Thanks for all the positive reviews. Natebear - another GWer gave me the website for the canisters from chefscatalog.com See link below. Now I have to figure out a way to store my tomatoes. Right now they're on the counter. suziqzer - I would love to see your pictures of the fireplaces and the mantels you used. Another room had a wall covering the fireplace. When the contractors were here we had them take the wall down. That brick was never suppose to be exposed but we will probably keep it as is. We may have to clean it up more. Not as pretty and "clean" as other brick walls. I have to figure out a mantel. All the other fireplaces on the 1st floor are marble or another stone (possibly slate - trying to figure that one out since it's painted and I will eventually strip it). I think the stone mantels in our house give a more formal presence and this FP does not have it. dallen11 - tapmaster and soap dispensers really help a lot in the kitchen with food allergies. I can easily wash my hands 10 times while preparing dinner. We're always worried about cross contamination. I have 8+ cutting boards so I never run out plus plenty of knives. Here is a link that might be useful: Fresh Valley Canisters

I would not let anyone talk you into leaving that maple where it is. I'm overstating the point to make it so please don't be offended - but it looks ridiculous there. It would be one thing if it were rendered insignificant by other mature trees in the yard, but as it is your major tree, to have it two feet from the foundation is simply absurd. And if your neighbours complain about your insensitivity, ask how much they'd like to contribute to the replacement of your foundation, which will be losing its battle with the tree shortly, or if they're up for going up the ladder to do your quarterly eaves-cleaning (the brain wards are full of people who have fallen off their ladders cleaning their eaves). And offer to buy them a maple just like it (get it identified on the maple forum if you don't know what kind it is) to plant in their own yards. In particular given the work you are planning on the house, you can be entirely excused - the tree will be horridly in the way, and it may even die. A convenient excuse - use it! Do talk to them in advance if you know they feel strongly, but it's your yard, not theirs. Karin L PS, I do like your fake closed window. PPS, I have raised two kids in a house with old siding covered in old peeling paint (and then there is the inside). Neither one is precisely mentally handicapped. I think throwing siding away to protect them from lead is thoroughly misguided. Other reasons to throw it away may be valid, like rotting and the paint won't stay on it (though I quibble with that diagnosis). Not to say you shouldn't do what you have planned, but just to be clear on your reasons. PPPS, if you put the siding for free on craigslist, you might not have to take it to landfill.

drymanhattan -> "Shaking loose insulation into the cavity seems so easy and cheap, I'm interested to know the reasons NOT to do it" Probably none if you got the insulation and the means to get up on your roof and pour it in yourself. (I am a little surprised that you have access around your liner from the chimney cap to do this. Mine have always been sealed up to the liner by concrete or a crown sealer that prevent this access.) My guess is that insulation around a liner in a ceramic chimney is probably less of an issue because the tile/brick/rock absorb heat from the liner and will retain and release it back onto the liner as the fire cools and goes out. It won't cool as rapidly as one that's insulated as the insulation has little to no thermal conductivity. But, obviously, opinions differ on this. For me, with my set up, Buck 92 insert w/ceramic wafer (catalytic burner), direct connection to the cap, I've only experienced a thermal inversion on a couple of occasions when first lighting the stove in the 11 years I've been using this stove. I may only start a fire 3 or 4 times a season as I tend to keep it going weeks at a time since it is my primary heat source. The catalytic wafer provides almost complete combustion of flue gases and seldom do I notice any creosote deposit on the liner. As akamainegrower notes, however, I do have to brush off creosote deposits on the screen under the cap.

Houzz won't allow me to edit title, so I'm stuck with "railroad", hopefully people have a sense of humor and can laugh it off. I'm getting a sense that what she really wants to do is extend the downspout across property lines and dump it onto the neighbor's drive ,-------------------------No, I'm not, I'm installing a downspouts that will directed to my front yard, think I've said it numerous times in past posts. but thanks for point it out due to current drought in socal, putting a grass in that the area might not be a good idea, Ci_lantro, I know you're trying to help and has been, your paver suggestion is good one and so is PVC drain pipe, I just hope that you read through to see my plan in past post, I always has been plan on installing drain pipe to my front yard, take out siding in downspouts area to enable me to backfill the soil so I can raise the elevation to create slope( at least up to where the block sits, still will be lower than blocks, my plan was not elevated enough that my soil/grade will be higher than neighbor's block) It is true that my gutter is partially installed, three licensed gutter companies who came out for estimates had similar gutter configuration/downspouts location so I went with middle price, well reviewed company. with ci_lantro's comments, I'm starting to think maybe more comprehensive gutter would have been better approach, pointing them about existing blocks. Ci-lantro, would you please take a look at below picture to see if you can advise on current gutters? Do you think i should have added gutter all the way around, two bumps that you see? can gutter be continue of one side of the house with bumps( bout 60ft) with one downspouts location( hopefully at front so that it would be easier to install drain pipe) I know without really looking at roof, it would be hard to say, but i guess what I'm asking is in general. there is one gutter downspouts on right corner. different view on concerned area. notice no gutter on bump towards front. front view looking at backyard. Talk to my neighbor is my last resort, I'm FULLY aware that having a resentful neighbor can lead more headache, and generally, I'd like to get along with everyone. I wanted to take care of my water drainage issue within my perimeter, I've said it in previous post but I'll said it again. it saddens to me to think that some people think that I'll build a soil higher than blocks to direct all my water to my neighbor's, THAT, I think not only illegal but VERY SELFISH thing to do. And if for somehow I mislead anyone this way by not clear on my past posts, please forgive me. Hopefully this pics and some capital letters will help. :) most of utility company will stop by today to mark where my utility lines are buried, those white flour mark is to let them know this is the area that I'll be digging. I'll report back once they mark the location. Thanks everyone.