Hi, The guys on the site are great and helped me decide what to buy. Ryan is spot on, get at least 3-4 more bids, Trane or American standard, Carrier would be my suggestion. Prices do vary but that seems very high I just had Trane 3 1/2 ton installed and love it. The quote to replace my coil was 900 but my fan was also going. I replaced a builders grade York only 8 yrs old. I did research for 2 weeks it is worth it . I had bids from $4700 to 8,4oo. You can see what I purchased it's on page 5, titled Trane xr 14 vs. Carrier 16. I asked all the sales reps. the same exact questions and compared what they said or recommended. Good luck and do your homework. I know more about Seer, Eer, hspf then I ever wanted to know. Checkout the dealers with the BBB and make sure you get the ach certicate from the dealer for the tax credit before they start the job.

I wondered if anyone else has ever found the need to sand walls that have been stenciled or faux finished. Back in the 80's I faux finished two rooms and have wallpapered those rooms ever since because I can't get the walls smooth enough. Because of this experience, I would never do a paint on paint design again. It is not hard to remove properly applied wallpaper. Thus, if one can afford to use paper instead of paint on paint, I would recommend that option.

1700 sf is ample for a family of 4 if it's structured correctly. In a house of that vintage, what is usually lacking is more storage space than living space. I'd loook at a different option than adding a master. Add on less expensive per square foot space, like maybe a separate garage or dedicated storage building on the property. That can take care of some of the internal clutter that makes the bome live smaller than it is. That will always be recoupable expense no matter the ultimate decision about other additions. Is the attic already living space? Perhaps another bath on top of an existing bath would make that easier to plumb, and a dormer added can make for a nice master suite there for less expense (and a more attractive look) than a rearward extension. Finally, cost isn't everything. The utility of wwhat you are purchasing is not without value, even though the expense isn't recoupable. After all, people save to eat a nice meal in a restaurant even though they can probably prepare a peanut butter sandwich and eat at home. The money spent is buying the experience as a total.

aktillery, well, that's what I call it because I don't know what it's really called. It's so cool, it could be called Fred and I'd still love it. :) Jillius, I know! I only have window coverings if needed for privacy. So glad they're not needed in this house due to our location and being above the road. People can see up at us if we're standing or sitting right next to the window (in kitchen and dining room only) but it's not like I'm going around topless so I don't really care. And we're almost at the end of a dead end road so there is little traffic anyway. About the TV, I'm lobbying to be totally rid of it. We don't watch much TV here so it isn't much of an issue except on the rare winter day when the sky is clear, the sun is bright and we want to watch something in the day time. And it is a rare day when all those things occur all at once! I have a tall piece of cardboard that I prop up on the windowsill when that happens. If we watch for several hours, I have to move it a few times to follow the sun. Since nobody can see our living room window from outside, in the living room lawn juts out enough to block the view from the street below, only someone coming to our front door would see it and wonder who the loonies are. If they're friends, they already know we're looney and it might scare away the door-to-door sales or religious folks. I totally agree. Comfy couch. In turquoise orr tangerine!