Get a big shop vac, and a couple of extra filters for quick change outs as sawdust and sheetrock dust clog them fast. Brooms work best to get the heavy stuff first. Also grab a gallon of lacquer thinner and some razor blade scrapers. The scrapers can take whatever overspray, stickers on windows down pretty well, then finish up with laquer thinner. Be careful around finished surfaces. Might need an air compressor with a spray nozzle some, but this really just blows dust out that well settle elsewhere, so do it first. For places you just can't reach with a shopvac.

Car with standard transmission uses about 5 - possibly 10% less fuel. Skilfully done, car drivers can save even more. When you see a traffic signal turn yellow ahead - there's no law that says that you have to keep your foot continuing to push on the throttle! Then hit the brake, about a hundred feet from the intersection. Foot off of the throttle: coast toward the light. If you know it fairly well, you may be able to arrange to arrive close to the last car in the line just as it starts to move forward, and it takes less fuel to increase the speed while rolling that to start rolling from a standing stop. I often push in the clutch and turn off the ignition when I see a light go yellow ahead ... and can often manage to keep the car rolling as I approach a red light when it turns to green. Some say that coasting with the engine off is illegal in their jurisdiction, so best check with the legal people before you try that: the police here say that I am to be in charge of my vehicle at all times. No jack-rabbit starts when the light turns green, either. Try to arrange to travel with a friend driving a car that tells immediate fuel economy levels, get him to make a jack-rabbit start from a light that just turned green - and see your jaw drop as you see what mileage per gallon is being obtained at that point. Try to drive as closely as possible to the same speed, and a few miles/kms. per hour under the speed limit ... but not so far under as to be a hazard to the free flow of traffic. That's made easier by leaving a cushion of space between you and the car ahead ... and try not to get too incensed when other drivers pull into that hole in your lane, stealing your cushion. ole joyful

lavender_lass, I thank you for this thread. It's nice to know that most are VERY happy with their kitchens. You asked for some other question, a bit more positive, and it seems to be that people have started asking the other participants here for help in defining and describing the articles that they bought and have to send to Craigslist. About three weeks ago I mentioned that I hated the hassle of selling all those little things that I bought and have to get out of my personal inventory now. Since I did not use a bound notepad or booklet to track things, I am having a hard time listing my stuff. It's technical things that might only appeal to specialists: Aqua iPex fittings, Kerdi membrane (an entire 500' roll), a Franke undercounter water filter unit, a Wedi shower pan, a pocket door frame, etc). I also have an array of unusual faucets that I ultimately don't want to install. Two of them are knockoffs of the Kohler Karbon. Looks like it's all part of the learning curve. I'm not looking forward to the time and hassle from real buyers (who can be weird and mistrustful and worse than that) and from others, who claim to be "out of the country" but will arrange for "a cashiers check." HtH

I am not sure how frequent reassessment is, but for me this is not germane to the topic because they will come. I have no idea what I can expect to save, but I am on a trajectory to find that out soon. It is certainly not a common goal. Sometimes when you wonder into territory that most people don't, you are trailblazing and other times you are just lost. In this case, I suspect you are very probably lost. The reason this is not a common goal is that the math just doesn't work out for most people. Simply spending less money is a great idea, and so is keeping maintenance and upkeep in mind. However, in the end, if your drive towards ad valorem savings accelerates maintenance, or leads to non-standard material you will probably spend more than the savings themselves are worth. The actual value of a dollar of annual tax savings is something between $9 and $11. So $500 of annual tax savings which is probably about $70,000 of home devaluation in middle Tennessee is worth between $4,500 and $5,500 of cash outlay during the build. Also since the value is only $4,500 to $5,500 almost any accelerated maintenance because of this plan wipes out the savings. ---- My personal advice is build smart, modest, and standard, then the net savings will be better than any tax savings. I am of the opinion that the words, "I have a great idea that you haven't seen before" never go with the words, "and it will save a ton of money." Just my 2 cents...