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Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan ~ Apr 2009: Home and Garden: Random Questions users admin

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Archive through October 17, 2007Wargod25 10-17-07  3:49 pm
Archive through March 19, 2008Julieboo25 03-19-08  7:42 am
Archive through July 15, 2008Curlyq25 07-15-08  6:29 pm
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Author Message
Kappy
Member

06-29-2002

Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 4:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kappy a private message Print Post    
Don't know if this is the right place but maybe you all could come with an answer for me. I've wanted to sell my house for years but with the housing market the way it is in California, I am now looking into rebuilding about half my house from the ground up due to termite damage, dry rot, poor design, you name it, and trying to get it to a place that I would like living in. I love the show Hidden Potential and how the designer shows them ways to remodel and estimates what it will cost. Does anyone know how you find a person like that? Would you head to the yellow pages for architects or go to remodeling contractors or what?

Thanks in advance.

Serenity
Member

06-28-2005

Friday, July 18, 2008 - 12:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Serenity a private message Print Post    
Kappy, I think that the designer (Barry?) on that show is actually an architect by trade. I would probably start by calling one of them first because they can assess what kind of structural supports you would need, etc.

Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Friday, July 18, 2008 - 1:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mocha a private message Print Post    
Yep Barry is an architect as well as designer. He's a much better architect lol. Kappy I'd contact either an architect in your area or someone who does remodeling. Check out your local Craigslist too.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Friday, July 18, 2008 - 1:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
If your area is covered by Angie's List, joining it might be worth the membership fee for all the services you'll need. Talking to people at Angie's List is helpful too.

Kappy
Member

06-29-2002

Monday, July 21, 2008 - 10:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kappy a private message Print Post    
Thanks Serenity, Mocha and Colordeaqua! After hitting the yellow pages this weekend, I'm having a better feel for it now. I was debating between an architect or going to a remodeling contractor for their references. I'll also check into Angie's List ~ I had forgotten all about that one.

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 2:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
I just joined Angies List last week, still have a LOT of work to do after Mold Abatement. Think it was around $50 (incl initial signup fee of $15) for one year, less for multiple years. Still, after getting 'taken' by the Dry Rot Contractor (close to $800 for about 4-hrs X one guy + less than $10 in lumber), well worth the Angies membership to know if I'm getting quality help. Only Clients can give feedback there, not the contractors. Certainly better than the Yellow Pages, never knowing what you will get!

One IMPORTANT thing the Baby Boomer Plumber Estimator (company recommended by my neighbor) told me, after I was getting all these "estimates" to replace every drain pipe in my house:

You don't want to be asking for "estimates", you want to be asking for "bids". He said otherwise, they can/will keep tacking on additional stuff to jack up the price. With a firm "bid" THAT's the price they should give in writing.

He then stood there in my former kitchen and handwrote it all out - less than a third of all the other estimates I had gotten ($3,560 vs the $11-13,000+permit+fixtures quoted by the young pups). Some of the cost saving suggestions he made (he didn't know that two others contractor/plumbing inspector had already made the same suggestions). That's when I knew, he knew what he was doing!

His licensed plumber did the job (working alone) in 2-1/2 days versus the other companies planning on 3-4 guys X 3-4 days. Fantastic job! I joined Angie's list so I could write in the kuddos for Fox Plumbing in Seattle! They've already got Angie's Gold Star for 3-yrs running, but I can give them another kick I figure. Plus, like I said, I've got a whole lot more work to be done. Next week I start looking for the plasterboard replacement for 4 rooms, huge job!

Won't go back to that Dry Rot Contractor, but at least now I understand where I went wrong. His "estimate" was the very same copy that became his "final invoice"; didn't matter that the job took so much less time because there was less rot than appeared to be.

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 3:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
BTW, I haven't said much about this previously because I was fearful of saying anything over the Internet. Yesterday, I received the final check from the pipes lawsuit due to the faulty resin used to manufacture the pipes. (RAN that check to the bank immediately!) So now it feels okay to talk about, they can't change their minds.

The settlement only pays a fraction of the damages, but it's better than nothing. Felt so good to put some of those bad pipe pieces in my garbage can, starting to put some of this nightmare behind me. Have had to save EVERY old pipe as evidence, the court was always so disbelieving. lol, I offered to mail pieces of the stinking sewer/toilet pipe to the court this time - maybe that's why they didn't require me to wait another 4-months for yet another plumbing inspection.

It's been a long 9 months! My house looks like a war zone and I'm not exaggerating.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 8:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
Hi everyone, I think we got our crab crass preventer on way too late this year because now we are over-run with it. How do you get rid of crab grass once it has already started taking over? I have a very old dog and a puppy, so it has to be safe.

Should I just wait again until spring and get the crab grass preventer down on time?

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 3:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
If it is really late in the summer season and crabgrass has taken over your lawn, it may just be the safest to wait and let the cool weather kill crabgrass weeds. Then start fresh in the spring.

Once crabgrass has started spreading in the warmth of summer, the seeds are already spread.

If you live in a warm climate environment where the warm weather will continue on into the fall months, you may want to consider a postemergent herbicide. This type of herbicide will help to kill crabgrass that is already spreading throughout the lawn. The only problem with using a postemergent herbicide is that it may be either too strong or too weak for the lawn. In either case, you may end up frustrated because the herbicide will not kill crabgrass or frustrated that it has killed the remainder of the good grass in the lawn.

Follow the instructions on the herbicide bottle to make sure not to apply too much or too little of the product. Once the herbicide is laid down, it is important to always water the lawn afterwards to activate the ingredients in the herbicide. Most herbicide crabgrass killers will suggest reapplying at some point, but don't reapply too soon.

Three active ingredients to look for in a postemergent herbicide to kill crab grass are Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, MSMA or Quinclorac. Unfortunately, while all three of these herbicides will do an excellent job at controlling or eliminating immature crabgrass, they will not do much to kill crabgrass that is already well established. In the case of well-established crabgrass, it is best to just weather the storm for the season and wait until the cool weather kills the remainder of the crabgrass weeds.

Next spring use a herbicide that has the proper active ingredients. Dithiopyr, Ethofumesate, Oxadiazon , Pendimethalin, Prodiamine and Trifluralin will all kill crabgrass before it begins. One or more of these ingredients can be found in almost every herbicide, although it is important to choose a weed killer that has enough of at least one of these active ingredients to actually kill crabgrass or keep it from breaking through the soil.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 5:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
Thank you so much, Urgrace. I am going to print this out and truly discuss your information with with DH.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Wednesday, August 06, 2008 - 5:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
You're welcome Naja! And I'm sure you know that any time you lay down any herbicide that you should not let your animals near it for a few days. When you pick up your herbicide, ask a professional lawn center just how long before it's safe for the pets.

Hypermom
Member

08-13-2001

Saturday, August 09, 2008 - 3:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hypermom a private message Print Post    
Has anyone tried using Milky Spore to combat Japanese Beetles and did it help?

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Saturday, August 09, 2008 - 9:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Hypermom, you must be in the midwest. My niece who lives in central Illinois is complaining about Japanese beetles this year.

Hypermom
Member

08-13-2001

Sunday, August 10, 2008 - 11:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hypermom a private message Print Post    
Juju, yes, northern IL. They have been horrible this year. They've ate all the leaves and flower buds on my hollyhocks, at the leaves on the impatiens, and a few leaves on my roses.

Sadiesmom
Member

03-13-2002

Monday, October 06, 2008 - 7:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sadiesmom a private message Print Post    
Oh, I used Milkyspore for Japanese beetles years ago. I don't recall see any for a long while. I t supposedly spreads to neighbors yards over time. Or it cold be taht the new *ugh* neighbors tore out the heirloom rose gardens next door, cut down the 400 years old oaks and bricked over their back yard, so that may have also helped.
Slugs on the other hand.........

Christy358
Member

07-10-2007

Monday, October 13, 2008 - 7:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Christy358 a private message Print Post    
Roses....old oaks

Bricks?