for a role - “Turn on the living room lights... no, not the kitchen!” Honestly, I still keep the remo...
RE: Why does yard work always seem never-ending?
WHY DOES YARD WORK ALWAYS SEEM NEVER-ENDING? You nailed it with the “showroom floor” comment. Years ago, I tried to keep my backyard looking like something out of a magazine - constant mowing, edging, even hand-picking ...
RE: Struggling with ventilation inspection requirements lately
Honestly, I’ve tried the code printout thing too, but sometimes it just seems to make inspectors dig in their heels more. Had one guy tell me, “Well, that’s not how we do it here,” even after I showed him the manual. I g...