Thanks everyone. We definitely replaced the belts with Maytag ones (from a Maytag store). We compared them to the old ones and they are the same. My husband said that the motor does move (although maybe it doesn't move smoothly enough).....so we'll lube the rollers. We compared the new pump pulley depth/width with the old one and they appeared the same. My husband thinks maybe that piece of wire did something to the pump, so that it just doesn't turn well at the speed required, which then stresses the drive pulley. Is that possible? (But wouldn't the pump pulley also get heated up?) I hope we haven't ruined the new belt. It did smoke a little. Okay........good suggestion to put old belts back on. But.....what will that tell us if its okay? When husband took old belts/pump off, the pump was all the way to the left. We assumed that would be too loose for a new belt, so its sitting in the middle now. We have the new pump belt WAY loose, in attempt to not let it squeal. Sorry to ramble. This washer is driving us both crazy. But we're really trying to make it work without a repairman. We'll see if that's possible! Keep the suggestions coming. We'll work more on it this evening. Thanks so much!

Let's see... 1) Only read the happy posts here if you want it to be fun. Otherwise you'll have your mood dampened. And you'll start worrying about things that might never come to pass with your build. 2) Go live far, far away from the building site, where you cannot be contacted. Leave your cell phone at home. Give a Power of Attorney to someone who will have the authority to make all decisions, execute all documents on your behalf. 3) Plan fun, busy, yet relaxing things to do while you're away. Like on the extreme makeover shows where they send the family away to have fun while they build their house. They'll bring you back when it's time to move in! That's about it. Since you will NOT do those things, or cannot do those things, here are my alternative suggestions: 1A) Decide how much of your time and life's energy you are willing to devote to the build. As you go along you'll learn how to adjust those personal resources to adequately meet the demands of your tasks. Heed the word 'adequately'. Aim to do the least possible; lower your standards; keep everything simple; decide that some things can be done badly. How shocking! 2A) Clear your and your family's schedules for the duration of the build--not just the builder's projected timetable. Because during the build you will have lots of "little emergencies" and "we need a decision by tomorrows" to contend with. If little Johnny has taken up martial arts in addition to another after-school activity, the whole family will suffer. Everyone must scale back their schedule. Everyone must have unscheduled time that is available for the demands of the build. They will feel put-upon, and act martyred and you will feel guilty. But the family will fare better for it. Plan some fun, easily taken up and put-down family activities to fill any unscheduled hours that remain unclaimed by the build. (You will not do this either, because it seems either unnecessary or too burdensome on the poor children; you--and they-- will live to regret that decision.) 3A) Whichever adult has the most flexible schedule, and/or is thought to be the design whiz, will become the most stressed out one. She should, in advance, write into her schedule, inviolable times for favorite stress-reducing activities every: day (20 mins. 3 x daily); week (1 hour away from it all at least 3 x weekly); a monthly 3-day mini-vacation if she borrows a friend's basement to retreat to and sits by the window sipping tea. You will not do this either, since it seems entirely too greedy and you simply can't get away like this. The entire family will suffer as a result and come to resent you for getting snippy, full of sighs, catching more colds, whatever form of nastiness attacks you when you are overly stressed. 4A) Cultivate your sense of humor. Collect cartoons and funny sayings. Develop a mantra. These things will serve you well. Because while the process might not be FUN, it can at least be FUNNY! Others will fill in here with far cheerier advice than mine. I'm of the school that says, plan for the worst and then you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Just to be clear, I don't see causation for the developer, it isn't that you and your attorney can't argue causation for the developer, feel free to sue him and roll those dice, but it is an expensive get. Your chances of winning are much less than they are against the builder, and you are unlikely to be awarded attorney fees on a negligence case with this many questions. You must show that the developer had a duty and but for neglect of that duty your house would not have these issues. There are many problems with this assertion, first, and hardest to overcome, is if you knew the approved builders before you bought the lot then you found them acceptable. You have to prove that the developer had a duty to the homeowner. Someone please tell me how selling a lot with certain covenants and restrictions creates a duty for him to fully insure the benefit of those covenants and restrictions that supersedes your acceptance of those covenants and restrictions. That is just one of the three things that you are going to have difficulty overcoming. Once you establish duty, you have to show that there was no reasonable action available that would negate the damage, noting that there are other builders available you would have to prove that they all have similar issues. Once you get past that, you have to prove that the developer actually neglected his duty, which since he has kicked the builder off the development is another tough get. It just seems like a tough win, that is going to cost more than you end up with. Sorry, but that is my opinion. ---------------- Along with my father I have developed several mixed use developments (homes, apartments and shopping), and I am currently a member of an LLC developing a small shopping/condo warehouse district development. I am not saying the developer will not want to help, I am saying as a developer, access is the leverage I have (the money that builders can make from me). Once the builder is removed he is going to tell me to go pound sand. I will happily testify on your behalf if need be, however, if I start paying for things to get done I am opening myself up to an argument that I accepted responsibility. As much as I want financing and publicity to be positive, that has to happen on the front end. I can't start paying for the mistakes that builders make without opening myself up to being responsible for every problem by every homeowner.

Our last house was built in 1919. There was something like a foundation at the back that might have been for a garage. How wide was a Model A? I don’t know, but a modern car would not have gotten a door open! We parked in the driveway. It rarely snows in Seattle (and not a good idea to be on the roads then). We got waterproof cars and kept all the toys in the basement. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the American garage obsession, but my new house and I have different quirks...