Apparently, the mineral oil used with R12 doesn't mix with R134a and additionally provides a sealing effect on non-barrier type hoses so that the R134a doesn't leak through them. On some cars the clutch cycling pressure switch may need to be adjusted for R134a. I had my 1988 Ford Mustang 5.0 converted to R134a. Besides changing the fittings and installing a Smart VOV (which was my idea, my mechanic had never used them before), everything else is all original. The Smart VOV is a replacement orifice tube that self-adjusts for operating pressures and provides performance similar to a TXV system. It's supposed to provide colder air at idle with and reduce the load on the compressor. It was $20 at NAPA so it wasn't a big expense. I have no idea how much it helped compared to a standard orifice, but my mechanic was impressed. Anyway, all of that was about 4 years ago and the AC still works fine.

Guys/gals - not everyone GIVES AWAY remnants for free! And before all of you chime in about how someone else has already paid for that material - THINK AGAIN! Suppose your job need 1.25 slabs of stone to complete. I (stone guy) has to purchase 2 slabs as the yards don't sell 1/4 slab. Lets say each slab is 50 sq. ft. and you are being charged $60 a sq. ft. for your tops. DO you want to pay me $60 a ft. for just your 62 sq. feet, or would you like to pay me for all 100 sq. ft. of the slabs I bought so that the next guy can get a "free" remnant for his sorry little bathroom with just one little ol' sink cutout? Perhaps you'd also like to send me an check every quarter for the inventory tax I'm going to have to pay the city/state/county for just keeping that xtra 37 1/2 feet of slab that didn't go into your job? Still think you should get that little ol countertop for just labor? Just because the economy is headed down the tubes doesn't mean that stuff in the construction industry is "on sale" or "close out" prices any more than your physician is cutting his rates because socialized medicine is on the horizon. Nor, are either trying to gouge or rip you off. Sometimes it's an honest pricing error, and sometimes it's simple overhead. A Rolls cost more to make than a Benz and both cost more to produce than a Kia. Now a Rolls might not be for you, but it doesn't mean that it's 300k price tag is rip off or that there isn't that much value in the product.

I am up to about 25K in our master bath. In these homes of a certain era the huge master bath was all the rage. It was new construction 15 years ago with the gigantic whirlpool tub with cultured marble everywhere, bright brass fixtures and CARPET in the entire space even in the water closet. We had a leaking shower which started us on this journey and one thing led to another and ended up ripping out the shower, flooring, toilet and the counter tops, lighting fixtures and taking down the old wallpaper. A franchise company who advertises heavily in our area did the travertine floor with radiant heat, new shower floor, walls, glass enclosure, set the new toilet and new tub and did all tear out and plumbing charged us $16,700. But we supplied the toilet, granite countertops, tub, faucets, sinks, paid separately for the cabinet painting and new hardware and for the wallpaper to be taken down and repainted. That is where the other 7K came in. I wish I had found GW first to see all the beautiful bathrooms before we let them have at it. I just had someone come in to frame out the mirrors which were still there from the old bathroom, another $1500. I would have much rather hired a carpenter to add trim around the mirror but just couldn't find anyone to do it. I know I paid way too much. I will be honest and say that I do get a lot of compliments on the bathroom but if I had known that in the end I was going to spend this much I would have hired a K&B that could have helped me with finishes and perhaps avoided some costly and disappointing results. I must also admit that the freestanding tub with the British type of faucet was $3200 of the 7K we paid for the fixtures and fittings and also of that $1200 was for painting the existing cabinetry and adding end panels and for crystal door/drawer knobs.

I feel your pain with the cost of lighting and I hope this may help a bit. I just ordered from lightingdirect.com but in the past used Bellacor for our exterior lights. I switched to Lighting Direct because they offer coupon matching as well as price matching. I shopped around for the bathroom light I wanted - wound up to be $318 everywhere. I found a 10% off coupon from a competitor, asked LD if they would match and they sent me this link: http://www.lightingdirect.com/index.cfm/page/browse:category/categoryID/8283?intcmp=smlsplshcompcoupq109#homepage_ad Instead of the 10% I wanted, they had a 16% coupon listed that I used. 16 is a goofy number but it saved me $50. They also had free shipping and (from what I could see) no restocking fee. Now, I just ordered so I'm not sure about their shipping times or communication about back orders. Katrine822