[bearishgurl]

[quote=FlyerInHi]BG, you can do it.

I recently tiled a 1200sf condo, all by myself. I dare say that I’m pretty good at it because I don’t rush it. I have an MK tile saw that I bought for about $700.

Since, I’ve been DIY remodeling, I look at the fit and finish everywhere I go. Nothing escapes my trained eyes anymore.

One thing about DIY, I don’t need to go to the gym as much.[/quote]

LOL, I’ve been spending even MORE time at the gym (over and above my 3-4x wk) lately, just to be somewhere with A/C!

It’s great that you mastered the tile saw, brian. Yeah, DIY is good exercise but I prefer working out with weights and yoga/pilates classes. I’ve been slowly getting power tools as my confidence builds up (have five so far). Having been a desk jockey most of my life, I just never really learned to use them but usually did all the “grunt work” in my “off-hrs” (picking up debris/shop vaccing, etc) while someone else used them.

I don’t need any more tile. My large kitchen and 2 large baths are all done in mosaic and they are gorgeous floors (but a bit high-maintenance, with pets). I need hardwood floor to replace older carpeting. My friend has 3 folding tables and I have one that we can use in the garage to lay out the pieces first in sections so they look good together on the floor. I already know how to rip out carpeting, pad and tack strips and I have one more free pass for this year left for the Otay landfill and a pickup I could borrow to go there. I think I can get the hang of a laying a floating floor but its going to be challenging moving heavy furniture around.

And no, I don’t want “engineered laminate” such as Pergo, etc. I know a lot of the flippers use it but much of my competition around here has real hardwood floors (all original if the home has never been remodeled). Thus a prospective buyer around here would expect that in a ~65 yo ‘hood.

I just can’t imagine paying $10K++ to have it installed! I figured I have about 1400 sf to do, (total) but if I DIY, I won’t do it all one time.

[bearishgurl]

Oh, and btw, Rus, I just learned how to use a Sawzall! I got both long and short blades for pruning and WOW, it is so much easier and faster than the manual way I was pruning all these years! The 10 amp model I recently scored for <$50 is a little heavy (I have to wrap both wrists to use it) but it is SUCH a worksaver for me! I've watched several neighbors actually use it with a long blade to remove bermudagrass (w/18" roots) from their front yards (instead of using $250 worth of Roundup, like I did, and STILL had to dig a lot out). That's what got me interested enough to wait for a sale and buy one for myself and I highly recommend them for landscaping purposes, although I'm sure they would be great for other jobs as well, if you had the right blade.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=Blogstar]BG tile saws are the least dangerous of all circular saws. You can touch the blade with your finger, though I wouldn’t recommend getting it pinched between the table and the blade.

Some tile store will cut your tiles for a fee and /or a rental saw can be had to cut the pieces with just a few hours rental, once the main floor is installed. I know you probably don’t like those Ideas , but they can be used.

Less scrupulous people buy the tile saw and return it after the job is done![/quote]

Yes, I’ve watched several people use their own tile saws (mounted on the tailgate of their pickups) and it seems that that many cuts need to be made and also adjusted on the fly (as the tile is being laid). Ex: around the toilet flange, around pocket-door mouldings, etc. I don’t think it would be easy to “pre-plan” all those cuts before the job unless you installed the slipsheet/hardibacker first and at least removed the toilets one or more days prior to the tile being laid so you could lay out all the tile and look at it. I guess it would depend upon the complexity of the tile pattern, how expensive the tile was and how long the homeowner can live without one bathroom. Then if those cuts turn out to be a little off and the tile needs to be shaved some more to fit, someone needs to get in the car in the middle of the job (while the glue is down?) and go get the tile cut some more.

Having a wet tile saw on the premises all during your tile job is the best way to go. And if HD is taking those (expensive) saws back after they have been used, they need to seriously revisit their refund policy because they are clearly being taken advantage of by “customers.”

I have also found that those mechanical tile scorers (they resemble a 3-hole punch for paper) don’t work very well, can’t do anything but a straight cut and often crack the tile being scored.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=Blogstar]If it’s on a slab make sure they seal it very well before putting the hardwood down. In fact, you might even want to look for a dedicated concrete sealing contractor to do that part. Also the tile may need a slip sheet installed over slab or parts of it.
The guys at HD are going to want to start throwing down wood and tile 5 minutes after you meet them and they WILL NOT bring these important things into consideration.

I can give you a referral if you want , but if the contractor you chose will address these things , and do them right, to the extent they are needed , you will be fine with that contractor.[/quote]

Good advice, Rus. I have 1″ plywood subfloors but still used the old sheet vinyl with hardibacker nailed on top before laying tile in kitchens and bathrooms. This extensive prep work (plus sealing at least the grout afterwards) is necessary before laying your tile, no matter which kind of subfloor you have.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=spdrun]Do it yourself or hire from in front of Home Depot. Cheaper than dotting/crossing the correct letters.[/quote]

I’m going to try my hand at this, spdrun. I have a friend who did her 1500 sf condo in floating wood floor (6″ wide planks) and it looks really nice. Her daughter helped. She’s been a seamstress all her life and had her long tables set up in the garage to lay it all out first and match it and make the cuts.

She’s offered to help me try my hand at it and I’m going to take her up on it with my study (a smallish bdrm) for starters and then I’ll go from there. (Due to furniture moving, etc, I can only do one room at a time.)

I priced JUST my living room in 2.5″ red oak about five years ago and the estimate (with installation) was over $4400! (It had to be nailed and then professionally finished.)

I have a 1.5″ red oak dining room and hallway which has been professionally finished and is still beautiful but those planks have long since been discontinued as they were used from about 1948 to 1952 (when the 2.5″ planks began to be used en masse). On the back of these original planks, it says “Hurtsboro” (a mill in Kentucky at the time).

I went to Lumber Liquidators in Nestor several years ago and found acceptable pre-finished 2.25″ planks (mfr Durawood) but at $3.49 sf, the cost for me would be ridiculously high with installation as they have to be nailed. I’ve been getting ads from them for small lots of same for .99 sf so if I bought enough from red oak end lots for 1-2 rooms at a time and did just those room(s), I don’t think the difference in color/pattern would show up that much from room to room but I’m not sure.

I could buy a new floor nailer for $170, which would be cheaper than renting it on several different occasions. I just don’t know how to use it or know all the tricks for nailing against the wall, etc. Thus my idea for the floating floor after seeing my friend’s. I just wonder how the 6″ planks would look butted up next to existing 1.5″ planks (which I’m not going to replace). I guess I could go to Lowes and get a sample to check.

Mine is a real dilemma but there is no way in h@ll I would spend $10K+ on wood flooring. I don’t know how handy you are, OP or if you’re willing to try DIY, but spdrun is correct in that it is MUCH CHEAPER to DIY flooring than have it done.

However, to lay tile, you would need to be very proficient at using a wet tile saw so as not to waste any (expensive) tile and they cost over $850 to buy, are expensive to rent and are dangerous. I’ve used a very good, efficient and reasonable licensed tile person in SD County for setting over 150 sf of a ceramic mosaic pattern. I don’t know where you’re located, but if you are interested in the referral, feel free to pm me.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=paramount][quote=bearishgurl] I remember this because I had been considering buying a decent (used) 4WD 4-Runner for several years and they are very scarce (for good reason). [/quote]

They’re not really scarce, although they should be in so cal since 99% of drivers in so cal will never need or even use 4wd. It’s a waste of money.[/quote]

paramount, for a period of a few months, I kept tabs on several websites (autotrader, etc) on 4WD 4-Runner ads and they were far and few between. And the ones which DID appear were sold before I called on them. I had my parameters set on 100 miles from my home (incl Temecula and the bulk of the OC). No luck. Even the 4-Runners with an excess of 200K miles on the odometer sold very quickly.

And the current year doesn’t seem to be stocked very well in the local Toyota dealers … at least in SD County. More likely, the customer who really wants a specific one will have to order it.

There is a REASON for all of this and that reason is that the current (4WD) 4-Runner owners are NOT selling.

Ask yourself WHY.

[bearishgurl]

It’s not like we residents of SD County live in the far reaches of the boonies and therefor MUST stock up and keep and extra freezer at home. 95% of us are SURROUNDED by stores and can get the freshest food at exactly the time we need it.

Think Wyoming here. A good portion of WY residents would likely benefit from visiting a Costco-like whse 2-4 times per year and keeping an extra freezer at home.

Not so for 95% of SoCal residents.

[bearishgurl]

“Kirkland,” or 10-cent Gillette razors, anyone? How about a $25 bottle of Vanilla?? After having been different friend’s “guests” at Costco, I’m astounded at how much people spend in there in ONE shopping trip … and for what, exactly? A customer would have to be part of an immediate family of 6++ (ALL of its members who are ALWAYS home for meals, etc) to make it worth their while to buy in bulk to that extent (or own a restaurant). What’s the point, exactly? Has anybody ever heard of the Von’s “Just4u” prices. Uhh, hello? Most of these prices are better than the military commissary but the shopper has to do the WORK online before entering the store to shop. And the shopper can buy just enough for them (just4u) and get GREAT discounts!

[bearishgurl]

This phenomenon (and the fact that a pkg of 100 cheap razors would last me the rest of my life, with some left for my “heirs,” lol) is precisely why I don’t belong to Costco, Sam’s Club, etc and never will.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=spdrun]Why does anyone need an soft-roader EthYooVee in San-damn-Diego?[/quote]

Actually, I agree spdrun. They’re not necessary in SD. I’ve never owned an SUV (or a minivan) in my life (even when I was raising kids)! Of course, no one could ever accuse me of being the “soccer mom” type, lol …

If would be GREAT to have one for the road, though … especially the mountains … namely the rocky mountains. Even a Jeep Cherokee or Toy 4Runner would be nice. I saw the new luxurious “Grand Cherokee” models online (too big for me) but wonder how the jeep will hold up on maintenance through the years as opposed to a Toyota.

I didn’t actually notice the Lexus RX 350 F Sport until the summer of ’13 when I saw them out on the road in AZ and CO in a very striking WHITE color with all black grille. (This was apparently their debut year.) I was SHOCKED at how gorgeous they were out in the bright sun with their big wheels glistening out on the open road! I could tell they were a Lexus but didn’t have a chance to research them further until I arrived back home. They are undoubtedly the most beautiful vehicle I’ve ever seen. I DID drive my boss’s 2001 RX 300 around dtn SD back in 2002 and loved it (same color int and ext as my car). Then I drove a friend’s 2007 RX 350 (w/NAV) around the block and parked it in my garage just to see how it looked in there, lol. But neither of these vehicles hold a candle to the Lexus RX 350 F Sport:

Here are the exterior and interior pics of the upcoming 2016 incarnation of it. It has a “floating roofline:”

[img_assist|nid=25511|title=Side view|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=55]

[img_assist|nid=25513|title=Front view (F Sport model)|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=300|height=199]

[img_assist|nid=25512|title=center console|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=56]

It’s hard to see the paddle shifters, but they’re behind the steering wheel on the right:

[img_assist|nid=25515|title=Front interior cabin (F Sport model)|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=67]

[img_assist|nid=25514|title=Cranberry interior (back seat)|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=67]

Here’s the sun/moonroof:

[img_assist|nid=25516|title=Expansive sunroof|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=67]

Well, this vehicle is probably too impractical for me … but I just LOVE the H@LL out of its looks (not necessarily in ultra white/cranberry, though).

I’m well past the “midlife crisis” stage, lol … but should I ever buy another vehicle newer than the one I own, I’ll likely drive it until I’m unable to drive anymore or until I die … whichever happens first :=0

[bearishgurl]

[quote=treehugger]BG I actually really disliked the 4-runner! It had been my dream car for so long, then I drove it for a year and it was an uncomfortable tak! I had bought that one used at a good deal and turned around and sold it, so no money lost there. Bought the Prius trying to be practical, actually it has been a great car and other than me being completely SoCal frivolous and deciding I want this Mercedes I would keep it! The dogs fit really well, I put a hitch on it for the bike rack and I really would say it has been a great car(hint hint anybody want to buy a Prius). My hubby has a SUV AWD work car, so it is paid for (all gas and maintenance and insurance) through his work and we take it everywhere.

I think maybe I am having a midlife crisis.[/quote]

What’s uncomfortable about the 4-Runner, treehugger? I once had a 1990 4WD Toy Hilux SR-5 P/U (loaded w/dbl cab) with a matching shell and carpet pack. It had the same chassis as the 4-Runner did/does and has since been renamed “Tacoma.” I/we took many, many road trips in it for 10 years (lots of skiing, etc) and I absolutely loved it! The dash was like a cockpit, it had a Sony 6-disc CD under the back seat, fantastic speakers and I loved being up high over the road (almost to the level of comm’l truck cabs) and loved the granny gear for the snow (it had a 5-spd manual transmission). To some, its ride may have seemed little bouncy but I liked it … plus all that (expensive) rubber under it.

I don’t like the tires on most newer vehicles today. Most of them look like they’re only going to last 20K miles at the most before they need replacing. It just doesn’t look to me like there is much air in them. I wonder how much these newer tires cost in relation to “old school” tires?? In July, I paid about $775 for 4 new “old school” Michelins plus a 3-yr alignment for my 21+ yo Lexus sedan and it still drives like a dream. I’ll be taking another (3500 mi RT) trip to “flyover country” with it next month.

As you may surmise, I’m partial to Toyota products as I have driven them all my life. I have found them to be extremely reliable and cost effective to maintain.

I’m surprised that your dogs actually fit in back of the Prius. I assume they have to lie down so it can’t be used to take them on longer trips. It’s good that you also have an AWD vehicle for your use (even thought it is a primarly business vehicle).

Before you make a decision, why don’t you test drive this? It’s just a little bigger than a Prius and about the same size as the Mercedes. It comes in AWD, AWD Hybrid ….

http://www.lexus.com/compare/series/NX

… and F Sport (AWD) models:

http://www.lexus.com/compare/NX/competitor/40439/

I haven’t yet but my mechanic has one and he loves it. I would rather have the RX F Sport (larger, more expensive) which has not yet been released for 2016, due to a complete redesign. I’m seriously considering buying one in the last quarter of next year and giving my car to my youngest kid. (It also has those thinnish tires I don’t know much about so will have to learn more, of course, lol.) As a person who learned to drive in the snow with a stick shift, those paddle shifters look very enticing to me as well as the two-tone interiors of many of the newer Lexuses!

Why don’t you test drive the NX and come back and give us Piggs an update? In my second link, the NX appears to be in direct competition with the Merc GLA 250 you are considering.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=treehugger]”Most people seeking car advice though have already made up their minds and want confirmation from others that it is a good buy.”

This is very true 😉

I am going for it, we are getting the AWD version, although coming from a Prius nearly any car would be a “sportier” drive.[/quote]

Hey treehugger, IIRC, you sold a (non-4WD) 4-Runner (1-2 yrs ago?) to purchase the Prius (can’t look for the thread right now). I remember this because I had been considering buying a decent (used) 4WD 4-Runner for several years and they are very scarce (for good reason). You then posted here that yours was not a 4WD model when I asked but that you liked it a lot because your two big dogs fit in the back nicely.

I wondered how you were going to get those guys in and out of the back of a Prius, especially if you also had a bike rack installed on it, but didn’t say anything :=0

IMHO, the current year 4-Runner (ESP the 4WD model), which is an actual 4WD is highly preferable to an AWD CUV or any car-like SUV, imho. Does this Mercedes model happen to have a CVT transmission? If so, do you think you would be okay with having $2000+ transmission jobs done every 2-3 years, depending on how and where you will drive it? This may very well be what you will be signing up for by buying this Mercedes (not to mention the huge amount of $$ you’re going to lose if you attempt to trade your Prius in at a dealer which is not a Toy/Lexus dealer).

The new real 4WD Toyota 4-Runners are only about $3-$8K more than this Mercedes and are luxurious and very safe because of their weight and you and your humans and dogs will be sitting high up off the road. It also comes even more lifted with a TRD pkg, which runs it up to ~$50K.

Also, have you thought about a (hybrid or non-hybrid) Lexus F-Sport model with paddle shifters for mtn driving (auto/manual 6-8 spd transmission)? The small ones start at about $10K less than this Mercedes (they’re about the same size as a Prius). These models come with AWD. Some have FWD and some have RWD (although the RWD models likely cost more than the Mercedes, as do the larger RX’s).

I’m with spd and Boomer on this one. Do NOT get a FWD vehicle. A RWD/4WD has much better handling and performance for the “adventurous type” such as yourself.

[bearishgurl]

Being the “road warrior” that I am, I’ve done the “Santa Barbara thang” many times over. Hello?? Uhhh, SB is not that great, lol . . .

I think this video is ridiculous. There are a LOT of “more affordable” homes which are currently listed in CA coastal counties which greatly trump a “doghouse” for <=$600K Yes, in SD County ... for starters ...

[bearishgurl]

[quote=flu]The nice thing about having an oncologist at UCSD is that pretty much, access to any other doctor is pretty quick. I guess in the system, I am still considered higher risk. So my.appointments usually get filled pretty quickly. Ive also noticed that at least at UCSD, they seem to be running 7day work weeks even for non urgent, non er care, and outside the cancer center(which already ran 7 days a week)….For example, you can actually get a nonemergency imaging (ct MRI ultrasound) on the weekends, even if its not an emergency. So it seems like the hospitals and doctors are running at full capacity.

It seems like its a great time to be in the medical profession[/quote]

I took a friend up to the UCSD Cancer Center and found it to be pretty bureaucratic but run like a well-oiled machine. I was pretty amazed, actually. I also watched several of their videos online and was very impressed. It’s great that their own renowned research lab is right there next to the clinics and hospital and they can get results back stat. I think it’s an awesome benefit to the region to have this coordinated cancer care all in one place.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=flyer]As far as MD’s in San Diego go, I have heard many of the healthcare systems here are expanding and recruiting more physicians.

We’ve always tried to choose from the “bests” lists (US News and World Report, etc.) in whatever category we require treatment, and most of those seem to be at Scripps and UCSD here–some are older–others younger, but, they all have great credentials.

Overall, we prefer the Scripps system, but wouldn’t hesitate to see physicians at other facilities around the state or even in other states, if necessary.[/quote]

After watching many relatives in other states over the years suffer from lack of good medical care (even if they could afford it), lack of coordination among their local physicians for a condition such as cancer, and lack of choice as to leaving a local network, I agree that having the best physician available in a particular locale for a particular specialty is worth paying for. As is being able to choose to be worked up at one of the country’s top cancer centers if the need arises.

My BSoC plan from Covered CA has a narrower network than what I was used to from having an Aetna Advantage Plan for almost 9 years, but it does include Scripps and Mercy here in SD (but not Sharp or UCSD). It also includes major hospitals in other CA regions and many thousands of physicians on the nationwide BCBS network, which will prove very helpful to me should I need medical care while traveling … even non-emergency care.

Yes, I have visited many patients at Mercy and from my experience, their care was very good as the nurses there seem to be very attentive. Most of the best physicians in SD also have privileges there.

It’s entirely possible that medical groups all over the nation are currently expanding due to the now burgeoning (and continually growing) group of “baby boomers.” We are unlike our predecessor generations in many ways because a large portion of us have never smoked and have kept fit and demanded (and received) regular medical and dental care throughout our adult lives. We boomers have also had access to sophisticated scans and tests during most of our adult lives. Many in my parents and grandparents generations weren’t near as fortunate … especially when they were young adults and at the age of raising a family.

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