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I just closed a HELOC through PenFed @ 3.75% with all closing costs waived if you keep it open for 3 yrs. Took 5 weeks to close, so rates will be higher now. I could pay cash for my dumb solar/electrical upgrades/heat pump water heater endeavors this spring, but I'd rather spread it out a bit. PenFed also does quickly funded Personal Loans (at a higher rate), that I've used for short term funding projects in the past.
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Apr 10, 2022 20:33
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Motronic posted:Not sure there are any other reasonable ways to get a secured loan against your house. A cash-out refinance is another option, but given rising interest rates, it's a bad one right now. Borrowing against the house to make improvements to the house makes a certain kind of sense, in that - in theory - you're turning equity into equity. The "in theory" part being the notion that what you spent on fixes/improvements actually adds that much or more to the resell value of the house. This is "good" in that if you find yourself selling later, you recoup the value of the loan and all you're out in the end is fees and interest. However. Lots of people do "improvements" that don't actually add to the value of the house, and this is market and segment specific too. Some folks actually lower the value of their house - doing things like turning the 2nd bathroom into big pantry might make the kitchen nicer, but a 4/2 is more valuable than a 4/1 in practically any market. There's one other factor. Do you itemize already? Home loan interest is deductible. e. CORRECTION, HELOC interest is also deductible, and in both cases, only if you spend the money on improvements. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 04:59 on Apr 11, 2022 |
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Apr 10, 2022 21:27
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Rising interest rates might turn the balance on choosing to itemize—I just did my taxes and I have a mortgage that's close to the 750,000 limit, and even with all the interest from the first year's amortization I ended up taking the standard deduction. If I were paying the rates today (1.5% higher than when I got my mortgage), the math would have worked out in favor of itemization.
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Apr 10, 2022 23:18
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Late to ApplianceChat but I want to throw my vote in for Speed Queen, the brand you've never heard of. No, the units do not connect to WiFi. No, they do not have a bunch of intelligent wash cycles. No, they do not sing happy tunes when they are done. They clean and dry clothes. They do this incredibly well and with no complaint. I've probably put around 800-1000 loads through them since I bought them new (lots of laundry with three young kids). They have never given me any trouble whatsoever and for the $1300 I spent for the pair I'm very happy. Meanwhile my mother, who lives alone and does a load of laundry maybe every two weeks paid like $2400 for an Electrolux stackable, and has had something like 4 repair visits in two years, and the dryer still doesn't work properly, despite two control board replacements. But the Electrolux does sing a happy tune to let you know your clothes are dry.
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Apr 10, 2022 23:44
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I know people love Speed Queen but they tear up your clothes. If you own nice clothing it can become an issue - when I lived with them I would not put a dress shirt through them and had to get things dry cleaned. Also when faced with testing, including durability testing, they don’t stand out.
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Apr 11, 2022 00:46
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Leperflesh posted:The interest on a HELOC isn't deductible It appears that it still is as - long is it is for home improvements - unless there is some hidden gotcha I didn't consider. I got the fancy pants Electolux 7637's a few weeks and no error codes or fires yet. 
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Apr 11, 2022 01:22
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Keyser_Soze posted:It appears that it still is as - long is it is for home improvements - unless there is some hidden gotcha I didn't consider. Woah! It appears you're right. I should have checked before I said!
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Apr 11, 2022 04:58
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Speaking of, any wisdom on washing machine pans? Do I need a water sensor? I'm a little paranoid after my washer in a rental gave way one evening and it was a near-disaster.
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Apr 11, 2022 14:58
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I have one and a water sensor that is part of my simply safe system. Inexpensive and could save a lot of hassle in the event of a large leak. I have a bunch of the water sensors under sinks and the water heater pan. They were like $25 a piece.
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Apr 11, 2022 15:24
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Don't buy cheap hoses... My cheapo ones let go after a year at the elbow / barb... 'why does.it sound like water is running?'. Good thing I was working from home that Day.
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Apr 11, 2022 15:28
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tater_salad posted:Don't buy cheap hoses... My cheapo ones let go after a year at the elbow / barb... 'why does.it sound like water is running?'. Good thing I was working from home that Day. I start a full-time WFH gig next week, and on top of the many other obvious benefits one of the things I'm most pleased about is knowing I'll be around if something goes to poo poo in the middle of the day. This will, of course, not stop something from going to poo poo the moment I head out to run an errand.
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Apr 11, 2022 15:31
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I mean it was still a mess because I thought the sound of water running was just toilet or dishwasher. But after 15 mins or so i was like wtf why is poo poo running. Downstairs apartments laundry room had some issues.
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Apr 11, 2022 15:33
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EBB posted:Speaking of, any wisdom on washing machine pans? Do I need a water sensor? I'm a little paranoid after my washer in a rental gave way one evening and it was a near-disaster. Our water sensor went off middle of last week, saved us about $15,000 in ruined flooring
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Apr 11, 2022 17:08
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I have a water sensor that connects to the valves before the washer and shut off when they detect water. It went off due to a leak at the washer door that was maybe a half cup of water and scared the hell out of me, who was in the laundry area at the time. I trust them a lot, and still turn the valves off if the house is empty for a few days. Edit, I also have my washer dryer on tile I put down myself and it's in great shape even with the abuse of a washer on it and I feel good about that.
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Apr 11, 2022 17:18
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Upgrade posted:I know people love Speed Queen but they tear up your clothes. If you own nice clothing it can become an issue - when I lived with them I would not put a dress shirt through them and had to get things dry cleaned. Also when faced with testing, including durability testing, they don’t stand out. They're also inefficient and have relatively small capacity.
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Apr 11, 2022 17:37
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I know there are goon anecdotes of LowesDepot having the Bosch 800 dishwasher available, however just got off the phone though with a local appliance store. They have ~250 paid orders for the 800 series waiting for stock. I think I'm going to go with Bosch 300 series instead of waiting, if I can't find the 800. e: checked Home Depot, totally out of stock with no way to even order it. So it depends on region and they're not willing to ship them nationally. VVV Whoops I meant to say I checked Best Buy as well, out of stock in my region sadly Inner Light fucked around with this message at 18:50 on Apr 11, 2022 |
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Apr 11, 2022 17:38
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As mentioned, I got mine at best buy fairly easily.
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Apr 11, 2022 18:12
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I have a gutter problem that needs fixing and I want to run my proposed solution by the collective. That's the front of my house. You can see the gutter dips a bit on the left end. The awning itself looks like it dips some. When we bought the house the porch was cracked to hell but we replaced it last year. Now I see that water dripping off the sagging end is eroding the soil below the porch. I feel like I need to raise that end by about 2 inches to improve the grade and drainage, but that's a bit of a guess. I haven't taken a measuring tape to it yet to find the exact height difference. My plan is to get a 2x4 that's about an inch longer than the white post that in place, then wedge that next to the post between the roof and a scrap of 2x4 to lift it, then replace the white post with another one that's 2 in taller, then remove the 2x4. I saw someone more competent than I do that technique while I helped him build a pavilion, and when I had the porch replaced they did a similar thing angled into the yard. Really looking for a sanity check on this. I've been going through the motions mentally for a while but I'm nervous that I'm going to wind up knocking the whole awning out of place or something.
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Apr 11, 2022 18:16
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I may be jumping into dishwasher chat soon as well, after swapping the power cords on my new induction range, while sitting on the floor, I noticed that there was a small(ish) drip from some kind of hose in the door of the dishwasher. True home owner fashion, something breaks immediately when you get something new! 
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Apr 11, 2022 18:24
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You need to back up here. What is the actual problem you're trying to fix? Is it a gutter issue? Gutters can be resloped. You think maybe they don't need to be re-sloped because you think the porch is sinking which is holding up the roof. I've hear no menton of using a level here on the concrete slab or the overhang that you think is sinking. Start there. Now when you know if it's actually out of square you still need to deal with why this is happening. Adding 2" of post sounds like a temporary solution to a long term problem. How long it will "work" depends on how fast the soil under the slab is being eroded. And will that even fix the gutter slope? In the end, gutter slope is a symptom, not a root cause. Don't focus on fixing symptoms.
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Apr 11, 2022 18:26
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Interested in the thread's thoughts on my electrical panel situation. Panel is from the 60s, not a brand that requires immediate replacement (i.e., FP or whatever). I just had an AC unit installed, and when getting the quote, the guy said I'd need to replace the panel because there wasn't enough space and also the main breaker wasn't an ideal size. However, when the guys actually got here to install the unit and the electrician opened up the panel fully, he said it was fine and could handle the AC and added peripherals (there was a pair of breakers labeled "water heater" but they were actually not wired to anything because I have a gas water heater). So now I'm trying to decide whether or not to go forward with the panel replacement. It's $3500 and it'll be covered under the same 10yr parts\labour warranty as my AC and furnace if I do it now (well, in May because that electrician is booked up till then). Does this sound like something I could kick the can on indefinitely, or is it likely I'm going to need to do this in the next few years anyway so I should just take care of it? Not sure if it makes a difference, but for reference, my electrical needs are pretty light - I don't have\use a microwave or hairdryer, no electric car charger (I have to street park and there's a hill and just...that'll never be a thing). I have a basic stereo system but no tv\surround sound. Gas for water heater, stove, furnace. Let me know if other info is helpful.
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Apr 11, 2022 18:42
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Motronic posted:You need to back up here. Fair feedback. I believe the soil is being eroded due to poor drainage off the gutter. I can watch water spill or drip out of it during storms, and the water smacking against the soil is what's doing the damage. I'm very much a layman, but that's my take away. I took a level to the corner of the porch:  And the overhang right above it (looking at it now I can see how it may look misleading, with the bumpy aluminum. You'll just have to trust me that multiple checks in the area gave the same reading): 
LawfulWaffle fucked around with this message at 18:57 on Apr 11, 2022 |
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Apr 11, 2022 18:48
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You need to check the fascia board, not the trim. This will require removing stuff. You may be able to get some of the ceiling out (I can't tell what it is) and measure the top of the fascia board/bottom of the rafters. Trim is trim. It can be put on crooked. You don't level structures to the trim. You level structures to the structure.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:28
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LawfulWaffle posted:I have a gutter problem that needs fixing and I want to run my proposed solution by the collective. Um, are you talking about replacing a structural element of your house to change the gutter slope?
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Apr 11, 2022 19:29
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I got a goofy rear end kitchen. It's integrated into a bay window  It has a door leading to a formal dining room that we of course never use  The room is all Corners & Obstacles  And we just end up using the informal dining, which also obstructs the walkway to the patio slider  But walls are coming down and peninsulas are becoming islands   The informal dining will shrink on both ends and just become a walkway, but with the room flowing directly into the dining we will actually use the drat room for once. And the living room will become about a bazillion percent more usable 
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Apr 11, 2022 19:35
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Epitope posted:Um, are you talking about replacing a structural element of your house to change the gutter slope? I think they think they have two issues: one being that the gutter is sloping down and to the left, the other that the awning is sloping down and to the left. Like Motronic said, though, checking the level of the fascia board should indicate whether the awning is sloping or not. If lucky, that'll show level and the only thing that needs fixed is the gutter being re-sloped.
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Apr 11, 2022 19:37
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I'll just throw in that even a fascia board can be put on crooked, although usually not if it's the original construction. It's possible that the... rafter? Extending from the left side of the house (as one looks at it in the photos) is sagging/pulling away. That can sometimes be fixed by sistering in a new board, but not necessarily. The plan to support it back into place with a new post might actually work, but it isn't really the "correct" thing to do. It's better to understand exactly what's causing the excessive slope and fix that.
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Apr 11, 2022 20:32
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Alright, I’m getting that my approach is a half-measure. I’ll reach out to my friend’s contractor father-in-law to find the root issue and attack that.
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Apr 11, 2022 20:50
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This home ownership thing is a slippery slope. Last week I bought a wheelbarrow. This week I picked up a tiller. So do the white new balance shoes just automatically come in the mail or what?  I looked at rentals but a two day rental would cost more than I paid for this in basically new condition ($200). My yard isn't very big so I don't need anything huge. I'm going with sod (fescue & ryegrass) for the convenience of having a yard quickly in the Pacific Northwest. It's what the sod company recommended. I've got a tester coming so I can see the H20 and ph levels, I think it needs some sand to drain better. It's pretty thick and sticky at the moment but it's very dark and rich. Lots and lots of huge earth worms. I think my biggest hurdle will be the grade and level. I think it's currently too high and might need to have some material removed with nowhere to put it.
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Apr 11, 2022 21:08
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:
Whats this thing in the dining room?
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Apr 11, 2022 21:26
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Non-Korean spotted!!
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Apr 11, 2022 21:27
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Everyone needs a dining room copier, c’mon.
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Apr 11, 2022 21:39
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WHoops, I meant to have a real reply too but our power went out. It's a Kimchi refrigerator! Gotta get those optimal fermentation conditions. The real travesty is the white carpet in a dining room
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Apr 11, 2022 21:41
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:WHoops, I meant to have a real reply too but our power went out. Thank you I was about to call you a dick head.
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Apr 11, 2022 21:43
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Why is it in the dining room and not the kitchen? Why is it so big?
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Apr 11, 2022 21:50
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Pollyanna posted:Why is it in the dining room and not the kitchen? Why is it so big? (to both questions) Because Korean people eat a TON of kimchi with every single meal
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Apr 11, 2022 22:15
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This thread introduced me to the concept of the "work triangle" and this kitchen layout is even worse than the one I proposed for my house. Imagine actually using this kitchen, and how many trips from the fridge to the rest of the kitchen you'll be making. I'd say it at least calls for a sink in the island or back counter, even if it's just one of the small handwashing sinks. That or put the fridge between the windows so it's more accessible when working at the sink. And consider a drawer microwave next to the sink or oven instead of it being in the back. In my case, the most frequent thing I would be doing in that kitchen is pulling food from the fridge, unpackaging and microwaving it. Often washing my hands during or after the process. That would absolutely suck in your new kitchen. I'd almost think you'd be better served by keeping a similar kitchen layout, but just shove it in to the old formal dining room, making the current kitchen and informal dining area into one big dining area. LloydDobler fucked around with this message at 22:50 on Apr 11, 2022 |
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Apr 11, 2022 22:44
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Pollyanna posted:Everyone needs a dining room copier, c’mon. I thought it was an office photocopier/scanner too. 
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Apr 11, 2022 22:54
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What are some good options for financing a home renovation project that's starting to go beyond its original budget? We're replacing the floor in our basement that a previous owner installed, and found a couple of fun surprises that will likely demand attention (not sure on costs yet). Is there a special type of loan that a bank provides for home repairs/reno? Is it something that I could ask my mortgage provider about?
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Apr 12, 2022 02:11
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C-Euro posted:What are some good options for financing a home renovation project that's starting to go beyond its original budget? We're replacing the floor in our basement that a previous owner installed, and found a couple of fun surprises that will likely demand attention (not sure on costs yet). Is there a special type of loan that a bank provides for home repairs/reno? Is it something that I could ask my mortgage provider about? HELOCs or personal loans secured by your home equity. First Republic Bank is giving me $100k at 2.5% on a 7-year term
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Apr 12, 2022 02:19
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