The Home Ownership Thread

[Medwed]

My guess is because anything intelligent must be discouraged? :foo:

 

[jbarwick]

We finally close on both houses Thursday. Less than 2 months for the whole process of putting it on the market - close. Only had to shave 3.3% off of our asking price and have the carpets cleaned...new house is 2760 sq ft of solid ~3/4" hardwood floors. My dad who refinishes hardwood floors on the side said he hasn't see anything like these floors before in quality and thickness. Wish post pics when we finally move in and sweep up the dust.

 

[RedLantern]

Congrats! What year is the house?

 

[jbarwick]

Either 1959 or 1960. Built by an engineer at the time and is holding up a lot better than other houses in this particular part of town.

 

[Ataturk]

The prehung door with the built in blinds is about $240. The glass insert is... about $240. That really makes me mad.

 

[jbarwick]

Are the outcomes going to be of similar quality? Weird a door to a utility closet would be glass though.

 

[RedLantern]



Either 1959 or 1960.  Built by an engineer at the time and is holding up a lot better than other houses in this particular part of town.

Same vintage as my house, which has oak floors.

Are yours oak as well?

I'm happy that my house has wood floors, and they will look pretty good when they get refinished, but I'm a little bit underwhelmed with the quality. I think I'll always yearn for quarter-sawn . . .

 

[Ataturk]



Are the outcomes going to be of similar quality?  Weird a door to a utility closet would be glass though.  

It's got an entry door. Problem is that it's a big room with just two windows, including that door.

I think you've got the right idea, there. Do whichever one ends up better. And I knew I should have just bought a new door and put it in. It would have been easier than fixing the one I've got. Unfortunately I was so pissed off at being quoted the same price for the glass as the door that I didn't take our advice, so I ended up pulling the door off, sanding it, bondoing it, removing the window and cleaning up the frame, and bondoing the jamb. I was going to do another door so I just bit my lip and did both. So I guess I'll just skip the blinds-in-glass thing.

I'm not even sure how that door ended up like that. It looks like someone replaced the door at some point (but not the jamb) and bored the lockset in the wrong place. Either that or they bought some messed up seconds and never painted the inside of the door. The house is full of messed up doors -- strike plates that don't line up, mortises for plungers drilled crooked. The original knobs were all loose enough to fit, but I ended up having to ream out all the holes to make new ones fit.

I still have to replace or fix the brickmold to get rid of the stupid storm door. When all this is done the door still won't be as good as it would have been if I'd just replaced it.

 

[jbarwick]

Our entry door from the garage into the house was made out of some 2x4's to make a frame then wood panelling nailed to it. I assume it is an odd size so the previous owners made this but it is on my long list of things to do.

 

[Ataturk]

Of course the brickmold behind the frame for the storm door is mush at the bottom. I really hate storm doors. Broke that sucker taking it off and don't regret it a little bit.

 

[otc]



Of course the brickmold behind the frame for the storm door is mush at the bottom. I really hate storm doors. Broke that sucker taking it off and don't regret it a little bit.

Whats not to like about storm doors?

In the summer you can put the screen in and leave your door open...

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I hate our storm door as well but my wife won't let me remove it (I reserve the right to tear it off the frame in a fit of anger after it wails my heel), most of the time using it is spent awkwardly dealing with it while bringing in groceries or packages.

 

[Douglas]

The biggest favor our contractor did was smash the storm door into 1000 tiny pieces by accident. I was pissed at first when it happened. He told me he'd take care of it, though in the meantime he took it off the hinges completely. I had forgotten about it by the time we finished things up and then when I remembered it 4 months later I realized how little I was actually missing.

We have a screen door at the kitchen back door and occasionally I think of nixing that one too.

 

[hookem12387]

I like our storm doors

 

[Ataturk]

So apparently all anybody recommends anymore is PVC (i.e. plastic) brickmold. I guess it won't rot...

I also managed to find a local source for that blinds-between-the-gass glass. Had to order it, but $116 plus tax. How much you want to bet it turns out to be one of those cheap, flimsy add-on things instead of replacement glass like I specified?

This, on the other hand, is the real deal: http://www.menards.com/main/doors-w...-glass-for-exterior-door/p-1518087-c-6254.htm

If the local guy gets the wrong thing that's where I'm going.