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This. Dumb TVs aren't even really a thing anymore, at least in home-use markets.
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Nov 22, 2019 18:20
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I suppose that you could just go in and cripple the wireless receivers for everything where you don't want to use any smart functions, assuming that the design isn't so obnoxious that it stops working when it can't get any sort of signal.
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Nov 22, 2019 19:10
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Televisions I'll concede. I haven't bought one in ten years. I bought a fridge a couple years ago and it's not hard to avoid the lovely IoT appliances in that regard. Even the salesmen were telling me to avoid it.
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Nov 22, 2019 20:10
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It's all well and good until the vendor that services your smart appliances goes tits up and renders all your appliances dumb or flat out bricks them.
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Nov 22, 2019 20:21
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Yeesh, I got another bathroom remodel bid, this time literally only looking to do two things -replace old jacuzzi tub with a walk-in shower -replace an old two-sink vanity with a new two-sink vanity $45,000  My 1981-original bathroom is looking better and better all the time
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Nov 23, 2019 02:00
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How far into the floor is your jacuzzi? You might already be close to a perfect bathroom. E: how big is this loving bathroom? It shouldn't cost more than 20k and that's with a shitload of unknowns
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Nov 23, 2019 02:04
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poo poo POST MALONE posted:How far into the floor is your jacuzzi? You might already be close to a perfect bathroom. It's a master bathroom but it shouldn't matter. I'm not redoing floors or walls or anything. It's literally tub out -> shower in, and vanity out -> new vanity in. I've gotten three bids in this ballpark so it must just be a time of year when they give you the gently caress Off price
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Nov 23, 2019 02:11
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poo poo POST MALONE posted:Televisions I'll concede. I haven't bought one in ten years. You don't seem to understand. I'm not talking about refrigerator s with iPads glued to them. I'm talking regular rear end nice fridges. Even if you don't care about the features they are increasingly being included on mid to higher end appliances. LG has been aggressive with this for a few years now.
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Nov 23, 2019 02:29
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Yeah I know what you're saying and it's not like that. KitchenAid has a whole line of dumb as poo poo appliances that don't have that crap in them.
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Nov 23, 2019 02:35
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Yeesh, I got another bathroom remodel bid, this time literally only looking to do two things I got a high class remodel of a bathroom and bedroom in the bay area which has the US' highest construction cost and that didn't exceed 25000.
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Nov 23, 2019 03:21
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Yeah I don't know what the deal is. I'm up to 6 bids that range from $45,000 for bare-bones and $125,000 for a major remodel, so I'm clearly doing something wrong with my current strategy of googling/yelping/houzzing "Portland Bathroom Remodel" and contacting the ones with good reviews.
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Nov 23, 2019 03:25
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lol yeah that's not the best way to find a contractor.
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Nov 23, 2019 03:26
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ntan1 posted:lol yeah that's not the best way to find a contractor. If you're up for an Effort Post I'd love to know what your process was for your renovation. This is my first time doing anything to a house so I'm sure to make all the mistakes possible.
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Nov 23, 2019 03:30
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Yeah I don't know what the deal is. Asked a Portland coworker and he says it's just crazy town. They were getting bids of $80-125k to finish a basement. But apparently a friend got a $50k kitchen? Who knows if that was just fresh paint and a good airing out or what.
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Nov 23, 2019 03:47
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H110Hawk posted:Asked a Portland coworker and he says it's just crazy town. They were getting bids of $80-125k to finish a basement. But apparently a friend got a $50k kitchen? Who knows if that was just fresh paint and a good airing out or what. Whoa! I appreciate you asking though, I was starting to feel a little gaslighted (gaslit?) comparing the bids to what the internet/people from out of state were saying a bathroom remodel should cost.
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Nov 23, 2019 03:51
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In Portland or Seattle (or any similar market) you definitely need to find someone who's been a client and get a referral. Anything else is super sketchy. My authority on this is that I spent $16,000 on a bathroom remodel that was quoted at $8,000. My neighbor (who, I found out later, is a respected contractor) told me I got hosed on the bidding process and it took me five years to realize how loving right he was.
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Nov 23, 2019 03:59
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:If you're up for an Effort Post I'd love to know what your process was for your renovation. This is my first time doing anything to a house so I'm sure to make all the mistakes possible. Careful, last time ntan1 made an effort post about contractors it ended up veering into some interesting racial classifications. But in all seriousness, just look at some of my posts over the last few months to see that there is absolutely no consistency when it comes to pricing between multiple contractors looking at the same job. When I was getting my bathroom remodeled because my shower pan was leaking the price of labor ranged from $3,500-$30,000 despite them all looking at the exact same bathroom and having me specifically explain the scope of the job I wanted.
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Nov 23, 2019 09:02
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TofuDiva posted:One of my lifelong ambitions is to completely de-beep my home, but the goal has been elusive and this sounds wonderful. Mind sharing what make yours is? Aahaha this dream is getting ever further away. Whatever you do, don't get an induction cooker. Beep-tastic. I just got a kitchen-aid toaster which looks nice and works well, but beeps when it very audibly pops the toast up. Why. Over the range microwave extractors sound super lovely. Presumably you have enormous kitchens so can't they be built in to a cabinet? (Maybe like this one? https://www.galaxus.ch/en/s2/product/gaggenau-bm-485-110-built-in-microwave-ovens-7012589?tagIds=495-969&supplier=2225165) knox_harrington fucked around with this message at 10:17 on Nov 23, 2019 |
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Nov 23, 2019 10:08
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knox_harrington posted:Aahaha this dream is getting ever further away. Whatever you do, don't get an induction cooker. Beep-tastic. ...which is one of the many reasons that I like low tech stuff. Thanks for the warning about induction cookers! My toaster is a 1940's Toastmaster, which is built like a tank and makes really good, even toast. (For safety's sake, I do inspect and update the wiring on the vintage stuff that I use.)
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Nov 23, 2019 14:42
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TofuDiva posted:...which is one of the many reasons that I like low tech stuff. Thanks for the warning about induction cookers! You watch Technology Connections on YouTube? If you maintain your own classic kitchen appliances you might enjoy his stuff. He also is almost assuredly a goon.
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Nov 23, 2019 15:16
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Jealous Cow posted:You watch Technology Connections on YouTube? If you maintain your own classic kitchen appliances you might enjoy his stuff. He also is almost assuredly a goon. Oh, very cool! I just watched the toaster one and it is fantastic (and I startled the cat by agreeing loudly with what he was saying at one point). Thanks!
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Nov 23, 2019 17:20
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Yeah I don't know what the deal is. Yo Chrs, IDK how nice this is supposed to be, but part of it is probably west hills home making you look like a mark and part of it is probably materials. I know a guy that specializes in kitchen and bath, and I have used him for non kitchen and bath work myself and been happy. I don't have PM, but you can email therobitsa@gmail and I can put you in touch with him if you want. He's a one man operation so sometimes there is a wait.
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Nov 23, 2019 17:56
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therobit posted:Yo Chrs, IDK how nice this is supposed to be, but part of it is probably west hills home making you look like a mark and part of it is probably materials. I know a guy that specializes in kitchen and bath, and I have used him for non kitchen and bath work myself and been happy. I don't have PM, but you can email therobitsa@gmail and I can put you in touch with him if you want. He's a one man operation so sometimes there is a wait. Gee mailed! 👍👍👍👌🐶❤️ When I got my wallpaper removed and house painted, I also used a One Man Operation that a friend of a friend knew, and it was like 25% of the price and 90% of the quality of the other quotes. I am extremely down
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Nov 23, 2019 18:02
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Even in Eastern Washington my coworker could not get a quote below 30k for a bathroom remodel; demo costs alone was consistently quoted over 5 grand. Any advice for people new to a town shopping for contractors?
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Nov 23, 2019 19:11
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Motronic posted:There often isn't a reasonable alternative anymore, which is pretty disappointing. You want a fridge with all the features? Probably comes with this. You want a nice TV? Probably gonna be a smart TV, even if you never use the features. Say what? I just bought a very nice fridge and it's not wifi enabled, most of them weren't; that poo poo costs extra.
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Nov 23, 2019 23:27
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QuarkJets posted:Say what? I just bought a very nice fridge and it's not wifi enabled, most of them weren't; that poo poo costs extra. Samsung, LG and GE (I'm sure others) are increasingly putting this poo poo in fridges. My assumptions as to why are data collection and selling you filters. It's fine if you don't want to believe me. It's easy to see at any big box store if you check the models and look for it. It's not always as obvious as an upsell IoT feature. I neither wanted nor though I was buying anything of the kind, yet my fridge has wifi. This is what made me start looking at this type of thing.
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Nov 23, 2019 23:54
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Motronic posted:Samsung, LG and GE (I'm sure others) are increasingly putting this poo poo in fridges. My assumptions as to why are data collection and selling you filters. Yes, they are increasingly doing it, but you're acting like it's hard to find to find a fridge that's not wifi enabled. It's very easy, and I don't believe that it's hard because I literally just went through the experience of buying a fridge and there were tons and tons of nice, brand new, produced in 2019 models that weren't wifi-enabled. I'm sorry that you didn't pay attention to your fridge's features, I guess
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Nov 24, 2019 01:08
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So I did a thing this past week, working on it a few hours after work each day and finishing it up today. https://imgur.com/gallery/rYnv42b A little backyard remodel. 300 sq ft gravel patio. I'm loving exhausted lol.
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Nov 24, 2019 01:28
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QuarkJets posted:Yes, they are increasingly doing it, but you're acting like it's hard to find to find I guess you understand exactly what I'm saying for the first part here, then lose it on the second. I didn't say it was hard. I (paraphrasing) said it's increasingly difficult and may not be as obvious as one thinks since it's not just the stupid models with big displays on them.
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Nov 24, 2019 02:22
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Motronic posted:I guess you understand exactly what I'm saying for the first part here, then lose it on the second. I took "There often isn't a reasonable alternative anymore" as being literal, so I disagreed since I had just gone through the process. I agree that things are trending in that direction
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Nov 24, 2019 03:30
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Anyone have experience with solar? Seems like my roof has constant sun exposure to the south but wanted to see if anyone had real life experience with these systems just to get their impression on the value. I get that this is pretty sensitive to locality and tax credits/reimbursements, but there are other systems out there that can save money, like geothermal heat pumps, or some other home improvement I may not even know about. For solar, I have some quotes in the 10-15kwh range for 15-20's post tax rebate including installation. My power provider offers both net metering and the ability to sell the power to them at a premium rate (4 cents higher than I pay for consumption). Kurt Loadeater fucked around with this message at 05:05 on Nov 24, 2019 |
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Nov 24, 2019 05:03
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Kurt Loadeater posted:Anyone have experience with solar? Seems like my roof has constant sun exposure to the south but wanted to see if anyone had real life experience with these systems just to get their impression on the value. I get that this is pretty sensitive to locality and tax credits/reimbursements, but there are other systems out there that can save money, like geothermal heat pumps, or some other home improvement I may not even know about. Unless you are in one of a hand full of areas solar is a lifestyle choice. If you're looking for a payoff that is quite uncertain. This would have been a different answer several years ago, because incentives were generally better. But the bottom line is that you need credits/incentives to make solar make financial sense if you have ready access to grid power.
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Nov 24, 2019 05:05
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That is the impression I have been getting and I've wondered if it makes more sense to wait until the political climate is once again more conducive to this sort of thing.
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Nov 24, 2019 05:11
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Lol maybe don't count on that
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Nov 24, 2019 05:13
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No, I know - my state does have various incentive programs that kick in once in a while and recently flipped red to blue, so it did occur to me.
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Nov 24, 2019 05:15
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TofuDiva posted:...which is one of the many reasons that I like low tech stuff. Thanks for the warning about induction cookers!  I too have a vintage Toastmaster (30’s Art Deco) and it is the loving best. It’s blown people’s minds because it makes toast that’s perfectly golden yet not completely dried out, which I guess is a lost art now or something? Also it’s chrome. I wish they made more appliances in chrome these days. When my grandma passed away, I tried to nab her 1950 Toastmaster (which was a wedding gift), to add to my vintage appliance collection but my aunt got it. That thing had been used just about every single day for 65 years and still functioned perfectly. Anyhow, I had a good experience with my local appliance dealer because they were able to sell me a washer and dryer set that met all my criteria in dumbness, boxy design, and beastliness. I’ve referred several friends to the dealer because they wanted to know where I got brand new machines that look like they were from the 80’s and have no display screens or WiFi or companion apps or any of that poo poo. I’m confident they will be able to hook us up with high quality dumb kitchen appliances when we get to that stage, but I’m guessing we’ll be paying a premium for dumb and simple.
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Nov 24, 2019 15:58
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Motronic posted:Unless you are in one of a hand full of areas solar is a lifestyle choice. If you're looking for a payoff that is quite uncertain. I've been considering adding 300W of Solar to my plans for a shed in my yard; it's far enough from my house that wiring it would be an enormous pain and the draw it would need would be negligible (lighting, a radio, one convenience outlet for small appliances) which would cost about $1,200 in materials last I budgeted it. Am I crazy for thinking that might be a nice addition? Blindeye fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Nov 24, 2019 |
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Nov 24, 2019 18:06
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Kurt Loadeater posted:Anyone have experience with solar? Seems like my roof has constant sun exposure to the south but wanted to see if anyone had real life experience with these systems just to get their impression on the value. I get that this is pretty sensitive to locality and tax credits/reimbursements, but there are other systems out there that can save money, like geothermal heat pumps, or some other home improvement I may not even know about. Have you run the numbers on Google's Sunroof site: https://www.google.com/get/sunroof They are going to be biased towards solar, so I would consider their variables/assumptions to lean optimistic. Pay particular attention to the NPV and expected payback periods. I wouldn't consider it if the payback was anything more than 7 years. My NPV is actually negative, so that further cements it as a bad idea.
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Nov 24, 2019 18:20
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Blindeye posted:I've been considering adding 300kW of Solar to my plans for a shed in my yard; it's far enough from my house that wiring it would be an enormous pain and the draw it would need would be negligible (lighting, a radio, one convenience outlet for small appliances) which would cost about $1,200 in materials last I budgeted it. Am I crazy for thinking that might be a nice addition?  300kw? I think you mean 1 300w panel. That a charge controller, marine battery, and inverter should be fine if it's not tied to your house.
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Nov 24, 2019 18:39
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H110Hawk posted:
LOL, typo, yes, 300 watts, and yes, that was the idea.
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Nov 24, 2019 18:42
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