Geesh...the grout in the wrong place must be the most common discussed problem with contractors. Amazing. Everywhere I go (hotels, restaurants, etc), there is more grouted change of planes, than caulked. I bet these same contractors in their homes....they are caulked, they know they will crack if grouted. But they just want to bang the job out and not return...so grouting everywhere is easier. Lesson to be learned....get it in writing in your contract and make sure you have teeth in your contract.Specifically, percent payment upon completion of a significant amount to make it worth their while to correct.

Ultimately this is to me the new "motherhood" where children are cosseted and protected ("I can't hang a picture on the wall next to the crib because it might fall on the baby" or buy ahouse with a swmming pool cause the child might drown) in ways that are beyond bordering on the absurd. We had a friend who married one of the most fun, charismatic and bright women I have ever met. Then she had a child. She brought the child to our adult only party and was so absorbed in this kid that her entire personality had been erased. It was the most tragic thing for her husband who eventually left her. I am not fond of today's toddlers because they are raised with no manners. You might say that toddlers are too young to have manners, but my children did not bang on furniture, stick their hands into food, or run wild through the rooms. We did not know to childproof and our kids knew to stay out of certain places. We didn't play with them 12 hours a day and they were left to their own devices while chores, personal time and other things were done. That resulted in children who were curious, had an imagination, weren't glued to the TV and knew how to play. And be by themselves and enjoy it. How novel! And the same with my friend's children. This is new phenomenon. We won't invite people with kids any more. The kids are little monsters and I don't need that disruption in my life.

I agree that the actual saggy curtained example is a poor one, but if you've ever lived with a kitchen like this, you would understand why "just closing it off" is not always best. It dedicated floorspace solely to the kitchen, and usually not enough to make it comfortable anyway: Putting a single wall kitchen in a closet or behind screens that close up IN the floorspace allows some of that floorspace to Flex for something else. Since Marcolo brought up my kitchen: Versus the before: And people DON'T get it. The comment by potential buyers is (other than the occasional "that looks stupid') is that the "kitchen is smaller than in the other units". It's *not, it's actually slightly *bigger in footprint to the front edge of the island, and functionally it is even bigger because I can prep or stage standing on the outer perimeter of the island while the primary cook is in the main work aisle. That wouldn't work with a wall there. So the illusion is probably too successful. Some people do blow out the entire wall, but that makes some of the apartments look like a kitchen with an apartment in it not an apartment with a kitchen in it. Done the right way, screening makes sense. I am not an "open plan" type of person if the house is large, but there are a lot of small spaces out there, at least where I live.

Oh, I so love Discworld. I got my first taste of Pratchett in the book he wrote with Neil Gaiman Good Omen, and fell in love, and later got hooked on his others. Lately Pratchett's Disc books have been less enjoyable - he has a tendency to want to hit you over the head with his message - but his first ones were great fun. But like you, I know other folks who just can't take him, but love the same sci/fantasy stuff that I do. Piers Anthony was like that for my DH. When we were first going together, he was browsing through my books and wanted to know what this one shelf was all about. Well, it was Xanth. I told him how I devoured them in college, and that he'd no doubt love them. So he took the whole shelf home with him. It was a while before I asked him what he thought, and he sheepishly said 'will you hate me if I tell you I couldn't stomach passed the first?" Well of course not - but then I decided to have a re-read. Oh my gawd. Pretty horrid. But wonderful memories.