HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: brianb@sprintcom (Brian Bailey)
Subject: Re: Retaining Wall in Yard
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 17:04:14 GMT
Organization: mentor
Keywords: 
Followup-To: 

In article <9465@wrgate.wr.tek.com>, davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E. Buxton) writes:
|> > . . . . 
|> > to minimize the amount of work involved.  I see alot of railroad tie walls
|> > around the neighborhood.  Any help would be appreciated.
|> 
|> I have worked with railroad ties.  For example a small section of front
|> lawn.  The railroad ties are set into the ground so as to be flush with
|> the surface of the lawn so you can see the railroad ties top surface and
|> part of its outer surface, which starts out a few inches tall.  But as
|> you go around the corner it ends up three railroad ties high, with the
|> top flush with the law all around so it looks good and is easy to mow.
|> 
|> <<<< Lots deleted >>>>>>>
|> 
|> Also, them scraps.  Don't burn them.  The arsenic or what ever is
|> bound to the wood and is reasonably safe.  However the smoke is
|> very toxic and the ashes can be deadly.  Also be careful with the
|> sawdust from your cutting.
|> 
|> Dave

I dont know where the original poster lived, but in California, Railroad ties
are now considered toxic waste, so you cant get rid of them by taking them to
the dump, they must be treated by certified disposal people. Also, dont expect
to grow too much close to them, since the soil around them is also contaminated.

Do you wish to turn your back-yard into a toxic dump site !!

-- 
Brian Bailey

================================================================================
My thoughts are sometimes my own. Other times someone says they own them,
			    and I have no rights.
From: psp@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (prashant.parikh)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: chips/crackes in sink
Keywords: sink tub chips crackes
Date: 13 Apr 92 13:52:16 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T


	Hi!
	
	Could someone help me find the right compound to
	fill crackes and chips in my bath tub and sink. I
	think it is made of porcelain or whatever standard
	material it uses. I would appreciate a direct e-mail
	response, then I would summarize it in the net.
	
	Thanks in advance.
	
	
	Prashant Parikh
	att!ihlpe!psp
From: ajeans@hplred.HP.COM (Albert Jeans)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: hollow-core door questions
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:23:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplred.17080028
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA

Hollow core doors are not that expensive ($30 unfinished) so why not replace it?
Otherwise, I imagine you will have do use a procedure like the one used for
repairing sheetrock walls, i.e. glue a sheet of wood larger than the hole to
the inside of the door then glue another piece the same size as the hole to
the first sheet.
From: bweiss@cs.arizona.edu (Beth Weiss)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: GFI question
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:20:24 GMT
Reply-To: bweiss@cs.arizona.edu (Beth Weiss)
Organization: U of Arizona, CS Dept, Tucson

ronnie@cisco.com (Ronnie B. Kon) writes:
>Remember that a GFI recepticle protects all recepticles further on the
>circuit as well as itself.

root@fincomp.raidernet.com (Neal McClain) writes:
> It does?  Are you sure?  Somehow, this doesn't seem right to me.

The directions in the GFI I installed 2 weeks ago did say that.  In a
middle of the run GFI, power (and the returning neutral) flows
_through_ the GFI recepticle to other recepticles.  All of those other
recepticles are therefore protected.

This protection can be important if you are trying to:
   -- save money by not buying multiple GFI recepticles for a bath or
      kitchen
   -- want to have the bathroom/kitchen lights and switches be 
      GFI protected

--Beth Weiss
bweiss@cs.arizona.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: staffan@ca.serum.kodak.com (Kenneth Staffan (x37507))
Subject: Re: Mortgage brokers
Organization: Eastman Kodak
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 13:54:48 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.144427.7029@unx.sas.com> sasmlb@pecos.unx.sas.com (Maria Moore) writes:
>In article <1992Apr13.200433.6381@tc.fluke.COM> eeng@tc.fluke.COM (Ed Eng) writes:
>>In article <1992Apr9.122702.11627@clpd.kodak.com>, staffan@ca.serum.kodak.com (Kenneth Staffan (x37507)) writes:
>>> 
>>> I wonder how you wouldn't see this.  The "Good Faith Estimate of Closing
>>> Costs" is supposed to itemize everything.  Now if it is built into the
>>> 
>>Just curious, having gone through refinancing like everyone else, how accurate
>>was your good faith estimate to the final closing costs?  My closing costs were
>>$400 over not counting daily interest or taxes (basically just paper work
>
>At closing the settlement charges were quite a bit different than what the
>Good Faith Estimate had outlined.  Not only were some things higher but two 

Moral of these stories:  request, (or have your lawyer request) that exact 
itemized closing costs be delivered to you several days before closing.  This
way you won't be facing the dilemna with pen in hand at the closing...

Ken
From: rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Bad, Bad Smoke Alarm... (more info)
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 92 19:49:01 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.


>> The smoke alarm that was included when we built our house
>> is electric.  I suggest going out and also getting a
>> battery-operated one.  If there is a fire, chances are
>> the electric will go out and then you will really be
>> out of luck.

>The stats collected by firemen and insurance companies show that by far
>the most common way for a smoke detector to fail is dead batteries.  To
>have an alarm fail to scream because of failed house power is really
>quite rare, if it has ever happened.  By the time the electrical system is
>shorting out breakers you are either long ago out of the house or well
>cooked.  But of course if you want to be extra sure, have both kinds
>installed.

The other option, which is what I did, is to install a smoke alarm that
is wired into house power, and also has a battery backup.  The battery
needs to get tested occasionally, but once a month or so I test the smoke
detectors anyway.

-Roger
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: keshava@is.morgan.com (Sanjay Keshava)
Subject: northern NJ home inspectors?
Organization: Morgan Stanley & Company
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 19:01:37 GMT

I'd like to thank everyone who replied to my posting, "a few
questions".  The replies helped a lot.

Now we are moving into the inspection phase, and I'm soliciting
recommendations for home inspectors.  Our attorney has recommended one
because the inspector tapes a narrative during the inspection in
addition to marking a checklist.  We also have a few others (from the
yellow pages) that we'll be interviewing.

I guess to be thorough who would you recommend for:
building inspection
termite inspection
radon inspection
etc.

On another point, we weren't aware of seller's insurance, where the
seller pays for insurance to warrantee the major appliances for some
period, when we made our offer.  Any ideas on how to work this into
the contract now?

Thanks, again.
--

Later...

Sanjay Keshava          keshava@is.morgan.com
    ->|<-           ...uunet!is.morgan.com!keshava
    Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., Equities Analytical Research, NYC
  Greetings to alumni: Anteater ('84), Trojan ('87), Longhorn ('91)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: staffan@ca.serum.kodak.com (Kenneth Staffan (x37507))
Subject: Re: Mortgage brokers
Reply-To: staffan@serum.kodak.com
Organization: Eastman Kodak
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 18:27:36 GMT

In article <1992Apr6.234420.19394@erg.sri.com> marie@paris.erg.sri.com (Marie desJardins) writes:
>What exactly does a mortgage broker do?

We used a mortgage broker when we refinanced.  At ours we paid an application
fee and appraisal fee, and filled out a generic application.  The broker
submitted a bank-specific application when we committed to a bank.

>Am I better off using
>one, or just calling banks myself to find out their loan programs?

Using the broker had two advantages for us.  The first was a convenience
factor.  Besides floating on the interest rate (this was when they were
heading down), we could also float between banks.  I periodically checked
with the broker for the current best rates.  One Monday I was watching the
Financial News Network, when an expected Federal easing was supposed to
occur and didn't.  They predicted an upturn in the rates.  I called the
broker, and she said that most banks had already announced a raise, and
the one that had been the lowest was scheduled to announce a change later
in the afternoon.  I told her to lock me into that bank at the current
rate, and got one of the best rates in the area.

The other factor saved us money and headaches.  We had (earlier than described
above) locked in with our current bank (still through the broker), since
we could save a New York State mortgage tax.  That deal went sour because
they started asking for all kinds of expensive things that they hadn't
asked us for when we bought the house just three years before (e.g. _prove_
that the underground fuel oil tank isn't leaking, etc.)  We got so
frustrated that we asked the broker how much we would lose if we broke
the deal.  To our surprise and delight, she said nothing.  We broke the
deal, and subsequently locked in with another bank with no loss of
application fee, appraisal fee, etc.

>How much do they charge, and when is the charge paid?
>(up front, when the loan application is filed, or when the loan is granted?)

Our mortgage broker was paid by the bank.  We paid application and
appraisal fees up front (these fees were in line with what the banks
charge).

I know that others have had worse experiences with mortgage brokers, so
I hope you get more replies.

Ken
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: concrete slab over sprinkler lines
From: mjohnson@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Marget Johnson)
Date: 14 Apr 92 17:19:13 GMT
Reply-To: mjohnson@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Marget Johnson)
Distribution: na
Organization: Stakeholder Relations, NCR Corp in Dayton,OH

In article <6530@shodha.enet.dec.com> marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com (Randy Marks)
writes:
>I'd like to have a concrete slab installed for a dog kennel................
>|     house                |
>----------------------------
>           | | 
>===========+ +==================   sprinkler lines

From a dog owner/breeder viewpoint, you may want to reconsider using concrete
as a base for your dog run/kennel. I raise and show Newfoundlands, using both
fenced dog runs and puppy playyards for our 9 Newfs. I've always used pea
gravel (washed 3/4" or 1/2" river gravel) as a base for the runs. Preparation
is easy: Round Up-type vegetation killer, a layer of heavy black plastic
(optional), then 3-6" of pea gravel. I use landscape timbers or used railroad
ties to outline the area and hold the gravel.  The modular chain-link dog run
panels rest on top of the gravel, or on top of the landscape timbers,
whichever you prefer. The drainage is excellent, clean-up of stools is much
easier than clean-up from concrete, the gravel is clean so the dog stays
clean, and gravel is a MUCH better footing for the dog: 
promoting nice tight feet rather then the splayed toes and weak pasterns from
concrete.
AND, you can dig up your sprinkler lines, heaven forbid you should have to,
with minimal hassle.
............................................................
Marget Johnson, Windwagon Newfoundlands, Tipp City, OH
-- 
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:6172 rec.pets.cats:4715
From: mmf@evolving.com (Mark Mason Frazier)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Alarm systems and cats
Date: 9 Apr 92 19:06:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: evolving.1992Apr09.190635.44492
Organization: Evolving Systems, Inc.

al@qiclab.scn.rain.com (Alan Peterman) writes:
: In article <92099.153919ICSAFF@ASUACAD.BITNET> ICSAFF@ASUACAD.BITNET (Allen French) writes:
: >I just had my post-burglary :-( alarm system installed, but I don't see
: >how I can leave the motion detector on since I have a cat that does get
: >up on things high enough to set off the alarm. 
: 
: The secret - and it sounds like your installer was not very experienced - 
: is to mount the lens upside down.  That way the beam does NOT descend
: to the floor.  
: 
: The IR beam would pick up the cat if it walked on the ceiling!  :-)
: 

If your cat is anything like our two, He will still set it off, and he
will be doing it on purpose!! (probably at 5 am when he wants to be fed!).

MMF
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: eeng@tc.fluke.COM (Ed Eng)
Subject: Re: Mortgage brokers
Summary: Good faith estimate any good?
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 20:04:33 GMT

In article <1992Apr9.122702.11627@clpd.kodak.com>, staffan@ca.serum.kodak.com (Kenneth Staffan (x37507)) writes:
> 
> I wonder how you wouldn't see this.  The "Good Faith Estimate of Closing
> Costs" is supposed to itemize everything.  Now if it is built into the
> application fee or something, then you should be able to see the difference
> from other broker's/bank's application fees.
> 
Just curious, having gone through refinancing like everyone else, how accurate
was your good faith estimate to the final closing costs?  My closing costs were
$400 over not counting daily interest or taxes (basically just paper work
costs).  That was about 25% off.  It was explained "this lender had the best
rate but required these other document fees".  The escrow fee was about $150 off
and explained by the escrow agent that the mortgage company used the wrong rate
to calculate the good faith estimate.  At that point a person is not in a
position to negotiate these costs or threaten to take the business elsewhere
so these unexpected charges get paid just to get the process over.  Maybe I was
lucky that it was only $400 over.
From: srinath@mips.com (Srinath)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: A Simple Mortgage question
Date: 14 Apr 1992 16:51:15 GMT
Organization: Mips Computer Systems Inc.
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: orac.mips.com
Originator: srinath@orac.mips.com



	I was looking through my 1991 statements from my mortgage company and
I calculated the following:

	      Total Interest paid in 1991
	X =  -----------------------------  x 100
	      Loan Balance on Dec 31st 1991


Now, shoudn't X be approximately equal to my interest rate? I know that balance
decreases over time but since my loan is just 2 years old there isn't a whole
lot of difference between my balance at the beginning and at the end of the year.
I have taken the balance at the end of the year to be more conservative.

In any case, X, for me turns out to be 1 more than the interest rate I am 
supposed to be paying. What gives? 


srinath
From: action@cbnewse.cb.att.com (timothy.d.acton)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Improvement Value Adds?
Summary: I DID!! I DID!!
	 .
Keywords: do-it-yourself
Date: 9 Apr 92 20:12:54 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Apr8.211927.10228@cco.caltech.edu>, sns@deimos.caltech.edu (Sam Southard Jr.) writes:
> In article <30171@cbmvax.commodore.com>, augi@cbmvax.commodore.com (Joe Augenbraun) writes:
> |> Every book I've read says that you basically cannot get back more than
> |> 100% on a home improvement.  The ones that consistantly come closest to
> |> giving back 100% are bathrooms, kitchens, and fireplaces.  The ones that
> |> do worst are things like converting a garage to a family room or adding
> |> a pool in Buffalo.
> 
> I've always hears this, too.  However, I wonder if it applies when you do it
> yourself?  Assume that you're able to do just as good a job as a "pro" (we've
> all heard horror stories about some of the "pros" out there).  I would bet
> that, assuming you are capable in the improvement, you'd actually do a better
> job - you have a much bigger interest in it than does a pro.
> 
> Does anyone have any such experience with this?  The existance of fixer-uppers
> seems to prove that you can get more than 100% back on a home improvement, or
> no one would buy them (except maybe because they didn't have the money up
> front).
> 
> -- 
> 
> Sam Southard, Jr.
> {sns@deimos.caltech.edu|{backbone}!cit-vax!deimos!sns}

Yes, I definately did get back more than 100%
My unfinished lower level was estimated to be finished
b y the builder for an additional $7,000. THis included
a roughed in toilet/shower/sink (fixtures not included)
drywalled living area with entry level carpeting.

I finished both rooms myself. I had to cut the concrete
to install the plumbing, added a wood burning fireplace,
partially paneled wall with remainder in top grade 
wall paper, cermaic tile under fireplace, and top of
the line Berber carpet. Total investment, about $3700
dollars. On the sale of the home, the real estate agents
showed like houses without the finished basement
and those prices were $8,000 to $12,000 lower. I was
able to do this on weekends in about 4 months. And I
am quite good at these things. Most people looking
at the house wondered why the "builder" did a much
nicer job in the basement!

Good Luck on your project,
Tim "Time Life Home Improvement Series" Acton
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.woodworking
From: millerma@dragon.cpe.ulowell.edu (Mark Miller)
Subject: Re: Paint stripper rec
Organization: CPE: University of Lowell -- Lowell, MA
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 15:18:03 GMT

In article <167BD8E6E.SUSANMC@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu> SUSANMC@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu (Susan McIntosh) writes:

   I recently tried something (don't remember who it's made by) called
   Safer Stripper.  I've been pretty satisfied with it ... very non-
   toxic, easy to use and clean up, works well.  Just be sure to wait
   *at least* 3 hours before trying to remove the stuff ... it does take
   it a while to work.  Found it at Home Depot.

   susan

3M makes this product, and I've been happy with the results also.  I've
stripped a couple of hundred year old bureaus with several coats of paint,
and been happy with the results.  It's main drawback is that one application
of the stripper removes only a couple coats of paint.  So, if you have 
something that has many layers, it will take several applications.  But,
no smell or burning sensation!!



				Mark
--
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	            if her mother was her namesake?
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Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: pjh@mccc.edu (Pete Holsberg)
Subject: Re: dumping a broker
Organization: The College On The Other Side Of Route One
Distribution: misc
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 22:40:31 GMT

In article <THUNDT.92Apr7162056@dis9001.shearson.com> thundt@dis9001.shearson.com (Thomas M. Hundt) writes:
=
=   >Based on a $150,000 house the commission is $9000 at 6%. If what you say 
=   >is true, then an extra $1050 will motivate him show my house more 
=
=Brokers tend to point out all the good parts anyway.  It's an
=all-or-nothing situation: either the broker gets the $9k or $10k or
=*nothing*.  They're not going to be motivated by an extra $1000 when
=it's the first $9000 that's hard to get!  Make their life easier by
=having a house that's easy to sell, and it will be sold.

Time out! Each agent gets 1/4 of that $9000, or $2250. A bonus of $500
or $1000 for the selling agent is a big percentage of that. (I agree
that bumping the total commission from 6% to 7% is much less likely to
have a positive effect.)

=Also: I'd make sure that there was an expiration date on any contract
=I make with a broker.

Which you know is standard in NJ.

Pete
-- 
Prof. Peter J. Holsberg      Mercer County Community College
Voice: 609-586-4800          Engineering Technology, Computers and Math
FAX: 609-586-6944            1200 Old Trenton Road, Trenton, NJ 08690
Internet: pjh@mccc.edu       Trenton Computer Festival: April 11-12, 1992
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: pb@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu (PB Schechter)
Subject: Re: Which first - replacement windows or furnace?
Reply-To: pb@mnemosyne.UUCP (PB Schechter)
Organization: Math/CS, University of Denver
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 92 16:54:14 GMT

In article <cdsiSnm00Uh_A1XFJK@andrew.cmu.edu> ah0r+@andrew.cmu.edu (Allyson Halpern) writes:
>Now that the warm weather is upon us, it is unfortunately time to start
>preparing for the next harsh winter. We have leaky old windows and a
>humongous old furnace - both need to be replaced but we can really only
>afford to replace one or the other right now. Some tell me to do the
>furnace first, others the windows. Any recommendations? Thanks! - Allyson

Call your utility company and ask if they will do a free energy audit.
If they won't, ask if they recommend someone who will do one for money.
A competent analysis will tell you just how leaky your windows are and
just how inefficient your furnace is, and--based on your house's energy
utilization in the past--will tell you what kind of payback to expect for
all the things you might want to do.  Then, choose the one(s) that give(s)
you the fastest payback.

By the way--there are also loans available for doing energy retrofitting
of old houses.  The theory is, you can't afford the money up front, but
your energy savings will allow you to (more than) make the payments on
the loan.  If an energy audit looks promising enough (if your current
situation is bad enough, that is), you could look into such a loan.

Good luck!

PB Schechter
pb@cs.du.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: shin@.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Chang Shin)
Subject: neighbor's tree
Reply-To: shin@tara.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Chang Shin)
Organization: NCR Corporation, Rancho Bernardo
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 20:11:32 GMT

Hi, netters!

I got a problem with my neighbor, and I want some advice from the net.land.

I live in a house on the hill with a little bit of view thru the fence. There
is a slope by the fence and there are trees starting to block my view. I asked
my neigbor if that slope belongs to him. He said he has easement on the slope.
When I asked whether I can trim the tree politely, he was upset saying
we don't have privacy so leave the tree alone. He even said he would like
to plant a hugh tree so that we won't see anything. I was kind of surprised
from his reaction. We hardly watch over their land or don't care what they
were doing in their yard. I apolozied to him if I offended him in any way and
left him. Any suggestion to resolve this conflict would be appreciated.

-Chang
From: jsims@uswest.com (John Sims)
Subject: painting systems
Followup-To: jsims@uswest.com 
Organization: U S WEST Advanced Technologies
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 20:35:14 GMT

Does anyone having any recommendations for or against painting systems
for interior use?  I'm thinking of things like the wagner power roller
or those rollers on a stick where you fill the head with paint and just
continuously roll.

Thanks.

John Sims
U S WEST Advanced Technologies
4001 Discovery Dr.
Boulder, CO 80303

From: cola@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Ken Colasuonno)
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 23:00:40 GMT
Subject: Re: GFI question
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house


> Remember that a GFI recepticle protects all recepticles further on the
> circuit as well as itself.

This is only true if you wire it that way.  The only way to be sure is
to trip the GFI, then test all other sockets "downstream" of it to
see what was wired in series.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house