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PageMaster posted:Two months later and I finally got a paper'goodbye letter' from my original servicing mortgage company. I got an email from them after demanding of over 2 weeks , but it took 4 to get an actual letter (that doesn't have an effective transfer date or new loan number). Still also only have an email from the new company, but with a different effective transfer date. Between both emails I presume I'm safe to start paying the new company 1 jul since they both at least list June effective dates. I did the Better.com to Mr. Cooper shuffle from Jan through March and the Mr Cooper dildos missed the insurance payment and almost the property tax and had to be called 3 times and emailed 3x to finally complete (a few weeks ago) an actual escrow analysis - since they were using December's numbers for their pull and just saying "next review May 2022!". Idiots. I believe you can get anyone's name from the county property tax records as long as you know the parcel number.
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Jun 30, 2021 00:04
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Motronic posted:That deck is not safe. Full stop. Speaking of decks… We had our 2nd floor deck replaced last fall (trex for decking, supports/rails are pressure treated wood) and the contractor recommended we stain the pressure treated wood this summer. When I do that, do I stain anywhere I can get to, like underneath the deck on the wood supports? I feel like the answer is yes but if it’s pointless it feels like it’s going to be a pain in the rear end staining the underside supports.
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Jun 30, 2021 00:12
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Hawkeye posted:Speaking of decks… Deck stain is for appearance only. Sealer is a different story, but you really don't want to seal anything other than what gets sun/weather. The bottom of your deck boards remaining unsealed is how they release the moisture that gets into them.
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Jun 30, 2021 00:16
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Motronic posted:That deck is not safe. Full stop. Oof that bad? GC we had out to quote us on the rebuild just said he wouldn't recommend multiple people go on the deck until it gets redone. He said there was no imminent danger outside that. Still waiting on other companies to come out to quote. It is insanely hard to find someone to do this in our area right now.
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Jun 30, 2021 00:38
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King Burgundy posted:Oof that bad? GC we had out to quote us on the rebuild just said he wouldn't recommend multiple people go on the deck until it gets redone. He said there was no imminent danger outside that. I'm not someone who saw it in person, was able to stand on it, jump on it, see if posts are moving, etc, so ......take his word for it if you like. But the whole thing is constructed wrong and failing. You don't need to be a structural engineer to see pictures of that and say "just don't".
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Jun 30, 2021 00:52
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Motronic posted:I'm not someone who saw it in person, was able to stand on it, jump on it, see if posts are moving, etc, so ......take his word for it if you like. But the whole thing is constructed wrong and failing. You don't need to be a structural engineer to see pictures of that and say "just don't". Yup fair enough. Well get it scheduled as soon as we can find at least one other quote to compare.
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Jun 30, 2021 00:55
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More drywall questions: 1/2” or 5/8”? We have our second floor gutted down to the studs, ceiling included, and my Dad swears by 5/8” but my MIL is of the mind that it doesn’t matter and 1/2” is fine. Tale as old as time…
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Jun 30, 2021 03:35
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Whoreson Welles posted:More drywall questions: 1/2” or 5/8”? Double 5/8" is for a 1 hour fire barrier. Rooms without partitions to non-living space uses (like not connected to a garage) only need 1/2".
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Jun 30, 2021 03:54
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Keyser_Soze posted:I did the Better.com to Mr. Cooper shuffle from Jan through March and the Mr Cooper dildos missed the insurance payment and almost the property tax and had to be called 3 times and emailed 3x to finally complete (a few weeks ago) an actual escrow analysis - since they were using December's numbers for their pull and just saying "next review May 2022!". Idiots. Thankful we're at least drealing with this now so we have a year to fix everything. Now just waiting to make sure they new company doesn't put a late payment on our credit report since they've already called twice but still haven't received our June payment from our first company.
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Jun 30, 2021 04:57
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Motronic posted:Deck stain is for appearance only. Thanks for clarifying sealer vs stain. I feel dense asking a follow up but: do you only seal the deck part you step on and not any wood railings or posts? The decking proper in my case is Trex. It’s just the supports/railings that are wood.
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Jun 30, 2021 05:30
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Whoreson Welles posted:my MIL Tell her that unless she's paying for it, to mind her own business while you do things the right way.
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Jun 30, 2021 13:23
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biracial bear for uncut posted:Tell her that unless she's paying for it, to mind her own business while you do things the right way. What’s your going rate for coming and fighting the swarm of brooklyn italians that will descend on me?
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Jun 30, 2021 14:06
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Whoreson Welles posted:What’s your going rate for coming and fighting the swarm of brooklyn italians that will descend on me? If you do it the right way they'll probably cheer you on.
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Jun 30, 2021 14:09
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Hawkeye posted:Thanks for clarifying sealer vs stain. I feel dense asking a follow up but: do you only seal the deck part you step on and not any wood railings or posts? The decking proper in my case is Trex. It’s just the supports/railings that are wood. Sealing is primarily for parts of the deck that water will sit on. If your deck is trex I wouldn't worry about sealer and just stain the visible wood supports to your liking.
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Jun 30, 2021 15:20
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Motronic posted:Sealing is primarily for parts of the deck that water will sit on. If your deck is trex I wouldn't worry about sealer and just stain the visible wood supports to your liking. Sounds good, thanks!
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Jun 30, 2021 15:26
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StormDrain posted:Go to the extreme just to see if it makes a difference. Close every vent on the lower levels and see if the airflow upstairs is improved. Closed a bunch of poo poo and I did get improved airflow into the master bedroom, and it seems like a normalish temperature there. Airflow into my office, and more importantly, the nursery, is still meh. In my old house, one vent with a damper went to the first floor and another went to the second floor, so closing one let you really push the air to one floor vs the other. On this house, it's much more complicated and I think it's closer to one going to each side of the house, though not exactly, and there's some other tubes heading off the square vents to locations unknown (a lot is hidden). I may keep playing with stuff but at this point I just called a guy to come by and take a look. Good reviews and at $85 for a house call I'm not out much. I may keep playing with individual vents for a bit and see if I have any success. unknown posted:Size of the condenser is probably okay if you're getting cool air out your vents. It's the fan and venting that's the problem. We do have a return vent on the top. They're in a column with the 2nd floor almost directly above the main floor return, though a different orientation. I may try blocking off the lower one once I'm done with loving around with the vents. We do have an attic but I think there's very little insulation. There's also an attic fan up there, which I don't think is helping. Not sure how to turn it off to test and it's way too hot today to go up in there and figure it out. Also kind of loud. Something else for the hvac guy to look at tomorrow.
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Jun 30, 2021 20:21
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Kase Im Licht posted:Closed a bunch of poo poo and I did get improved airflow into the master bedroom, and it seems like a normalish temperature there. Airflow into my office, and more importantly, the nursery, is still meh. Check out your state/utility provider - there's a very good chance that you can get significantly discounted insulation/air sealing done (note that the latter is important - don't hire someone that doesn't want to seal all the air leaks between your ceiling and the attic).
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Jul 1, 2021 02:05
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biracial bear for uncut posted:Is owning an in-ground pool basically like owning a boat (except without the handy "Break Out Another Thousand" acronym for the joke)? Pull Out Oversized Loot
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Jul 1, 2021 02:20
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New electrical panel is in (byeeee Federal Pacific), half of a new HVAC system is installed, and the dumpster on my parking pad contains every single drop ceiling tile that used to reside in this house. But also: biracial bear for uncut posted:That Tom Hanks classic "The Money Pit" wasn't a comedy, it was a documentary. Thread title contender
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Jul 1, 2021 03:46
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GEMorris posted:New electrical panel is in (byeeee Federal Pacific) Show us shiny new Square D QO goodness.
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Jul 1, 2021 03:52
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Motronic posted:Show us shiny new Square D QO goodness. Alright. First up, you can see that I should have stripped more paint than I did. The junction boxes are because the old federal pacific panel was also mounted way higher than code allowed.  Next, important update, every piece of drop ceiling tile has been removed from the house and tomorrow the remaining drop ceiling framing (this room is all thats left) and the carpet will be gone.  Also took some time to get all of the outside lighting working again!  Finally, the POA for the owner stopped by to drop off the keys, some info on the upcoming PGA golf tournament ⛳ (I have to go pick up "access passes" or the police won't even let me get to my own house!). She also shared a lot of info about many of the custom light fixtures and some history of the home (she's been a long time friend of the owner, and the owner did not have children, hence the POA situation. Anyhow, she shared with me that the plaster detailing in the living room was actually done by the deceased husband, who would lie on his back on a scaffold for hours at a time. Dude was a dentist, but drat, had some serious focus: 
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Jul 1, 2021 04:20
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My toilet (tank) has a problem where it fills very, very slowly. But, if I turn off and on the water supply, it will fill in normal time. What might be wrong with it and what should I be looking up to fix this?
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Jul 1, 2021 04:49
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totalnewbie posted:My toilet (tank) has a problem where it fills very, very slowly. But, if I turn off and on the water supply, it will fill in normal time. What might be wrong with it and what should I be looking up to fix this? The valve inside is probably getting a little crusty and doesn't open up with a gentle application of pressure but does open up well with a shock. Replace it.
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Jul 1, 2021 04:57
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GEMorris posted:Alright. This is all awesome. Hell yes, enjoy your new house. That outside shot looks incredible.
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Jul 1, 2021 05:06
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Having some erosion/wasting on a corner of our back yard's retaining wall. It looks like dirt is getting out somehow. We had the wall inspected before we bought this spring but put in a fence later. I wonder if the fence posts shifted something. I poured a bunch of leveling sand in the hole today as a stopgap against impending rain, but this is something I should call a landscaping company about ASAP, right? 
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Jul 1, 2021 14:15
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My bank accounts now substantially lighter but on the plus side I can post here! All the tradesmen have like 3 month backlogs so it's going to take a long time to get stuff sorted out. The air con guy was suggesting we get a central air con unit instead of minisplits, so that it could all go in the attic instead of outside. We're not in a particularly extreme temperature location (rarely below zero or above ~34°C) and there's only two of us - given that we don't have any existing ducts it doesn't seem like a great idea?
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Jul 1, 2021 20:05
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pointsofdata posted:My bank accounts now substantially lighter but on the plus side I can post here! All the tradesmen have like 3 month backlogs so it's going to take a long time to get stuff sorted out. Is the guy aware of the lack of ducts in the house? Or was he thinking just adding ducting in the attic space? Also mini splits are just the wall-mounted thingy, tubing that can be hidden in the walls, and the little condenser outside. With central AC you would still need to put a (bigger) condenser outside.. I mean, little vent registers would be better than the bulky wall-mounted interior unit of a mini split, but that means ripping up your walls and ceilings to add ductwork (if ducting beyond attic space is necessary for the central system). I also have no ductwork in my house, and I asked my construction dad about the expense and practicality off adding ducting for a proper central AC system (to exist alongside our hot water radiators, of course, which deliver the best heat and which I'd never replace with inferior forced air), and he said it would be prohibitively expensive and a massive pain in the rear end (especially since our house is three stories). We have a couple window units right now but are looking at a mini split.
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Jul 1, 2021 20:33
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Having to wait for the inspector and utility to look at my solar and then throw the switch is the probably going to take longer than it took to get it installed after signing the contract. Because of course it will.
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Jul 1, 2021 20:41
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Queen Victorian posted:I also have no ductwork in my house, and I asked my construction dad about the expense and practicality off adding ducting for a proper central AC system (to exist alongside our hot water radiators, of course, which deliver the best heat and which I'd never replace with inferior forced air), and he said it would be prohibitively expensive and a massive pain in the rear end (especially since our house is three stories). We have a couple window units right now but are looking at a mini split. The only properly nice central AC retrofits I've seen in older homes like yours are HVLP systems. Especially with a 3-story, it may still be difficult and expensive.
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Jul 1, 2021 20:47
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Just got a quote for $3700 to install a new central A/C unit into our place that already has a full furnace and duct system available. I don't always need air conditioning, but when I do, it's super nice to have so this seems like a worthwhile investment.
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Jul 1, 2021 21:28
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Beef Of Ages posted:I don't always need air conditioning, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.
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Jul 1, 2021 21:30
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Beef Of Ages posted:Just got a quote for $3700 to install a new central A/C unit into our place that already has a full furnace and duct system available. I don't always need air conditioning, but when I do, it's super nice to have so this seems like a worthwhile investment. That would be a no brainer for me. It would be the first thing my discretionary savings go towards if I couldn't afford it.... 3.7k is still a lot to me. Window units are OK, but man is central AC nice. I'm in a climate where it gets used for several hours per day for probably 4-5 months. I recently moved in to a place w/ central AC so Nest has been saying 2+ hours of usage every day for a while. 6+ hours on the hot days. However there are really nice window units out there these days. I should have gotten the magic Midea u-shaped one, since mine was in my room and it was a pain in the dick to sleep with it running, even with foam earplugs. Inner Light fucked around with this message at 21:34 on Jul 1, 2021 |
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Jul 1, 2021 21:31
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Inner Light posted:That would be a no brainer for me. It would be the first thing my discretionary savings go towards if I couldn't afford it.... 3.7k is still a lot to me. Window units are OK, but man is central AC nice. I started doing the math and when I got a good window unit for the master bedroom ($550) plus a good window unit for my office downstairs ($300), plus the time and effort of installing both of them, that $3700 starts to look even more attractive. I am super fortunate to be in a position to afford this, though.
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Jul 1, 2021 21:54
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Beef Of Ages posted:I started doing the math and when I got a good window unit for the master bedroom ($550) plus a good window unit for my office downstairs ($300), plus the time and effort of installing both of them, that $3700 starts to look even more attractive. I am super fortunate to be in a position to afford this, though. As someone who just cleaned the insides of 5 window units and lugged them all around the house, gently caress window ACs forever and ever. Mini splits for me as soon as the seasons over when maybe I can get them cheaper.
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Jul 2, 2021 06:38
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Motronic posted:The only properly nice central AC retrofits I've seen in older homes like yours are HVLP systems. Especially with a 3-story, it may still be difficult and expensive.  Why have I never heard of this option before?? If we could pull this off, it would be ideal. There's even a fancy Victorian brass option for the little vent openings! Yeah with three stories this would most certainly be preferable to a mini split - with that we were looking at probably two, one each for the second and third floor (first floor stays quite pleasant for the most part). Other issues with the mini split are the large and unsightly (for our house) wall units and more crap to tack onto the side of the house (to go along with the conduits and tangles of old coax). Like I was seriously pondering the feasibility of getting a carpenter to make nice retractable covers for the interior units so they'd vibe with the house better.I wouldn't mind the extra expense for a true central air option that actually covers the whole house and doesn't have the downside of adding bulky units. We need to poke a bunch of holes in the walls and poo poo anyway to redo all the wiring, so I'll see if it'd be possible to make those two things happen at/around the same time so we only have to call the plaster guy once.
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Jul 2, 2021 06:57
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Queen Victorian posted:Is the guy aware of the lack of ducts in the house? Or was he thinking just adding ducting in the attic space? Also mini splits are just the wall-mounted thingy, tubing that can be hidden in the walls, and the little condenser outside. With central AC you would still need to put a (bigger) condenser outside.. Thanks! He had some design where almost all of the machinery could go in the attic with a little bit outside, coming through the roof. It's not a huge house and the way it's laid out I don't think much ducting would be required once the pipework for the old toilet is removed. I prefer heating from mini splits to base boards/radiators so if central air is even worse than that I think we'll just go with the minisplits. That's what everyone else around here has as well, we were mildly interested in not having the external unit at the front but didn't really realize he meant central air at first.
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Jul 2, 2021 07:31
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I hate that my builder installed Carrier A/C unit uses apparently the most uncommon size a/c filter in the world 21.5x23.5 that no local hardware nor A/C company carries it and I have to special order it online.
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Jul 2, 2021 14:20
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Quick question about walls/painting! I took these two photos of two different walls in my house:  I am ignorant of paint styles/textures - is this what would be considered a textured wall? Or is it just a lovely paint job from the PO?
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Jul 2, 2021 14:26
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Motronic posted:The only properly nice central AC retrofits I've seen in older homes like yours are HVLP systems. Especially with a 3-story, it may still be difficult and expensive. I went with a dual high velocity system for my split level house, ended up costing $20k. I would say it was worth it over a mini split for my house but yeah, it costs a lot.
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Jul 2, 2021 14:27
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Johnny Truant posted:I am ignorant of paint styles/textures - is this what would be considered a textured wall? Or is it just a lovely paint job from the PO? That's definitely the wall. Based on the pattern in the first pic I'd guess plaster- that's what it's been like in about half the apartments I've lived in.
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Jul 2, 2021 15:48
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