Category Archives: Uncategorized

Comments on Closing

I “closed” on this house two days ago and am now the proud owner of real property.  After stroking my signature or initials in fourty-seven places in two dozen documents, a deed of ownership with my name on it is … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

What to put on a flat roof

In a way, all those homes with conventional pitched roofs are missing out on certain house function opportunities.  Consider what many commercial buildings put on the roof:  heating, air conditioning, ventilation, skylights, and nowadays, solar panels and sometimes even live … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

A roof over your head

I knew it was likely, but the first roofing contractor confirmed it. “The roof is shot and needs to be completely replaced.”  His matter of fact tone and manner, derived from years of roof installations and repairs, presented his diagnosis … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Rain gardens

Rain garden is a new term for me.  My friend Rich introduced it to me a few years ago when he built one, but I promptly forgot what its purpose was. I shouldn’t have.  This has become an important part … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

What does recycling mean, anyway?

My son reviewed the photos of This Odd House and declared it awesome.  What needs to be changed?  It is already distinctive.  How can it be made any more so? After explaining my plans to replace the kitchen counters with … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on What does recycling mean, anyway?

What first?

With all the potential, all the visions and opportunities, and all the defects, what should I tackle first? It seems that priority should be given to any safety or structural issues.  I will need to get that beam in the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Features and bugs

This gallery contains 12 photos.

In the software development world, the QA department frequently declares that some behavior of the program is a bug.  The developer, in reviewing the report will often realize that it is not a bug at all, rather, it is a … Continue reading

More Galleries | 1 Comment

Buyer’s remorse

One of the realtors I have worked with assured me that every buyer has it: remorse. Mine continues as a mild chronic condition.  I have long been torn between two desires.  On the one hand, I have been wanting to … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Buyer’s remorse

Reconsideration

“Consideration” is a legal term that refers to something valuable that is offered in exchange for something else, a property perhaps. A purchase offer for a house often includes a contingency on a house inspection.  The buyer may rescind the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Commitment

A person’s home is a statement of who he is, how the world finds him in his native state, and how he chooses to live in the space he has selected.  The excitement of finding a house that meets some deep … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Commitment