The Home-ownership Thread

[Sidc3000]

On 4/30/2019 at 3:27 PM, New Scotland (NS) said:

That is terrible and stressful. 

We are carrying both houses for as little time as possible, which is scary enough, but we are extremely fortunate to not have a mortgage on our first home.

I hope it all works out for you.

Another NEW lender for the potential buyers....  Our realtor is preparing to market our house again.  She has already reached out to agents that had client interested to submit back up offers but I'm sure most of them have already bought

[dudacek]

So a few years ago my wife and I had a decision to make.

Our first house, our only house, the house we moved into one month after our eldest was born was finally paid off. Our kids had finished school. Some health and job issues were in the rear-view mirror. We were mortgage-free.

And we realized we’d let our home become kinda shabby.

 

The next phase of our life loomed and we needed to make a choice.

Today, I can finally say the results of that choice have come to fruition.

Two years of sweat and dust are over. We kept the location we loved and the memories we cherish. We invested much of our weekends and evenings and holidays into tools and boards and countless trips to the hardware store. And we now have a renovated bathroom, a new family room, new furniture to fill it, a new entrance, a new roofline, new siding, a new sidewalk, a new driveway, new gates, all-new landscaping and a refinished deck.

 

 

I am on that deck, cold beer in hand as the sunlight fades from a beautiful spring day.

And I am smiling.

Edited June 1, 2019 by dudacek

[Tondas]

23 minutes ago, dudacek said:

 

I am on that deck, cold beer in hand as the sunlight fades from a beautiful spring day.

And I am smiling.

What a fantastic transformation!  You've earned that beer on the deck.  Enjoy.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Wow it looks like a whole different house! enjoy that brew and that lovely home! 

[darksabre]

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

So a few years ago my wife and I had a decision to make.

Our first house, our only house, the house we moved into one month after our eldest was born was finally paid off. Our kids had finished school. Some health and job issues were in the rear-view mirror. We were mortgage-free.

And we realized we’d let our home become kinda shabby.

 

The next phase of our life loomed and we needed to make a choice.

Today, I can finally say the results of that choice have come to fruition.

Two years of sweat and dust are over. We kept the location we loved and the memories we cherish. We invested much of our weekends and evenings and holidays into tools and boards and countless trips to the hardware store. And we now have a renovated bathroom, a new family room, new furniture to fill it, a new entrance, a new roofline, new siding, a new sidewalk, a new driveway, new gates, all-new landscaping and a refinished deck.

 

 

I am on that deck, cold beer in hand as the sunlight fades from a beautiful spring day.

And I am smiling.

Hell yeah dude

[Doohickie]

11 hours ago, dudacek said:

 

I am on that deck, cold beer in hand as the sunlight fades from a beautiful spring day.

And I am smiling.

You win the thread

[Doohickie]

Meanwhile, I'm just happy my roof has been replaced.

for those who missed it, this is why I needed a new roof:

 

[shrader]

@dudacek, did you actually do most of that on your own?  I can't even imagine the work that would go into the change in roofline.

[dudacek]

11 minutes ago, shrader said:

@dudacek, did you actually do most of that on your own?  I can't even imagine the work that would go into the change in roofline.

No, I primarily did the grunt work: tear-down, siding, shingles, painting, nail-banging, hauling etc.

My wife did the design (she doesn't work in the field, but she was trained as an architectural draftsperson) and the skilled carpentry was all done by a very talented young friend of the family. They combined for an amazing job on that roofline.

[shrader]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

No, I primarily did the grunt work: tear-down, siding, shingles, painting, nail-banging, hauling etc.

My wife did the design (she doesn't work in the field, but she was trained as an architectural draftsperson) and the skilled carpentry was all done by a very talented young friend of the family. They combined for an amazing job on that roofline.

Sorry I phrased that wrong.  I was picturing two possible scenarios.  Either you (by that I meant you and the wife) did all the work along with a couple friends, or you had some contractor work for things like the roof.  Anyway, the work looks amazing.  I wish I had even half of the skills required for projects like that.  I think I could make the landscaping happen.  But the roof?  Forget about it.

 

We had an interesting one in our neighborhood this week.  Thursday night one of our friends in the hood hit a rabbit as she was driving out at night, right next to our yard.  It survived, but hopped off badly injured.  She let us know just in case we found the unwelcome surprise in our yard the next morning.  It wasn't there.  Later the next day they shared with me a post in the neighborhood facebook page (I'm not a part of that page) from my next door neighbor about finding a dead rabbit on the driveway.  The woman posting it went off about how her neighbors are poisoning rabbits and she's concerned about her daughter being outside.  So apparently I'm thought of as a rabbit poisoner since I put up one of those little 2-3 foot wire fences around a new landscaping bed I put in last year.

I'd have to imagine that poisoning rabbits would have to be illegal.  That seems like it has animal cruelty written all over it.

[North Buffalo]

4 hours ago, shrader said:

Sorry I phrased that wrong.  I was picturing two possible scenarios.  Either you (by that I meant you and the wife) did all the work along with a couple friends, or you had some contractor work for things like the roof.  Anyway, the work looks amazing.  I wish I had even half of the skills required for projects like that.  I think I could make the landscaping happen.  But the roof?  Forget about it.

 

We had an interesting one in our neighborhood this week.  Thursday night one of our friends in the hood hit a rabbit as she was driving out at night, right next to our yard.  It survived, but hopped off badly injured.  She let us know just in case we found the unwelcome surprise in our yard the next morning.  It wasn't there.  Later the next day they shared with me a post in the neighborhood facebook page (I'm not a part of that page) from my next door neighbor about finding a dead rabbit on the driveway.  The woman posting it went off about how her neighbors are poisoning rabbits and she's concerned about her daughter being outside.  So apparently I'm thought of as a rabbit poisoner since I put up one of those little 2-3 foot wire fences around a new landscaping bed I put in last year.

I'd have to imagine that poisoning rabbits would have to be illegal.  That seems like it has animal cruelty written all over it.

True, but that is what pellet guns are for... much cleaner. Love huntin me some wabbit... its sarcasm before anyone goes off the chain... seriously though cayenne pepper is a good deterrent. 

[Weave]

8 hours ago, shrader said:

Sorry I phrased that wrong.  I was picturing two possible scenarios.  Either you (by that I meant you and the wife) did all the work along with a couple friends, or you had some contractor work for things like the roof.  Anyway, the work looks amazing.  I wish I had even half of the skills required for projects like that.  I think I could make the landscaping happen.  But the roof?  Forget about it.

 

We had an interesting one in our neighborhood this week.  Thursday night one of our friends in the hood hit a rabbit as she was driving out at night, right next to our yard.  It survived, but hopped off badly injured.  She let us know just in case we found the unwelcome surprise in our yard the next morning.  It wasn't there.  Later the next day they shared with me a post in the neighborhood facebook page (I'm not a part of that page) from my next door neighbor about finding a dead rabbit on the driveway.  The woman posting it went off about how her neighbors are poisoning rabbits and she's concerned about her daughter being outside.  So apparently I'm thought of as a rabbit poisoner since I put up one of those little 2-3 foot wire fences around a new landscaping bed I put in last year.

I'd have to imagine that poisoning rabbits would have to be illegal.  That seems like it has animal cruelty written all over it.

Why wouldn't they have commented on that post that they hit the rabbit with their car so the fuss over poison stops?

[Sidc3000]

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 8:01 AM, Sidc3000 said:

Another NEW lender for the potential buyers....  Our realtor is preparing to market our house again.  She has already reached out to agents that had client interested to submit back up offers but I'm sure most of them have already bought

Well back on the market we went.  There has been some activity but no actual offers.  First time I've had to pay two mortgages and I don't like it.   Hoping St. Joseph comes though soon....

[shrader]

18 hours ago, North Buffalo said:

True, but that is what pellet guns are for... much cleaner. Love huntin me some wabbit... its sarcasm before anyone goes off the chain... seriously though cayenne pepper is a good deterrent. 

I'm still sad to this day that Daffy Duck never won out in the end on the whole rabbit season/duck season debate.

 

14 hours ago, Weave said:

Why wouldn't they have commented on that post that they hit the rabbit with their car so the fuss over poison stops?

They reached out privately to them to tell the story.  The whole thing is more funny to me than anything.  They asked a while back when I put the fence up because they were having rabbit issues too and I told them I had put down some repellent.  The wife is from Spain and it's her first time living outside of a city, so it's all a bit new to her.  Once I finally bump into them, I'll let her know that it's nothing toxic.

[Zamboni]

Anyone know of a good snow plowing service who services Cheektowaga?

[SwampD]

I love being reminded that I put a mouse trap in the drop ceiling.

oof. There are certain smells that stay with ya.

[Doohickie]

So after spending all day working on it Friday, we can park both cars in the garage for the first time since we moved in a year ago March.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

So after spending all day working on it Friday, we can park both cars in the garage for the first time since we moved in a year ago March.

Fantastic!!

Good thing you have 1 regular car and on Dinkie Toy car ...

(insert winkie-winkie thingie here ...)

[Doohickie]

Cars that have been mine (not my wife's or ours):

1. 1972 Dodge Dart (big by today's standards, small for its day)
2. 1989(?) Plymouth Sundance
3. 1995 Ford Aspire
4. 2005 Hyundai Elantra
5. 2013 Fiat 500

I've never had a big car.  The Dart and the Elantra were by far the largest cars that were mine (not ours).  I'm 6'-2", 240 and I easily fit into all the cars listed.  When I had the Aspire, our "big family car" was a Ford Escort Wagon and we moved from Detroit to Fort Worth in it- me, my wife, my two sons (7 & 10), a cat and a golden retriever.  It had enough room.  Anyone who buys a Ford Expulsion or whatever their gargantuan SUV is called, simply doesn't need anything that big.  They don't.  (Yes, I know there are exceptions- circus clown families, harp players, but those exceptions are few.)

[North Buffalo]

4 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Cars that have been mine (not my wife's or ours):

1. 1972 Dodge Dart (big by today's standards, small for its day)
2. 1989(?) Plymouth Sundance
3. 1995 Ford Aspire
4. 2005 Hyundai Elantra
5. 2013 Fiat 500

I've never had a big car.  The Dart and the Elantra were by far the largest cars that were mine (not ours).  I'm 6'-2", 240 and I easily fit into all the cars listed.  When I had the Aspire, our "big family car" was a Ford Escort Wagon and we moved from Detroit to Fort Worth in it- me, my wife, my two sons (7 & 10), a cat and a golden retriever.  It had enough room.  Anyone who buys a Ford Expulsion or whatever their gargantuan SUV is called, simply doesn't need anything that big.  They don't.  (Yes, I know there are exceptions- circus clown families, harp players, but those exceptions are few.)

Have a Honda Pilot and a Mini Countryman... gave up clubman... too small for my two boys.... but really I want a pickup truck... dont really need one but I miss my old Dodge Ram ?

[ubkev]

I'm finally ripping up the awful shag carpet in my man cave. Gonna rip this up and put down vinyl. Guess what I found underneath my awful shag carpet! If you guessed more awful carpet you'd be correct! This job just got twice as hard. At least there aren't more tack strips for carpet #2. Just a disgusting carpet pad and a concrete floor to scrape and clean. This is gonna take a while.

[#freejame]

1 minute ago, ubkev said:

I'm finally ripping up the awful shag carpet in my man cave. Gonna rip this up and put down vinyl. Guess what I found underneath my awful shag carpet! If you guessed more awful carpet you'd be correct! This job just got twice as hard. At least there aren't more tack strips for carpet #2. Just a disgusting carpet pad and a concrete floor to scrape and clean. This is gonna take a while.

The real question is how much shake did you find in the shag?

[shrader]

15 hours ago, ubkev said:

I'm finally ripping up the awful shag carpet in my man cave. Gonna rip this up and put down vinyl. Guess what I found underneath my awful shag carpet! If you guessed more awful carpet you'd be correct! This job just got twice as hard. At least there aren't more tack strips for carpet #2. Just a disgusting carpet pad and a concrete floor to scrape and clean. This is gonna take a while.

Wait, they put carpet on top of carpet?  With the top layer being shag, I picture you sinking right into that floor.  Did you happen to find any small animals or maybe even small children when you removed it?

[Tondas]

22 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Cars that have been mine (not my wife's or ours):

1. 1972 Dodge Dart (big by today's standards, small for its day)
2. 1989(?) Plymouth Sundance
3. 1995 Ford Aspire
4. 2005 Hyundai Elantra
5. 2013 Fiat 500

I've never had a big car.  The Dart and the Elantra were by far the largest cars that were mine (not ours).  I'm 6'-2", 240 and I easily fit into all the cars listed.  When I had the Aspire, our "big family car" was a Ford Escort Wagon and we moved from Detroit to Fort Worth in it- me, my wife, my two sons (7 & 10), a cat and a golden retriever.  It had enough room.  Anyone who buys a Ford Expulsion or whatever their gargantuan SUV is called, simply doesn't need anything that big.  They don't.  (Yes, I know there are exceptions- circus clown families, harp players, but those exceptions are few.)

We should have an OT thread for cars.  Bought my wife a 2000 Jeep Wrangler in 2000.  Nineteen years later, there's only 12k miles on it.  Still all original including tires.  We change the oil once every 2 years whether it needs it or not.  The mechanics always do a double take when they record the mileage.  Needless to say, I do almost all the driving.

[shrader]

32 minutes ago, Tondas said:

We should have an OT thread for cars.  Bought my wife a 2000 Jeep Wrangler in 2000.  Nineteen years later, there's only 12k miles on it.  Still all original including tires.  We change the oil once every 2 years whether it needs it or not.  The mechanics always do a double take when they record the mileage.  Needless to say, I do almost all the driving.

My wife is pretty good at keeping the mileage down on her car, maybe 10k a year.  But yours puts her to shame.