Gah. So... never mind on that moving thing....

[politicat]

Well, that's not entirely true. We will be moving (the fact that the HOA has raised dues AGAIN but can't manage to A: keep track of payments from homeowners, and B: won't bother with actually plowing our community roads after these snow storms, and C: many other idiocies and inefficiencies....) but not sharing the house. We figured out that there's a serious disconnect on how their contractual labor values differ from either standard practice or how we view labor values (i.e. their contract only counts the cost of materials in terms of renovation, not how much it will cost to hire contractors or the year of my life I'd need to take off to supervise the project. They didn't expect to ever do any "more than a weekend" work on the house.) and that's a contract I refuse to get into. Fortunately, the friendship isn't damaged.

So... we're looking for another house because this one seems to be doing something funky with its appreciation.... if the trends continue, the rate of inflation will overtake the appreciation in about 23 months, so I'd rather this house be someone elses' problem when that happens. (and not being able to get out of the driveway when it snows is getting old... fast. As is getting the tires fixed on a weekly basis.)

But if anyone wants to see the absolutely beautiful kitchen I designed for a very awkward space (17' x 7'6").... Or the sketchup model can be had for a PM.



(ETA: Link)

[Warpy]

1. Alas, my kitchen is 12x17

I'm resigning myself to moving out while the bathroom is renovated, but probably to a furnished flat.

I've done the drawings but not the elevations. I suppose I'll end up doing that while I'm waiting for all this damned snow to melt.

Given the lack of paper profit on your place and the incompetent HOA, it's probably a good idea for you to move rather than sink money into renovations.

Just avoid a new place with an HOA hanging around your neck like an albatross, which is what most of them turn into. I'd much rather live with a little funk than a lot of hassle.