Home Improvement Today?

Tiles on the first floor and lots of new paint

 

These are just the photos I took of that CR magazine I spoke of. We are gutting our kitchen in the spring too.

You'll have to zoom to see what types of items each is rating but you can also see across brands where the reliability is.

I don't plan to buy one brand for all my appliances. I'm getting the best I can afford for each. Regardless of brand.

 

Because all of these new appliances are electronically controlled - gone are the days of mechanical controls. Microwaves do not have a dial timer you twist to start it up...you have to input all sort of parameters through an electronic touchpad that controls a motherboard which sends/processes signals. If one thing acts up or has a weird bug in it, the whole system is affected.

The old ones still work fine most of the time because there was hardly anything to break/wear out. The new ones comes with all sorts of conveniences but include a lot more technology which is prone to failure. Sort of like new cars: if your nice auto up/down feature on your driver side window fails, the whole window stops working. The mechanical roll windows never stopped working unless your arm got tired.

 

I agree. Simplicity is best. (Isn't that why many of us debadge?)

Our first micro was dial. One for cook, one for defrost. That all I use it for.

 

How on earth did you survive without the "popcorn" button? Barbaric days those were....smh

 

Honestly, I thought about it. I saved a ton of money doing the build myself, only paying pro's for the 11x16 (read large) garage door, and the, imo, long gutters. Yes, I probably could have saved another $600-$1000 also doing those items. I had a quote for $20k to do the barn. I did it myself, added a 12x42 lean-to to one side, over built the shit out of it, learned a LOT, and I believe I sit around 15k. I haven't sat down to add up all the receipts yet, as winter is coming and I've still got a lot to do around the house before.

Some, well maybe all, of that decision was the mrs. So instead I added 3 windows by the eave on the south side. Time will tell if it's enough. I don't mind turning on lights to do a project, but I just didn't want to if I had to grab a tool or something.

 

I've never owned a microwave and likely never will

actually thats not entirely true , I picked one up from the Lion's Club to microwave / steam bend some cedar shingles but not for kitchen use

 

No windows keeps out prying eyes.

Be careful with "Black Friday" deals. With the factories ramping up for the holiday rush, quality takes a back seat and nose dives.

Diagonal is also an option. Diagonal seems to expand small rooms.

 

My first microwave lasted almost 30 years. Finally broke for the last time, last year. When we replaced it we wondered why we waited so long. The new one was under $200 and does everything we need it to. Probably won't last 30 years though.

 

We had a problem with our 2-yo washing machine. Just decided to stop draining. Tech shows up. With a laptop. Downloads data from the fucking washing machine. Turns out to be a automatic shutdown feature because it senses too much back pressure from the drain hose...which were backflow prevention drain hoses. Oh no, you can't use those of hoses with these machines. ORLY. Maybe it should fuckigin say that in the fucking installation manual.

Sad part is my whole life, especially in college days, we'd buy old used washer and dryers, one might break down, we'd take it apart and figure it out and fix it ourselves. Oh look, loose wires, shorted out here, broken belt. Boom, done.

I could go on. But I won't. Doctor says it isn't good for me.

 

Truff!

 

If they thought ahead enough to bring a 10 foot ladder to peer in my shop door window, they are probably coming in anyway.

 

Not really This is the general layout... not to scale at all

Thanks.... kinda figured I'd have to lay them all out first to see how it worked out

 

Id start it centered in the entry way, full tile up against the front door

 

Capacity too big ?

 

I still make popcorn on the stove top.

 

I'd try to lay out the living room first, and see how it ends up on the entryway. Then adjust accordingly. You can always add thresholds if needed. In my experience, it is going to be VERY hard to satisfy all the variables. I have tiled some for work. Sometimes it is impossible without some kind of transitions between rooms. Larger pieces are easier and nicer to look at. Especially since no room is typically square, and it allows wiggle room that way. Good luck. 90% of the job is preparation/layout.

 

As for whomever is doing the tile (I'm on the phone in the dark in the camper in Yosemite, I ain't looking back)

Centered means lots of cuts. Lots of places to show error. Diagonal means cuts too but it's forgiving to errors.

 

Are the tiles going to be square or rectangle format ?