Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Cheating the system

First off, I looked at blogger stats. I've gotten a lot of visits from people typing this in the search engines: why isn't there money on my ebt card.

That sure gave me a chuckle.

The electrician is coming back out tomorrow to do his work including adding more outlets as required by code (like people can't move the coffee maker 2 feet, have to plug it in wherever it sits?). Tuesday the heating company is going to cut and cap the lines for the baseboard heater and service the boiler. This means we can start the drywall and texture and with any luck start installing the cabinets and such next weekend.

We found out that we should have pulled a permit for the kitchen. We should pull a permit for the electrical. We aren't swapping our hot water heater out for one a friend gave us until the kitchen is done... that requires a permit. Get one permit, get them all, then have someone snooping around. We should have pulled a permit when we replaced some deck boards this past spring. I suppose it means we are cheating the system, but the system is jacked up. If we replace the cabinets... no problem. Stove replaced... no problem. Replace stove and cabinets = permit.
HUH?

I'm just a country boy from the woods. We had to make out own power pole when we finally got electricity growing up.


We decided to get a toe kick heater for the kitchen. It puts out more heat with the electric fan and costs 40% less than a new baseboard heater. It's also 70% less labor and that will save some money. We will spend more than we planned, but at least the electrical and heating will be correct. We anticipate $9000 for the whole project and that should give us a $30,000 kitchen.

My ribs are back to about 70% of normal. My gym workouts are great, I just can't do situps or pullups yet. If I didn't know better (and i probably don't) there is something seriously wrong with me, but I'm going to hang in there a few more days before I get an xray. I can reach under my left lower ribcage and push and prod.... nothing. If I push on my ribs on the left middle side I see stars. I do know it's better than this past weekend, but I also know I have a extreme tolerance for pain.

The powdered milk we ordered should be showing up real soon, just simply nowhere to put it right now. What we couldn't fit in the dining room is sitting in the basement, and the basement was already tight on space. It's temporary at least and since it's winter the upstairs rooms stay very cool so I'll put the new food storage items up here.

6 comments:

  1. I was a building inspector, years ago; the reason they gave for requiring more receptacles, closer together, was that 'most home fires are started by cheap extension cords.' So they want to eliminate the need for those cords by having the outlets closer together.

    At least now you now the "why". The permitting requirements? Meh, whatever. Do what you think best.

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    1. I know it makes sense, but if people are too lazy to move a coffee maker or blender a little ways instead of using an extension cord.... guess that's what they deserve.
      We are supposed to have outlets below the windows, but there isn't enough room for unless I notch the cabinets. All this code crap doesn't work for a house 120+ years old.

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  2. I didn't even think about pulling permits when I redid my kitchen. I added a line for propane rather than the old electric range top. I also put in two ovens, new cabinets, new, walls, ceilings, lights, etc. Oops. I guess I should have paid my permit taxes. It was all done right anyway, even without the county snoops looking around.

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    1. Somehow I think CA got the money out of you eventually, from some different fee or tax, long live the republic.

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  3. I was told by a contractor friend that is I did the work, no permit required. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

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    1. Very true. It's grandfathered in once it's done.

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