8:23 AM 9/23/2015
Zee's Home Repair
Ben Ziogas 217 572 2908
Found on Thumbtack and he wanted to 'snake' the drain when it backed up Su 9/20. I went with Ward Plumbing.
Ward Plumbing and Heating
http://www.wardplumbingheating.com/
They arrived 9am, Tuesday morning. Called from my driveway, and I had just gone into the bathroom. They snaked the drain, but went back to the shop to get a more slender snake. Said that the drain DOES have a trap, and this is clogged. That's why I'm getting the smell and why the water doesn't drain.
Bigger problems! It appeared the washer drain was clear, but it wasn't. Then, the kitchen sink backed up the same drain. The bathroom is OK, but something is clogging washer/kitchen drain. Their 'ace' plumber arrived 1045am. He is sick with bad intestinal flu.
The new eel that they brought wasn't strong enough, so they went to the rental place on MacArthur and Jefferson to get a more powerful one. This worked. They took the caps off of both vertical black pipes, and ran the snake and hose through both of them.
The plumber and helper left at 1pm and I'm waiting for Bill to come back to clean up. I ran a load of wash but I can't run any water because it will leak because No Caps. Just after 2pm I had dialed the number to Ward plumbing, and Bill pulled into the driveway. He had two ingenious covers for the vertical drains. The machine edges were so degraded that I thought it would be impossible to get any form of 'screw cap' to work. However, these caps had kind of expandable edges. You push them on the whole and then there is a butterfly bolt that you turn to screw them to seal. Very good idea.
I had talked to him about getting a 'Fall Tune Up' on the furnace. Not so much that I think there is anything wrong with the system, but more so that I can learn how to use it. I don't know a thing abut the Humidity Controls or even what it's supposed to do. He said that he would set something up in the next few weeks, and it wouldn't run more than $65. I think it's well worth the piece of mind.
(In the mail was a check for $931 which was reimbursement for what I paid on the crown at Westside Dental in late July. With this money I should be able to pay of the Citi card and Penney's).
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
As "In" as I'll Every Be.....
Email to Janny, Thursday morning, 9/17
Hey, Hey....The Wild and Wooly move to Westview is finally behind me-- The Future Begins Now!
Hey, Hey....The Wild and Wooly move to Westview is finally behind me-- The Future Begins Now!
I began looking for a new house in mid June, closed on July 9th (and, late on the morning of the closing, I realized that the renovation must take place before I moved in...(When you first experience the renovated area, you'll see why).
I began living on Westview on August 10th, the draperies were hung ten days ago, and yesterday the last two drapery panels were pressed and hung. And, now the posters and wall art are decoratively in place.
What a long strange trip it's been and the entire complicated and elaborate rigmarole lasted nearly three months. Whew!!-- (For sanity's sake, I think of the sale of the condo as an entirely different can of Friskies)
So, the 'Open House' is officially on the record for you and Joe (or anyone else who might be interested).
Drop me a line when and where (I guess the 'where' is pretty obvious), and, if you'd like, I'll spring for a pizza.
Looking Back....
I'll never forget the first night that Buddy and I spent on Westview. He howled and cried the whole night, but now it would take dynamite to get him out of here. He spends so much time looking out the front door (and, front windowsills!!) that I think the neighbors would agree that we now have an authorized 'mayor of Westview Drive'.
seeya..kw
Thursday, August 27, 2015
August 25th
This afternoon I was at the condo to pickup the two movie posters that I had left in the upstairs closet, and I noticed that the vertical control on the west side of the patio door is no longer operational. I know that when I left the condo, this worked!
I think (hope!) that it has just come off the track, but it's going to take a visit to Lowes to find out how to get the magnet back in place. Tomorrow I'm tied up with The Book Club and lawn mowing, but later in the week I'll see if one of the clerks at Lowes can show me how to get it back on track. When Anderson Construction installed the door, it was missing a magnet, and when I called Pella Windows windows on Wabash they were absolutely No Help (they were the rudest nitwits I have ever talked to, and I would never buy anything from them). Lowes was aware of the 'missing magnets' because they told me that kids were stealing them because they were such strong magnets.
When I visited the condo today I also removed one of the standing lamps from downstairs. It wasn't even plugged in, and I need it back at the house. I'll leave the other standing lamp, but I can't see what one 60 watt bulb can do for 'the look' of that area since you have to turn on the lamp after the overheads are already on.
Last weekend I took the welcome mat that was on the patio (I liked it), and today I replaced it with one that was in the garage on Westview (It'll do) .
I have the number of the Boys Club on the eastside I'm going to see if they want the exercise equipment that's still in the basement. I called last week but didn't get an answer. If they don't take donations, I'll call Goodwill, but if they will take it, I think it must be on the ground floor, and I think I can drag all of it up to the patio, but I think we are a long way from worrying about what is in that basement recess.
But, the patio door is a major selling point, and I want it to work just as well as it did when I left the place. seeya..kw
Joe Brandenburg
We had a realtor from the group show it Monday evening Im waiting to hear back from them. I will ask about the door.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Final Inspection on the renovation
Meeting set for 830am, Fr8/21/15
Beautiful sunny morning with temperatures barely in the 70's. Highly unusual for the last weekend of the Illinois State Fair.
Eric arrived at 820am and two inspectors from the city arrived at 830am on the dot. The man that checked the electrical was the same guy that surprised me several weeks ago, but he seemed OK today.
By Sunday I had all of the books in the new room. The stereo was connected and the PC was hooked up. All of the shorter free-standing bookshelves have been used, and the bookcase that sat next to my bed at the condo works perfectly as the lampstand in the living room.
Beautiful sunny morning with temperatures barely in the 70's. Highly unusual for the last weekend of the Illinois State Fair.
Eric arrived at 820am and two inspectors from the city arrived at 830am on the dot. The man that checked the electrical was the same guy that surprised me several weeks ago, but he seemed OK today.
We went downstairs and spent about ten minutes talking about music, and the frame guy just said 'fine job' about the remodeling work, and the electrical inspector only tested to make sure that the arc-breakers were in the new addition (I'm not even sure that he was aware that there are old breakers in the bedrooms and I didn't bring it up).
The inspectors were gone in ten minutes, and Eric stayed a bit longer and filled in some details about his problems with the city. It began several years ago when he was undercutting other city roofers prices. As a general contractor he is technically allowed to bid on any job, he just can't do the work, and they never actually caught him doing the work. Eric was the focus of a 'sting' operation and sued by the city, but he was able to have the lawsuit dismissed because they couldn't prove that he had actually done any of the work.
Thankfully, the paperwork is now gone from my front window, and it will be stored in my safe.
Now I can begin the serious work of moving into the renovated area, and I hope the arc fault breakers work flawlessly. But, Lucas said not to hesitate to give him a call if they give me any problems.
By Sunday I had all of the books in the new room. The stereo was connected and the PC was hooked up. All of the shorter free-standing bookshelves have been used, and the bookcase that sat next to my bed at the condo works perfectly as the lampstand in the living room.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Washer Fiasco Tuesday, 8/15
Lucas and Justin arrived after work, about 4pm on Tuesday to finish up the electrical work on the renovated area of the basement. Since they were going to set up the dryer, I wanted to have a load of washing finished so that we could test the dryer.
As Justin was working on the electrical box, dirty water started to shoot out of the vertical drain to the washer. This produced a bad smell and brackish water. Lucas called a friend who was a plumber, and the guy was going to come over later that evening, but changed the appointment to Wednesday, 4pm.
I hoped that the drain was clogged because that particular drain had not been used in almost a year. The Rapps have lived in their new home for at least a half year, and the washer and dryer has been gone since then.
Brian Flemming showed up at 330pm on Wednesday, and I didn't get back from the FitClub until 340pm. He stayed a little over an hour, and snaked the drain. Everything seems to be OK, and he charged (only?) $50.00.
As Justin was working on the electrical box, dirty water started to shoot out of the vertical drain to the washer. This produced a bad smell and brackish water. Lucas called a friend who was a plumber, and the guy was going to come over later that evening, but changed the appointment to Wednesday, 4pm.
I hoped that the drain was clogged because that particular drain had not been used in almost a year. The Rapps have lived in their new home for at least a half year, and the washer and dryer has been gone since then.
Brian Flemming showed up at 330pm on Wednesday, and I didn't get back from the FitClub until 340pm. He stayed a little over an hour, and snaked the drain. Everything seems to be OK, and he charged (only?) $50.00.
Monday, August 17, 2015
An Email to Joe on August 11, 2015
Hey,
I jogged over to the condo around 2pm this afternoon and talked to Ernie while he was painting. He said that you were over around 11am to do a 'walk thru'. Did you make it down to the basement to see the leak? That might cause a real problem because I don't think that we can convince anyone that the leak will 'go away' once they hook up their washer and dryer. However, maybe someone can make those 'caps' hold back the tide. That leak has to have been my blackest moment since I closed on the house.
I really wish that I had just left the old appliances in the condo, and I know I wouldn't have gotten the full value back, but at least I wouldn't be paying for plumbing issues that are going to be like throwing money out the window. I could have left the old stuff in place, and then upgraded. And, I'm sure that you read the email that I sent to Janny about the issues that I have with the shutoff valve in my unit and the problems with our building shutoff in unit #33.
If you feel that the carpet in the upstairs bedrooms, hallway, and staircase are salvageable, I think I will schedule Stanley Steemer to do the job. There's no way that I could do an adequate job, and it would only be about $150, and I think that the professionals would make it look as good as can be expected.
I won't have phone service until early afternoon on Thursday, but shoot me an email as to what you think about where we are about putting #43 on the market.
And, I would like to just paint over the 'anchor damage' caused by the hanging cassette cases in the downstairs at the condo. I spoke to Ernie about it, but I think he wants to put too much effort and time into it (MONEY!!). I just want to gloss it over because most people don't relate to the '70's popcorn/stucco' anyway, but I think that Ernie will do a great job on the living room/kitchen areas.
Ernie might not be up to Lloyd's standards of meticulousness, but he's certainly in the ballpark..
Send me a note because I won't have phone service until Thursday, and I'd like to contract the job with Stanley Steemer if you feel that this is the way to go.
seeya...kw (PS....still no answers on the Jenn Air Induction foolishness).
Saturday, August 15, 2015
7/12/15- An Email I sent to Janny before their trip west
Sent July 12, 2015
I'm sure that you're looking forward to your trip to Phoenix next Sunday, but he seemed a bit hazy on the details. He knew that you and Joe were coming, and he thought it was an excellent idea, but he didn't seem to realize that it was next Sunday.
I'm sure that you're looking forward to your trip to Phoenix next Sunday, but he seemed a bit hazy on the details. He knew that you and Joe were coming, and he thought it was an excellent idea, but he didn't seem to realize that it was next Sunday.
These days he's a much better listener rather than an instigator of hardheaded biases and points of view, and I have to say that I like him tons more now than I did thirty years ago.
Today I mowed my first lawn in over twenty years. Last night I bought a dynamite, $158 lawn mower from Walmart, and I gave it the acid test around noon today. I thought that there was no way that I could just take it out of the box, add oil and gas, and the thing would work, but it did! The engine kicked over on the third pull, and I was off and running (literally). The front and back lawn took just over an hour at a ferocious pace. That back lawn is by far, the biggest yard that I've ever mowed, but almost a third of the back lawn is in shade, and it's covered in clover so it will be easy to keep up. Numerous flowerbeds and weird natural grasses will probably force me to consult a landscaping nursery to find out the best way I can keep all the plants going. But, I think I can wait until next year for this, but I'm committed to keeping the 'wildlife going'.
I signed the contract with Anderson Construction on Friday evening and he'll begin work tomorrow morning. I had some problems with the lock from the breezeway into the kitchen so I bought a new one when I purchased the mower on Saturday. He'll start with replacing this lock, and then remove the living room and hall carpets. I hope we don''t find anything bad under those carpets, but I'm committed to the 'hardwood look'. If it takes sanding or whatever, Eric and the guys can handle it.
I've moved three of the small bookcases from the condo (and the books) into the basement area at Westview, and I plan to get all of the things that I can move by Accord into the house by early next week. Then, I rent a van and move the seven large bookcases and books. At that time, I should be down to the barebones and I'll be able to realistically tell the movers what they can take. But, you'll probably be back from Phoenix before this occurs.
I've hired a handyman from Waverly to paint the garage door and hang the new shutters. He wants at least two days of No Rain so that the paint can dry properly, and he says that Wednesday looks like the best window of opportunity. He's also going to hang the shelving from the condo when Eric completes the basement renovation at Westview. I'm also going to see if he can hang the TV in the living room and help me move the other 42 inch TV from the condo. This guy is an older man and reminds me of Lloyd, and he sounds like he cares about the quality of the work (I hope).
I haven't begun to delve into the massive problem of my new Internet connection. I want to keep the ATT discount but I don't know if I might be better off with cable and dropping all landlines. I don't even know if I can have ATT without the landline, but all I know is that I don't move until I have a secure and fast connection at the new house. On the bright side, this looks like the best time for me to make the jump to Smart Phones. But, for the time being, I'm more concerned about lugging a couple thousand 'old school' novels from the 60's and 70's a mile and a half away.
Enjoy the trip west....seeya kw
Fr 8/14/15 Anderson Construction Completion and New Carpet at Condo
Eric and his helper arrived on Friday morning about 830am to clean up the area and get paid. I gave Eric a check for $7,625.00 for his final payment.
The actual name of the color of the walls is, 'Stonewall Jackson Gray'.
He told me that Lucas and his crew would be in late Saturday morning to complete their work. They have to install the switch plates and the final touches on the overhead lighting. I hope that this also includes dryer hookup. I know that they will have to create a new electrical outlet for the dryer.
And, Eric will handle the final inspection from the city. That is one meeting that I do not plan to attend.
Eric recommend his carpet guy for new carpets at the condo. I figured that if I was going to offer a $1,500.00 carpet allowance anyway, I might as well have it done on my end to make the condo look its' best to all potential buyers. I called Tom Serra Thursday evening and arranged a meeting for noon on Friday. I rode the bike over to the condo and we both arrived at 1150am. He says he can do it, and I even left him fully in charge to select the color, pattern, etc. He might be able to begin work as early as today, Saturday, 15, 2015.
The actual name of the color of the walls is, 'Stonewall Jackson Gray'.
He told me that Lucas and his crew would be in late Saturday morning to complete their work. They have to install the switch plates and the final touches on the overhead lighting. I hope that this also includes dryer hookup. I know that they will have to create a new electrical outlet for the dryer.
And, Eric will handle the final inspection from the city. That is one meeting that I do not plan to attend.
Eric recommend his carpet guy for new carpets at the condo. I figured that if I was going to offer a $1,500.00 carpet allowance anyway, I might as well have it done on my end to make the condo look its' best to all potential buyers. I called Tom Serra Thursday evening and arranged a meeting for noon on Friday. I rode the bike over to the condo and we both arrived at 1150am. He says he can do it, and I even left him fully in charge to select the color, pattern, etc. He might be able to begin work as early as today, Saturday, 15, 2015.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Email to Joe Th 8/13/15
Eric suggested that I talk to his carpet guy and see what it would cost to do the upstairs bedrooms and the stairway at the condo.
If I'm going to offer a $1,500 'carpet allowance' off of the price of the condo, I think it might make more sense to have this done before it goes on the market. Essentially, I'm paying for it anyway, so I might as well put 'the best foot forward' to all potential buyers.
I called the carpet guy this evening, and I'm going to meet him at the condo at noon tomorrow for his estimate. He seemed to understand what I want, he said that I might even be able to use the existing carpet pad to cut costs, and he didn't balk at the fifteen hundred dollar price. .
I stopped by the condo early this evening, and I saw that Ernie has successfully installed the new valves for the washer and dryer..... No leaks!!!! He still hasn't finished the painting or the patching work downstairs, but what he has finished looks great. When I talked to him this afternoon he hoped to be done with everything by late Friday afternoon.
Eric and his helper have finished painting, laid the carpet tiles, installed the trim, and mounted the door to the new basement area at Westview. The walls are dark gray (the color of duck tape) and the carpet tiles are gray/black. And, the door and trim are bright white. It looks great!
The electricians haven't completed their work and the inspector for the city hasn't signed off on the job, The electrician work day jobs, and I would imagine that they'll drop by tomorrow around 4pm to finish up and get paid.
And, I called Todd, the previous owner at Westview, and he stopped by this evening and revealed the mystery of the induction range.
So, that's where I'm at, and as of 1215pm this afternoon I Have Phone Service at Westview...seeya...kw
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Email to Janny August 11th 2015
Hello,
Twenty minutes ago (1215pm) I got Internet, but still no phone. I thought that you had to have an ATT phone before you could get on the internet but I guess this isn't the case. I have a temporary wire running along the fence that borders my neighbors on the south, and this will require ATT to dig up part of the yard and bury the cable, but this is no expense to me and I don't have to be present, so let it be. According to the tech, this could be from two weeks to many weeks in the future, and I'm not involved at any level.
The move went very well except for one very dire consequence.
The movers will not disconnect a washer and dryer, so I had to do it. When I disconnected the washer, there was a pretty steady leak and I couldn't get it to stop. It wasn't anything that I did, it's just that the connection was ancient and should not have been messed with Later in the afternoon I went to Ace to get a 'cap', but it didn't completely take care of the problem.
This could really create problems because when I had Rebath remodel the bathroom I learned that they can't turn off the water to my unit completely. I have to go down to the first unit in my building and have it shut off there, and his connection is not in the best of shape, and he doesn't want to take any action because he has a bathroom in the area where this connection is located and plumbers can't access the necessary pieces.
Since the movers charge by the hour and it caused so much trouble I wish to Hell I had just left the washer and dryer in the condo and bought new equipment at Westview. If I have to do major plumbing work at the condo, this is just money thrown out the window for no reason. Maybe I wouldn't have gotten the full value of the washer and dryer, but at least I wouldn't be paying for unnecessary plumbing work, and nobody will buy a home with an obvious leak in a pipe. On the slightly-bright side, the water is near the drain and not causing any further damage. It would be a horrendous nightmare if this occurred upstairs and ruined the flooring.
And then when the move was over I spent some 'non-quality' time with this idiotic stove. It seems that the stove is not recognizing a pan when it is placed on the stooopid 'ghost' burner. You can pay hundreds of dollars for a set of 'induction cookware', so I went to Walmart and they didn't know what I was talking about. However, at Target I found a 2 quart saucepan for just over thirty bucks! A conventional pot of that size can be found for under twelve bucks. And, when I got home, the stove gives the same error message as it did with a regular pot. I had planned to call Todd Rabb, the previous owner, but I don't have phone service. It was after 8pm last night when I found out that I still had no idea how to work the damn thing and I don't want to barge in and be 'one of those kind' of neighbors. But, as a general rule, If you need to consult a manual to boil water, I don't want anything whatsoever to do with it.
The windows in this place are a major pain in the ass. Either you can get the screens and storm windows to move, or they are more or less welded in place. It was such a beautiful morning and I wanted to open the windows, but I could only budge a few. I would be willing to bet a high-quality induction stove that the reason that the windows are in the garage is that there is no way in Hell that they could get them into the windows.
My phone service has ended at the condo and hasn't started at Westview, and after connecting all of my devices to the Internet, the U-verse tech spent an inordinately long time on the phone with the central office to find that the earliest opening will be this Thursday, between 11am and 1pm. I don't fully understand it, but this time I will be getting my dial tone through the internet, and this will be cheaper. The downside is that during a power failure, I won't be able to make or receive calls. With my old setup, I'd be able to make a call regardless. This shouldn't be a factor with me anyway.
Buddy was not a happy camper about his new change of address. He cried in the car on the way over, he cried when I showed him around his new house, and he basically cried all night long. And, because of the stove fiasco, I had to leave him and go to Subway for food. We did watch a dvd, but he stayed under the couch, and although I couldn't hear him crying, he might have been silently weeping. And when the U-verse tech, the drywallers, and Eric's crew arrived this morning he was terrified. He is eating, but not his usual voracious appetite and I hope that he will soon settle into an acceptable routine. And, for that matter, I hope the same applies to me.
Well, off for a run back to Durkin, and I hope to find Ernie painting his heart out on the downstairs at the condo. Yesterday I didn't do any form of workout, but I did manage to stop at LA Fitness on the way back from my useless errand to Target for a sauna session, the whirlpool, and a dip in the pool (Buddy was still living at the condo).
That U-verse tech is still in front of the house doing work on his computer and talking on the phone. He's been here since 855am this morning, and it's 130pm. seeya. kw
August 11, 2015 Internet Comes to Westview
August 11, 2015 The Second Day at Westview
Late yesterday afternoon both Eric and the drywallers assured me that they would both be working on the renovation by 830am. However, it's after 10am and they haven't arrived on the scene, but the guy from U-verse/ATT showed promptly at 855am, and his scheduled appointment was between nine and eleven am so he's very much ahead of the game. It's now after 10am and the U-verse/ATT guy hasn't even been in the house. He checked the box on the back of the house, stared at the pole in the neighbor's yard, and then drove away. He also informed me that he was only here to connect the Internet, the change of phone service was not included in his order. It's not clear as to whether both orders can be done today. I can't believe that you can have Internet without phone service, but he acts as if this is quite common.
It's a beautiful day and I would love to go for a run as the temperature is only in the low 70's without a trace of humidity, but I've got to be present as long as U-verse is here. Once the connection is made, I'm outta here!
I spent some time trying to get the storm windows up and the screens down, but this doesn't look like it will be possible. Wherever they are now seems to be the way that they'll stay. ...One fun at a time... I'm still trying to boil water, but my thirty dollar pot won't recognize the signal from the stove. I can't describe how much I miss my relatively new gas stove. 'Cutting Edge' does NOT mean that you need to consult a manual to turn the appliance ON. I did manage to get the microwave to operator, but to change the time seems to be a graduate level endeavour.
I hope that Ernie is painting the downstairs at the condo. I still don't know what to do about the basement leak. I'll email Joe as soon as the guy from U-verse/ATT gets things running, but we're already into extra innings. And, still no sign of the construction crews on the basement renovation.
At 1025am another truck from ATT has arrived on the scene. Just a few minutes ago I saw the first guy in the backyard with crime scene tape(?), mark off an area, and then he threw up his hands. My confidence is evaporating quickly. On the bright side, the Boze radio in the kitchen is picking up the signal from 90.9 FM in Champaign perfectly, but he stereo in the living room can't seem to grasp it (at all).
1035am- Anderson Construction has arrived.
1045am- The Drywallers are here.
ATT guy has informed me that a temporary line will be installed along the fence on the south side of the property. Sometime later they will bury this cable. Apparently when the brick patio was built, the line was cut. This repair is of no cost to me, and I don't have to be present when the work is done. I wonder what type of Internet service the Rabbs' had, because it was certainly NOT ATT.
The easiest way to put in the Internet is to connect the modem to the exiting wires in the living room. He assures me that this would be easier than routing a connection to the back bedroom. Buddy shows little interest in the computer wiring, and I hope the same holds true for the modem.
I took a few moments to make sure that the Blu Ray/TV connection is working, and it is. A guy from ATT is now at the pole in the southeast corner of the alley (I don't really have an alley, but there seems to be a break in the property lines from the houses on the street directly east).
Eric's plan was to spray paint the ceiling before the drywallers started sanding. Sounds risky to me....dust in fresh paint?, but Eric assures me that this is quite normal, and I think that he hopes that it's quick drying paint.
Two hours and fifteen minutes since the first guy arrived, and no Internet and I don't hear much activity below decks. However, we all heard some colorful swearing from Eric. He and his helper are out on the street by the Anderson van.
1120am- The drywallers have just left the scene. Are they done? These guys have been on the job for eight days, and I don't think they have done even eight hours of work. The feeling seems to be that most of their 'work' involves 'waiting for things to dry'. Nice work if you can get it.
U-verse guy says that since I'm using the same modem, everything should be the same as it was before. But, we'll see. The PC has a wireless connection and before, the modem was hooked to the laptop which doesn't have wifi.
I connected all of my devices to the Internet by 1215pm. The U-verse tech is now in his truck finding out when I can get Phone service. It's cheaper for me to get the dial tone from the modem, I wasn't aware of this and he told me it's called 'voip'. The downside is that during a power outage I would not have phone service, but a small price to pay.
Late yesterday afternoon both Eric and the drywallers assured me that they would both be working on the renovation by 830am. However, it's after 10am and they haven't arrived on the scene, but the guy from U-verse/ATT showed promptly at 855am, and his scheduled appointment was between nine and eleven am so he's very much ahead of the game. It's now after 10am and the U-verse/ATT guy hasn't even been in the house. He checked the box on the back of the house, stared at the pole in the neighbor's yard, and then drove away. He also informed me that he was only here to connect the Internet, the change of phone service was not included in his order. It's not clear as to whether both orders can be done today. I can't believe that you can have Internet without phone service, but he acts as if this is quite common.
It's a beautiful day and I would love to go for a run as the temperature is only in the low 70's without a trace of humidity, but I've got to be present as long as U-verse is here. Once the connection is made, I'm outta here!
I spent some time trying to get the storm windows up and the screens down, but this doesn't look like it will be possible. Wherever they are now seems to be the way that they'll stay. ...One fun at a time... I'm still trying to boil water, but my thirty dollar pot won't recognize the signal from the stove. I can't describe how much I miss my relatively new gas stove. 'Cutting Edge' does NOT mean that you need to consult a manual to turn the appliance ON. I did manage to get the microwave to operator, but to change the time seems to be a graduate level endeavour.
I hope that Ernie is painting the downstairs at the condo. I still don't know what to do about the basement leak. I'll email Joe as soon as the guy from U-verse/ATT gets things running, but we're already into extra innings. And, still no sign of the construction crews on the basement renovation.
At 1025am another truck from ATT has arrived on the scene. Just a few minutes ago I saw the first guy in the backyard with crime scene tape(?), mark off an area, and then he threw up his hands. My confidence is evaporating quickly. On the bright side, the Boze radio in the kitchen is picking up the signal from 90.9 FM in Champaign perfectly, but he stereo in the living room can't seem to grasp it (at all).
1035am- Anderson Construction has arrived.
1045am- The Drywallers are here.
ATT guy has informed me that a temporary line will be installed along the fence on the south side of the property. Sometime later they will bury this cable. Apparently when the brick patio was built, the line was cut. This repair is of no cost to me, and I don't have to be present when the work is done. I wonder what type of Internet service the Rabbs' had, because it was certainly NOT ATT.
The easiest way to put in the Internet is to connect the modem to the exiting wires in the living room. He assures me that this would be easier than routing a connection to the back bedroom. Buddy shows little interest in the computer wiring, and I hope the same holds true for the modem.
I took a few moments to make sure that the Blu Ray/TV connection is working, and it is. A guy from ATT is now at the pole in the southeast corner of the alley (I don't really have an alley, but there seems to be a break in the property lines from the houses on the street directly east).
Eric's plan was to spray paint the ceiling before the drywallers started sanding. Sounds risky to me....dust in fresh paint?, but Eric assures me that this is quite normal, and I think that he hopes that it's quick drying paint.
Two hours and fifteen minutes since the first guy arrived, and no Internet and I don't hear much activity below decks. However, we all heard some colorful swearing from Eric. He and his helper are out on the street by the Anderson van.
1120am- The drywallers have just left the scene. Are they done? These guys have been on the job for eight days, and I don't think they have done even eight hours of work. The feeling seems to be that most of their 'work' involves 'waiting for things to dry'. Nice work if you can get it.
U-verse guy says that since I'm using the same modem, everything should be the same as it was before. But, we'll see. The PC has a wireless connection and before, the modem was hooked to the laptop which doesn't have wifi.
I connected all of my devices to the Internet by 1215pm. The U-verse tech is now in his truck finding out when I can get Phone service. It's cheaper for me to get the dial tone from the modem, I wasn't aware of this and he told me it's called 'voip'. The downside is that during a power outage I would not have phone service, but a small price to pay.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Email to Joe Thursday August 6, 2015
Hey,
Move Day begins Monday between 830am and 930am. I'm 98% moved already. The only items 2 MEN will take are the bed and headboard, the leather chair, the kitchen table, and the washer and dryer. My weight set and bench I will take later, and I think I might have them move the Nordic Track unit. I'm going to call the city later today and find out what I can do with that damn recliner. I don't think it qualifies as 'salvageable' so Goodwill and Habitat won't touch it, so what do you do? No wonder the city has a problem with 'fly dumping'.
Ernie is going to paint the downstairs of the condo beginning Tuesday. Just the kitchen (powder room is OK) and living room over to the staircase wall. The upstairs bedroom walls are in reasonable shape, however the carpet in the second bedroom doorway is noticeably flawed. And, the cassette racks and book shelves downstairs came off the wall without any trouble, and the holes in that area can be covered with white grout. The 'popcorn' surface should work to my advantage.
Today I'm going to finish moving the basement area (several hundred vinyl records) and removing everything from the closets (upstairs and downstairs) and pantry.
After the movers have finished on Monday I'll transport the TV and PC that remain in the condo. I'll also pull the modem/router and take it to Westview. The tech from ATT arrives on Westview at 9am on Tuesday to hook all my devices into the new wifi, and in my mind, this is when I'm 'officially moved'
On Tuesday I'll just leave the paint and materials at the condo and tell Ernie where the outside key is located. He said it will probably take him two days. By early afternoon on Tuesday I should be done with the ATT tech, and I'll come back to the condo to vacuum and do some cleaning, and that should be it for the condo preparation.
I guess we should plan a meeting around Wednesday of next week to make sure that everything is ready and to sign any paperwork. In fact, maybe you could swing by the condo on Tuesday while Ernie is working and see what you think. I'll give you a call Saturday. I hope I'll be done with my part of the move by then.
So, that's where it stands now.....seeya kw
Just after I sent the email I heard some activity on the parking lot. The unit that has been vacant for a couple of years was being cleaned out. A group of guys working for a repossession outfit were cleaning out unit #47. They were there for several hours and even used a power washer. I gave one of the guys my old USA Full Face motorcycle helmet.
I sent an email to Joe saying that I wish that this were not happening and the timing could not be worse, but he feels that my unit would appeal to a more 'upscale buyer' (not his words).
Kinda like a used Porsche going on the market shouldn't have to worry about a used Ford Focus (my hope).
Move Day begins Monday between 830am and 930am. I'm 98% moved already. The only items 2 MEN will take are the bed and headboard, the leather chair, the kitchen table, and the washer and dryer. My weight set and bench I will take later, and I think I might have them move the Nordic Track unit. I'm going to call the city later today and find out what I can do with that damn recliner. I don't think it qualifies as 'salvageable' so Goodwill and Habitat won't touch it, so what do you do? No wonder the city has a problem with 'fly dumping'.
Ernie is going to paint the downstairs of the condo beginning Tuesday. Just the kitchen (powder room is OK) and living room over to the staircase wall. The upstairs bedroom walls are in reasonable shape, however the carpet in the second bedroom doorway is noticeably flawed. And, the cassette racks and book shelves downstairs came off the wall without any trouble, and the holes in that area can be covered with white grout. The 'popcorn' surface should work to my advantage.
Today I'm going to finish moving the basement area (several hundred vinyl records) and removing everything from the closets (upstairs and downstairs) and pantry.
After the movers have finished on Monday I'll transport the TV and PC that remain in the condo. I'll also pull the modem/router and take it to Westview. The tech from ATT arrives on Westview at 9am on Tuesday to hook all my devices into the new wifi, and in my mind, this is when I'm 'officially moved'
On Tuesday I'll just leave the paint and materials at the condo and tell Ernie where the outside key is located. He said it will probably take him two days. By early afternoon on Tuesday I should be done with the ATT tech, and I'll come back to the condo to vacuum and do some cleaning, and that should be it for the condo preparation.
I guess we should plan a meeting around Wednesday of next week to make sure that everything is ready and to sign any paperwork. In fact, maybe you could swing by the condo on Tuesday while Ernie is working and see what you think. I'll give you a call Saturday. I hope I'll be done with my part of the move by then.
So, that's where it stands now.....seeya kw
Just after I sent the email I heard some activity on the parking lot. The unit that has been vacant for a couple of years was being cleaned out. A group of guys working for a repossession outfit were cleaning out unit #47. They were there for several hours and even used a power washer. I gave one of the guys my old USA Full Face motorcycle helmet.
I sent an email to Joe saying that I wish that this were not happening and the timing could not be worse, but he feels that my unit would appeal to a more 'upscale buyer' (not his words).
Kinda like a used Porsche going on the market shouldn't have to worry about a used Ford Focus (my hope).
Hey,
Move Day begins Monday between 830am and 930am. I'm 98% moved already. The only items 2 MEN will take are the bed and headboard, the leather chair, the kitchen table, and the washer and dryer. My weight set and bench I will take later, and I think I might have them move the Nordic Track unit. I'm going to call the city later today and find out what I can do with that damn recliner. I don't think it qualifies as 'salvageable' so Goodwill and Habitat won't touch it, so what do you do? No wonder the city has a problem with 'fly dumping'.
Ernie is going to paint the downstairs of the condo beginning Tuesday. Just the kitchen (powder room is OK) and living room over to the staircase wall. The upstairs bedroom walls are in reasonable shape, however the carpet in the second bedroom doorway is noticeably flawed. And, the cassette racks and book shelves downstairs came off the wall without any trouble, and the holes in that area can be covered with white grout. The 'popcorn' surface should work to my advantage.
Today I'm going to finish moving the basement area (several hundred vinyl records) and removing everything from the closets (upstairs and downstairs) and pantry.
After the movers have finished on Monday I'll transport the TV and PC that remain in the condo. I'll also pull the modem/router and take it to Westview. The tech from ATT arrives on Westview at 9am on Tuesday to hook all my devices into the new wifi, and in my mind, this is when I'm 'officially moved'
On Tuesday I'll just leave the paint and materials at the condo and tell Ernie where the outside key is located. He said it will probably take him two days. By early afternoon on Tuesday I should be done with the ATT tech, and I'll come back to the condo to vacuum and do some cleaning, and that should be it for the condo preparation.
I guess we should plan a meeting around Wednesday of next week to make sure that everything is ready and to sign any paperwork. In fact, maybe you could swing by the condo on Tuesday while Ernie is working and see what you think. I'll give you a call Saturday. I hope I'll be done with my part of the move by then.
So, that's where it stands now.....seeya kw
|
Aug 6 (2 days ago)
 | | ||
Sounds like you have everything under control. Talk to you Saturday.
Then I no
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Mount Living Room TV Monitor and Hanging Bookshelf
Monday, 8/3/15
Ernie and I worked from 11am till after 5pm and the following is a note that I sent to Janny on Tuesday morning. Apparently Melissa brought over a peach pie and some sweetcorn Monday evening and Janny asked me to stop by late Monday, but I was still working at Westview.
Ernie and I worked from 11am till after 5pm and the following is a note that I sent to Janny on Tuesday morning. Apparently Melissa brought over a peach pie and some sweetcorn Monday evening and Janny asked me to stop by late Monday, but I was still working at Westview.
Sorry to miss the get together, but yesterday I worked right thru until almost six o'clock and then hit the club.
Ernie (and I) were able to put up the wall section in the living room (I put the books on the shelves and connected the stereo), mount the TV Monitor, and he fixed a small leak in the bathroom faucet. I also had to rearrange and move two bookshelves in the bedrooms. Now, the two bookcases in the study are the same height. It doesn't sound like much, but all things dealing with moving or renovation seem to move slowly and require a maximum of effort.
The drywall was hung by late afternoon and it will be another couple of days before the 'mudding' (I don't really understand what this is) is complete, and then Anderson Construction can finish on the room, and Ernie can begin to hang the shelving in the renovated area. 2 MEN AND A TRUCK are coming on Monday, 8/10, so that will be my first night at the new house, and Eric says that he will be 'almost' be finished with the work. We'll see, but I'll be in the front row.
I also have contracted Ernie to paint the downstairs of the condo, and he'll be starting Tuesday, the eleventh. It will take two days and he's only going to charge two hundred which is reasonable and he does good work.
The electrical work is not complete and yesterday I noticed that I have no power to half of the living room and both the study and the bedroom. However, the computer is up and running (no internet, but it is picking up wifi connections, but all of my neighbors have encrypted their signals). I can watch DVDs and listen to CDs on the computer. Ernie is from Waverly and he's an authentic 'country boy', and while we were working I was playing Jimmy Dale Gilmore, George Jones, and Merle Haggard, and this was from just a few random CDs that I'd brought that happened to be on the computer table. He was amazed.
I hope that the power issue is just that the electrician hasn't completed work on the new electrical box. I think his biggest concern was to provide power to the new area in the basement. He works until 330pm and he'll be getting a call from me. Oddly enough, he is working on installing the electrical system at the new Calvary Temple on the south edge of town. He was saying that when the electrical boxes were installed at that location the inspectors didn't even open the boxes, but at my house, they went through everything with a fine tooth comb.
Today I'll be moving the final few boxes to 940 and then I want to transport the six hanging bookshelves. Each unit comprises six, six foot long boards and three vertical shafts with the brackets attached. This kind of a move would be impossible if I lived any farther away, but I can get to the house in about three minutes. But unfortunately it takes much, much longer to drop off a load.
I'm hoping that by the end of next week I'll be settling into my 'New Normal- Life On Westview'. My next anxiety issues will probably center on the sale of condo which will involve me calling Joe daily, and asking, "Are we there yet?, Are we there yet, Are we there yet?" seeya kw
Monday, August 3, 2015
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Today is Monday, August 3rd and I'm to meet Ernie Cummings at 940 Westview at 11am. We are going to hang a six-foot section of bookshelf in the living room and also mount the TV monitor on the opposite wall.
Yesterday I got a lot done, and it seems that another UHaul rental will not be necessary. On Sunday I delivered the stereo from the living room and seventeen boxes of books to the basement area of Westview. I could have lugged in more stuff, but around 4pm Todd Rabb, the previous owner, gave me a long and convoluted (over an hour- I even got a mini-tour of his new home) horticultural tour of my new yard. Seems like a lot of work and power tools will be required. He did say that he would be happy to help me with the Fall cleanup before the Winter.
Yesterday I got a lot done, and it seems that another UHaul rental will not be necessary. On Sunday I delivered the stereo from the living room and seventeen boxes of books to the basement area of Westview. I could have lugged in more stuff, but around 4pm Todd Rabb, the previous owner, gave me a long and convoluted (over an hour- I even got a mini-tour of his new home) horticultural tour of my new yard. Seems like a lot of work and power tools will be required. He did say that he would be happy to help me with the Fall cleanup before the Winter.
Two Emails to Joe about the status of The Move
The following are a couple of emails that I sent to Joe about the status of The Move. The plan was to get the condo 'market ready' shape as soon as possible, but this seems far from reality.
1. -To Joe on July 27
I hope you had a great trip west.
1. -To Joe on July 27
I hope you had a great trip west.
He was not at his sharpest yesterday morning when I called Elsie's House, and he didn't seem to remember seeing you and Janny last week, but he did remember going to McD's.
And now to the 'move'.....
This is going like a mudslide in slowmotion. When the electrical work was being done it was decided that the old panel would have to be replaced. This was not a surprise, but there were problems with the permit and that shut down all work on the job, and that was very much a surprise (a long and convoluted story on that)
It's my understanding that the work should be done by this evening, and then the work must be finally inspected. This could be accomplished as early as tomorrow or Wednesday. Then, drywall can begin, and I don't see the renovation being completed any sooner than early next week.
All upstairs bedrooms at the condo are empty except for the bed and the computer table (and an old recliner that I don't know what to do with). These were items that I will have the movers take. Last Thursday I moved all eight standing wooden book cases and the books to 940 Westview. I rented a U-Haul van and had help for part of the job from the guy that painted the garage door and hung the new shutters. He will be hanging the bookshelves in the renovated area at Westview and will also do any touchups at the condo. However, I can't finalize this deal since he has other jobs and I can't give him an accurate and solid start date on the work.
All the hanging bookshelves in the living room at the condo are down except for the one holding the stereo on the wall between the kitchen and living room. The books are all in boxes along the walls.
In the downstairs area of the condo one out of three hanging bookshelves is down. I will go to County Market this morning to get more boxes. I'm going to wait until the basement area at Westview is complete until I start moving more boxes since there is no room over there and I only want to move all this stuff One Time. The theory is that the day the renovation is complete I can have Ernest Cummings hang the shelving and then I can begin moving the boxes to the new house and put them on the shelves.
Sometime later in the week I'd like you to take a walk through the condo and tell me the absolute least that I can do to get this ready for sale. My tentative move date with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is still August 10, and I hope that this happens on time (even with all the setbacks, the tenth seems doable). After I am living at Westview I can get serious about sprucing up the condo, but right now I'm more concerned about getting over to the new house.
I still don't know how to move the two large television/monitors, and I haven't contacted ATT about establishing new internet service at Westview. I'm not 'moved' until an internet connection has been established at the new house and Buddy is in the Accord on his first visit to 940 Westview. ...seeya kw
PS...and to add to the excitement I have an appointment this morning for a 'somewhat emergency' root canal at a new dentist. My dentist of over fifteen years is not on the list of preferred dentists in the Cigna plan and any major work is not covered. The insurance covers routine exams and procedures by any dentist, but almost nothing is covered for major work (such as root canal) if your dentist is not on the list. I have had numerous root canals, but none since I've been retired and luckily I contacted Cigna before I had this new procedure or it would have cost me hundreds of dollars out of pocket. For the past couple of weeks I have been practically swigging from a little bottle of oral analgesic, and I never leave home without it.
2.- To Joe on July 30. (Janny and Joe were in Phoenix for a visit to Elsie's House and other things....)
Hey,
No need to visit the condo until I get further along with the move.
Yesterday evening I paid the guy for half of the work on the new breaker box. The total for that job is $2,100 and he told me that the 'arc-breakers' that the city made him install are unreliable and cause 'nuisance failures'. That means that the power kicks off for no reason (a nearly non-detectable surge in power which is entirely normal) and you have to go down in the basement and flip switches. He said that if it causes too much of a hassle he will reinstall the old breakers after the city is out of the picture. That whole procedure makes me livid, but nothing I can do.
This whole 'electrical process of waste' set back the renovation at least a week. The drywall might be done by Monday, and they still have to paint, trim, and apply the carpet tiles. Eric and his people must be done with the room before I can bring the thirty or so boxes of books from the condo to the house, so there's really no point in wasting your time to look at the condition of the condo until early next week.
As soon as the basement room is ready, I'm going to rent another van from UHaul and move all the boxes and the bracket shelving to 940. And, also whatever else I think I can get out of here. I hope I can still make the 2 MEN AND A TRUCK move day on August 10th, but we'll see.
Today I have to be present at Westview from 9am- noon to wait on a chair from Ashley Furniture. When the couch and sofa were delivered last week they found that the chair was defective. It had to go back to the warehouse to be fixed (sheared bolt in one of the legs made it impossible to attach). I'm also going to mow the lawn, for the fourth time!
seeya, kw
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Surprise Meeting With The Electrical Inspector
Th 7/23/15
This was the day that Ernie and I would move the eight stand-alone bookcases to the new house. I called him Wednesday after the book club meeting and he told me that he had another job Thursday morning, but he would meet me at the house around noon or 1pm.
I started the move alone around 8am on Thursday. I moved six of the cases to the patio before I picked up the van at 930am at U-Haul on Bruns Lane. I moved five of the cases and books for those cases to the house before he joined the move around 1pm.
At 11am I was muscling one of the cases into the bedroom when I heard a knock on the door. A guy walked in from the breezeway and asked if I was the contractor and I told him that I was the owner. He was kind of brusque and surly and acted like someone was trying to pull a fast one. Eric arrived about five minutes later and got caught up in a lie. Eric thought that I was aware that I was supposed to be doing the work, but he never made this clear, and I had just told the inspector that I had a contractor do the work. But there was no way in the world that I could have convinced a five year old, let alone this city inspector, that I had done any of the work. The upshot was that the job was shut down until I got a city permit.
Around 430pm, as Ernie and I were at the house finishing up for the last haul of the day, Lucas Patterson, the electrician showed up. He came to pick up his equipment and was mad at Eric for the way that he handled the permit. He thought that he was off the job, and Ernie volunteered the services of a Jacksonville electrician that he works with. As the dust clears, it becomes obvious that I shouldn't have involved the city inspectors in any of this. Now, it's going to be more expensive.
On Saturday morning 7/25 Eric called and said the permit issue has been resolved, but the job will now require arc-fault breaker switches that are four to five times more expensive. This might add a grand or more to the total price, but I contacted Lucas later and found that it will only be an additional three hundred. Lucas will call me back tonight with the final cost and the job is to be completed by Monday night, and the final inspection will occur later in the week.
This was the day that Ernie and I would move the eight stand-alone bookcases to the new house. I called him Wednesday after the book club meeting and he told me that he had another job Thursday morning, but he would meet me at the house around noon or 1pm.
I started the move alone around 8am on Thursday. I moved six of the cases to the patio before I picked up the van at 930am at U-Haul on Bruns Lane. I moved five of the cases and books for those cases to the house before he joined the move around 1pm.
At 11am I was muscling one of the cases into the bedroom when I heard a knock on the door. A guy walked in from the breezeway and asked if I was the contractor and I told him that I was the owner. He was kind of brusque and surly and acted like someone was trying to pull a fast one. Eric arrived about five minutes later and got caught up in a lie. Eric thought that I was aware that I was supposed to be doing the work, but he never made this clear, and I had just told the inspector that I had a contractor do the work. But there was no way in the world that I could have convinced a five year old, let alone this city inspector, that I had done any of the work. The upshot was that the job was shut down until I got a city permit.
Around 430pm, as Ernie and I were at the house finishing up for the last haul of the day, Lucas Patterson, the electrician showed up. He came to pick up his equipment and was mad at Eric for the way that he handled the permit. He thought that he was off the job, and Ernie volunteered the services of a Jacksonville electrician that he works with. As the dust clears, it becomes obvious that I shouldn't have involved the city inspectors in any of this. Now, it's going to be more expensive.
On Saturday morning 7/25 Eric called and said the permit issue has been resolved, but the job will now require arc-fault breaker switches that are four to five times more expensive. This might add a grand or more to the total price, but I contacted Lucas later and found that it will only be an additional three hundred. Lucas will call me back tonight with the final cost and the job is to be completed by Monday night, and the final inspection will occur later in the week.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Overview of the last couple of days
On Monday 7/20/15 I got a call from the house by my new electrician, a friend of Eric's. He said he needed a minimum of $300 to complete the wiring in the new space, but he said that it would be best to replace the whole electrical box. There was not enough space on the existing unit to accommodate any new fixtures and the way that it was wired it would probably trip breakers if fully used.
Nothing about the old wiring was against code of the 60's, it was just that people didn't have as many electrical appliances as they do today. He called about 630pm and I talked on the phone, and then went over to the house so that he could show me the situation.
He has a full time job with B & B Electric and lives in Rochester and does electrical work on the side. Eric uses him for his remodeling jobs, so I guess he must be reliable. And his work will not slow down any of Eric's work.
I was supposed to do the bookcase Move Job with Ernest on Monday, but I felt that the weather looked too bad (on Sunday evening), so I cancelled and he can't do the job until Thursday, 7/23. As it turned out, it really didn't rain on Monday so I should have just gone ahead with the original plan.
On Tuesday morning 7/21 Eric came over to the condo and I paid him for the work on the living room floor and hallway at the new house. $875 plus $40 for the wood trim. $915 total.
During the last week I've been experiencing tooth pain, and I thought that it might be brushing too hard that has aggravated my sensitive teeth. However, it's gone on too long and now I feel that the last tooth filling by Dr. Floyd probably requires a root canal. I called Cigna on We 7/22 to find out about my coverage and found that he is not on The Network. I connected with Cigna and found Westside Dental Group (near Smash Burger on Chatham) and made an appointment for 10am Monday. They had one available for noon tomorrow, but that's the day that I have to move with Ernest.
On Tuesday, 7/21 I dismantled the book case in the basement. I thought that I would have to rent a skill saw to take it apart but it basically fell apart when I tipped it over. Then, I used the two wheeled dolly to put it in the dumpster. This was a major problem, but it turned out to be nothing.
Earlier in the week I spoke with Bill and Jan and found that they were very much interested in my old encyclopedia Britannica. I had already moved it to the dining room of the new house, but I took the trouble to move it back, and we put it in their basement. Their daughter, who lives in Middletown really appreciated it.
Nothing about the old wiring was against code of the 60's, it was just that people didn't have as many electrical appliances as they do today. He called about 630pm and I talked on the phone, and then went over to the house so that he could show me the situation.
He has a full time job with B & B Electric and lives in Rochester and does electrical work on the side. Eric uses him for his remodeling jobs, so I guess he must be reliable. And his work will not slow down any of Eric's work.
I was supposed to do the bookcase Move Job with Ernest on Monday, but I felt that the weather looked too bad (on Sunday evening), so I cancelled and he can't do the job until Thursday, 7/23. As it turned out, it really didn't rain on Monday so I should have just gone ahead with the original plan.
On Tuesday morning 7/21 Eric came over to the condo and I paid him for the work on the living room floor and hallway at the new house. $875 plus $40 for the wood trim. $915 total.
During the last week I've been experiencing tooth pain, and I thought that it might be brushing too hard that has aggravated my sensitive teeth. However, it's gone on too long and now I feel that the last tooth filling by Dr. Floyd probably requires a root canal. I called Cigna on We 7/22 to find out about my coverage and found that he is not on The Network. I connected with Cigna and found Westside Dental Group (near Smash Burger on Chatham) and made an appointment for 10am Monday. They had one available for noon tomorrow, but that's the day that I have to move with Ernest.
On Tuesday, 7/21 I dismantled the book case in the basement. I thought that I would have to rent a skill saw to take it apart but it basically fell apart when I tipped it over. Then, I used the two wheeled dolly to put it in the dumpster. This was a major problem, but it turned out to be nothing.
Earlier in the week I spoke with Bill and Jan and found that they were very much interested in my old encyclopedia Britannica. I had already moved it to the dining room of the new house, but I took the trouble to move it back, and we put it in their basement. Their daughter, who lives in Middletown really appreciated it.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Living Room Floor/ Garage-Shutters-New Lock
Monday, 7/12
Eric and his team removed the living room carpet and installed a new lock on the breezeway door.
Stains on the floor were unacceptable and we agreed that the living room and hall needed to be sanded and restained.
Wednesday he called and wanted me to view the floor. Because he was unable to get the correct grade of sanding paper, the floors must be resanded and stained. If he was to put the shiny coat on top, it would only highlight the unsmooth surface. The stains were less of a problem than the unsmooth surface.
Wednesday he redid the work, and it looks like he will be finishing up with the upstairs by Thursday morning.
Ernest started work on the garage door, shutters, and new lock on the garage/breezeway door 930am, Wednesday morning. I had picked up more boxes at County Market, talked with both crews, and went for the first run from the house on Westview. After the run I drove to Walmart and got a new lock for the garage breezeway door. Ernest will install it for five bucks. Then I went to FitClub for a workout and returned to check on the progress. Eric was working on the basement and his helper was redoing the sanding. It looked much better and they'll go ahead with the final treatment tomorrow morning.
Ernest said he would need until early this evening to complete the job. He called at 645pm and said that he would need more time for the paint on the garage door to soak in and he messed up one of the new black shutters. He failed to measure, and he will replace them. He's coming back on Saturday at 11am to finish the job.
Eric and his team removed the living room carpet and installed a new lock on the breezeway door.
Stains on the floor were unacceptable and we agreed that the living room and hall needed to be sanded and restained.
Wednesday he called and wanted me to view the floor. Because he was unable to get the correct grade of sanding paper, the floors must be resanded and stained. If he was to put the shiny coat on top, it would only highlight the unsmooth surface. The stains were less of a problem than the unsmooth surface.
Wednesday he redid the work, and it looks like he will be finishing up with the upstairs by Thursday morning.
Ernest started work on the garage door, shutters, and new lock on the garage/breezeway door 930am, Wednesday morning. I had picked up more boxes at County Market, talked with both crews, and went for the first run from the house on Westview. After the run I drove to Walmart and got a new lock for the garage breezeway door. Ernest will install it for five bucks. Then I went to FitClub for a workout and returned to check on the progress. Eric was working on the basement and his helper was redoing the sanding. It looked much better and they'll go ahead with the final treatment tomorrow morning.
Ernest said he would need until early this evening to complete the job. He called at 645pm and said that he would need more time for the paint on the garage door to soak in and he messed up one of the new black shutters. He failed to measure, and he will replace them. He's coming back on Saturday at 11am to finish the job.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
The Days After The Closing 7/9- 7/12
by Sunday evening I had moved three small bookcases and numerous boxes of books into the basement area of the house.
On Saturday, 7/11, I bought a $158 lawn mower at Walmart on the eve of a brutal thunderstorm (it passed us by). Grave doubts about whether the machine would start after adding oil and gas, but it turned right over when I mowed the lawn the next morning. I was really movings, and it took a solid hour (hot and sunny- high 80's with a fair degree of humidity).
Also, on Saturday I jammed the lock from the breezeway to the kitchen. The deadbolt seems to work fine, it's the knob lock that seems to jam. I bought a new lock at Walmart when I purchased the lawn mower. I also bought a chain to lock up the mower (I had to return this on Sunday because the links were too narrow to accommodate the width of the lock), and a plastic gas can.
Ernest Cummings, the handyman from Waverly, was supposed to paint the door on Friday, but I cancelled because severe storms were predicted for the area. Very threatening in the Springfield area, but not much fell, and he said that Waverly got a couple of inches in just and hour. He says that he would like at least two days for the paint to dry, and he's hoping he can paint on Wednesday. I told him that he could leave the door 'up' even if it did rain, and he seemed to feel that this would work. He seems committed, and I still think he's and honest guy and legitimately concerned about the quality of the work.
I left the key in the mail box and Eric and Anderson Construction will begin work tomorrow morning (Mo 7/13). He's going to replace the lock for the door which I also bought when I got the lawn mower on Saturday. Then, they'll remove the living room carpet. Hope the floor is in good condition, but I'm going to go the the 'hardwood look' regardless.
On Saturday, 7/11, I bought a $158 lawn mower at Walmart on the eve of a brutal thunderstorm (it passed us by). Grave doubts about whether the machine would start after adding oil and gas, but it turned right over when I mowed the lawn the next morning. I was really movings, and it took a solid hour (hot and sunny- high 80's with a fair degree of humidity).
Also, on Saturday I jammed the lock from the breezeway to the kitchen. The deadbolt seems to work fine, it's the knob lock that seems to jam. I bought a new lock at Walmart when I purchased the lawn mower. I also bought a chain to lock up the mower (I had to return this on Sunday because the links were too narrow to accommodate the width of the lock), and a plastic gas can.
Ernest Cummings, the handyman from Waverly, was supposed to paint the door on Friday, but I cancelled because severe storms were predicted for the area. Very threatening in the Springfield area, but not much fell, and he said that Waverly got a couple of inches in just and hour. He says that he would like at least two days for the paint to dry, and he's hoping he can paint on Wednesday. I told him that he could leave the door 'up' even if it did rain, and he seemed to feel that this would work. He seems committed, and I still think he's and honest guy and legitimately concerned about the quality of the work.
I left the key in the mail box and Eric and Anderson Construction will begin work tomorrow morning (Mo 7/13). He's going to replace the lock for the door which I also bought when I got the lawn mower on Saturday. Then, they'll remove the living room carpet. Hope the floor is in good condition, but I'm going to go the the 'hardwood look' regardless.
THE CLOSING- July 9, 2015
Cool and cloudy. Temps never got out of the low 70's.
I arrived at Chicago Title Company around 920am for the 930am meeting. Joe and Cindy, the seller's' realtor, were already in the conference room. She was telling Joe that the house on Westview was involved in an Internet scam. Someone was offering the house for sale and they had bilked a few people of down payments and first month's rent money. That's why there were 'Not For Rent' signs on the windows.
The Nabbs, Julie and her husband, arrived right on time, and we were entirely done with the paperwork in about fifteen minutes. Apparently, if it hadn't been a cash deal, this would have gone on for much longer.
I talked with Joe for a few minutes in the parking lot, and then went for a workout at Fitclub South. After the workout, I stopped by the house to make sure that the keys worked. They did (for a time).
I arrived at Chicago Title Company around 920am for the 930am meeting. Joe and Cindy, the seller's' realtor, were already in the conference room. She was telling Joe that the house on Westview was involved in an Internet scam. Someone was offering the house for sale and they had bilked a few people of down payments and first month's rent money. That's why there were 'Not For Rent' signs on the windows.
The Nabbs, Julie and her husband, arrived right on time, and we were entirely done with the paperwork in about fifteen minutes. Apparently, if it hadn't been a cash deal, this would have gone on for much longer.
I talked with Joe for a few minutes in the parking lot, and then went for a workout at Fitclub South. After the workout, I stopped by the house to make sure that the keys worked. They did (for a time).
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
THUMBTACK Website
On Monday, 7/6 I found an Internet site that specializes in 'handymen'.
I immediately found three Springfield firms that wanted $200 to paint the garage door and put up new shutters at the house on Westview. I called them back and they all would also put up the shelving in the basement at the completion of the renovations (for more money).
Then, I got a quote on Thumbtack from a man in Waverly who would do the same job for $100. I called him, and it looks like I'll go with his outfit. He wants me to buy the paint and shutters and then contact him later in the week.
Ernest Cummings 435 2116
Today, Tu 7/7/15, it's cool and rainy, so I'll be going the Fitclub South and then I'll visit Menards and buy paint and shutters. First I'll stop at the house on Westview and measure the existing white shutters. I think I can buy new solid black ones wider, but no longer. I was surprised at how cheap you can get new shutters, and it would have been a waste to have the old ones repainted black. I can finally use my 'store credit' at Menards that dates back to the installation of the new kitchen counters at the condo from last year.
Link to Thumbtack-
https://www.thumbtack.com/?utm_source=cma-google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=snVc8AACX-dc_pcrid_46822307384_pkw_thumbtack_pmt_e_&utm_term=thumbtack&network=g&position=1t1&devicetype=c&gclid=CjwKEAjw8e2sBRCYte6U3suRjFESJAB4gn_gJ6FrPjfKnjZxcmLWIdumfq9vDr2CuWMSeqEgvJfEwBoC2BPw_wcB
I immediately found three Springfield firms that wanted $200 to paint the garage door and put up new shutters at the house on Westview. I called them back and they all would also put up the shelving in the basement at the completion of the renovations (for more money).
Then, I got a quote on Thumbtack from a man in Waverly who would do the same job for $100. I called him, and it looks like I'll go with his outfit. He wants me to buy the paint and shutters and then contact him later in the week.
Ernest Cummings 435 2116
Today, Tu 7/7/15, it's cool and rainy, so I'll be going the Fitclub South and then I'll visit Menards and buy paint and shutters. First I'll stop at the house on Westview and measure the existing white shutters. I think I can buy new solid black ones wider, but no longer. I was surprised at how cheap you can get new shutters, and it would have been a waste to have the old ones repainted black. I can finally use my 'store credit' at Menards that dates back to the installation of the new kitchen counters at the condo from last year.
Link to Thumbtack-
https://www.thumbtack.com/?utm_source=cma-google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=snVc8AACX-dc_pcrid_46822307384_pkw_thumbtack_pmt_e_&utm_term=thumbtack&network=g&position=1t1&devicetype=c&gclid=CjwKEAjw8e2sBRCYte6U3suRjFESJAB4gn_gJ6FrPjfKnjZxcmLWIdumfq9vDr2CuWMSeqEgvJfEwBoC2BPw_wcB
Furniture Shopping on The Fourth
On Saturday, the Fourth of July, I went to LA Fitness, and after the workout I went in to see the furniture at Macy's. I was to attend a housewarming party at Jon and Whitney's new home in Sherman at 530pm.
Macy's had a sofa, ottoman, and chair that I was somewhat interesting. The woman told me that although the sale ended on Sunday, she would give me the sale price until at least the end of the week. She gave me some color swatches so that I could select a color that would go with the rug.
When I was in Sherman Whitney told me that they got their new sofa/recliner at Furniture Row. I had never heard of this store but it was very near Ashley Furniture, south of Rt. 72 off of Vets. On Sunday I visited the store and just happened to speak with the salesman that sold The Brandenburgs their furniture piece. This sofa/recliner had been sold three times because it was so big that they were unable to get it into the house. I saw some pieces that sort of interested me, but the sale ended that evening, and I would only be saving $36. Not really a sale.
I then went over to Ashley Furniture and I think I found the stuff for me. She took 15% off and I have a three year interest free loan on the merchandise. It's a sofa, chair, and ottoman that is an older design and will look sharp in the 'new' 1960's house on Westview. The color is rust and it should highlight the area rug perfectly. The saleslady works on commission and I said that I would make sure that she was there when I signed the deal.
On Monday I got an email from Joe telling me that the closing will happen on Thursday, 7/9 at 930am at Chicago Title. This is a block north of Allen near Staab Funeral. This is right off on of my most used bike routes.
Macy's had a sofa, ottoman, and chair that I was somewhat interesting. The woman told me that although the sale ended on Sunday, she would give me the sale price until at least the end of the week. She gave me some color swatches so that I could select a color that would go with the rug.
When I was in Sherman Whitney told me that they got their new sofa/recliner at Furniture Row. I had never heard of this store but it was very near Ashley Furniture, south of Rt. 72 off of Vets. On Sunday I visited the store and just happened to speak with the salesman that sold The Brandenburgs their furniture piece. This sofa/recliner had been sold three times because it was so big that they were unable to get it into the house. I saw some pieces that sort of interested me, but the sale ended that evening, and I would only be saving $36. Not really a sale.
I then went over to Ashley Furniture and I think I found the stuff for me. She took 15% off and I have a three year interest free loan on the merchandise. It's a sofa, chair, and ottoman that is an older design and will look sharp in the 'new' 1960's house on Westview. The color is rust and it should highlight the area rug perfectly. The saleslady works on commission and I said that I would make sure that she was there when I signed the deal.
On Monday I got an email from Joe telling me that the closing will happen on Thursday, 7/9 at 930am at Chicago Title. This is a block north of Allen near Staab Funeral. This is right off on of my most used bike routes.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Moscardelli Movers appointment 7/1/15
We 7/1/15
Meeting at 4pm, She arrived 415pm in a torrential downpour. She was here about fifteen minutes and said that for what I required it would be about three hours or $330. I was not impressed.
I called Two Men And A Truck earlier and they don't require a home inspection, but you fill out an email request. And, their rates are ten dollars per hour cheaper. I'll probably go with them, but I'll have to check out the form.
Meeting at 4pm, She arrived 415pm in a torrential downpour. She was here about fifteen minutes and said that for what I required it would be about three hours or $330. I was not impressed.
I called Two Men And A Truck earlier and they don't require a home inspection, but you fill out an email request. And, their rates are ten dollars per hour cheaper. I'll probably go with them, but I'll have to check out the form.
Carpet Tiles
On Tuesday 6/30/15 I went back to Lowes and put in an order for the carpet tiles. I wanted to get under or equal the $1.99 per square foot. I couldn't do it except when I factored in the 5% discount, and this still put me a few cents above, but by that time I was just sick of it. The total was $1,300.
On Wednesday 7/1/15 I thought the offer at Flooring Depot might be better. It was all $1.99 a square foot and there was no waiting. I called Flooring Depot after the meeting with Joe (10am at his office. I took the bike. He went over the results of the home inspection report and I gave him a copy of the insurance policy which he didn't need) and made sure that the carpet tiles were NOT adhesive backed. Eric said it works better if you glue them down. They aren't adhesive backed but they are rubber backed either. The salesman said it would be fine for a basement floor. I told him I'd be in tomorrow with my credit card and I called Lowes to cancel the order from yesterday. I noticed two calls from Lowes on the answering machine asking me 'Why'?
On Wednesday 7/1/15 I thought the offer at Flooring Depot might be better. It was all $1.99 a square foot and there was no waiting. I called Flooring Depot after the meeting with Joe (10am at his office. I took the bike. He went over the results of the home inspection report and I gave him a copy of the insurance policy which he didn't need) and made sure that the carpet tiles were NOT adhesive backed. Eric said it works better if you glue them down. They aren't adhesive backed but they are rubber backed either. The salesman said it would be fine for a basement floor. I told him I'd be in tomorrow with my credit card and I called Lowes to cancel the order from yesterday. I noticed two calls from Lowes on the answering machine asking me 'Why'?
Home Inspection Report, Mo 6/29/15 and State Farm Insurance Tu 6/30/15
I scheduled a report with B-Safe on Monday 6/29. Dave got there around 1030am to do the report and Joe, Janny, and I would arrive around 1230pm to review his findings.
Janny and Joe were already there when I arrived at 1230pm. No major problems whatsoever. Small amount of condensation on an AC pipe at the furnace. Minor electrical issues at the box in the basement. Windows are basically tight and sound, but some of the windows need painting. Some cracks and settling on the sidewalks, especially the walk nearest the garage. Overall he seemed to feel it was a good buy.
However, in his written report most items were rated as 'satisfactory, marginal, fair.
The report will take a couple of days to process and Joe and I received an email copy late Wednesday afternoon. I agreed to meet Joe on Thursday at 10am to sign the contract with BSafe although I paid the $380 fee at the inspection.
Tuesday 6/30/15 11am meeting with Dan at the State Farm office. He told me on the phone several days earlier that $840 would be the price on the new homeowners policy. However, I was pleasantly surprised with a quote of $598 per year. I paid my six month fee on all policies. He said that I'd need a copy of the homeowners policy for the closing, but Joe said it wasn't necessary since I paid cash. Went for a workout at the 'Y'.
Janny and Joe were already there when I arrived at 1230pm. No major problems whatsoever. Small amount of condensation on an AC pipe at the furnace. Minor electrical issues at the box in the basement. Windows are basically tight and sound, but some of the windows need painting. Some cracks and settling on the sidewalks, especially the walk nearest the garage. Overall he seemed to feel it was a good buy.
However, in his written report most items were rated as 'satisfactory, marginal, fair.
The report will take a couple of days to process and Joe and I received an email copy late Wednesday afternoon. I agreed to meet Joe on Thursday at 10am to sign the contract with BSafe although I paid the $380 fee at the inspection.
Tuesday 6/30/15 11am meeting with Dan at the State Farm office. He told me on the phone several days earlier that $840 would be the price on the new homeowners policy. However, I was pleasantly surprised with a quote of $598 per year. I paid my six month fee on all policies. He said that I'd need a copy of the homeowners policy for the closing, but Joe said it wasn't necessary since I paid cash. Went for a workout at the 'Y'.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Friday 6/26/15
This might turn out to be the wettest June on record. Today it was unseasonably cool, and it rained fairly hard all day. Over an inch of rain had fallen Thursday.
Joe, Eric, and I were scheduled to meet at 940 Westview to have Eric give some tips on the basement renovation. He told me that he would not be available to tackle a job of this size, but when we realized that a new bathroom was not going to happen, he eagerly agreed to do the work.
A new bathroom would involve digging up the concrete and relocating and adding pipes, and the bill would be around ten grand, so I said NO. Eric has changed direction in his business, and now concentrates on 'flipping' homes, rather than home renovations. However, he'll make some good money on my job, and use the proceeds to fund another 'flip'.
I called both guys at 9am, and we all met at 930am in the house on Westview. Joe had arrived early and the lights were on and the doors were open. We talked for over an hour, and Eric will write up his offer, and I'll receive it in the mail be early next week. Joe suggested that we renovate the west side of the basement along the I-beam. The walls and ceiling will be dry-walled and the floor will be covered in carpet tiles. Also, he'll frame in the living room bay window in aluminum. This will seal the wood frame and it won't need to be painted again. And, he'll remove the hall and living room carpet. The entire project should not run above $15,000.
On Friday evening I got a call back from Bivin Construction. This was a name that was given to me at Wilkerson Shell when I had the car worked on last week. I called him back on Saturday morning, but had to leave word. I also called Kevin Slater who was highly recommended to Joe by one of his realtor friends. I contacted Kevin on Saturday morning, but he said that he was booked until late September. I called Eric and told him that I would like another bid, but he was '90% my guy', and I would allow him to see and comment on any counter bid. We also discussed getting the carpet tiles ordered since most places do not carry this product 'in store'.
Joe, Eric, and I were scheduled to meet at 940 Westview to have Eric give some tips on the basement renovation. He told me that he would not be available to tackle a job of this size, but when we realized that a new bathroom was not going to happen, he eagerly agreed to do the work.
A new bathroom would involve digging up the concrete and relocating and adding pipes, and the bill would be around ten grand, so I said NO. Eric has changed direction in his business, and now concentrates on 'flipping' homes, rather than home renovations. However, he'll make some good money on my job, and use the proceeds to fund another 'flip'.
I called both guys at 9am, and we all met at 930am in the house on Westview. Joe had arrived early and the lights were on and the doors were open. We talked for over an hour, and Eric will write up his offer, and I'll receive it in the mail be early next week. Joe suggested that we renovate the west side of the basement along the I-beam. The walls and ceiling will be dry-walled and the floor will be covered in carpet tiles. Also, he'll frame in the living room bay window in aluminum. This will seal the wood frame and it won't need to be painted again. And, he'll remove the hall and living room carpet. The entire project should not run above $15,000.
On Friday evening I got a call back from Bivin Construction. This was a name that was given to me at Wilkerson Shell when I had the car worked on last week. I called him back on Saturday morning, but had to leave word. I also called Kevin Slater who was highly recommended to Joe by one of his realtor friends. I contacted Kevin on Saturday morning, but he said that he was booked until late September. I called Eric and told him that I would like another bid, but he was '90% my guy', and I would allow him to see and comment on any counter bid. We also discussed getting the carpet tiles ordered since most places do not carry this product 'in store'.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Tuesday 6/23/15
Arrangements for the basement renovations-
BURASKI BUILDERS 529-5172 I arranged to have Larry meet me at 940 Westview Dr. at 9am the day after closing on Fr 7/10/15. He seemed to think that $20,000 would be tight.
CREASY CONSTRUCTION 546-1277 They seemed interested and will call me back by the end of this week.
ANDERSON CONSTRUCTION 971-1218 I left word on his answering device.
Steve Contri- Real Estate agent with Remax. Not sure if he does construction or not, but I left word.
I called Dax and spoke to Emily. I'll be taking $100,000 from my Ameriprise account and borrowing $45,000 from Ken Sr. I met Joe at Dax's office and we signed notarized papers regarding the loan from Ken Sr. I also tied my Heartland Credit Union account into my investments so that the check could be direct deposited.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Monday, 6/22/15
Hotter than Hell.
The AC went on for the first time this season and things seem to be humming along. I hope the furnace and AC stay intact until I can sell the condo because it would be a real kick in the teeth if I had to spring for a new heating and cooling system.
815am- Arrived at Wilkerson's Shell to have the Accords 'Check Engine Light'. $88 for a diagnosis and nothing else. Walked home west on Monroe.
Called to have a home inspection with BSafe on Monday, 6/29. Inspection begins at 1230pm, and Joe and I will arrive at 230pm for the report. $380
Long conversation with Dax that went down in confusion. He agreed to have $125,000 taken from my account, but I failed to mention that this would only cover the cost of the new home and not allow for renovation costs. He didn't seem to like the idea of borrowing from Ken Sr. because he (and I) were under the impression that this money was tied to his investment accounts. However, Joe emailed me that this is just a checking account, and not tied to any investments. Once Dax learned of this, he felt it would be best for me to take $100,000 from my account (leaving me $37,000) and then borrow $45,000 from Ken Sr. This allows $125,000 for the purchase of the home and $20,000 for renovations. The loan would be repaid at the sale of the condo.
I called Dan at State Farm to set up insurance on the home on Westview. We went round and round for over a half hour and came up with the ball park figure of $840 per year. This seems high, but I later talked to Joe and found that he pays roughly the same percentage based on the value of his home. I will have a meeting with Dan at 11am on Tuesday 6/30 to work out the details.
To add to the confusion I'm having some kind of problems with Google. I'm having trouble logging on to my email and all things Google, but the internet connection is strong and everything else is loading properly.
It's now almost 230pm and I've been on the phone or swearing at the computer since about 830am. And, I still have to walk to Wilkerson's and find out the results. And, then some kind of workout.
Entry #1- The First Foray
The week of June 15th I actually began looking at homes with Joe.
On Monday I went to Joe's office behind CVS at Bruns and Washington and we discussed what exactly I was looking for. On Wednesday he had compiled a list and we spent a couple of hours visiting the following homes. On Friday, Janny accompanied us and we visited the 'top faves' and a couple of more.
On Monday I went to Joe's office behind CVS at Bruns and Washington and we discussed what exactly I was looking for. On Wednesday he had compiled a list and we spent a couple of hours visiting the following homes. On Friday, Janny accompanied us and we visited the 'top faves' and a couple of more.
940 Westview Springfield, IL $129,900 Off Chatham Rd west of Pasfield Golf Course.
201 COLLIER DR Springfield, IL $134,500 Off Dickinson near Washington.
58 Holliday Springfield, IL 62702 $144,900 Off Winch Rd near Stuart Park
92 Danbury Springfield, IL 62704 $135,000 Right off the bike trail near Chatham and Westchester.
2104 E SANGAMON AVE Springfield, IL 62702 $109,900 Same block as the Catholic church around the corner from Joe on Sangamon.
3209 Dorchester Springfield, IL 62704 $159,000 Far south near Chatham and Lindbergh.
1651 Glenn Springfield, IL 62704 $110,000 In Jerome around the corner from the Welch home.
2005 N 24TH ST Springfield, IL 62702 $109,999 Just off Griffiths near Albany. On my bike route.
2148 S Walnut Springfield, IL 62704 $117,000 Walnut near Outer Park.
2124 BLACKHAWK RD Springfield, IL 62702 $134,995 Directly east of Sangamon Shopping Center/North of Sangamon
2719 S WELCH AVE Springfield, IL 62704 $109,000 East of Montvale in Jerome off Chatham.
Fairfield Dr. (One day while biking I noticed this house near Griffiths. Nearly Identical to the one I lived in thirty five years ago. This one was never in the running, but more of a curiosity.
On Friday we were mainly interested in Westview, Welch, and a home in Westchester on Danbury. The Welch home was eliminated when Joe found that it required flood insurance and the Danbury home was nice, but no Wow Factor (kitchen needed work). On Monday the lock wouldn't work on Glenn, and we saw that it was a big disappointment. Cheap construction and needed too much work. After Friday's foray I decided to put an offer in on Westview.
The owner was asking $129,900 and Joe decided we should offer $124,000. I thought the offer was too low and I really didn't want to lose the deal. But, a few hours later, Joe and Janny called to inform me that the order was accepted. I went back to Joe's office where Janny and Joe met me and we spent an hour or so signing and initialing paperwork.
On Monday I was to arrange for a home inspection and to call Dax about financing details. Joe has suggested that I borrow money from my father's investment account. I have $137,000 in a 'taxes paid' account, but I don't want to deplete all of this, so I'll require some form of a 'bridge loan' until the condo is sold.
In the middle of all this, the 'check engine' light on the Accord came on. On Monday 6/22 I'll leave off the car at Wilkerson's for an $88 analysis (but no work), then on the phone to three inspectors that Joe provided, and I'll tell Dax that the offer was accepted and how to deliver the cash only offer.
Sunday I thinned four bags of books from three shelves in the living room. It's going to be a huge undertaking!!
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