Homeowners: I own 8 different power saws, primarily to attract a mate.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Homeowners: I own 8 different power saws, primarily to attract a mate.

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LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

VendaGoat posted:

80 bags of mulch. 80 loving bags of mulch to fill in all the plant bullshit I have going on outside.

Why the gently caress would you buy that many bags instead of just getting a truckload dumped off? Isn't that way cheaper and easier?

# ¿ May 4, 2016 19:39

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 20:58

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

newts posted:

It is small when you have 3 kids

No it's not, your kids just need to go outside or you need to not allow them to amass so much junk. Also, $600,000 w/ no mortgage? I hate you.

# ¿ May 9, 2016 18:18

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

SiGmA_X posted:

Sounds pretty small to me, and I only have one sibling and we had a dog growing up and were very active outside of the house. America loves big homes!

Maybe it's an east coast or older home/poorer family thing, but a 2,000 sqft house could easily be 4-bed, 2-bath, etc. Which is fine and definitely not "small" for a family of five. Both my parents grew up in homes that were between 1200-1700 sqft, with their parents, two siblings, and intermittently uncle's and/or grandparents.

With my wife and I, we're really trying to avoid going over 2,000 sqft. OK obviously this is all a personal taste thing, but having lived in larger homes before, we just don't need all that space and heating cost.

# ¿ May 9, 2016 18:50

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Zanthia posted:

(Tree tips)

This is all pretty good advice but I'd elaborate slightly on two points:

1) It's hard to know what "too deep" is if you don't know what you're looking for. What is key is to keep the "root flare" slightly above ground and not covered by mulch. The root flare is just as it sounds: the part of the trunk where it starts to flare out into the roots. You don't want to bury that.

2) When unpacking balled or potted trees, you want to watch out for girdling. This can happen if the roots have started to grow in a circle or spiral in the pot. Just gently splay them out so they're not wrapping around the trunk. If you don't do this, they can actually "strangle" the tree in the long run.

LogisticEarth fucked around with this message at 17:48 on May 10, 2016

# ¿ May 10, 2016 17:40

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

uwaeve posted:

Maybe it's regional differences, but mulch is like $45 a yard delivered, whereas Lowe's 2-cubic-foot bags are $45 a yard ($27 a yard during sales). This discounts the cost of fuel, time, and Ibuprofen, of course, but to some people (my inlaws with a trailer, for instance), these things aren't "real costs."

Yeah it's almost as if free delivery makes stuff cheaper!

# ¿ May 13, 2016 18:50

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Elephanthead posted:

Why are you going back inside? Oh because you don't have an outdoor TV that's why.

Do you live the Southwest or something, because the thought of having a bunch of electronics outdoors in the Northeast, where it's cold half the year and raining/humid for a quarter of the warm season sounds like a nightmare. I've seen outdoor grill pads around here with TVs and they all have two things in common: they look expensive, and they are constantly broken.

# ¿ May 23, 2016 20:34

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Leperflesh posted:

I know that you are trying to obliquely make some kind of point about people loving around with the food on their grill way too much when they're grilling, but you gotta understand that grilling isn't an American passtime just because it tastes good.

Having a barbecue is a social event and tending to the grill is part of the ritual. You stand there in your dumb KISS THE COOK apron holding a big fork and watch the fire and rearrange the sausages and drink a beer and you are doing the thing. It is not a terrible thing to have a covered outdoor area to socialize in while doing it, and if you have a giant TV to play sports on while you're at it, all the better.

This sort of activity is portrayed commonly enough in American media that I have a hard time believing you're actually confused by it, so OK, yes, people usually mess with their steaks way too much when they're grilling and they should knock it off, are you happier now?

I too enjoy acting like some goofy stereotype I saw on TV because I never actually learned out to be a competent human being.

# ¿ May 24, 2016 00:32

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

FCKGW posted:

Can you grill under a covered patio? I thought it would leave unsightly char marks on the ceiling.

Not only could it leave smoke marks, but it could be a fire hazard and violate fire codes. The latter could be an issue if your poo poo does burn up and you now have to worry about your homeowners insurance.

Do people get away with it? Sure. Have I done it before? Sure. Is it a good idea? Nope.

# ¿ May 24, 2016 18:34

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Yeah, i have no idea about actual volumes but I would imagine the amount of baking soda and vinegar it would take to make enough CO2 to euthanize a groundhog would be substantially more than a hedgehog. Not so much that it would be "a volcano" but more of a mess than it's worth.

You might want to call your local game commission, I know in PA there are places that euthanize live trapped groundhogs. Or, just, shoot it.*

*May or may not be legal where you live.

# ¿ Jun 2, 2016 17:44

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Dazerbeams posted:

How serious an issue are raccoons? Apparently I have at least one living under my front porch. I haven't seen any damage, nor heard any scratchings inside my walls. I'm inclined to live and let live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DfGf4M3QZo

# ¿ Jun 9, 2016 13:17

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

minivanmegafun posted:

if you have too much lawn to cover with a 20" reel lower you have too much lawn, plant wildflowers.

I'm all for meadow propagation but you do need to maintain them with the occasional mow, usually 1-2 times per season. Otherwise, depending on where you live, you'll eventually get forest succession. Also, getting a successful meadow going does take a fair amount of time and know how. It's not quite as simple as "plant wildflowers".

If you have acres and acres of lawn, yes, get rid of it. But that's not practical for everyone or every property. For example, the guy asking about the Cub Cadet has a fairly small yard with neighbors who will likely not be on board with a non-traditional lawn. This means you'll end up with a lot of "edge" and not a lot of solid wildflower/meadow. That means more weeds, more invasives, and less effective habitat. A small, maintained pollinator garden might be a better idea than trying to turn the whole yard into wildflowers.

# ¿ Jun 22, 2016 13:01

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

drat Bananas posted:

Alternately, just don't get Bradfords anymore.

Yep.

http://extension.psu.edu/plants/master-gardener/news/2014/top-three-reasons-to-stop-planting-flowering-pear-in-your-landscape

# ¿ Jul 5, 2016 23:04

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

QuarkJets posted:

Why on earth would someone put a washing machine on an upper floor

Most laundry is "generated" in the bedrooms. Changing clothes, sheets, bath towels, etc. Putting the machine upstairs means you don't have to carry laundry up and down every time you do the wash.

Of course, if you have a leak, it can be a big problem if the room isn't designed well. If I ever were to have a unit on the second floor, I'd definitely think about putting in a floor drain in case you ever had a break.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2016 11:57

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Rurutia posted:

I can definitely interrupt the wash cycle of mine without flooding my room. HE washers shouldn't be using enough water to flow out of the washer when you interrupt them.

Depends entirely on the size of the door relative to the washer drum. I have a pair of small Blomberg machines that fit under a standard height countertop, as they are in the kitchen. The washer door is pretty much just as big as the drum. There's really no way to not have at least a bit water spill out if you had to stop it.

Then again, I've never had to do so yet so maybe there's some feature I'm missing.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2016 17:59

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Yeah, if you're happy with the insulation you can throw down a plywood platform. It's a bit of work but so much nicer for inspecting/working in the attic. Then you have some extra storage space as well, at least for temperature-tolerant items.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2016 14:07

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Yeah you'd need to replace the outlet for that but having a safe and effective electrical system is a primary function of a modern home so this would generally should be in the landlord. It's not a "minor upgrade", it's general maintenance.

At the very least he should buy you the materials.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2016 20:17

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Aquatic Giraffe posted:

It's $1 for a 15 pack at Lowe's.

Huh? No way they're that cheap for outlets. Did you misread "15 amp"? I'm not a regular buyer of these things but typically they're at least a buck a piece.

But yeah, the screw-on splitters are the safes option, and you can take them with you.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2016 20:55

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

QuarkJets posted:

Huh, learned something new today

Nobody should buy a house without knowing how attic/roof decking venting works. Not only would it protect the buyers, it would hopefully head off all these screwy boneheaded "renovations" that cause so much damage.

Huh, my heating bills are high, lets jam insulation in the soffit vents! :v:

Unless you in a cape cod, it's easiest to think of the attic/roof as a vented superstructure over the living area. If you have poor insulation, you insulate the walls and ceiling of that living space (e.g. the attic floor), not the roof itself.

LogisticEarth fucked around with this message at 13:54 on Jul 26, 2016

# ¿ Jul 26, 2016 11:44

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

-S- posted:

Vacuum chat: Shark is the way to go. My $150 shark is better than the $600 Dyson we got as a gift.

Ditto the love for Shark. We considered putting a Dyson on our registry for poo poo and giggles. Instead we held off and bought a Shark. It's very effective, perhaps not as overbuilt or durable, but as long as you're not beating the crap out of it, it's fine.

# ¿ Aug 4, 2016 00:41

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Zhentar posted:

Get a mulching mower/blade, so that there aren't any piles of cuttings to worry about. Set your mowing height as high as it will go (~4"), most people cut their lawns way too short and it really hurts the grass.

Yeah, 3-4" is ideal for most varieties. From what I've heard some more southern grasses may do best a bit shorter, but you should figure out what is best for whatever species is dominant in you lawn.

Also, you usually want those cuttings ending up back on your grass. A personal pet peeve of mine is when people pay large amounts of money to fertilize their lawn, then blow all the cuttings back into the street. You paid people good cash for those nutrients idiot, keep them on your soil instead of literally watching it go down the drain. Where it will exacerbate eutrophication problems in streams and rivers.

As the other poster said, just do 2-3 passes with the chute blowing back on your lawn, then reverse.

# ¿ Aug 4, 2016 20:54

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

I've always had storm doors and never found them that horribly annoying. You don't really need one but they have the advantage of lessening drafts in the winter, and protecting your "real" door (typically made from wood or metal) from wind and rain.

Plus in the spring and fall I like to leave the main door open, with a screen in the storm door so we get more fresh air in when it's nice out.

# ¿ Aug 8, 2016 20:47

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Economic Sinkhole posted:

You could put down a grill pad like this https://www.amazon.com/Original-Grill-Pad-Black-Rectangle/dp/B003KAPI5O but it is probably fine right on the grass.

$50 for a rubber mat. Economic Sinkhole indeed.

A few cheapo cement blocks would have been fine.

# ¿ Aug 10, 2016 01:39

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Irritated Goat posted:

Basically, the black spots in the 2nd picture is what I'm concerned with.

I'd be more concerned with whatever that yellow crap is covering the non gfi electrical outlets that are inexplicably placed below the sink(?) supply lines.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2016 13:29

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

HEY NONG MAN posted:

Yeah agreedo. We were converting our oil-based furnace to NG and converted the water heater at the same time because we were already running a gas line to the house for that.

That's right. I bought a house in the year 2014 that still uses oil. A guy pulls up and fills a huge tank under my front porch every four months or so. What loving year is it.

There are a surprising number of places that don't have access to natural gas lines, so it's either electric heat or heating oil. Unless you're a wacko that goes for wood, want to deal with coal, or super rich and can put in an amazing geothermal system. So oil is actually fairly common around me.

I remember watching Extreme Home Makeover and they were redoing a house with your standard 275 gallon oil tank in the basement. I recall the host described it as "totally outdated" and "literally a bomb". You know, gas actually causes homes to explode spectacularly all the time. Oil is a lot more subtle, it can just turn you home into an environmental cleanup site by leaking all over everything and contaminating your soil and groundwater.

Seriously though, gas is generally the superior option but it's not everywhere.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 20:45

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Don't rip-rap you backyard, please. It's kinda hard to visualize exactly what you're talking about, some pictures may help. What kind of soil is it? Clay, sand, loam? How bad is the erosion?

# ¿ Sep 21, 2016 17:23

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Enfys posted:

You don't need tons of trees to cover the entire area. Trees are great because their root systems are enormous and complex, so they will suck up water from a large area around once established.

What you're really looking for are native trees and shrubs (I live in another country with a very different climate so don't know what they are, but Google "native Texas shrubs/trees" and go from there). Native plants are designed to work together in the type of climate/soil conditions you have. They'll create a little ecosystem of their own and be able to thrive in drought/downpour conditions as well as prevent erosion. Dumping a lot of rock won't help really because you'll still have the same issues, just covered in rocks.

I know there's a standard picture a lot of people seem to have in mind about needing a big grass lawn and some typical flowers, but people (and their land) would be so much happier if they worked with what they have, not what they think they should have. You will fight a huge, expensive, unending battle with your land if you try to turn it into something it isn't.

Native landscaping can be really beautiful because it fits the environment and works with it.

This is a good post, and luckily there are actually lots of resources to help him out. I suggest life is killing me look into Texas's agricultural extension (I think its' through A&M). I believe they have Master Gardeners or Watershed Steward volunteers who can be great resources to reach out to.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2016 01:34

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

life is killing me posted:

Horror story

Wait, didn't you say this place was only built in 2013? Or did I misread.

Also... HVAC ductwork linked up to a roof vent?! How the gently caress did that happen? :wtc:

# ¿ Sep 22, 2016 15:01

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

If you really want advice that is worth anything, photos and a slope measurement are kinda essential. The success of swales/terraces/diversions is dependent on what you're dealing with.

Edit: it might be worth starting a thread over in DIY since this is likely a pretty intense project.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2016 17:47

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Re: leaf raking. Why is everyone raking their entire yard? I've always read it was way better to just mow them over, mulching them into the grass and improving soil health.

# ¿ Nov 22, 2016 20:08

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Cheesus posted:

Maybe that's true about older appliances being better? I was shocked when this house, built in the early 1970s had what had to be the original refrigerator, still running if old and smelly. And using god knows how much power.

One of the thing to keep in mind is that the costs of goods have come WAAAY down, partially because of outsourcing to third world labor, but also partially because the quality of materials and QA/QC on a lot of goods have gone down. For example, based on a quick google search for the cost of a refrigerator in the 1970's was probably between $300 and $700, depending on size, options, etc. In today's dollars, that's $1500-4000 for a fridge. So compare products in similar cost ranges. A $4,000 fridge bought today probably has a good chance of lasting way longer than the $400 sale special from the Depot.

# ¿ Nov 22, 2016 22:44

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Flooring Chat: What's the real deal between solid hardwood and engineered flooring? I've read varying articles that say one is cheaper and more durable, but others say vis versa. The only consistent things are that engineered wood can be installed on concrete floors, and doesn't swell as much. I also stopped by a local flooring place yesterday and the guy seemed to push the engineered flooring. But I'm always skeptical if it's a margins thing, ease of installation, etc.

My wife and I are closing on a place next week, and I'd really like to get the floors in a few rooms changed over from the the ancient carpet to hardwood floors. The house was built in approximately 1900 and definitely has a farm board subfloor, but I'm not sure if there's a hardwood floor between the subfloor (visible from the basement) and carpet. I'll find out on Tuesday as one of the first things I plan to do is rip up a corner of the rug to see what we have. If there's a floor I can refinish, then great. If not, I'd like to get rolling with installation estimates. We'd probably be looking at wider boards, like 5", to stick with the rest of the house.

We have around 450 sqft I'd like to refinish, split between two rooms and a hallway. If anyone has any idea what a reasonable cost for labor would be that would be great too. I'm in Eastern PA for reference.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2016 16:08

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

OSU_Matthew posted:

Hardwood will last basically forever, and can be refinished time and again. My hardwood floors are a hundred years old, just for reference, and I know there are tons of places with flooring older than that. But you're going to pay more for the better quality.

Engineered floors on the other hand, are a thin veneer of hardwood or laminate over top of a core of sawdust and glue. Once that thin veneer dents or gets worn down, it's time for new flooring. You might be able to refinish it once or twice, but there's really not much to sand down before you hit the core. Should be a lot cheaper though, but much less resilient.

Chances are in your house, there's the original hardwood right under the carpets and it just needs sanded down and refinished. In older construction, your wood floors are the subfloor, the planks are laid right over the joists and stretch out underneath the walls. Newer construction will typically have joists, then osb subfloor, then your hardwood or carpet or what have you, with baseboard trim to cover the gap between the edge of the flooring and the walls.

If you feel up to it, flooring is really easy to do yourself. Just measure the boards to length and cut them on a miter saw, and snap them in place. If you're refinishing your old flooring, it might be worth hiring someone to do that, or you can rent the big drum sander and go to town yourself. Just tear up the old carpet and voila. In places like the kitchen though, it might just be worthwhile to put new laminate down over the wood, since that would be more moppable and water resistant.

Already planning on vinyl or laminate in the kitchen. We have delusions of a larger renovation in the kitchen when we save up a bit more, so I don't want to break the bank in flooring there. The guy I talked to also was talking up engineered vinyl tile in place of vinyl sheet flooring, saying it was essentially the same cost and easier to install. But he also said something about the underlayment for sheet flooring costing $50/board, which...seemed high. I've seen other demonstrations where they pop down a 1/4" underlayment board and install over that. There's no way that's $50 a sheet. Considering I have a level floor in the kitchen, doni really need some super robust underlayment for vinyl?

Back to the hardwood, I'm leaning towards solid wood, if only for the fact that it could stick around for a while. I've read that higher quality engineered boards can be finished just as much as solid nowadays, since they have thicker veneers than older/cheaper products.

I'd love to install the floors myself, if possible. I have the tools (save those convenient floorboard nail guns) and carpentry experience. My wife is kinda leaning towards hiring someone just so it gets done ASAP. We have a long list of projects for the house and a kid on the way. I also want to put in a half bath in a large closet on the first floor, which is a whole other topic...

# ¿ Dec 2, 2016 17:52

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Moved in Monday night, got my first leak Thursday morning. :coal:

Nothing major, just some failing tile grout, but it was still a good intro to my new money pit.

Also, gently caress cable companies. The cable box for my bare bones cable service does not need to be a TiVo unit that you can't turn off and always has a loud cooling fan running.

# ¿ Dec 16, 2016 02:39

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

EAT FASTER!!!!!! posted:

Is it okay to put a gas grill on a wooden deck?

Yes, although you may want to get a drip mat so you don't end up with grease stains.

Heat goes up and out, so you've got a good 3 feet or so between the flame and deck surface. The real danger comes from using it placed right up against a structure, or underneath a low patio roof or something.

# ¿ Jan 25, 2017 12:38

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Homeownership: People just don't take care of their poo poo

House-buying thread: Gently Used Homes featuring DIY by Mickey Mouse

# ¿ Jan 26, 2017 20:39

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

The real compromise is to get a gas grill and a charcoal smoker.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2017 22:38

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Came home today to see a brand new roofline looming over my backyard. The neighbor behind and upslope of me is building a stupid new addition to make as much of his property as possible impervious. Added benefit: my view to the rear of my property is now close to 100% roofline. However, my attic window completely overlooks his backyard suburban-hell oasis. Considering installing a decent sized print of Goatse. Good idea/bad idea?

We've been in the house for about a month and a half. The house is wonderful (old farmhouse from around 1900) but I'm starting to regret moving into town. Suburban homeowners are generally poo poo.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2017 01:59

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Cheesus posted:

I had an uncomfortable weekend in Vermont.

I checked my oil tank gauge on Friday and it was at a quarter tank left. Maybe? Usually I catch it at a third or so before calling in for a refuel. So I call in for a refuel and they tell me they will me on Monday. I think surely quarter tank is plenty enough.

Then the entire weekend I stress out based on the plunger. If I read from the top, I'm fine. If I read from the bottom I'm almost empty. It's winter and a big storm was forecast for Monday so I was concerned that if it was bad enough, they couldn't make it.

They made it and of course it only need 230 out of 275 gallons.

It's my responsibility to check my gauge but I'm wondering if there's a more proactive solution, like replacing it with a digital reader that wouldn't necessarily be more accurate but could be programmed to chime or beep if it thinks it reaches a certain level?

Typically they only fill the tank like 80% or so (or around 220 gallons), so you were pretty drat close to empty. Does your oil company do automatic refill? I have that set up with my service, they do basic calculations about how much I should use based on furnace type and the size/age of the home. Usually just comes down to monthly deliveries for my home.

Easiest solution is to just set a calendar reminder and check it weekly or something. The most accurate way to gauge a tank is usually to stick it (with a literal measuring stick). I'm sure they sell digital meters that cost a shitload but just make a note to check it every few days.

# ¿ Feb 14, 2017 13:32

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

EAT FASTER!!!!!! posted:

replace the vinyl siding with concrete fiber in a better color

This brought a question to mind: what's the most durable exterior finish available and practical for a single family residential structure? I currently have a slate roof that I recently had restored and am very pleased with it. Right now the siding on our place is aluminum, and was installed...At least 20, maybe 30 years ago or more. It looks like it's in great condition, if a bit faded. Is there something better? I see stucco a lot but it seems like it's a pain to patch and keep clean.

I'm in PA so it's a temperate climate with an average amount of rain. Not necessarily looking to replace it since it's working fine right now, but wanted to think ahead.

# ¿ Feb 16, 2017 21:57

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 20:58

LogisticEarth: Mar 28, 2004; Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

Bozart posted:

You're a doofus don't buy a house with someone you aren't married to

Pretty much this. It can be done, and is in fact not overly uncommon, but it's still likely a bad idea. Is there are reason you can't just buy the place and have her pay for utilities or a small bit towards "rent" or something? Again, it's probably a bad idea, but even more so because:

willie_dee posted:

If I have �100,000 deposit, and my partner has 0 deposit

willie_dee posted:

Nope, shes paying almost that in rent at the moment, and she just finished paying off her car and whilst its tempting to trade in to get a newer model, she wants to keep it and not be making any more car payments, so she will almost be better off paying slightly more mortgage per month vs paying rent and her car payments.

"I'm paying almost that in rent anyway, so I can obviously afford this mortgage!" is like, rookie mistake #1. The actual cost of living in the house will be significantly higher than just the mortgage. Utilities, repairs, renovations, taxes, etc. are all very costly and will often add up to way more than the mortgage costs themselves. Case in point, my mortgage is about $650/month, however with all the rest, including saving for ongoing/future repairs, the cost of the home is around $1700/month minimum.

I'm also not sure how the car payments are factoring into this at all. Just because you've paid off your current car loan doesn't mean that you should stop saving for car replacement/repairs. Cars (and housing for that matter) are an expense, not an investment. The fact that she has zero savings for a down payment and is thinking about using savings from a completed car payment to pay a MORE expensive mortgage rather than, you know, save, is a red flag. If you want to move in together and help her save some money on rent, then by all means, buy the place yourself and let her live there while paying what she can afford while also building up some savings. Couples with unequal incomes do this all the time. This has the advantage of still allowing her to save (which I'm guessing is the appeal of ownership vs. renting) while not wrapping up loans and contracts in your relationship.

# ¿ Feb 20, 2017 15:07

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Homeowners: I own 8 different power saws, primarily to attract a mate.

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