OK, I admit it, I’m an HGTV junkie…..
One of my faves is Dream House, you know the one, where some owners who don’t have a clue, end up fighting with a contractor because they want to make decisions next week that should have been made last month.
Anyway, did any of you see the new series that started last Monday?
The Home Owners, a couple expecting their first child, are living in a 1500 sq. foot house, and have been shopping the D.C. area for a new one.
Unable to find one that has the features they want, they end up buying 4.5 acres in Potomac, Md.
After 5+ months with the architect, the house, which started out about 5,000 sq. ft. is up to 11,000. It has 5 BR, 6 baths, 2 offices, etc. etc.
But the kicker is, the guy, who runs a software company is planning to GC this monster himself, and he has ZERO construction experience.
I’m not going to miss an episode.
Ken
–
Everywhere I go, I’m asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them. — Flannery O’Connor
Replies
Sounds worse than "Survivor"
They actually make movies out of failure though. Remember "Money Pit"?
:-)
Excellence is its own reward!
I love that series. Didn't know the new run started....will have to remember that next Monday.
I like the show because it's one of the few that show that bad things can and do happen when ya tear a house apart....or try to build one from scratch!
You almost never see a real world problem on the other shows...and if one is mentioned......it's glossed over and fixed by the next commercial break. Dream House will show that pile of lumber growing mold as it sits for too long because someone missed some detail and all the subs get backed up!
I especially appreciate they'll show the customer and contractor fighting...should be required watching for anyone new to remodeling.......let them know thw term "like clock work" didn't originate on a job site and sometime nice things take time......even longer when the homeowner can't make a decision to save their life.
Jeff
.......Sometimes on the toll road of life.....a handful of change is good.......
Love that show...that series sounds like "Fear Factor"....lol. Love that show too.
The shows I hate are the ones that teach you how to screw a lightbulb in correctly or where they have this woman with six in polished nails (on her fingers, not in her hand) ripping down a gable wall...(its not that I dont think its possible to say the least but the TV glimmer kinda is irratating) like in This Old House where everything goes as smooth as Key Lime Pie......not a hitch in any fifty billion square foot houses. Is that the same planet I'm on? Oh yeh, and also watching Norm in that Yankee workshop with his big leather nail belt still on doing fine cabinetry work.....I think he just doesnt have time to switch gear tween shows.
BE well
Namaste
Andy
It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
So if this DIY GC comes to these boards, will we all be nice nice or run him through the wringer? (I hope he asks a plumbing question....we can refer him to the Wethead....).
By the way...where is WH?
Shooting stills of the Amish?
And of course we'll run him through the wringer "bigtime".....Unless he doesnt wanna be in our fraternity....lol.
BE well
NAmaste'
Andy
It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Edited 10/3/2002 8:37:44 PM ET by Andy Clifford(Andybuildz)
"woman with six in polished nails (on her fingers, not in her hand) ripping down a gable wall"
If she walked in here today I'd have to sock her in the nose. Her camera crew should be at my house for a little real life DIY footage. I spent the day scraping vinyl off of the slab in the family room; ripping out the wall was a piece of cake by comparison. It's hard to even find the vinyl, seeing as how most of it is covered in white concrete dust left by the guy who jackhammered a 4' square out of the same floor just yesterday.
The kitchen is gutted, the fridge is empty, the fast food wrappers are overfilling the garbage can, the kids are wearing the same clothes every day and I'm lucky if I get a shower. Six inch polished nails? Hah! Let's see her shovel 1000 pounds of concrete rubble into my van tomorrow and take it to the dump for me. Then I'd call her sister/woman and offer her the cold cheeseburger of my esteem.
Until then, I'll be scraping and shoveling..."A completed home is a listed home."
Now, if it'd been me on that jackhammer, you could've baked up some fresh bread and sizzled a steak and I'da put in the spade bit and slid that vinyl right off for ya....
Excellence is its own reward!
Lisa,
You didn't say how you were scrapping that vinyl off, so forgive my opinion...
I scrapped off dried wood floor adhesive from a slab using an ice scrapper. The one with the long handle like a shovel. Instead of using my hands to grip around the handle, I used the palm of my right hand to continuously drive the end of the handle.
Don't do that!!
I had to have carpel tunnel surgery to fix a flattened nerve running across the palm.
piffin - It's a deal! I'll be glad to pay you what I paid the jackhammer operator. If I make dessert will you shovel the concrete too? Actually, I can't make wild promises like that. I have no place to bake dessert or bread or anything else, for that matter. But a steak, now that could be done. Along with a Ceasar salad, and a nice glass of wine if you like. What time will you be here? This is so nice of you! ;-)
stonefever - Don't feel too bad. If you had gripped around the handle the concussion would have traveled up your arm and transferred the nerve damage to your elbow. Been there, done that, hated it. So now I'm using a hammer and a putty knife to get up the top layer, spraying the backing well and letting it soak, and then scraping with a 4" razor blade on a 12" handle. It's archaic and tedious, but at least I won't end up in physical therapy this time. Good luck with your surgery - that's a high price to pay for a new floor. Hope they put you back together good as new.
"A completed home is a listed home."
If you've got a six inch square edged garden spade with a "D" handle, try sharpenning it. and using it..
Excellence is its own reward!
NOTICE!!
It is now running on Tuesday - theyt switched it from Monday.
I too am looking forward to this series.
I really liked the people in Minnesota. Remember the show where they all realized that there was this 7 foot embankment behind the house that was creating water flow into the new foundation? Where the hell were these people? They didn't notice this hill?
Amazing.
Peter
Pretty silly if you ask me. I wouldn't want that much to do right now and I don't have a 'real' job. Besides, running a software company successfully should keep him busy enough. Watch it to see if his co goes bust while he winnows away tons of time getting things scheduled and put together. Also, see if they don't have the 'shooter from the side' thing going on with a 'friend, cousin, etc' who just happens to be a GC.
I'd watch, but we ditched sat to cut down on expenses.
Wish I'd known about that show BEFORE I started on my spec house. Might have gotten my 15 minutes of fame....................(-:
BTW - Hope you don't mind if I add that tag line to my collection.
Women are like department Stores. Their clothes should always be half off.
RE. the quote.... be my guest, I swiped it from here http://www.wga.org/craft/onwriting.html
Just be sure to credit the original author....
If you like Dorothy Parker's writings, such as "You can lead a horticulture but you can't make her think."
Look here http://users.rcn.com/lyndanyc/dorothy.html
Ken-
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"Casual golf and tournament golf are as different as ice hockey and tennis." -- Ben Hogan