Today I'd Like To Learn....

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by bcj

How do you squeeze your new car charger through a 20 amp screw fuse 4 circuit panel and out to the shared parking space on the street?
I'm drawing a blank. There's no more blanks to punch out.

don't want to touch that one. contact a local certified electrician. you need a panel change.

most insurance companies won't agree to insure properties with fuse boxes anymore. too many people shoving pennies under the fuses and starting fires.

if you're still on a 4-space fuse panel, historically, that would mean the house is likely also knob and tube cloth wiring, which also desperately needs updating for the same reasons-- the natural rubber insulation breaks down over time, and falls off leaving uninsulated power wires running through flammable insulation...

[cjd]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

“Specs” in your area must be a lot different then what they are over here. Generally spec houses over here are what the custom home builders do if they come across a lot for cheap. They are usually well built open floor plan homes. Everything is done in standard sizes to make it simple. Exterior footprint is usually close to square with a single ridge line on the roof, again to make things simple. It is all about building something quality without doing the things that take a lot of extra time. No vaulted ceilings, no transom windows, no sidelights, minimal amount of windows,

When the prices are as insane as they are in the city, you can't go quite that cheap... but they sure try. Same floorplans, easiest to mash together, whatever HVAC or stove or fridge or cabinets they can get cheap at the moment, usually a bunch of them stuffed in a warehouse till they use 'em up. This would qualify as a premium McMansion build in most areas, and honestly some bits are there; the trim is only sloppy in a few spots and is quite well done otherwise. The fridge would have been premium, but then the stove is mid-grade (no idea what was in here originally) and a useless over-stove microwave... included a basic wet-bar in the basement and a jacuzzi tub in an oversized master bath... officially started with 4 fireplaces (2 ventless gas air-poison machines, one of which I've removed already.) Shingles were the cheapest 3-tab you can get, but installed completely wrong was the problem there. And they've had to step up the game for some of that given the costs. There's a level of crap you can't get away with at a million bucks. It's nowhere near what I'd expect (well, current pricing may make that moot again) if I were to plan out what I got for the same price, but... also not as bad as SF or LA so there's that... but it's not a build focused on quality space. Just the appearance...

Originally Posted by soundman98

i remember we've talked about it before.. i think you're just too far north to make anything worthwhile-- i'd spend 4 hours a day driving just to get there and back...

and now, and potentially the next year or three (crystal ball says 'signs are unclear, check again later') is a horrible time to be doing pretty much anything in terms of renovations.

Totally. I just wanted to be able to ask for the discount because you were complaining about it. I mean, I'm ~7 miles N of the loop, but that's not a drive you'd want to make for a job unless you had to.

So many reasons now is a bad time. Hated having to do the HVAC, but maybe still better than 6mo from now. Or like the last one, coldest day of Jan when they were out there installing...
We're still sitting on a broken 16+yr old dishwasher because... well, now isn't the time and that's survivable. Unsure if I could get parts, but it'd be half the cost of new and it still wouldn't fit our plates (newer models do).
I just like to dream. And complain.
Think I'm finally onto a kitchen layout which uses the space reasonably well. It took realizing I could put wall ovens next to the fridge. The vent hood exhaust could be interesting though - I suspect we may need to run an external chimney to get it up over the roof line. Will need make-up air, and very likely not a standard residential hood. Lots of money to save. Gotta make it first somehow. Would sure help if someone would hire my wife... this is getting ridiculous! multiple interviews for a number of weeks running now... some taking 6weeks or more to finally say "nah"... or the stock market weren't a bunch of wankers all worried about next week instead of next year or decade...

[NoHaveMSG]

We usually refer to those as track homes. Spec homes the builder wants to be able to still put their name on.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by cjd

...It took realizing I could put wall ovens next to the fridge. The vent hood exhaust could be interesting though - I suspect we may need to run an external chimney to get it up over the roof line. Will need make-up air, and very likely not a standard residential hood.

indiana doesn't generally require makeup air, but area's like oakbrook that i've been working are starting to require it over, i want to say 1200cfm. pain to setup, a few jobs have gone with a 900cfm fan just to skip the extra cost/labor/roof hole.

chicago is going to be very much based on whatever the hell the general building inspector requires.

generally, no one likes doing the oven next to the fridge for the temperature differences-- heating up a side of the fridge will make it work harder.

Originally Posted by cjd

Would sure help if someone would hire my wife... this is getting ridiculous! multiple interviews for a number of weeks running now... some taking 6weeks or more to finally say "nah"... or the stock market weren't a bunch of wankers all worried about next week instead of next year or decade...

it'll likely make your blood boil a little, but take it as a concept that your wife should start including buzzwords to get past the #filters
https://www.fastcompany.com/90673877...need-them-most

https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/6/22...usiness-school

[Ultramaroon]

Not far off the mark.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode-...id-state_laser

I used to play with one of this exact model.

Originally Posted by x808drifter

One of these...

[cjd]

Originally Posted by soundman98

indiana doesn't generally require makeup air, but area's like oakbrook that i've been working are starting to require it over, i want to say 1200cfm. pain to setup, a few jobs have gone with a 900cfm fan just to skip the extra cost/labor/roof hole.

chicago is going to be very much based on whatever the hell the general building inspector requires.

generally, no one likes doing the oven next to the fridge for the temperature differences-- heating up a side of the fridge will make it work harder.



it'll likely make your blood boil a little, but take it as a concept that your wife should start including buzzwords to get past the #filters
https://www.fastcompany.com/90673877...need-them-most

https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/6/22...usiness-school

I like to cook... And even the real fireplaces need make up air. right now I have to crack a window. I don't think it has to be roof for that though, just not near other exhaust... Furnace or stove, either ours or a neighbor's. We'll see.
And agree on fridge/oven proximity. There'll have to be a buffer of some sort, we'll see. Still tossing ideas around, but the only other option I've found to work this well would mean removing a window... And it's not as good. Or I start moving the stairs or a bathroom... Not worth that much, I'd rather move again.
And thanks for the tips. Interviews are happening. Craziest was 11 people for one job. Something feels off but what do I know.

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I used to play with one of this exact model.

I used to program one of these.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

I used to program one of these.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

I used to program one of these.

I used to hate one of those making all sorts of ruckus when I was trying to give a demonstration in the lab next door...

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Spuds

I used to hate one of those making all sorts of ruckus when I was trying to give a demonstration in the lab next door...

Ruckus, really? Other than the sound of material sheets moving around on the table balls and the zap-hiss of the laser cutting it's relatively quiet. Now try living all day with multiple turret punch presses pounding out parts in all manner and thicknesses of material. Talk about your pounding headache.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

Ruckus, really? Other than the sound of material sheets moving around on the table balls and the zap-hiss of the laser cutting it's relatively quiet. Now try living all day with multiple turret punch presses pounding out parts in all manner and thicknesses of material. Talk about your pounding headache.

Might have been a punch press in the same room, idk? I know the laser cutter was in the next room over, and that room often sounded like someone was having a bit too much fun with an M242...

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Might have been a punch press in the same room, idk? I know the laser cutter was in the next room over, and that room often sounded like someone was having a bit too much fun with an M242...

If it sounded like a chain gun then it was a punch press.

[JD001]

Today I will learn whether Walkers festive flavoured crisps do taste like the "real" festive thingy..

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by JD001

Today I will learn whether Walkers festive flavoured crisps do taste like the "real" festive thingy..

The various flavor Lay's special edition chips/crisps have been pretty good. I suspect these are the same.