Planning a landscape. Am I making mistakes? How much should it cost?
John Freeman
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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Embothrium
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoYardvaark
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Bad shower tile mistakes... Should I make them fix?
Comments (7)Oakrunfarm -- We had a lot of problems with our tile installation, and my advise to you is to bring it up with the installers and builders and see what solution they have, after you make it clear - nicely of course -- that these things are not acceptable to you. In one bathroom, where we used white hexagon tile for the floor, the tiler only grouted half of the floor one day, because for whatever reason they didn't get enough of the color they needed. That should have been a red flag to us -- why did we let them get away with grouting only part of the floor at one time? Live and learn. It was a gray color grout. So they came back a week later to do the rest, only the grout didn't match, even though the label on the box said it was the same color! It was noticeably different, like pale gray compared to charcoal gray, and on the same floor! They also used it to grout the entire bath area, which had white subway tile. My husband and I worried about it overnight, fought over it, and finally decided to tell them it was wrong. They came and looked, and the owner agreed with us that it looked noticeably different, and he sent someone down to remove all the grout and redo it. It was a huge dirty job, and time consuming, but they did it. I'm happy. In the same bathroom, they laid the tiles on the ceiling over the tub in a crooked pattern, and it took us a while to notice why there seemed to be something wrong with it. This was 4x4 inch tile, so by the time you got to one end of the run, it was off by a whole tile! Again, we told them, and the owner made the tiler rip out the whole thing. This solution involved the contractor having to redo the framing over the tub, because it turned out the ceiling had been framed incorrectly. Talk about a complicated repair! But they did it, and it looks good and I'm happy. We also had trouble with glass tiles in the niches. They redid them once, and they still looked horrible. We ended up getting a whole new tiler (we told the old one it was fine, but in fact I resolved to do them over myself or hire someone else to redo them, which we did in the end). The new tiler did a fabulous job on the niches, but I will always worry that the waterproofing was compromised because they were redone not once, but twice. I'm just not gonna worry about it now. So yeah, stuff happens, even when you're there. But you'll feel a lot better if you bring the problem to the attention of those doing the work. If you're lucky, they'll fix it.I would always tell our GC, "don't you want to be proud of this job when it's done?'' And to tell the truth, he was responsive to my complaints, and now that it's done, he is proud of this job, as are we. Stick to your guns, and good luck....See MoreInduction vs. Gas.. Am I making a mistake?
Comments (98)As promised I tried cooking on both induction and gas for most of the evening and did identical dishes on the same pan, here are my thoughts: I was more than impressed with capital and every single bit of information here has been accurate about the culinarian. The simmer was fantastic high heat was more than anyone will use in a day-to-day residential kitchen but it�s there if you need to do wok cooking or some quick water boil. I was very happy with the culinarian and was practically sold but had to reserve my judgment until I had tried the induction. Now I have waited a good day or so before writing my thoughts so I can process everything I experienced and be as objective to my needs as possible. My one word experience with induction has been "magic". The induction usage was same as the culinarian, i.e. I made the same dishes and I did not alter my cooking at all. I tossed the items (vegetables) by lifting my pan and it made little to no difference as you do it once or twice and put it back on. The amazing magical factor was the lack of sweat on my forehead even as few burners were going doing various things. Magical aspects included lack of atmospheric temperature increase and accuracy of level of heat - holding sauces directly in the pan (butter without burning and cream based sauce, sure would be true for chocolate also). Without going overboard praising induction cooking I will say everything people have mentioned in terms of lack of heat loss, efficiency & cleaning of these cooktops have been very humbly stated. I am more confident than before that I will be going the induction route and enjoy a clean looking contemporary kitchen with little to no cleanups after cooking and not to mention a much cooler kitchen in summer. One thing that concerned me was power sharing issues and I realized even while water boiling the bosch if group 1 or 3 is used it shuts the shared hobs off but water boiling is something I don't do everyday and if I do what are the chances all groups are being used? Water boiling for pasta can be done on group two whose boosting does not disable anything. So the power sharing is a non-issue for me. I personally cannot come up with any reason to go to boost except water boiling and trying to heat oil for deepfrying, the high level of heat from the hobs is already hot enough and the hobs reach the set level so quickly that you don�t have to blast it on powerboost to get the temp and reduce it down. Someone had mentioned water boiling (I did not do this test on both times but I did boil water and I was gobsmacked at how quickly the induction boiled water at 9 without any flames)is quick but how quickly would it carmalize onions. I did cook some vegetables and I decided to carmalize the onions for funs sake on both culinarian and the induction. For both devices I did not go max heat and lower it down I set the heat level with oil in and started to cook, I timed both and the induction was a wee bit quicker. This is of no huge importance to me on which device you can quick faster on, they are both excellent devices and for me personally the pros outweigh the cons for the induction. I think whoever is trying to decide between gas and induction; that you should atleast go out and try to cook on both devices and then make up your mind. I am looking forward to cooking without dripping sweat all over and requiring showers after most cooking sessions. I did not do any steaks or burgers or pork chops. I cooked some eggs, a quick stir fry, boiled some pasta, thawed frozen sauce and just held butter on low. All this was done on a capital range top and a bosch 800 series induction in the same location and same day....See MoreAm I making a tragic mistake in the Master Bathroom?
Comments (28)Dang I wish you lived here...I have a door I'd actually give you (you just have to tile to my specs). It's a $3,700 door :O( (Frameless, very thick glass) Our idiot first contractor didn't build to spec and I had to order a new one to fit the space...that hurt!!! But my answer is going to be the same (unless you want to drive up and pick up mine LOL) go shower curtain and be sure to use tension rods. If you go with the framed door, they'll need to drill into your tile foundation to mount them so in addition to changing out the horrible framed door, you'll have some tough tile repair to do as well, a totally needless expense if a curtain will work. I'd also do an inner curtain (not plastic please...they make nice cloth, waterproof cloth, liners for under $20 sold everywhere). Then hang a nice curtain that fills the space and matches your lovely new bath so you don't have to look at your temporary solution as a bad thing every day :) I don't know what type of door you did end up going with, but I saw variations in the thousands between my very thick frameless (and bronze colored) door and what a thinner (or standard) door in clear would have cost. Keep in mind that it might be ok to get a few more bids as long as they have the look you want, unless a heavy door is your dream...then just hang on until you can afford it. And let's see some pics of this pretty new space please :) You owe us now LOL...See MoreAm I making a mistake
Comments (21)This dilemma has caused me to lose some sleep. I had hoped that my original plan for the simple dry wall return would let the organic elements of the kitchen; the natural walnut, the lovely madre perla, the posts and beams, shine through. I didn't think I needed the element of window trim, I thought it would be too much in the kitchen. I felt that letting the organic elements shine was in keeping with the feel of the house. Admittedly some of it is also construction driven; the fridge needs to fit under the knee brace that is unseen and behind it in the renderings (another knee brace can be seen separating the sunroom and kitchen) with that space constraint the matching window trim looks crowded to my eye. Also I want to do lights above the windows(I cannot do ceiling mounted light as there is no ceiling per se just drywall mounted to the flooring above). The sconces over the trim and between the ceiling beam is very crowded. Palimpsest: to answer your questions about backsplash I plan to continue the madre perla up behind the sink, even with the length of that window. My slabs do not have enough stone to do both sills, and I think only doing one would be wrong. I can paint the wooden sills or I could do walnut sills. Behind the stove, I am undecided: I may tile that whole wall between the fridge and the post in the corner in a simple subway tile in a tone to compliment the madre perla. I may tile just from the window over to the post. I may just do a stainless splash. I may try to find a scrap of madre perla and do that. The other element I am undecided on is the open shelves to the left of the sink; floating shelves, walnut shelf brackets, stainless brackets, no shelves and a piece of artwork painted by my FIL for which I have been seeking a great space. I really appreciate all the feedback and opinions. I value your advice and hearing all the comments is helping me to solidify my own ideas and plans. Keep 'em coming....See Morelaceyvail 6A, WV
4 years agocecily 7A
4 years agoChristopher CNC
4 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoEmbothrium
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agoDave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agoChristopher CNC
4 years agoYardvaark
4 years agoDave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoWayne Danielson
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoChristopher CNC
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoJohn Freeman
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoDave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agomelle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoChristopher CNC
4 years agocyn427 NoVaZone7
4 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agofrankielynnsie
4 years agoChristopher CNC
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A