I thought I’d start a little thread on some of the things we are doing to improve our dwellings. A place where we can share dreams, get a little advise from each other, and actually enjoy ourselves.

So have fun and tell us about your latest, or next, project.

Ya’ll know I’ve been in the construction business for over 20 years now. So I’d love to share some of the things I’ve learned.

So I’d love to share some of the things I’ve learned.
Just how to make money out of it will suffice for now, thanks :eek: :D

I'm in an apartment, so I'm afraid I'm pretty much left out of this one. But I do have some war stories from when my mother finished our family's basement all by herself. She did everything but the plumbing and carpet installation. Frames, wallboarding, electrical. Circular saws, 2x4s, concrete nail guns (fun!), plumbobs. Oh, the laughs... :D

Just how to make money out of it will suffice for now, thanks :eek: :D
Whats your plan?

Whats your plan?
To survive :D

To survive :D
You’re going to have to be more specific than that.

Just tell people whatever work they want you to do a.) requires your expertise, b.) will raise the value of the home and c.) will prevent their certain demise.

Just tell people whatever work they want you to do a.) requires your expertise, b.) will raise the value of the home and c.) will prevent their certain demise.
Works for me.

We just had new windows put in our house in July. Also we painted and landscaped the exterior. We're toying with the idea of putting our house up on the market so of course we are now trying to tear out the old (horribly ugly) wallpaper in the bathroom and are looking at slapping a quick coat of paint in the whole house to try to make it look more presentable. You know, all the stuff you'll do if you're trying to sell your house but don't seem to have time for just for yourself. :rolleyes:

We did some sprucing up in the kitchen this summer. I hired someone to do it since my husband isn't very handy and neither am I. We:
1. painted the cabinents (they were a dark wood finish originally) a creamy white
2. replaced all the hardware
3. replaced the countertop
4. replaced the sink
5. replaced the flooring.
6. painted the walls.

We did most of the teardown work - stripped the old wallpaper, pulled up the old floor. It seemed like the handyman and his helper should have been able to get the stuff done in 3 days, maybe 4 or 5 if it was really humid and the paint was taking a long time to dry and that's what we agreed to. It's not a big room. The contractor agreed to start a week from Monday so we got busy on the teardown the following weekend but of course, the contractor didn't show up for another week.

He'd come in one day, promise to be back the next and show up three days later unanounced. He'd work for an hour and leave for a week. Well 8 weeks later, most of the job was done but we just couldn't stand it any longer so we fired the contracter and finished up the trim work ourselves!

Since then, I have been threatening to start a home repair service and call it "We show up!"

Since then, I have been threatening to start a home repair service and call it "We show up!"
It's an honourable sentiment Pat but in reality it's totally impractical :(

It's an honourable sentiment Pat but in reality it's totally impractical :(


She can make it work; she’ll just need to hire Hispanic workers.

Having our sprinkler system fixed today.
Finishing painting the molding in just about the entire house.
Get a pool cover to the leaves out over the winter.
Extend the sidewalk out to the pool.
Decide on which new digicam to get (oops, sorry not home improvment).

Having our sprinkler system fixed today.
Finishing painting the molding in just about the entire house.
Get a pool cover to the leaves out over the winter.
Extend the sidewalk out to the pool.
Decide on which new digicam to get (oops, sorry not home improvment).


You have to have a pool in Texas.
I'm glad to see ya’ll posting on here, its fun to hear from the other side, for a change. I tend to see this stuff as work.

Decide on which new digicam to get (oops, sorry not home improvment).
Which one did you get?

I don't know if you get this show in the US yet but there is an excellent TV program called "Holmes on Homes". See hgtv.ca for details.
Every week Mike Holmes goes out to a renovation which has gone horribly wrong. The thing I've learned from this show are:
Always get permits. If you're doing changes to structure, plumbing or electrics almost all the building codes in N. America require a permit. That way it has to be inspected before the contractor seals up the walls (and his mistakes). If a renovation guys says you don't need permits, show him the door.

Digicam:
Have not decided as if yet, seem to be caught beween the panasonic's FZ5 and FZ20, the sony H1, Fuji's S5200 and Pentax @ist DS

So far I have dealt with the minor things like installing track lighting in the loft and added a few phone lines run with cat5.

I am looking into putting hardwood on all of the first floor, its the time it would take that has me putting it off.

We put in laminate instead of wood, we love it. Doesn't fade in the sun like hardwood, and many more designs. Wears like iron.

We put in laminate instead of wood, we love it. Doesn't fade in the sun like hardwood, and many more designs. Wears like iron.

Just don't get it wet. :D

Currently replacing flooring in family room/kitchen. Removing carpeting and replacing with painted floor. (I posted pics of same process done in my master bedroom in another post). Building new dining room table. Planning new speaker enclosures for an older vintage stereo system.

Actually, you can get it wet, does not seem to effect it UNLESS you soak it. If the water gets under/behind it, it does cause damage, but wood would swell and discolor also. We tiled the bathroom after a serious toilet leak wasted a 4 foot by 3 foot section (leaked from the wax ring UNDER the laminate). But the rest has been great. We have a pool and 2 big dogs that like to swim, so we do get it wet, does not seem to hurt it in any way. I am a fan of the look of wood, just not the maintenance that goes along with it. Since it is poly coated, it has a much softer coating that is prone to scratching (remember the two dogs) which we had not had a problem with at all with the laminate. Just worth a mention and at least researching it along with wood. It's cheaper also.

Building new dining room table. Planning new speaker enclosures for an older vintage stereo system.
We gotta have a pic of that. Don't knock older stereo by the way, it still sounds better than the crap kids listen to today :D

Actually, you can get it wet, does not seem to effect it UNLESS you soak it. .
Do you guys not have laminates that can be used in "wet areas" yet?

We gotta have a pic of that. Don't knock older stereo by the way, it still sounds better than the crap kids listen to today :D

I just got the turntable on Saturday (old BSR model). Bought it off Ebay for 1 cent. Shipping was 12 bucks. I bought a HH Scott amp/receiver last month. Saturday night I was listening to Deep Purple - Made in Japan. It's amazing how much better the old LP's sound than the same music on CD...

The table is a nightmare. I have the trestle done, and am painting it right now, but the top is driving me nuts. It bowed slightly during the gluing process, so I have to get it straightened out before attaching the ends, then I can stain it (cherry) and put it on the trestle. I'm going to try angle iron screwed along the width at three locations, hoping that will pull it flat. We'll see.

Do you guys not have laminates that can be used in "wet areas" yet?

Yes, it's called vinyl... :D

We tiled the bathroom after a serious toilet leak wasted a 4 foot by 3 foot section (leaked from the wax ring UNDER the laminate).

What was the material you had to replace?

Yes, it's called vinyl... :D
That's exactly what I think most laminate looks like ;)

Planning new speaker enclosures for an older vintage stereo system.
Hey, I have had to replace the "foam rot" on my vintage stereo, and just got the cassette deck and receiver back from someone who fixes vintage stereo equipment. Also just replaced the cartridge in the turntable. Just wish I had not been the one to buy it new :p

Hey, I have had to replace the "foam rot" on my vintage stereo, and just got the cassette deck and receiver back from someone who fixes vintage stereo equipment. Also just replaced the cartridge in the turntable. Just wish I had not been the one to buy it new :p

Where was the foam? Speaker enclosures?

Foam surrounding the woofers (BASS) speakers.

Foam surrounding the woofers (BASS) speakers.

Aha! Now I understand...What did you use for replacement material?

I ordered foam surround replacements off the 'net. Came with a tape on how to do it and everything. Since my woofers are 15 inches, it was pretty simple. Way more simple that I thought initially. Was about $15.00 + $4.00 shipping for two surrounds and dust caps and glue. Took me about 30-40 mins to do both speakers.

Hey, I have had to replace the "foam rot" on my vintage stereo, and just got the cassette deck and receiver back from someone who fixes vintage stereo equipment. Also just replaced the cartridge in the turntable. Just wish I had not been the one to buy it new :p
Which turntable, which cartridge and whose speakers?

I ordered foam surround replacements off the 'net. Came with a tape on how to do it and everything. Since my woofers are 15 inches, it was pretty simple. Way more simple that I thought initially. Was about $15.00 + $4.00 shipping for two surrounds and dust caps and glue. Took me about 30-40 mins to do both speakers.

I'm getting ready to build enclosures for 12" woofers. Do you have the net address of this place?

I'm getting ready to build enclosures for 12" woofers. Do you have the net address of this place?

Could this be of any help :

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/action/printarticle/1789/

I'm getting ready to build enclosures for 12" woofers. Do you have the net address of this place?
I might have it at home, I'll check tonight and post it if I can find it.

We gotta have a pic of that. Don't knock older stereo by the way, it still sounds better than the crap kids listen to today :D

Here is a pic of the top and a pic of the base. I have them together now, but no pics yet...

What a nifty thread. This summer, while I was pregnant, we decided to fix up the house a bit in anticipation of the baby, so the house would be warm and cozy for her. The roof had been leaking, so we had to get that replaced, and was the catalyst behind the extravagant sum of money we had to borrow. While I was at it, though, I got enough money to do some other improvements. So here's what we have done so far and what is yet to do:

Replaced the roof
Had a new furnace installed
Bought a new snowblower in anticipation of the fabulous winter we will have
Was going to replace a few windows, but our window guy hurt his hand, so we are waiting til the spring.
Looking into getting wall-to-wall carpeting - I HATE hard wood floors.
Would like to get new living room furniture, but will probably run out of money
Plan to get a new storm door for the front door - one of the glass panes broke, so we have the screen in it still.

Damn - there is much much more I would love to do with this house, but when the money is gone, that's it for now.

Lisa

Plan to get a new storm door for the front door - one of the glass panes broke, so we have the screen in it still.

Lisa
Can't you just get a new pane of glass?:confused:

We put new vinyl windows in our house this summer and painted and landscaped the exterior. We'll be painting and carpeting the interior in the next two months in order to get our house on the market by Feb. 1st so we can find a bigger place. When I get some time I'll try to post a before and after pic. The color of paint they had on this place when we moved in was absolutely hideous. Of course, the house was built in 1955 and we bought from the original owners (yikes), so we got in it pretty cheap because it needed some work (cosmetic only, structurally it's fine) and that's what we were lookikng for at the time. Wanted to keep our house payments as low as possible while I was finishing my schoolin'. We've put a ton of work into it. :cool:

Can't you just get a new pane of glass?:confused:

You know, Rich, I could. But it would be a "pane" in the ass, and the storm door is really old, so why not spring for a new one? It'll look nice on the door, too.

Lisa

Ok I come from an island at the bottom of the South Pacific in the province of Hawkes Bay, which is lucky to get down to -5c in winter and has only once in my life seen snow.

What they hell do you do with a "Snow Blower" and what do they cost? :confused:

Ok I come from an island at the bottom of the South Pacific in the province of Hawkes Bay, which is lucky to get down to -5c in winter and has only once in my life seen snow.

What they hell do you do with a "Snow Blower" and what do they cost? :confused:

Lucky, lucky you. A snow blower is a power machine (not unlike a lawn mower) that sucks up the snow on your driveway and throws it off onto the lawn (which by now is already covered with snow also). Then you can get your car out of the garage, and make your way to work. When you come from an area of the world that sees a lot of snow, this device is a necessity. The trick is to blow the snow WITH the wind, so it doesn't wind up in your face, or back in the driveway.

They can cost anywhere from $200 - $2000 depending on your snow blowing needs.

Lisa

Looking into getting wall-to-wall carpeting - I HATE hard wood floors. Lisa

Lisa:

Why do you hate hardwood floors? Carpeting is just a germ sponge. The first 10 years if offgasses nice things into your body. And you never get it clean, ever. (just my opinion, of course...)

Lisa:

Why do you hate hardwood floors? Carpeting is just a germ sponge. The first 10 years if offgasses nice things into your body. And you never get it clean, ever. (just my opinion, of course...)

They are just so labor intensive. You need a different vacuum attachment to clean them, and even then, they aren't clean. Then you have to dustmop them, and that it just the weekly cleaning. Then you have to mop them, and with a special soap, because they are wood. Then maybe they are clean. And besides that, they are noisy - you can't walk on them in anything but socks without having it echo throughout the house. Even with throw rugs, it is still noisy. And cold, unless you have insulation in the basement, under the floor. And you can never get them wet.

I don't mind laminate, but the noise factor is the same. And the dog slips on it all the time.

Just MHO.

Lisa

I don't mind laminate, but the noise factor is the same. And the dog slips on it all the time.

Just MHO.

Lisa
The noise factor needn't be a problem I have a basement with same echo problem, it can be overcome by laying the flooring over polystyrene baps first, there is also good medical reason for not having carpets if your children suffer with asthma

Oh I would LOVE wood floors!

Actually, I don't find them that much of a pain at all. I have them in every room except the kitchen. When we moved into the house 25 years ago there was wall-to-wall carpet in every room. Gradually as the carpet wore out, we removed it and didn't replace it. Luckily our house was built at a time when hardwood was used even if the floors would be carpeted. Two years ago, the carpet in the master bedroom was the last to go. If the floors are properly sealed, you can damp mop them. So I sweep them and mop them. Once a year it's a good idea to move all the furniture and clean and wax the whole room.

They are noisier than carpet but if your floors are insulated, the noise isn't bad.

I prefer the cosy comfort of carpet myself, but I do tend to walk around the house in bare feet. I reckon that if we are heading for colder winters there will be a move back to carpet. The house had solid oak strip in the dining room and hall when we moved in but we always found it cold so eventually covered it.

I have laminate in my study and its not too bad but prefer carpet elsewhere although our newly fitted bathroom, well actually no bath so shower room. has a tile floor but with under floor heating:D

Brian

Will you be able to sell the house without a bath?:confused:

Don't know , but apparently there is a trend to remove them.
We did it so that we could have a decent size shower enclosure, my wife's illness has reached a stage where she cannot manage a bath, infact neither of us have used one for years, so we thought why not have a decent sized shower without cramping the room.

Brian

Don't know , but apparently there is a trend to remove them.
Brian
Yes I have noticed this trend, however I've also noticed that trying to sell a house without a bath is difficult to say the least.
For some strange reason most women prefer to have a bath and in order to save electricity they then fill the room with candles:eek: :D

This summer, while I was pregnant,
In another thread you were pregnant for a year - do summers in the USA last a year?:confused:


So here's what we have done so far and what is yet to do:

Had a new furnace installed
Is that a thing that burns wood?

Bought a new snowblower
Whats wrong with a shovel and a brush?

Looking into getting wall-to-wall carpeting - I HATE hard wood floors.
The 'fashion' over the last 10 years in the UK was to have laminate flooring - now its old hat and people are changing back to carpeting - much warmer and the germs build up immunity in children in todays sterile world;) kids suffer more now of infections because everything is disinfected clean:rolleyes:


Plan to get a new storm door for the front door
What does a storm door do? is it like another door that fits over the proper door:confused: why do you need it? does the first door not fit properly?

Col

Yes I have noticed this trend, however I've also noticed that trying to sell a house without a bath is difficult to say the least.


Is it actually difficult or is the lack of a bath just used as an argument to lower the price?

We do not intend to move, we have only been in this house since '68:rolleyes:

Brian

In another thread you were pregnant for a year - do summers in the USA last a year?:confused:

Colin, you kill me. :p It's good to hear/see you out here. I have been lurking for a few weeks, and haven't seen much of you. And to answer your question more succinctly, I was pregnant from November last year til August 30 of this year. For me, that is the better part of a year, and included the summer.

Is that a thing that burns wood?

No - not sure if this is a linguistic difference in our cultures, but a furnace on my side of the pond is the device that burns any kind of energy medium - coal, gas, wood, water, whatever. My particular furnace is a gas furnace. I would love to have a wood burning furnace, because it is more moist, and the winters are so dry. But wood is labor intensive, and I am all about convenience.

Whats wrong with a shovel and a brush?

Well, when you have a driveway that is about 50 feet long and about 2 cars wide, and you have to clean it yourself with a baby in the house in order to get out to daycare and work, a snowblower will do the job mighty fast. And again, I am all about convenience.


The 'fashion' over the last 10 years in the UK was to have laminate flooring - now its old hat and people are changing back to carpeting - much warmer and the germs build up immunity in children in todays sterile world;) kids suffer more now of infections because everything is disinfected clean:rolleyes:

I have laminate in my kitchen, and I love it for the ease in cleaning and the durability. I wouldn't mind having it in the whole house, but there is still the noise and slippery factor. I like living with a proverbial blanket around me, especially in the winter, and carpet is the closest I can get to that.

What does a storm door do? is it like another door that fits over the proper door:confused: why do you need it? does the first door not fit properly?

A storm door is a screen/glass combination door that goes on the outside of the big front door on most houses at least here in the Northeast US. It allows you to leave the front door open during the summer when the screens are in it and no bugs can get in your house. Then in the winter, you put the glass in, and it provides extra insulation from the cold against the front door. Do you guys not have anything like that, or is it just called something else?

Is it actually difficult or is the lack of a bath just used as an argument to lower the price?

We do not intend to move, we have only been in this house since '68




I think it's actually more difficult, however since like me you're and not doing your place up to sell but for your own comfort it doesn't really matter anyway, does it;)
I blame these stupid reality tv house makeover shows for putting stupid ideas into punters heads anyway:mad:

A storm door is a screen/glass combination door that goes on the outside of the big front door on most houses at least here in the Northeast US. It allows you to leave the front door open during the summer when the screens are in it and no bugs can get in your house. Then in the winter, you put the glass in, and it provides extra insulation from the cold against the front door. Do you guys not have anything like that, or is it just called something else?

A lot of houses here have front or even back porches, they're mostly now double glazed and the glass isn't removable

No - not sure if this is a linguistic difference in our cultures, but a furnace on my side of the pond is the device that burns any kind of energy medium - coal, gas, wood, water, whatever. My particular furnace is a gas furnace.
A furnace in the UK is a huge thing that burns gas / coal in a steel works. The little jobbies you get at home are called 'wood burning stoves' and you can cook on them or they're called 'gas boilers', these heat the radiators and supply hot water.


Well, when you have a driveway that is about 50 feet long and about 2 cars wide,
I admit I forgot that in the USA you have driveways the length of an airport runway:rolleyes:
and you have to clean it yourself with a baby . . . .
taken out of context but I thought it was funny:D ;)


A storm door is a screen/glass combination door that goes on the outside of the big front door on most houses at least here in the Northeast US. It allows you to leave the front door open during the summer when the screens are in it and no bugs can get in your house.

Do all doors have this storm door thingy? and do the flies / bug not come in the open windows in summer? Why not just get air-con in the house, its much easier than all this door business you have.

Col

taken out of context but I thought it was funny:D ;)

It was quite funny now that I read it this way - perhaps I should use a shovel and the baby :D

Do all doors have this storm door thingy? and do the flies / bug not come in the open windows in summer? Why not just get air-con in the house, its much easier than all this door business you have.

Usually all the doors have this, unless the door is in the garage, then you would probably just have a screen door for the summer. And with the windows, we have removable screens that go on the windows, so they get put up in spring, and you can open the windows without bugs coming in. I like fresh air much better than air con, although it would be nice to have it in July when the humidity is about 1000%.

Lisa

Do all doors have this storm door thingy? and do the flies / bug not come in the open windows in summer? Why not just get air-con in the house, its much easier than all this door business you have.

Col

Here in the North East USA the only time that I use air conditioning is for 2-3 weeks or so in the hottest part of the summer. The rest of the summer it's nice to have open windows with screens to allow the fresh air to come in the house. A screen door allows that much more fresh air into the house.

In the winter the storm door does not lend much insulating value, but it does block the wind from hitting the main door. Older homes also have removable 'storm windows' to supplement their single pane main windows. These are framed glass that help block the wind from hitting the main windows. Newer homes though have thermo pane windows (insulated glass) and generally do not need the 'storm window' but do come with removable screens.

No - not sure if this is a linguistic difference in our cultures, but a furnace on my side of the pond is the device that burns any kind of energy medium - coal, gas, wood, water, whatever.




coal, gas, wood, water, whatever. :eek: :eek:

That's cracked the fossil fuel problem. Can you get this type in the UK. If not how about a name so that I can start importing them, Got to be a market with the ampunt of rain we have

Len

:D :D :D :D

coal, gas, wood, water, whatever. :eek: :eek:

That's cracked the fossil fuel problem. Can you get this type in the UK. If not how about a name so that I can start importing them, Got to be a market with the ampunt of rain we have

Len

:D :D :D :D

Water? This is news to me.... must be a top secret government discovery.... :D

coal, gas, wood, water, whatever.


Ok, maybe I was a little off on the water thing. Sounds like a good idea though. Maybe I've hit upon something here.

Lisa

Spoke to local fire brigade about this and they said it had been banned cos it was a Fire Hazard
:D :D :D

L

Looking into getting wall-to-wall carpeting - I HATE hard wood floors.
Interesting.
We took out all the carpeting in our house. Replaced with a combination of Tile and laminate. Did help the allergies some.

Interesting.
We took out all the carpeting in our house. Replaced with a combination of Tile and laminate. Did help the allergies some.

Maybe that's why it doesn't bother me about carpet - I grew up in homes with wall-to-wall carpeting, and I don't have any allergies. So it never really occurred tome that this would be a problem. It's only a question of maintenance to me.

Lisa

I like the look of hard wood floors but I prefer carpet myself. Hard woods are, well... hard. As many times as I've seen Emily take a nose dive into the carpet I'm glad she has something soft to cushion her fall. :D Besides, I like walking around the house barefoot and laying on the floor sometimes, and it's just not the same with hardwoods, even if you have an area rug. And, it seems to me like you would end up with the same dust mites in an area rug as you would with carpet, so why not just have carpet? :confused: :D It's easy to run the vacuum over as well. And I don't let Emily take anything except water to drink in there, and it's in a no-spill cup. If she has juice or something else she is in the kitchen or in her high chair, so I don't have to worry about stains so much either. My personal opinion.

I like the look of hard wood floors but I prefer carpet myself. Hard woods are, well... hard. As many times as I've seen Emily take a nose dive into the carpet I'm glad she has something soft to cushion her fall. :D
On the other hand, if she nosed dived a time or two on something hard, maybe she would learn to walk! :eek:

Just teasing :o

<<Mental Note>> FoFa is a guy. FoFa is a GUY!

What? No one made a crack about MrsGorilla preferring carpet? Good thing I'm back... :D

On the other hand, if she nosed dived a time or two on something hard, maybe she would learn to walk! :eek:


:D She walks fine (and runs), but when she's playing and tries to run away from you, sometimes she gets her feet tangled up. She's also quite a climber, which worries me. She gets pretty high up on stuff sometimes (like her high chair) and that would be a long way for her to fall, which of course she has no concept of. :rolleyes: Especially if she were falling onto a hard surface rather than a padded surface.

What? No one made a crack about MrsGorilla preferring carpet? Good thing I'm back... :D

:D Yeah, so where have you been hiding?

By the way, here are a few pics of the house we are getting ready to sell.
Before1 (http://hostitwith.us/files/713/House/Before1.jpg)
Before2 (http://hostitwith.us/files/713/House/Before2.jpg)
After1 (http://hostitwith.us/files/713/House/After1.jpg)
After2 (http://hostitwith.us/files/713/House/After2.jpg)

The before pictures were taken after the painters did the power wash so it didn't really look that bad before. Well, except for the color which was horrendous. It makes you wonder what people are thinking sometimes. We have had our windows put in since the after pictures were taken, so the windows look better now than they did in these pics. Too bad we're fixing it up for someone else, but I guess that's how it works. :(

Besides, I like walking around the house barefoot and laying on the floor sometimes, and it's just not the same with hardwoods, even if you have an area rug.
;)

Col

By the way, here are a few pics of the house we are getting ready to sell. Well, except for the color which was horrendous. It makes you wonder what people are thinking sometimes.
It just amazes me how nice we get our houses looking just to sell. So how come (and I am as guilty as anybody) we don't do that while we live in them?

The house looks excellent! You do good work.

:D Yeah, so where have you been hiding?
We took Brad's parents on a cruise for their 50th wedding anniversary. I'm pondering posting the emails & pictures so you all can be jealous ;)

It just amazes me how nice we get our houses looking just to sell. So how come (and I am as guilty as anybody) we don't do that while we live in them?

I've been thinking about that a lot lately. :rolleyes: Of course, we couldn't afford to for a long time because one or the other of us has been unemployed about half the time we've lived there, due to layoffs, education, etc. For us, it really wasn't an option financially before, and now that it is we just need more space anyway. Oh, well.

We took Brad's parents on a cruise for their 50th wedding anniversary. I'm pondering posting the emails & pictures so you all can be jealous ;)

Cool. A cruise to where? My mother-in-law just went on an Alaskan cruise that looked very awesome. I would love to do that.

;)

Col

:confused:

Cool. A cruise to where? My mother-in-law just went on an Alaskan cruise that looked very awesome. I would love to do that.
It was to several islands in the Caribbean. I've heard rave reviews about Alaskan cruises, though. I'm sure she had a wonderful time.

:confused:

Its subtle Cindy:D

Col

By the way, here are a few pics of the house we are getting ready to sell.

can't open them here:(

can't open them here:(

I was going to post them on the forum but they were too big and I couldn't make them smaller without making them so small that you couldn't really see anything.

Its subtle Cindy :D

:rolleyes: :D

I was going to post them on the forum but they were too big and I couldn't make them smaller without making them so small that you couldn't really see anything.
100k jpeg should be good enough here:confused:

I like living with a proverbial blanket around me, especially in the winter, and carpet is the closest I can get to that.


Children's Health Environmental Coalition:

A great place to begin "childproofing" your home is your carpets and floors. Since our children are naturally low to the ground, the floor becomes the primary play space for young children.

Yet, carpets and rugs, like sponges, tend to both soak up and release pollutants.

Carpets and their pads are havens for dust mites, which have been shown to contribute to and worsen allergies and asthma. Other pollutants, such as pesticides, animal dander, lead dust, and chemicals from cleaners and other household products, can sink into the fibers, within easy access of children.
Synthetic carpeting contains many chemicals in its adhesives and glue strips, the underlay or rug pads, and additional chemical treatments from stain- to moth-proofing. Many of the chemicals used on carpets are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which vaporize, or "offgass", easily into the air. Some VOCs found in carpets include benzene, styrene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde.

Nothing quite like adding carcinogens to the home environment for that "homey, warm feeling"...:rolleyes:

I have discovered through some research that if you are having trouble with your contractor not finishing your renovation or doing a poor job, find out before you sign up who carries his liability insurance.
When the job is a complete cock up, go to the insurance company and tell THEM you're going to sue.
Most insurance companies have competent contractors on retainer. It's cheaper for the insurance company to assign the competent contractor to do the work to your satisfaction than to deal with the suit.

Children's Health Environmental Coalition:

A great place to begin "childproofing" your home is your carpets and floors. Since our children are naturally low to the ground, the floor becomes the primary play space for young children.

Yet, carpets and rugs, like sponges, tend to both soak up and release pollutants.

Carpets and their pads are havens for dust mites, which have been shown to contribute to and worsen allergies and asthma. Other pollutants, such as pesticides, animal dander, lead dust, and chemicals from cleaners and other household products, can sink into the fibers, within easy access of children.
Synthetic carpeting contains many chemicals in its adhesives and glue strips, the underlay or rug pads, and additional chemical treatments from stain- to moth-proofing. Many of the chemicals used on carpets are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which vaporize, or "offgass", easily into the air. Some VOCs found in carpets include benzene, styrene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde.

Nothing quite like adding carcinogens to the home environment for that "homey, warm feeling"...:rolleyes:

Well, I grew up on carpeting, and I don't have any allergies or asthma. Nor do I have any illnesses that I could attribute to the added carcinogens in the carpeting. I already have a dog, so the pet dander is stuck in the furniture, and on every surface I can find, including the tumbleweeds on the hard wood floor. Should I also get rid of the couch, which is a plush fabric? Then we could all sit on the nice cold hard floor, but still be breathing well, and in no danger of carcinogens or other harmful chemicals, except for in the water, air, and food we eat. :rolleyes:

Lisa

Oh the evils of carpet, I would probably be a better person if I just had not grown up on carpet! See Here (http://1earth1design.com/carpet.htm) or Here (http://air-purifiers.net/carpets.phtml) or
Here (http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/abscarpet.htm) or Here (http://www.cleanmyowncarpet.com/hiddencarpetdangers.html) or even Here (http://www.itch.org.uk/news.htm)

At least this one is selling something
http://www.cleanmyowncarpet.com/hiddencarpetdangers.html

Since this is a Home Improvement thread, I thought I could post this here and might find some helps or ideas.

Our home has a small pantry room built under the staircase that has no lights. The builder told us that they could not put a light in there for safety reasons (city would not allow???). Now, my mom wants to have lights in it. I tried using battery-operated ones, didn't last too long and not as bright.

Is there any way to intall a light, run an additional electrical line in there? Does anyone have an idea? How do we detect an existing electrical in (in wall)?

Thank you all in advance.

Well, I grew up on carpeting, and I don't have any allergies or asthma. Nor do I have any illnesses that I could attribute to the added carcinogens in the carpeting. :rolleyes:

Lisa

I wasn't diagnosed with a terminal illness until I was 49. ;)

I wasn't diagnosed with a terminal illness until I was 49. ;)

I'm not being sarcastic - what would you attribute that to? Carcinogens in carpeting? In the air and water? Karma? Dust mites?

I am truly sympathetic regarding your illness, and I mean no disrespect to you, nor do I mean to belittle your situation. My father was recently diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, and I will now get to watch him deteriorate from the vibrant man he once was, into a shell of that man. But would I attribute his disease to the chemicals in the air and in everything around me? I can't really justify that. Millions of other people live in the same environment and don't contract terminal diseases. It may be a factor, I can't prove or disprove it. Nor can I prove or disprove what is printed on the Internet warning me against these things. If I listened to everything I read, I would be living in a cave somewhere, or wind up like Howard Hughes.

Quite frankly, I attribute his disease to the years and years of his taking cholesterol medications that cause muscle wasting. He could have had a gene that predisposed him to this disease, and then the medications spurred it along. I told him when he first went on them 10-15 years ago that is was bullshit, and that he shouldn't take them, but he listened to his doctor over me (there is no proof that cholesterol medications significantly reduce the risk of heart attack - recent studies are now showing this). I will always wonder what would have happened if he had listened to me. And these were chemicals willingly ingested!!

Lisa

I'm not being sarcastic - what would you attribute that to? Carcinogens in carpeting? In the air and water? Karma? Dust mites?

What I meant was that many things in our everyday environment that can cause diseases usually need years and years of exposure before they would cause you a problem. Wasn't trying to be a sh*&t...

Just trying to be helpful. I worry about all my Access World friends...:)

I understand, and I am glad to see that we were able to not turn this into an argument!! I agree with you - everything we are exposed to takes a toll on us. I guess I am just choosing to expose myself to carpeting's harmful characteristics as opposed to any other harmful things. Not really sure if it will happen anyway, because I am sure that after Christmas, I won't have enough money to do it!!

Lisa

Not really sure if it will happen anyway, because I am sure that after Christmas, I won't have enough money to do it!!

Lisa

LOL !!!! :D :D :D :D

How long did you spend digging this thread up?

Moved to current address September 2001.
1) Removed various built in bedroom furniture
2) Painted 4 bedrooms, Hall, Stairwell, lounge
3) Garden makeover
4) Built Pond
5) New windows
6) New Gutters, bargeboards
7) New kitchen (floor to ceiling)
8) Hall and entranceway remodelled
9) Bathroom rebuilt
10) Cloakroom rebuilt
11) Entrance porch rebuilt

Planned
1) New driveway (this month)
2) New boiler/heating system mods (September)
3) Whatever wife thinks of next

No I did not do it all... I just worked to supply finance

Len

Like Len, we moved to our current address July 2001. At the time it looked like Centre Parks, everythng was wood! We both worked for the same firm and were made redundant in August 2001. It has taken nine years to get back on our feet and now, slowly but surely it is coming together...

1) Renovated guest toilet removing all wooden walls and ceilings (said room size 5 x 4!
2) Renovated bathroom removing wooden walls and ceilings, it no longer looks like a sauna.
3) Renovated the kitchen, re wired it - the last idiot had run normal size cable from a socket in the hall into the kitchen and plugged both washing machine and dishwasher into it! Naturally it blew up after a few months.
4) Removed floral wallpaper (and borders) from every room in the house!) painted all walls soft white.
5) Replaced wooden shuttering and sofits on the outside with upvc.
6) Replaced wooden sofits on garage with upvc
7) Complete garden make over
8) Removed and replaced wooden ceiling from entrance hall, it's now a beautiful white.
9) Replaced all council type flat doors with new white panelled ones.

Being married to a handy man is a blessing, although, he does take his own sweet time ;)

Being married to a handy man is a blessing, although, he does take his own sweet time ;)

Yes I understand that women like men who are good with their hands.

Brian

Yes I understand that women like men who are good with their hands.

Brian

Minimal requirement ;)

next improvement ..
carpets......

again 2001 moved in
new kitchen/bathroom/central heating- new garden (re -landscaped)
doulbe glazing -painted house - patio down - new garden wall --new garage door

next on list (after carpet)
new fence for garden (otherside of garden - wall on one side fence onthe other )

- in the mean time - wine making - a surplus of damsens - so we are going to try and make damson wine -

would of gone for the plums but i keep eating them ...

thne new sofa /chairs

then possible an extention - depending on cost - as its cheaper to build than to move - A small extention costs about 15-20K - to move costs 5-7k and thats just the paper work ....
an extention of around 10-12 ft square would give a lot of extra room with some minor shuffling around of how the house works ...

Yes I understand that women like men who are good with their hands.

Brian

Whilst yours is an accurate statement I have found that my wife believes that absolutely nothing is beyond my capabilities.

Whilst she is absolutely right in her belief it can sometimes be a burden.

as I am sure your are aware ;););)

Len

Whilst yours is an accurate statement I have found that my wife believes that absolutely nothing is beyond my capabilities.

Whilst she is absolutely right in her belief it can sometimes be a burden.

as I am sure your are aware ;););)

Len

Mine believes there is nothing I am capable of, and insists in paying a tradesman for everything. No complains.