Home Improvement

  • Guest, it's time once again for the hotly contested and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!



    Go here and fill out your bracket!
    Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Once again, only you can decide!

ver_21

Molten Core Raider
975
-361
My next door neighbor wants to put an in ground pool in. She tells me that the roots of a tree in my yard stop her from doing this. She wants me to remove the tree @$5000 bucks. Can she take me to court over this?

No. And it sounds like a contractor or the municipality warned her that the tree would suffer irreparable harm from the project. Are you in some deed-restricted community that would make her even think to ask it this way?

Would you allow her to take down the tree if she paid for its removal?

Something to consider--with a tree gone and an in-ground pool in an adjacent yard, rainwater absorption might go to shit.
 
Last edited:

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
11,812
41,169
No. And it sounds like a contractor or the municipality warned her that the tree would suffer irreparable harm from the project. Are you in some deed-restricted community that would make her even think to ask it this way?

Would you allow her to take down the tree if she paid for its removal?

Something to consider--with a tree gone and an in-ground pool in an adjacent yard, rainwater absorption might go to shit.

I want the tree. It shades my yard nicely in the summer. I told her she can trim the branches all she wants on her side of the fence. I saw the tree guys in her yard a few days ago. I'm betting they told her the cost to trim the branches back on a tree this size and she came up with this scheme.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
37,961
14,508
Can we see pics of the tree? I really want to see how big a $5000 removal tree is, because most I've spent in my yard is $700 on a massive tree
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
<Gold Donor>
5,894
4,443
Can we see pics of the tree? I really want to see how big a $5000 removal tree is, because most I've spent in my yard is $700 on a massive tree
Having worked in tree removal, I can authoritatively say that price increases exponentially as complexity increases. Size is a factor but site accessibility is just as big a consideration (and then some consideration for debris removal/hauling). For example, if this is a hundred year old oak tree butting up against a privacy fence and the only route of access is six foot walkway, $5,000 is a pretty good deal.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Feien

Ploppers
456
377
So, just recently bought a house, been in it for 3-4 weeks. In the first few days we noticed some water getting into the basement. Not a lot, it has to rain a lot for it to get through, and nothing I can't fix without doing a little bit of patchwork and some grading I think, just bothered me it wasn't in the disclosure. Cut to yesterday, my wife is taking a shower in the upstairs bathroom and water starts dripping into the kitchen. I take a closer look and you can tell this is an area they had issues with before but was seemingly "fixed" and patched up, but was never mentioned in the disclosure

Anyway, Am I wrong for thinking those things should have been mentioned. If so, and if they failed to do so, is it worth it chasing after it?
 

ver_21

Molten Core Raider
975
-361
So, just recently bought a house, been in it for 3-4 weeks. In the first few days we noticed some water getting into the basement. Not a lot, it has to rain a lot for it to get through, and nothing I can't fix without doing a little bit of patchwork and some grading I think, just bothered me it wasn't in the disclosure. Cut to yesterday, my wife is taking a shower and water starts dripping into the kitchen. I take a closer look and you can tell this is an area they had issues with before but was seemingly "fixed" and patched up, but was never mentioned in the disclosure (

Anyway, Am I wrong for thinking those things should have been mentioned. If so, and if they failed to do so, is it worth it chasing after it?

You're not wrong. The sellers probably knew, and you're right that it should have been disclosed. But the short answer is that it's not worth the aggravation of writing a demand letter.

Is it a second floor shower leaking into a first floor kitchen? Is it the only shower in the house? I'm thinking the previous owners might have just patched the kitchen ceiling and stopped using that shower if they didn't need it. Defintely something I'd be angry about.
 

The_Black_Log Foler

Stock Pals Senior Vice President
<Gold Donor>
42,786
40,014
Question.

So as part of the repipe were installing a washer/dryer hookup in the "shed." It had all concrete slab flooring. Plumber talked to permitting guy for county today and they said we have to break the flooring and put it under there. Would have thought running it in the wall would make more sense for access in case something breaks.

3 options

1. Dont permit the project

2. Have project inspected then do washer hookup after

3. Add $1200 to project to plumb it all in concrete slab floor.

$1200 doesnt matter, i can may it. I just want to do what makes sense. Any opinions?
Cmon anyone? Should I permit it and pipe the washing machine under concrete slab or skip permitting and pipe through wall for easy access?

Uber Uberest Uber Uberest any opinions?
 

Captain Suave

Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.
4,681
7,924
I really want to see how big a $5000 removal tree is, because most I've spent in my yard is $700 on a massive tree

I've had to pay that much for a 150 year old oak that was in the back yard six feet from the house and under a power line. Took many hours of very careful work with a huge crane reaching over the house from the street.
 

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
37,961
14,508
Makes sense. Guess I lucked out. For one tree they needed to take apart my chain link fence and that was my biggest hassle - getting a chain puller and reconnecting without decapitating myself
 

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
11,812
41,169
Tree is next to my garage. Like 8 feet. It's starting to grow into her fence. She wants the ROOTS removed also. Will take a picture.
 

Uber Uberest

rdr^2
<Bronze Donator>
2,710
2,327
Cmon anyone? Should I permit it and pipe the washing machine under concrete slab or skip permitting and pipe through wall for easy access?

Uber Uberest Uber Uberest any opinions?

I don’t know how you want me to answer this, but I’ll take a shot. First, permits. Permits are to protect the homeowner from shitty work, and to protect the licensed installer from getting stiffed on payment, it’s a two way street. When I do stuff on the side I always tell people permit or not, it doesn’t change how I am going to do the work, and explain the benefit of the permit, usually if it’s someone I don’t have a relationship with just explaining that puts them at ease and builds a trust foundation.

If a licensed professional is telling you this is the way to do it, then that’s the way to do it. Homeowners are dumb, they think they google image search laundry installation and they know everything. You have no idea if that wall is load bearing, drilling a 3” hole for a 2” pipe might compromise the structure. Is it an exterior wall? Definitely a terrible idea then, freezing issues, if the shed is resided you will most definitely send a nail through the drain.

Do whatever you want, but stop coming to a message board full of dumbasses when a professional is telling you something. If you think the person you are hiring isn’t professional, don’t fucking hire him.
 
  • 1Solidarity
  • 1Salty
Reactions: 1 users

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
11,812
41,169
How's your grass doin? Done your first mow yet?

Not bad!! Few weeds though, and I have not mowed it yet. I had a BS electric mower that literally stopped working last week as I did my front yard. Snagging a new gas mower, but the lines near me for Home Depot and Lowes are a long. It's been close to 90 degrees the last week, so fuck that.

I had a patch of grass I did over a couple weeks ago, was going to wait until that was healthy enough to mow. I would skirt around it, but I can just wait. Also no matter what I do, I can't get grass by that tree on the right near the back fence.

Pic! I think I did a good job overall with the yard. Still not complete though. (flowers mulch, trim, cleanup etc),

Before/After. Critique and suggestions on what to do.

aaaaaaaaaaa.jpg

IMG_20200607_132846 (3).jpg
 
Last edited:
  • 3Like
Reactions: 2 users

LachiusTZ

Rogue Deathwalker Box
<Silver Donator>
14,472
27,162
Document this for sure, When the tree falls down because she secretly removes a bunch of roots the lawyers would like to know that

If the roots are in her yard . . . hard to imagine you could claim she cant tear up your shit in her yard.
 

LachiusTZ

Rogue Deathwalker Box
<Silver Donator>
14,472
27,162
Not bad!! Few weeds though, and I have not mowed it yet. I had a BS electric mower that literally stopped working last week as I did my front yard. Snagging a new gas mower, but the lines near me for Home Depot and Lowes are a long. It's been close to 90 degrees the last week, so fuck that.

I had a patch of grass I did over a couple weeks ago, was going to wait until that was healthy enough to mow. I would skirt around it, but I can just wait.

Pic! I think I did a good job overall with the yard. Still not complete though. (flowers mulch, trim, cleanup etc),

Before/After. Critique and suggestions on what to do.

View attachment 276081
View attachment 276083

Dude thats a pretty nice little set up.
 

Dandai

Lesco Brandon
<Gold Donor>
5,894
4,443
Not bad!! Few weeds though, and I have not mowed it yet. I had a BS electric mower that literally stopped working last week as I did my front yard. Snagging a new gas mower, but the lines near me for Home Depot and Lowes are a long. It's been close to 90 degrees the last week, so fuck that.

I had a patch of grass I did over a couple weeks ago, was going to wait until that was healthy enough to mow. I would skirt around it, but I can just wait. Also no matter what I do, I can't get grass by that tree on the right near the back fence.

Pic! I think I did a good job overall with the yard. Still not complete though. (flowers mulch, trim, cleanup etc),

Before/After. Critique and suggestions on what to do.

View attachment 276081
View attachment 276086
Weeds are to be expected, especially when seeding in the spring. Mow as high as the mower will let you. If you want it to maintain color through the summer, only mow after lots of rain (or just prior to lots of rain). When temps drop in late august/early sept you can fertilize and mow progressively shorter with each mow and almost all the weeds will die off as the turf grass gets thicker and smothers them out.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
11,812
41,169
Weeds are to be expected, especially when seeding in the spring. Mow as high as the mower will let you. If you want it to maintain color through the summer, only mow after lots of rain (or just prior to lots of rain). When temps drop in late august/early sept you can fertilize and mow progressively shorter with each mow and almost all the weeds will die off as the turf grass gets thicker and smothers them out.

Will do. Thanks!
 

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
11,812
41,169
Can we see pics of the tree? I really want to see how big a $5000 removal tree is, because most I've spent in my yard is $700 on a massive tree

Pics from my yard to give idea of size. It's the tree closest to my garage in question. There are actually three trees there. She questioned just one, which I found weird.
IMG_20200607_133558.jpg
IMG_20200607_133558.jpg


IMG_20200607_133619.jpg
 

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
11,812
41,169
Weeds are to be expected, especially when seeding in the spring. Mow as high as the mower will let you. If you want it to maintain color through the summer, only mow after lots of rain (or just prior to lots of rain). When temps drop in late august/early sept you can fertilize and mow progressively shorter with each mow and almost all the weeds will die off as the turf grass gets thicker and smothers them out.

Meh should have asked...I CAN cut this safely without ruining what I have done correct? Grass isn't going to rip out the ground?