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writing_drake
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RE: Color combos that oddly please the brain
I totally get what you mean about “boring” colors making a statement. When we moved in, I was convinced I wanted a bold accent wall, but after living with it for a few months, I ended up repainting it a soft taupe. It ju...
RE: Estimating building expenses: what tools or sites do you trust?
Honestly, I thought I was being clever by using three different calculators and averaging them out... still ended up way off. The “surprise fund” idea is spot on - mine got eaten up by a septic tank issue I didn’t even k...
RE: Estimating building expenses: what tools or sites do you trust?
I totally get that - Excel is my safety net too. I tried using one of those fancy apps to track our kitchen reno, but when it randomly “updated” and lost half my receipts, I nearly lost it. Now I just snap pics for the a...
RE: When Progress Hits a Wall: Surprising Facts About Failed Experiments
Had a similar “oops” moment with our new build, actually. Tried to save on windows by skipping the upgraded seals - figured it was just a minor thing. Turns out, drafts and condensation are way more annoying than I expec...
RE: WHERE DO YOU EVEN START WITH HIRING SOMEONE TO DESIGN YOUR HOUSE?
WHERE DO YOU EVEN START WITH HIRING SOMEONE TO DESIGN YOUR HOUSE? I totally get this. When we did our build, I had a mile-long “wish list” but the budget reality check hit fast. Our designer had us walk through our day-...
RE: What if your city paid you to use less water?
WHAT IF YOUR CITY PAID YOU TO USE LESS WATER? I totally get what you mean about the forms. When we moved into our new place last year, I tried to sign up for a “smart” irrigation rebate and ended up with a stack of pape...
RE: When the night sky turns to day: what if your neighborhood was lit up 24/7?
WHEN THE NIGHT SKY TURNS TO DAY: WHAT IF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LIT UP 24/7? Funny, this is something I didn’t really think about until we finished building and moved in. I always had this idea in my head that more light...
RE: When Progress Hits a Wall: Surprising Facts About Failed Experiments
WHEN PROGRESS HITS A WALL: SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT FAILED EXPERIMENTS I totally get this. We moved in last year and I thought I’d make everything “smart” - door locks, fridge, even the shower. Most of it just made things...
RE: My Adventure With DIY Concrete Foundations
MY ADVENTURE WITH DIY CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS That wavy edge story hits home. I remember thinking, “How bad could it be if the forms are a little off?” Turns out, pretty bad. My garage slab has this weird dip in one corner...
RE: Smart thermostats and chill vibes
I hear you on the magnetic covers - tried them in our place and half of them ended up on the floor by morning. We went with wood vent covers in the living room, and they look great, but it took forever to get them staine...