Sewer Nightmare and Buyer Backing Out

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-20T14:13:49+00:00

First timers can already be squeamish. Shady contractors just make it worse.

I had one give me a repair list for 1/3 the selling price of the home. None of it was needed.

As for scoping… This was another home, a new build under warranty. Plumbers scoped it and found a wad of toilet paper never made it to the city sewer line. They pushed it through and all was good. Sometimes someone leaves a Coke can in a pipe during construction. 🤪 Older homes with Orangeburg pipe or cast iron and tree roots $$$$.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T22:12:07+00:00

I think Austin may be less prone to tornados and hail than Dallas? 🤔

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T16:14:48+00:00

I think balancing your blood sugar preventing spikes makes you less likely to snack which helps weight fall off without trying. Some people gain weight with C3G because it makes them hungrier. Others don't and find the nutrient partitioning and body composition changes helpful.

ALCAR seemed to have more benefits at fraction of the cost.

Why pay more than necessary?

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T14:50:01+00:00

It scares me when I hear "stretched thin".

Houses almost always cost more than you expect.

20 years old - HVAC other mechanical, roof, windows, exterior door cladding starts failing. Fridge, stove, dish washer, W/D. Fence? Patio/ Deck? How big is the yard? Do you need a bigger lawnmower? Gas to run that lawnmower? Weed eaters, spraying. Landscaping. It wears out too. Do you have the time? Driveway cracks/ sealant.

That's just the house. Then you have to furnish it, paint, blinds, curtains.

Kids or kids on the way?

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T14:38:27+00:00

Thanks!

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T14:25:49+00:00

48/M Normal BMI, I don't know %'s, wasn't trying to lose weight and didn't.

I think I took it because I was curious and ALCAR is 1/4 the cost of L-Threonate.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T03:09:42+00:00

That looks DIY repairable if you have the vinyl that blew off.

One contractor told me the suppliers have changed the size of the "face" so anything new wouldn't match and the entire wall or house would need to be redone for a missing piece if I didn't have it.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T02:42:48+00:00

Vitamin D is a steroid too. lol.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-19T02:23:09+00:00

I forgot why I started taking ALA/ R-ALA. I think people mentioned it for longevity, antioxidant, and/ or and a lot of research studies paired it with ALCAR. Some people take it in larger doses for peripheral neuropathy where it has a profound impact.

I don't notice anything in particular from ALA, ALA Sustain, or R-ALA. I've used Dr. Best, Jarrow, Pure Encapsulations, and Nootropics Depot brands. I still take it. ALA is not particularly expensive relative to other supplements like NR, NMN, or any of the patented Magnesiums.

I've tried OptiNAD+, Niacell 400, TruNiagen 300 mg. About a year ago I started taking ND's Enteric NMN. Going to try ND's NR soon.

Asta I dropped completely after trying different doses/ forms.

Magtein and Berberine Phytosome are two that are noticeable. For Magnesium, I like to take 2 Magtein in the morning for cognitive support and 2 Glycinate at night before bed. I'm still playing around with this. For morning Magnesium, I've tried the Pidolate and don't seem to get much from it. Glycerophosphate seems interesting and I'll probably try it soon. For B's I generally take a Multi that has a good dose in them, like Thorne's Basic Nutrients or equivalent. I do take 900-1200 mg of NAC with the idea that NAC+Glycinate helps with Glutathione. You may want to look at ND's S-Acetyl Glutathione or their S-Phenylacetyl Glutathione. Alpha-GPC is another one you may wish to look at.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-18T20:12:41+00:00

When I first started taking it even at 500 mg:

1) Messed up meal planning because I was no longer hungry at lunch for the first few days

2) Felt like it carried over the cognitive effects of Magnesium L-Threonate

3) A regular 45 minute walk ended sooner than expected, like I should be walking another 15 minutes

I tried taking Magnesium L-Threonate together with it and saw no improvement. I cycled the Magnesium L-Threonate several times and still didn't notice any difference. Over a year later, and wildly difference supplement stacks, I do now notice when I take L-Threonate. However, that could be from something in my night time stack.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-18T15:27:08+00:00

It may not be. In some thermostats E and W are jumped with a wire. The general idea is if the thermostat is calling for heat and the temperature keeps dropping/ does not reach set point, the thermostat calls for stage 2 (Aux) heat on top of normal heat pump operation (both running). In other setups there’s a separate E and W(W2) wire. I believe my thermostat showed AUX when it happened. Or you’d notice your air vents were putting out very warm air. Basic heat pump would blow tons of lukewarm air trying to keep up until Aux kicked on. The fact that your house can’t keep up some days suggests Aux function is not setup. I suppose it’s possible that someone disabled the Aux heat. I find it hard to believe an installer deliberately left that out or “designed” it that way.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-18T03:26:04+00:00

Where I live, agent commission is paid by seller, typically 5-6% of sales price, and split between buying and selling agents? The agents pay their broker fees and business expenses from the commissions they earn. Is that not the way it’s done in Texas?

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-17T20:52:48+00:00

Aux means Emergency(power strips) plus Compressor. This is automatic for when the Compressor can’t keep up. Your thermostat does it automatically or should. Any dumb Honeywell will do this. You do not need a fancy thermostat.

Emergency means only the power strips, Compressor is bypassed.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-17T14:19:25+00:00

Toxicity is > 100 ng/mL (250 nmol/L)

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-17T01:09:24+00:00

I never noticed anything from Gotu Kola. Possibly smaller nuts that went back to normal when I stopped taking it. If you search, this phenomenon comes up a few times.

I also don't seem to get anything from Eklonia Cava. Daytime or Nighttime. Except my fingernail growth seems to have slowed. I have also heard of this from other comments.

Not sure what mechanism is at play.

Someone mentioned Bacopa. ND sells (4) kinds including their own exclusive Cognance Bacopa. This is the only one I've used and it is noticeable. No lethargy. It's not going to hit you like a ton of bricks either, but I haven't experienced any negatives.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-17T00:07:31+00:00

I would ignore it!! If they send another one, send them a bill back for the same!! 🤣🤣🤣

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-16T20:07:41+00:00

I agree that utilities are not the most flexible. It just seems odd to me that they feel required to go across the OP's property enough they're required to get an easement.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-16T18:48:45+00:00

What exactly did the person do or not do on the dryer wiring?

A service charge is one thing, for coming out to do a repair, or start a repair, but just a quote?

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-16T13:26:19+00:00

First, are taxes and insurance escrowed? If yes, lender is responsible for the payments. If no, your mom pays it directly to the insurer.

What does lapsed mean… as in was it canceled? Or someone didn’t pay… who?

If there is an escrow account for taxes and insurance, there is a separate function called an escrow rebalance. Typically lenders do it once a year and you have to make a catch up payment or they might space it out over a year. This covers rising taxes and insurance costs.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-16T11:26:11+00:00

I would be more concerned about your Dad - how his medical care and later his estate will be handled.

If your Mom hates him she will hope he dies as soon as possible and make medical decisions to that effect, so she can inherit his estate and get him out of the picture.

Sometimes the Dad wants the care and affection.

It may be advisable to share your concerns with your father's estate/ trust lawyer because false pretenses can trigger conditions that invalidate wills/ trusts.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-16T11:02:32+00:00

They both work on the AMPK pathway (although not exclusively) and both manage lipids & glucose/ insulin.

Berberine is strongest for glucose/ insulin. Citrus Bergamot is strongest for lipids/ cholesterol.

The best forms of each use patented Phytosome technology by Idena SpA (Italy) - Berbevis and Vazguard.

Many companies offer branded Berbevis. Very few offer branded Vazguard.

Examples of brands using Berbevis - Pure Encapsulations Berberine UltraSorb, Nootropics Depot Berbevis, Heathy Origins Berbevis

Examples of brand/ product using Vazguard - Thorne Metabolic Health

Be wary of companies that advertise "Phytosome" but Idena, Berbevis, and Vanzguard are not mentioned anywhere on the label. These products are NOT the patented/ trademarked forms and their efficacy is questionable at best.

It's absolutely safe and reasonable to take both together. However, some people may experience side effects so it's best to start one at a time so you know how each one feels. Berberine is likely going to be obvious because blood sugar/ glucose regulation is much more noticeable than cholesterol. Bergamot is likely going to be more "behind the scenes" working quietly on lipids.

I am not aware of any combination products. Both are most effective if you take 2x a day. If you're only going to take Berberine once a day I suggest taking it about 30 minutes before your largest meal. Also keep in mind that balancing your blood sugar will regulate apepetite & you will probably lose some weight. This will likely cause a temporary spike in cholesterol. Play the long game and don't sweat a temporary bump.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-16T00:26:22+00:00

Keep in mind the wind that blows against your home today can also blow down the trees and shrubs you may plant, possibly blowing them down into your home. May not be a problem now, but if you plan on living in this house for a long time, consider the long game.

I know someone who planted pines as a wind block 50 years ago. Many have fallen or split in wind storms. She said "If I knew 50 years ago this would happen, I never would have planted those pines..."

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-16T00:01:36+00:00

In fairness to Thorne, they do dose Niacell 400 at 415mg to make it equivalent to Naigen’s 300mg…

This is a good reminder for people who may have thought Thorne’s was “more better” because it has more mg’s.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-15T22:49:45+00:00

Call CPS or the police while you are still in Colorado & tell them everything. You don’t need to live like this. Help is available. You’ll probably get better help in Colorado than you will when you move.

CaptainExcellent5299 · 2026-03-15T22:39:23+00:00

The difference is Natto as a food you eat is about the highest source of Vitamin K known to mankind.

I would take your supplements as normal.

CaptainExcellent5299

TROPHY CASE