Suggestions / questions for v3.3: In Step #12, what's the purpose for inserting that lid cutout into the bottom of container #1? In Step #15, the 3 5/8" hole and the 1/4" "pegboard" holes are being drilled into the bottom of Container #2, correct? (The angle of the photos for 15 and 16 make it difficult to tell if this is Container #2, or just a lid? It may be useful to show Container #1, the aeration bench assembly and the cut-down Container #2 (with the wicking basket installed) side by side, then show how Container #2 fits on top of the bench assembly. I'm assuming that the weight of Container #2 (once it's been filled with 130 pounds of media) is supported by the bench assembly and the screws / washers connecting the two? How movable is the structure once it's been filled with media? I'm concerned that if the container needs to be moved once full, any lateral motion can cause the bench assembly to buckle, and once that happens Container #2 will just collapse down into Container #1 because it will only be supported by the side screws, tearing the plastic and crushing the wicking basket. Would something like 2 ea 4" diameter SCH40 PVC, cut to a height of 5" (or whatever) and placed in the bottom of container #1 provide greater vertical structural support, and also reduce the chance that the two 3/8" pilot holes from Step 3 become clogged, preventing water from flowing into the wicking basket chamber area? If 4" PVC are used as columns then the wicking basket will be free-floating in the water at the bottom of the container. Move Step 13 so that it's right after Step #4? That way you're doing all the jigwsaw cuts at the same time on Container #2. Perhaps indicate that another pilot hole should be drilled for this as well, except it's only going to be used in order to cut away the 1 3/8" section so that Container #2 + wicking basket aren't sticking up above the rim of Container #1? If you change the name of the PDF file so that it has the version number embedded then browsers won't present a cached version of the document. (When I clicked the link, because I had already downloaded v3.1 and the new document had the same name, my browser helpfully just showed me v3.1 because the names were the same. If the new document was called "EarthTainer-Construction-Guide-3.2.pdf" it wouldn't have done that.) Thanks, Bob

1)top (12:00) pourus pumice 2)right side (3:00) sifted for size scorsa 3)bottom (6:00) dry stall **avalable at farm feed and supply stores 4)left side (9:00) poultry grit ** avalable ay arm feed and suply stores 5) Center composted gravel * Also sifted for size having different shapes and sizes of granite in it including courser sifted SAND. Aqaruim gravel in this pic would be okay to use primarlay as a top dressing and maybe a piece or two ( small amount) in a grity mix soil but it's just to polished or not pourus enough to be relaiable. Personaly I wouldn't use the AKA river polished materails as an ingrediant in part of a gritty mix. There proberly is a Ph balance use or a potted plant application ( Proberly a few 1000 if I had to guess.) for it but I hadn't used what the google pic shows in anything here. Keep it simple. Even in 100 % pourus sifted sand a lithop is at a five star Ritz Carlton when potted here. While out grit shoping think sizeable by sifting materails that are both pourus and sharp. This post was edited by nomen_nudum on Thu, Jun 26, 14 at 16:04

For the sake of time, I'll share what the estimate was. The plumber gave my builder an estimate of $6500 just to rough-in for a half bath in the basement and for a pump because the bathroom will be below the level of the septic system. It's an extra $500 to add a shower rough-in. So obviously if we're going to drop $6500 on the half bath it's worth an extra $500 for the shower as well. I just feel like $7k JUST for the rough plumbing is outrageous, especially considering the floor isn't poured yet and he's already on site doing the rest of the plumbing work.

My fiance and I have been looking to buy our first home for almost a year now. We have been looking for an older home (pre 1930's), because we love the historical feel, especially victorian architecture. A lot of us have that same dream. When I was a teen, I was dating a guy that was in a fraternity that was out of a beautiful Victorian. I remember the stairway, the flowers that were engraved in the wood. I remember the "dome room" and while it was a PITA to put furniture in, amazed me every time I went into it. I remember beautiful moldings, everything was etched and 3 or 4 fireplaces. It had a decent sized kitchen from what I remember, also had a servant room. Man I loved that house and swore that one day, if I could afford to have the house moved I would. The house was located in one of the worst neighborhoods. You had to lock your doors to drive there and run in the house. I bet that in it's day, it was one of the grandest houses. They ended up knocking it down, don't know when but I drove by about 16 years ago, there was nothing on the lot. Anyway, a lot of us have the same dream, to own a beautiful, grand house. Reality is the lack of things needed to live in it in today's world as Tricia said. Since you are not married with kids yet, it wouldn't really matter much, you would probably get by fine. Once you have kids and they start getting older is when you will notice how hard it is to raise a family there unless you luck out and get a house that has larger rooms where you can make closets, or one that has a decent kitchen. I wonder then if my fiance and I should actually change our dream to accomodate the current economy and the deals available? IMO, this might be a good idea, at least for now. Being newly married can be stressful. Unless the 2 of you are currently living together, you have to learn to live with your partner. How do both of you handle stress? Buying a house that you are working on all of the time is very stressful and could eventually start pulling you apart. You'll come home from work some days so tired but you have to sand & throw another coat of spackle on, or paint, or run out to the home store to buy supplies. Hubby & I worked on our last house starting 2 years after I moved in. We removed paneling, faux brick, painted, put in floors as well as putting a new floor frame on a concrete slab in the laundry area to build it up so that we could put a floor down. By the time we sold we were tired & cranky. Add to this a roof, electric upgrade, plumbing, which was a job in itself since there was only 1 shutoff valve, which meant we lost water for the day. We also did central air, a hot water heater as well as new furnace, and had planned to redo all of the baseboards as well. Are there any houses that are in between the old house and new construction for a compromise? You might be able to live a little bit more comfortably and not have to work as hard. It will also give you an idea of how the 2 of you work together as a team (or not). You can save the Victorian house for later on