All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

@Account Closed - won't comment on the property itself, sight unseen, but since it's a HUD property, submit your bid ultra-low... well below the bid that won previously. If your bid isn't accepted (and no one else's is either), keep submitting your bid and don't raise your price. Your number is your number.

Oh, and unless they have particular knowledge of construction costs, I'd be skeptical of a realtor's cost estimate.

@Jonathan Godes, that you have radiant floor heating, does indeed make a difference.  That said, there are a variety of products on the market that may accomplish what you're after - from membranes alone (like WhisperMat from Protecto Wrap) to to membranes that use gypsum underlayment topping (like Maxxon's Acousti-Mat)... just be sure to check for compatibility with the in-floor heating.

For those of us with regularly recurring meetings, any chance of setting it up that way instead of having to create a new event each time? Thanks!

@Christian Sifuentes, are you referring to Baltimore Gas and Electric (as in the utility company providing the electricity) or BGE Home (a contractor playing off the BGE acronym)?

If the former, with deregulation, you can choose your electric company, but know that in most areas, in so much as I am aware, this means little more than to whom you pay your bill.

What exactly do you need?

@Daniel Holbrook, if you didn't get any takers, might want to check with http://www.habitat.org/restores instead of adding to the landfill.

If the system is a central ducted one, then check to see if the branch lines have dampers.  They can usually be found near the equipment and are controlled by small "arms" on the exterior of the branch line and held in place with a wing nut.  Adjust accordingly to control the air flow.

Alternately and/or additionally, simply close the registers in/on various rooms/floors to force the air elsewhere.

This is a common problem in poorly designed/installed systems, particularly common among production housing over the last 30 years or so.  I just adjusted the dampers at my girlfriend's house and it made a HUGE difference!

Good luck!

It befuddles me why all manufacturers don't identify their products... those that do, often place the information on the inside of one of the drawer boxes.  Nonetheless, buying parts from the original manufacturer is likely to be more costly than using one of the suggestions above.

It looks like some of the cabinet boxes are colored on the inside to match the exterior - that is often done when the doors have clear glass... if so, a nice touch that may be less expensive than raised panels.

Mind the budget and schedule... be cautious about overbuilding based on the rental market there... if planning to hold for the long haul, build for the long haul.

Seek out a local Land Planner / Civil Engineer firm.

@Cynthia Hartley, @Sam Valme and @Russell Brazil - regardless of the contractor's physical place of business, DC has licensing laws for those working in the city.  The salesperson selling the work is required to hold a Home Improvement Salesperson License, the contractor performing the work is required to hold either a Home Improvement Contractor License or a General Contractor/Construction Manager license, and for home improvements (defined as: "This classification applies if you conduct any of the following: the repair, remodeling, alteration conversion or modernization of, or addition to, residential property, all as may be more particularly defined in the regulations."), there is a THREE day contract cancellation period.

I'm always wary of the folks who can do the work "on the spot".