Your Questions About Your Home Improvement Projects
Steven asks…
Husband completely shut off & lazy at home while his job gets the best of him?
I work too. We have a one year old child. He is becoming more & more useless at home. Things he’s promised for the past couple of years he has not followed through with. Little things, like minor home improvement projects, de cluttering his catch all areas, etc.
After work, he comes home & sits there in front of the TV. Weeks & maybe months go by & finally I can’t take it anymore & I try to let him know that I need for him to put a little more effort into helping me take care of the house, the yard, our son, etc.
He rarely responds to me & usually lets out a big sigh & rolls his eyes as if to say that what I’m saying is completely ridiculous. Personally, I think he hates it when I open up honestly to him about the issues I am having because it’s like putting a big mirror in front of him. How else can I go about this?
How do you help your husband get out of his selfish rut?
Ryde On: this message is for YOU: finally after about a month, I came home from my night job & my husband had done the dishes…..I was soooo appreciative that before I had a chance to put down my purse, I walked right into the living room where he was sitting & dropped to my knees & did the old “I’m not worthy” routine. He smiled & I thanked him at least 3 times.
And he “gave up his freedom” to be with me? I guess I didn’t give up anything huh?
Betting you’re bitterly divorced or just a single loser.
REAL MEN’S INPUT WOULD BE NICE….DID ANY OF YOU GO THROUGH A PHASE LIKE THIS IN YOUR R/S? IS THERE HOPE??
Alley answers:
I’ve never gone through a phase like this…and I’m not sure it would be possible for me too.
I very much doubt her cares if you ‘hold a mirror’ up to him…few guys look into the mirror anyway.
Some tricks to try:
1.Some guys respond better if they have set chores(like they do at work). To just tell a guy to ‘straiten up the house’ is pointless, but tell him to do an exact task is better.
2.Understand that, as a guy, he won’t do ‘little stuff’. So if your asking him to wash down the baseboards or change the sea shell soap in the bathroom to match the towels , he is never going to do that.
3.Try not to do the Queen of the Chores thing. You are not the authority on housework telling him how to do every little thing. Your way is not the only way. Even if he does something ‘wrong’ to you, just be happy he did it. Don’t nitpick or throw it back in his face.
4.You might want to get the family out of the house in general.
5.You might want to be more social…get more people to come over. Having people in and seeing your house can have a big effect.
Joseph asks…
Help! Questions regarding city appraisal and acquisition of property from property owners of Charlotte!?
So my parents just got a letter from the city of Charlotte (of North Carolina), and they want to get the property around my neighborhood appraised and apparently acquired(?). Below is the letter word for word (with some information left out for privacy/security):
————————————————————————————————————————————————
City of Charlotte
Engineering & Property Management
Real Estate
Re: Project Name: Allenbrook/Westridge
Project Number 671-09-005
The City of Charlotte views public improvement projects as important to maintain and improve the quality of life for the City and its citizens. In order to start these public improvements, the City must first acquire property from property owners affected by improvement projects. In our efforts to achieve these improvement goals, the City will secure an appraisal to determine a fair and equitable compensation for property needing to be acquired as part of the above project.
We wanted to correspond with you in advance to let you know a certified, independent appraiser will perform a valuation of the land and improvements affected on your property by this project.
The appraiser who will perform the appraisal work on your property is:
T.B. Harris, Jr. MAI
1430 South Mint St., Suite 102
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704)334-4686
(704) 334-2759
Ref: 1018169-8406
You are encouraged to contact the apprasiers and advise them of any facts you feel will influence the value of your property. After the appraisal work is completed by T.B. Harris, Jr. MAI, the acquisition agent (THC, Inc. (704) 359-0722) will contact you to discuss this project.
Very truly yours,
Mark R Boone
Appraisal Administrator
————————————————————————————————————————————————
When they state “property from property owners”, are they referring to my family’s home/land?
Can the appraiser go on our property without our permission?
Is there anything I need to be aware/cautious of concerning this letter?
Alley answers:
It is called Condemnation by Eminent Domain. The Government can take your property for public purposes with just compensation. In essence the letter is notice that your Parents property will be acquired by the City of Charlotte in whole or in part for the public good. Usually it means an Easement for road widening, sewer, utilities or similar projects.
However, entire properties may be taken as deemed necessary.
Chris asks…
Which home improvements should i do to my house?
We have an old 2 family house that needs alot of work. Our plan is to fix it up and then sell it when the market goes back up. I know alot of people say not to do huge expensive projects before sellijng because you most likely won’t get all your money back. So I was wondering if, from the list below, someone could tell me which I should do and which I shouldn’t:
-insulation
-Replacement windows (old, rotten wood windows there now)
-Gas heating system (only gas on gas stove as heating source now)
-Paint outside house (asbestos shingles now)
-Gut out the bathroom and put new shower walls, tub and sink (mold now)
-Remodel small kitchen area (counters and sink are extemely low, and counter rotting around edges, and mold now)
Alley answers:
Sounds like all these things need to be done!
When showing to a prospective buyer, the
things you’ve listed would be the FIRST things a buyer will look at.
The thing that concerns me most are the asbestos shingles, which can be VERY harmful to your health
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos
I would contact a local professional, and get thier opinion on removal. Not sure I’d advise painting over them.
Then, I’d begin with the heating.
This will most likely be your most expensive project, but climate control is VERY important. Insulating at this time would be a great idea to save on energy costs.
Second, kitchens and baths are considered 10-20% of your home’s value, so definitely spruce things up a bit there. You can find affordable kitchen cabinets and countertops that will look great, and not break you. And the mold can also be hazardous to your health.
Obviously rotting wood windows need attention, but the before mentioned items need IMMEDIATE attention if you are living in the home. And as far as getting your money back, the improvements mentioned may be the most valuble items in the home. They should increase the value by a huge percentage.
Hope this helps:)
Todd
Thomas asks…
Your ‘five-point plan’ for Britain?
Recently, Ed Balls came up with a ‘five-point plan’ for growth to the UK economy if Labour were to be elected in office. It included:
1. Repeating the bank bonus tax – and using “the money to build 25,000 affordable homes and guarantee a job for 100,000 young people”.
2. Bringing forward long-term investment projects, such as schools, roads and transport, to create jobs.
3. Reversing January’s “damaging” VAT rise now for a temporary period.
4. Immediate one-year cut in VAT to 5% on home improvements, repairs and maintenance.
5. One-year national insurance tax break “for every small firm which takes on extra workers, using the money left over from the government’s failed national insurance rebate for new businesses”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15054705
What would be some elements that you would put into a ‘five-point’ plan, and why? I’m looking for some Truman Fair Deal potential here.
@Time For Heroes: Still think it’s a progressive tax? http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50656000/gif/_50656900_vat_rise_incomegroups1_464.gif
@Terrier (UK): C’mon, I saw you starred this question – how about some input from you?
Alley answers:
1 Withdraw British forces from Afghanistan immediately, and abandon plans to replace Trident – unfortunately we cannot get out of the decommissioning cost, but we can prevent non-independent posturing as a nuclear armed power going on forever.
2 Supplement the higher rate of personal taxation, which is easily evaded by the rich, with a higher rate of VAT, say 30%, on goods and services associated with affluent lifestyles – private aviation, marina berths, jewellery, private vehicles over 2.5 litres or £20,000 on the road price, individual articles of clothing with a price tag above £250, etc. And – fair’s fair – on electronically recorded sound, ‘entertainment’ and image. People who pay for noises and mad games and films now will still keep paying, because they are daft.
3 We are still sitting on an island of coal, for which there is strong international demand. Explore with the NUM the feasibility of recommissioning where technically possible, as many as possible of the mines closed in Thatcher’s war against working people, but this time under workers’ control, and particularly, control of safety. Also expand, as a public enterprise, wind, solar tidal and other water energy schemes.
4 In connection with (3), re-establish public strategic direction over a renationalised rail, bus and water transport network, this time socially priced to reduce wasteful car mileage and empower people to travel affordably to work, and upgrade and expand the network as much as necessary, thereby creating a massive amount of work and commensurate number of jobs in the short to medium term.
And, most important of all,
5 Nationalise the banks and reassume strategic control of the economy out of the hands of the present criminals.
Carol asks…
Should I get Office 2010 Home & Student NOW, OR wait for Office 2012?
My Office 2007 crashed… problems..
So anyways, should I get the Office Home & Student 2010 NOW (June 6, 2011) OR WAIT for the next Office Suites. The next Office Suite is probably coming out in July 2, 2012. But I am going into 9th Grade after summer, which means I will need Office to do homework/projects.
Anyone who currently has Office 2010 Home & Student please give me your feedback!
Like, is it better than Office 2007? Major Improvements?
Alley answers:
I love office 2010. So go for it. You need it anyways
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