"Buerste" wrote in message
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"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
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"Buerste" wrote in message
...

"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
...

"Buerste" wrote in message
...

snip

Lame comeback Ed, I win this one with non-lame cleverness.

Yeah, I thought you did good there. For a conservative, that was a
veritable _War and Peace_.

Now we'll have to let you rest for a week so you don't tire yourself
out. d8-)



No rest for me for a long time. My new condo has had to have every
square inch ripped out, tiled, dry walled, floored or at least
painted. The granite countertop gets installed tomorrow at 9, I just
got back from re-installing the dishwasher after the flooring went in
under it. I've got stain under my nails, plaster dust in my hair,
sawdust in my shoes, paint on my clothes, etc.

It sounds like you might have been happier just buying a new one. I've
been dabbling about my 85-year-old house for 30 years now. I'm around
half done. g

--
Ed Huntress


I bought this from an estate with no relatives in-state. The place was
bought new in '75 by a couple that worked at NASA Glen. Funny thing is
they undoubtedly knew and worked with my mom there. We'll never know as
anybody that would have known has passed now. The place was on the
market for 4 months and nobody even made an offer, it needed a lot and
it needed somebody that could see what it COULD be. When I made an
offer to the estate's agent, his jaw dropped...literally! Winter was
coming on and the bills to the estate would rise. There were a few
units in the complex for sale and they just weren't selling. And, those
had updates. The offer was eventually accepted so I didn't "exactly"
steal it, I almost felt bad. I did offer the agent the job of selling
the "big" house when the market is right. If NASA Glen gets some
stimulus, this house is very close and very attractive to NASA people,
there's a gaggle of them here on these culs-de-sacs. (not a single one
of my NASA neighbors believes in AGW)

I've been working on it since early November and have had a bunch of
guys from the shop do a lot too on weekends. They like the extra cash
and do great work.

That sounds like a well-thought-out project, Tom. I hope it works out as
you plan.

--
Ed Huntress


They just installed the counter top. It's "Black Pearl" and hangs 18"
into the family room to become the breakfast knook with 4 stools. It's
the centerpiece of the house and it is breathtaking! The company used
three 1/2" x 2" steel supports under the overhang. They radiused and
painted the supports and laged them into 2 x 4s that they sistered the
cabinet with. Very professional! I just happened to mention the condo
work to one of my box vendors and he just happened to have a daughter in
the business. She quoted more than $1,000 less than the next lowest
quote.

I looked at quartz and I thought it looked fake and cheap, (it's NOT
cheap!) and I looked at Corian and didn't like that either. Actually,
being a form-follows-function kind of guy, a sheet of OSB would be fine
with me.

The other centerpiece is the 6' x 32" Maple and Cherry butcher block
workstation that I mounted on two base cabinets that I lifted an
additional 4" higher. Being 6' 4" bending over at just the wrong angle to
chop an onion is tough on the back. The big downside is it's an
all-electric home, no Viking range, no Jen-Air, no Salamander. Oh well,
next home!

It sounds like you'll have some nice details in there, which can make all
the difference in a cookie-cutter home like most condos. The counter top and
workstation should really make it stand out.

Watch your back, and we'll be interested to hear the details as you
progress.

--
Ed Huntress