Where to put $50,000 and make money
blue_fastback
11 years ago
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LuAnn_in_PA
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoemma
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
New Construction - 50,000 s.f. Lawn
Comments (36)Texas-Weed, that TAMU site is very helpful. Thank you. Here's what it says about the contentious issue of centipede's drought tolerance: "Centipedegrass is naturally shallow rooted and water management is critical on heavy textured soils during summer months. Centipedegrass is not as drought tolerant as some people have been led to believe, and improper watering during drought stress can cause problems. Water should be applied when centipedegrass shows signs of water stress -- wilted and discolored turf. Light, frequent applications of water should be avoided since it promotes shallow rooting. Thoroughly wetting the soil 4 to 6 inches deep only when the grass shows signs of moisture stress is the proper procedure for watering centipedegrass lawns. Sandy soils require more frequent applications of water, but the soil should be wet 6 to 8 inches deep after each irrigation. Centipedegrass should also be watered during dry winter months to avoid desiccation. Excessive nitrogen fertilization and improper watering account for many of the problems homeowners have with centipedegrass lawns." I note that the bibliography of Sandy Baker's book, "The Complete Guide to Organic Lawn Care" is filled with references to TAMU.edu pages, so I'm sure Texas-Weed picked a good source of information for us newbies. Baker and Tukey have both written helpful organic lawn care books. There's a lot more colorful pictures in Tukey's book, so a total newbie will probably want to read that one first, and then Baker's next. Both authors provide very useful info. I loved Baker's explanation of the different types of soils from sandy to silt to loam to clay. Her composting section is really good too. Paul Tukey sparks a newbie's imagination with all those great colorful photos and his helpful sections on compost tea (the book motivated me to brew some myself). He also has really excellent sections on the Organic ways to control weeds. I guess the next book on my reading list is "Teaming with Microbes."...See Morebuild a 3 bedroom home for around $50,000
Comments (3)I live in a very low cost labor area of the South. 15 years ago, we DIYed a 30x54 heated and cooled garage/shop for 45K. The only labor we paid for was for some dirt digging and the concrete pour. 5K. Everything else we did with our own hands. 40K was only material costs, even though it included 10' ceilings and 2x6 construction and a few other structural upgrades. No plumbing, or any cabinets or bath fixtures. And those items that need licensed trades like plumbing plus the finish materials themselves are the most expensive part. I can't imagine doing any residence for under 75K, especially with the big rise in construction material costs. That's with a very simple square box plan with all DIY or donated labor and the most basic of contractor grade interior finishes. Zero upgrades. No wood floors or 9' ceilings, or even extra electrical outlets. And, even getting it in for that price will depend on how much the permits cost, and how much connecting to the utilities cost, or whether or not a well and septic will be needed. If a well and septic are needed, that alone can cost 50K+....See More$50,000 interior paint quote
Comments (28)Pamela - my heart goes out to you! My younger brother was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer this past July - two days after coming to visit me for the very first time in my still not completely finished new home that he had been hearing me go on-and-on about for over two years. He spent hours working with me in the central Texas summer heat helping me get a start on some landscaping! Needless to say, when he called two days after leaving my home with news of his cancer diagnosis, I felt totally silly, self-centered, and shallow to have been so concerned with my house issues! My brother is being treated at MD Anderson in Houston and is doing extremely well... to the point where we are all now EXTREMELY hopeful that he will actually beat this thing completely... and I've gone back to letting myself stress over my silly house issues. I only tell you this because you need to know that no matter how agressive your cancer is, there is still hope! But, with an agressive cancer diagnosis, you definitely DON'T need to be dealing with construction vultures right now! You need to be focusing all your energies on getting well. You should be enjoying the good days you have between treatments - not spending them on the phone having fights with contractors. I'm sure you must have loads of friends who are responding to news of your cancer with "Is there anything I can do to help?" While many of them are no doubt just be expressing their pity and would RUN if you actually asked them for help, others are true friends who really would like to be able to offer you REAL help - if only they knew of some way they could. Usually there is nothing the friends of a cancer patient CAN do. But in your case that isn't true. Isn't there one person among all the people who love you that is smart and capable enough that you can trust them to assist you with dealing with the house issues. If so, consider appointing that person as your "agent" to deal with the house and finish getting it built for you. Put it into their hands and let them run with the ball. They might not make EXACTLY the same decisions you would along the way - but if they truly love you, they WILL make decisions with your best interests at heart... and they are likely to be pitbulls when dealing with the vultures because, in my experience, most people will fight harder for someone they love than they will for themselves! My thoughts and prayers are with you. Keep posting as often as you feel up to it - so we know how you are doing. And if you should choose a friend to help you finish dealing with the build, be sure to introduce him/her to this forum and ask them to post progress notes....See MoreHouzz Has Become UnManageable... I Can't Search 50,000 Photos!
Comments (79)When I started using Houzz I was amazed at how accurate the results of my searches were (in addition to the size of the photos database). It was a great resource. More recently when I've prepared to undertake projects, I've noticed that I just don't get the same, accurate results. My searches are riddled with results that just aren't pertinent. I think this is due to the incorporation of advertisers from my city and surrounding areas (contractors, builders, and others). There are enough ads (or results that are somehow influenced by someone who has something to sell) now to really hinder the flow of design ideas. I guess many internet sites end up using advertisers but it morphs the user experience. It's really made using Houzz less fruitful....See MoreLuAnn_in_PA
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoduluthinbloomz4
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoemma
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLuAnn_in_PA
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11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLuAnn_in_PA
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoKarolina11
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLuAnn_in_PA
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoKarolina11
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoyfulguy
10 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMrsShayne
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