Custom homes discussions and local services.
geocacher27
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RE: ARE BUILDER REFERENCES REALLY THAT HELPFUL OR JUST FLUFF?
ARE BUILDER REFERENCES REALLY THAT HELPFUL OR JUST FLUFF? I get where you’re coming from. I’ve walked through plenty of “highly recommended” homes that looked great on paper, but once you’re inside, you notice doors tha...
RE: Estimating building expenses: what tools or sites do you trust?
Estimating Building Expenses: What Tools Or Sites Do You Trust? You nailed it about the custom stuff throwing a wrench in the works. I’ve run into the same thing on a much bigger scale - think trying to budget for a who...
RE: KEEPING THE COLD OUT: MY STEP-BY-STEP FOR DRAFT-PROOFING DOORS
That’s funny, because I ran into almost the exact same thing on a project last year. The weatherstripping looked fine, but the threshold had this slight bow in the middle - barely noticeable, but enough that you’d get th...
RE: Cramped spaces and weird tile choices - anyone else?
That’s the truth. I once tried to “fix” a dated bathroom in a rental by painting the tile grout white, thinking it’d look crisp and clean. Instead, it just highlighted every uneven line and made the old tile look even ol...
RE: Switching to energy-saving bulbs: how many of your lights are actually LEDs?
Switching To Energy-Saving Bulbs: How Many Of Your Lights Are Actually LEDs? I’ve swapped out nearly every bulb in my house for LEDs over the last couple years, mostly because I got tired of climbing ladders to replace ...
RE: No more dead zones: how I got wifi in my backyard shed
NO MORE DEAD ZONES: HOW I GOT WIFI IN MY BACKYARD SHED That’s pretty much the same path I took, except I learned the hard way about wireless bridges and security cams too. Funny how streaming music is easy, but the minu...
RE: Building base structures - what if you had to start over?
BUILDING BASE STRUCTURES - WHAT IF YOU HAD TO START OVER? I get where you’re coming from about drainage being the top priority, but I’ve seen folks go overboard with it too. Sometimes people dig out half their yard for ...
RE: No more dead zones: how I got wifi in my backyard shed
Running a cable is rarely anyone’s first choice, but I’ve seen it save the day more times than I can count. When I was overseeing a small community development, we tried wireless bridges between the office trailers - loo...
RE: Anyone else feel awkward talking to their TV?
It’s funny, I still feel a little self-conscious when I’m talking to the TV, especially if someone else is in the room. The kids don’t even blink, but I always think, “Is this really faster than just grabbing the remote?...
RE: Figuring out the right lot size without losing your mind
When I was figuring out lot sizes for my own place, I actually underestimated how much space hops would take up. Thought I'd squeeze them into a corner, but they ended up sprawling everywhere... lesson learned. If you're...
RE: Trimming down expenses on project supplies
Your point about balancing practicality and style hits home. Reminds me of a development project I worked on a few years back. We initially went all-in on custom cabinetry and specialty flooring, thinking it'd attract bu...
RE: Appraisal came in lower than expected - now what?
I've noticed something similar with solar panels. A few years back, I worked on a small residential development where we decided to test the waters by installing solar on a couple of model homes. The idea was to see if b...
RE: Anyone else feel awkward talking to their TV?
I totally get where you're coming from. I remember when I first installed a smart speaker in my living room - I was pretty excited to try out voice commands. But one evening, I had a few friends over, and we were trying ...
RE: Lighting tweaks made my workspace way better
Interesting perspective, though I'd say it really depends on how you set things up and your personal workflow. I get what you're saying about the novelty factor - been there myself - but I've found that smart lighting ca...
RE: Smart thermostats - worth the hype or just fancy gadgets?
I've noticed this too - seems like some brands handle updates way better than others. I had a similar experience with my thermostat randomly resetting after a firmware update (talk about waking up freezing...). Switched ...