Charming Homes (?)
jeri
4 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (33)
Mark Bischak, Architect
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Well, I finally did it. Goodbye Lawn!
Comments (12)I have zero help on what to plant but you need to finish getting rid of the Bermuda Grass first. Its an ugly process. Weeds that grow from seeds are way down the priority list compared to the problem below the surface. Don't disturb the soil because you don't want to break off the Bermuda Grass and leave pieces that are very deep and will not come back for many months. You need to water deeply and wait for the Bermuda to come back up. You can gently pull on them and see if they are shallow. Don't break them off. Mostly that is a waste of time. Hit the new growths with Round Up. Repeat until there aren't any new growths of Bermuda Grass. You will probably need to repeat this 4-5 times so you are looking at a 3 month process. If you try to do this in a month you will have lots of remaining Bermuda that will sprout. You will need to be vigilant and Round Up every new growth. If you have established plants at that time, the best way is to dab Round Up Concentrate directly on the sprout. The plants system will circulate it through the plant. An alternative process on such a small area is to completly sift the top 8" of dirt to remove all the Bermuda Grass rhizomes. I understand that the best way to do this on the other side is to mow the Bermuda short and then use lots of Round Up on it. That gets down into the rhizomes and then very little will come back. I'm not a huge fan of Round Up, or any chemicals for that matter, but this is an ideal use of Round Up. Edited to add: I forgot to mention that the rhizomes from the remaining side can spread under the walkway and recontaminate your hard work. This post was edited by GregBradley on Sat, Apr 19, 14 at 13:05...See MoreAsbestos, Electrical & Lead - Oh My!
Comments (26)Live wire oak, that's funny. Had we proceeded my number was $150,000 pending soil, water,lead, and air testing, on his dime, plus an escrow for full asbestos remediation and complete disclosure on any other known defects or hazards. That's not going to happen so we moved on. I think the seller's a terrible human being. This guy would have allowed a family with children to move into a home that could ruin their health and finances. The abestos in the house is not the hard-pressed tile kind that is only a problem if it's disturbed. This is the soft, flaky airborne kind floating in all the crawl spaces and in the utility area. The photos look like a poster child for the EPA's website. We notified the seller that we were voiding the contract. He revealed to my agent that he knew about all the problems mentioned so he wasn't surprised. Apparently, this very scenario has happened to the seller before. So, it sounds like he's planning to wait for the next buyer and hope they have a less thorough inspector. He believes his property is worth a million dollars and he's wants his money. Virginia is a "buyer beware" state that allows homeowners to either disclose material defects or disclaim knowledge meaning the owner makes no representations or warranties as to the condition of the property or any improvements. I really don't know if some future buyer would have a giant lawsuit or not but why should they ever be placed in such a position? I wish there was something we could do to warn others. That being said, the contract says we are to provide him with a copy of the home inspection which has been sent. Will that help the next buyer? Probably not. However, I do suspect the word will somehow spread in the realtor community that the property comes with big, flashing, caution lights. Good news for us...we made an offer on our "back-up" house. Great lot, same area, fully rennovated, much smaller but now with a much smaller price tag that will enable us to build an addition. Due to a relocation, the sellers are very motivated. After six months on the market, they've seen the light and cut the price by 25%. We jumped. It'll be a great home if it all works out. It's been three years since we sold our last home so we're ready....See MoreReally good (fiction) book ...
Comments (11)I want to thank you all SO MUCH for the book suggestions! I know I'm a broken record, but now that my younger son (he's two years-old) has gained more independence I've been able to read more (as I'm able to get chores done while he's awake [and he "helps" me] rather than waiting until he's asleep to tackle everything), and I am not kidding, I am in heaven. Heaven! I do most of book searching by reading Sunday book sections as well as Entertainment Weekly / Newsweek book reviews and Amazon recommendations (you know, people who've purchased this book have also purchased X, Y and Z). I haven't been able to happily browse in the library since my children became mobile (my eldest is four) -- they love books and reading (or being read to) as well, but I'm uncomfortable leaving them alone in the children's section while I peruse the adult books. I first read Bill Bryson when we were living in Australia: I read his In a Sunburned Country and fell in love with his writing! In junior high school I read Fannie Flagg's Coming Attractions and think she did a great job evoking the time and place and style. Plus she made me laugh aloud, repeatedly. I participate in PaperBack Swap, a place where you can post your books to send to other members (it's a free club) and you can request books, too. Like, I posted a handful of books I no longer needed to own (paper- and hard- back) and various members requested them. I sent the books to them. I requested books in which I was interested (doesn't matter whose they are -- you receive credits for posting books, and you use those credits to request books from other members). One I recently read and which made me howl was Trisha Ashley's Every Woman for Herself -- definitely old British manor house descriptions galore in that one! Oh, and I Capture the Castle (lovely, lovely story) by Dodie Smith in which a family castle plays a significant role. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell takes place in Greece and besides being a delightful read also colorfully describes the family's home there. There was a horrible Katie Fforde I recently read (cannot recall the title at present ...) but boy did she do a terrific job describing the beautiful house, its wallpaper / furnishings, the kitchen and its set-up and the garden. Too bad the story itself was crap. I've never read or really read about Death by Inferior Design but I do love the title! I remember a few years ago reading a blurb about a nonfiction memoir by an American woman who married a Scots and how she rehabbed his family castle and had marital difficulties ... but I was never able to remember either the author or the title. I think I read about it in either House & Garden or Town & Country; searching online has yielded nothing (and I have tried). Maybe when my two year-old starts nursery school next year I can go to the library and comb through old issues of both magazines and see if I can come up with it. It sounded right up my alley!...See MoreA blast from the past that gives me chills!
Comments (9)That's a sad house :( We were married in 79. Lived in my husband's bosses rental for 7 months before moving to an apt in N. Dallas for a year and back to E. Texas to build the home we're still in so I don't have any stories except for the exploding gas oven in the rental house. All I knew was electric. My mother had me terrified of gas cooking appliances and gas for heating. We'd huddle together in a recliner during the winter because I was too afraid of the gas tank getting too low and leaking (or something). It was a 200 gallon tank and when it got to 25%, I freaked LOL. Then I once turned on the gas oven and several minutes later remembered that I had forgotten to light the pilot light. I went flying across the kitchen when I lit the match! It was a small pleasant house. I think DH's boss spiffed it up for us more than he would have someone he didn't know :) Our Dallas apt was brand new and just a mile or so from the Valley View Mall (for those of you familiar with Dallas). We only had one car then and when David got home from work, I'd hit the mall, often till closing time. I'd NEVER walk alone to my car in a big city parking lot now. What WAS I thinking!?...See MoreUser
4 years agoOne Devoted Dame
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agobeckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
4 years agojmm1837
4 years agobpath
4 years agocpartist
4 years agochicagoans
4 years agocpartist
4 years agoworthy
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agowhaas_5a
4 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
4 years agoDonald
4 years agojmm1837
4 years agoCocotini Hartman
4 years agoDiana Bier Interiors, LLC
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoLori Wagerman_Walker
4 years agobeckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
4 years agojeri
4 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
4 years agoaprilneverends
4 years agoKate E
4 years agoaprilneverends
4 years agobtydrvn
4 years agobtydrvn
4 years agobtydrvn
4 years agobpath
4 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
4 years agoHolly Stockley
4 years agojohn3582
4 years agoLidia
4 years agoLori Wagerman_Walker
4 years ago
Related Stories
EXTERIORS10 Ways to Bring Charm to Your Home’s Exterior
Give your facade, driveway or garage doors a more appealing look to make a strong first impression
Full StoryTRAVEL BY DESIGNHomes Away From Home: 10 Charming U.S. Bed-and-Breakfasts
Looking for a more personal stay on your getaway? These homey bed-and-breakfasts roll out the welcome mat in style
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNBathroom of the Week: Historic Home’s Charming Addition
A new master bathroom in a Seattle Craftsman blends traditional looks with modern convenience
Full StoryMY HOUZZSweet Christmas Charm in a Renovated 1949 Home in California
Splashes of cheery sunshine yellow and shiplap walls are a backdrop to holiday decor in this decorator’s forever home
Full StoryDECORATING STYLES18 Ways to Bring English Country Charm Home
From topiaries and climbing roses to toile and tea, these design ideas can skew cozy casual or manor formal
Full StoryTRADITIONAL HOMESHouzz Tour: A Family-Friendly Home Keeps Its 1930s Charm
This updated Los Angeles home is full of cozy nooks and period details, giving it lots of vintage appeal
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDESDecorating Around the World: British Style Charms Any Home
Whether you want country home style or the look of a luxurious loft, something British might be just your cup of tea
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: Eclectic Industrial Style in a Charming Chicago Home
A cool black and white palette and DIY touches make this updated Victorian shine
Full Story
bpath