So now I am going think about short mini vacations with your help.
6 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (38)
Related Discussions
do you 'think' about your own death? hope i am not morbid
Comments (15)Deb, I am the same way. My brother passed away over a year ago (I did not find out about that until 2 months afterward), and my mother just this past January. I think about death almost all the time now, and if not exactly death, then how my end will come, what disease will I get, who will take care of me. I read about the wonderful people on the caregivers forum, and as I have no children, I wonder what will become of me (I'm 45). What happens to those who can no longer speak for themselves? What happens? Sometimes the fear grips me so bad, I fear "losing it". Maybe that will be my punishment for not helping with the caregiving for my mother, and now for my very ill father. My sister was/is in charge of all that. Why? A long story...and I feel that although I am not entirely blameless in how things turned out, the twists and turns of our lives, our actions, our words, or lack of them, our whole family, led to the tragic situation as it unfolded. But I still feel guilt. When not thinking about death, I have other such morbid thoughts, like having visions/dreams of someone chopping down all my old trees after I'm gone, bulldozing my beloved perennial garden, throwing out my knick-knacks, books, letters.... Geez, I need a drink.... Anna...See MoreI think I am going to cry
Comments (28)Since you owe no money on your existing home, you'll get a much better rate and terms by doing a construction loan, then rolling it into a normal mortgage when the job is finished. I would HIGHLY suggest you apply for $100k. The work you're doing needs to include cost over run figures (and in one year...tell us what it cost...I bet it is at LEAST $100K). I'm doing a similar project...I'm pushing three times that figure. Yes I'm using some expensive products, but the basic GC fee was over $80K, and the plumbing and electric will total over $30K together. When your home is finished you'll have a final inspection and they'll wrap the deal into a full mortgage. They can use tax assessed value most likely (if the $100K is less than 80% of that figure) so costs will be quite low. I'm not sure which states still allow pre payment penalties (I thought most of those were gone by now) but do make sure there isn't one. Also, don't use an internet loan service. Go down to your local "big bank" (ie BofA) and a credit union if you must (I don't like them because they don't have to follow CRA) and then a local bank (state or community wide only). Compare apples to apples (same terms for the final loan, and ask what they can do with the construction portion) and compare the APR to the other APR's (not just the rate..which does not include the fees and other hidden or not hidden costs) and you'll know who has the best deal. DO NOT borrow more than 80% of the value of your home please. If you do, you'll be dealing with predatory lenders most likely. Please don't! (20 year banker begging you here)....See MoreI think I am going to do a temporary remodel
Comments (8)That kitchen sounds grim, and I think you should be happy living there while you make a plan, but I'd try small changes before completely replacing anything (unless you think your remodel might not be for years...then a tiny kitchen might be worth cheaply swapping out, depends on layout). I'm painting my cabinets and probably replacing counters, but when I got around to finally texturing and painting the walls, I was amazed at how much better everything else looked. If I'd done that first, maybe I could have lived with the rest a little longer. Also, some counters can be painted...not a great long-term solution, but possibly enough to get you by until you can completely remodel. The backsplash can be simply covered up, too; The Nester hot-glued beadboard panels to tile in her rental house, and there are adhesive stainless steel tiles that might work, too. IKEA can be great if it's close to you, but some have had issues getting the butcher block lately. If you won't be waiting too long to remodel, many live with plywood countertops while they're waiting. Do a cost benefit analysis of the different cheap fixes and compare them to your timeline, and you'll know what's worth it to you to change. Sometimes things look worse before you're living with it (maybe because it seems ugly & alien when it's still someone else's, but more familiarly quirky when it's yours?). I'm also really trying to remember Nester's motto: "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful". Helps me keep perspective when the potential wants, needs and costs are adding up. Here is a link that might be useful: The Nester's Beadboard Kitchen Make-over...See MoreI think I am going to have a nervous breakdown
Comments (39)My problems have been relatively minor so far. Demo started last Monday. On the first day, the power went off in my neighborhood for two hours. Not my GC's fault. This was, however, an omen. I had told the GC that I wanted the wall oven lower because I'm short, and he said he'd keep it at the same height as the current one. But, in fact, he raised it 6 inches. That one I caught in the framing stage, so he's fixing it. I think he forgot. Then he asked me as he was heading out to buy lights, did I want black or white UC lights. He recommended white, I'm not good with quick decisions (why I read GW for months) and said OK. Before I could tell him I really thought I'd rather have black, the white was installed (it was the same day - at least he's quick). That wasn't really his fault - I should have asked for time to decide. But we did discuss where to place the recessed lights, since the joist ran right where they should go, so they could be too close or too far from the cabinets, and I'm quite sure we had decided on too far, but he installed them, instead, too close. If this was due to a decision on his part, shouldn't he have mentioned it to me? I think he forgot again, and it was the same day. But I didn't notice until the ceiling drywall was done, so too late! The most recent thing is not really his fault, except indirectly. I'm donating the cabs and metal stuff to Habitat for Humanity Restore. They said they would be selling the oven for scrap, which was a shame, but at least it wasn't going to the landfill. When the GC demo'd, he put the oven in the driveway instead of the garage with the rest, and I reminded him that it was being donated (I'm seeing a pattern of forgetting here). I knew it was very heavy, so I told him that it was OK to leave it there - it was up by the garage, behind the dumpster, not easily visible from the street, and it didn't matter if it was rained on, but I told him to be sure not to put it in the dumpster. That was last week. Habitat comes tomorrow. Today, while my teenage daughter was home alone, a man and woman in a pickup truck came up the driveway with a dolley and took the oven, wheeling it between the dumpster and our Buick Rendezvous. My DD called my DH, who doesn't ever listen to me when I tell him what is going on, and he told her it was OK if someone could use it. She was afraid to go out and say anything to these people anyway - she's only 13. So my beloved oven was stolen by scrappers. I understand if something is at the curb, it's fair game, but no one should walk up your driveway and spend 15 minutes trying to figure out how to get an double oven into their pickup truck. I'm really PO'd. So it's been only 7 days of remodel, and I can't wait to see what's going to happen next. From now on, every piddling thing is going to be in writing. Still, my stories are nowhere near as bad as all of yours. Clearly, no amount of planning - or wine - is ever enough....See More
6 years ago
6 years ago
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
6 years ago- 6 years ago
6 years ago- 6 years ago
- 6 years ago
Related Stories
PETSSo You're Thinking About Getting a Dog
Prepare yourself for the realities of training, cost and the impact that lovable pooch might have on your house
Full Story
PAINTINGHelp! I Spilled Paint on My Clothes — Now What?
If you’ve spattered paint on your favorite jeans, here’s what to do next
Full Story
FUN HOUZZEverything I Need to Know About Decorating I Learned from Downton Abbey
Mind your manors with these 10 decorating tips from the PBS series, returning on January 5
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESNew Ways to Think About All That Mulch in the Garden
Before you go making a mountain out of a mulch hill, learn the facts about what your plants and soil really want
Full Story
COLORYou Said It: ‘Adding Color Is About So Much More Than Shock’ and More
Highlights from the week include color advice, Houzzers helping Houzzers and architecture students building community housing
Full Story
ARCHITECTUREDesign Workshop: Thinking Differently About Doors
Go beyond utilitarian openings to use doors as art, space definers and experience enhancers
Full Story
WORKING WITH PROS8 Ways to Keep Your Home Project Going While Helping Local Pros
Helping design and building businesses during this crisis offers advantages for homeowners
Full Story
SMALL SPACESDownsizing Help: Think ‘Double Duty’ for Small Spaces
Put your rooms and furnishings to work in multiple ways to get the most out of your downsized spaces
Full Story
LIFEWhat I Learned About Moving a Loved One to a Retirement Home
Setting up an elderly family member’s apartment in an assisted-care facility is a labor of love for this Houzz writer
Full Story
Elizabeth