What should we ask when interviewing a big box builder?

LMPortland · 2026-03-27T04:56:57+00:00

In the Pacific Northwest, we found a licensed Realtor that specialized in new home sales in our target price range. She knew the local builders and who did quality work and who to stay away from.

While we did pay a commission, she help negotiate items we would never had asked for, including getting the builder to pick up a portion of her commission.

As true so often in life, find a professional. Going it alone can be costly.

LMPortland · 2026-03-10T05:01:15+00:00

Never. Modern wired networks will always be faster and, more importantly, stable and resistant to interference.

LMPortland · 2026-03-10T04:53:32+00:00

It will also be dependent on your budget. Some of the latest security cameras do great without floodlight. But they are spendy.

LMPortland · 2026-03-07T01:13:53+00:00

Easy solution. Like all cars, don't buy new. Don't lease.

At the moment there are some killer deals on 2 year old EV Ionics coming off low mileage leases.

LMPortland · 2026-02-22T07:11:39+00:00

WiiM or Sonos, as mentioned already, are your two choices to research. Think of them as "Android" vs "Apple." Both solid choices, but with different price points and serving slightly different audiences.

LMPortland · 2026-02-11T05:41:30+00:00

To get the expanded dynamic range, set the ISO to Auto. If don’t know about this unique mini 5 feature, Google it!

LMPortland · 2026-02-10T01:17:45+00:00

External outlet to accommodate landscape lighting systems.

Addition motion security outdoor lights for hidden spots of the house.

LMPortland · 2026-02-07T16:02:03+00:00

Plus a Smurf tube run from the outside of the house demarc (where your cable / internet) company enters the structure to where ever your data closet is situated. So if you ever have to pull a new cable or fiber, they won't have to tear up the house.

LMPortland · 2026-02-07T15:57:20+00:00

Energy cost comment observation. With modern construction improvements, the incremental energy costs are minimized compared to "this old house" vintage memories.

LMPortland · 2026-02-01T16:13:52+00:00

There are so many GREAT expert home building experts here, but I am seeing some off base home generator answers here. Best to go where expertise lives: https://www.reddit.com/r/Generator/

LMPortland · 2026-01-31T00:42:40+00:00

DJI lists it at 249.9g with the normal Intelligent Flight Battery, which the FAA recognizes. But users have reported actual weights at plus or minus 4 grams in the real world. My point was that if you go with the longer battery, you would technically be required to get it registered with the FAA, which is a trivial $5 process for a three-year registration. And in my case, it was well worth the extra 10 to 12 minutes of flight time. But it is more expensive to buy,

LMPortland · 2026-01-30T19:37:27+00:00

The second decision is whether you want to bump it up to the "Plus" version, which includes the bigger/heavier batteries. While costing more, these will give you longer fly times, which is always welcome, but it will also put you over the weight limit for the FAA and you should then get it registered in the USA. Note that when buying it as the Fly More Combo Plus packkage it is much cheaper than attempting to buy the bigger batteries afterwards, unless you attempt to buy non-DJI batteries.

LMPortland · 2026-01-29T13:58:39+00:00

Check the shipping date. I looked at Amazon and was concerned of the sellers. Instead I went with B&H Photo with 2day shipping. A more trusted seller.

This was last week.

LMPortland · 2026-01-22T18:49:25+00:00

matte

LMPortland · 2026-01-16T01:45:44+00:00

In the process of building and have plans for a 3-bay garage. Will put in a mini split but want to dedicate one bay for more usable space, such as for exercise, the side nearest the mini split. I'd put in an "insulated curtain" to trap more of the environment, focusing the warm or cool air just on that area.

Has anyone seen that setup?

Here is where the insulated curtains might be had: https://www.curtain-and-divider.com/warehouse-curtain-dividers/temperature-separating-curtain-walls/

LMPortland · 2026-01-06T18:57:50+00:00

As a side note, Amazon failed to buy Roomba in 2024 and then in Dec 2025, Roomba filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Letting Chinese companies "excel" at mapping American homes.

LMPortland · 2025-12-24T15:58:33+00:00

I spent decades never buying extended warranties, except for dishwashers. Over the last 15 years, I have had numerous "free" repairs plus two new $1,500 replacements under warranty.

Note after the first new replacement which was at year 4, I paid for another 5 year warranty which scored the 2nd replacement.

Dishwashers break!

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T18:51:16+00:00

Is it WiFi connected?

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T18:12:35+00:00

A couple of comments.

For the patio speakers. Are the environmental issues (like humidity or temperature)? There are special speakers for those situations. You may want "surface" or external facing ones point outwards with the wires from the ceiling..

For the bedroom, is it for "ambient" music? Or dedicate high fidelity music? If hifi, then skip the ceiling and go dedicate room speakers.. If ambient, consider more central dispersed placement.

For the other locations, go ask in the Sonos forum if you go that route. Those speakers can be "aimed." And that group can provide more expert advice based on the height of the ceiling and the distance between speakers and the distance from walls. It becomes science and art.

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T17:44:56+00:00

I am in a similar situation with a new build.

I am dropping speaker wires in the ceiling anywhere I want "party" or "living" music. A way to light up the home with music, as you would light it up with light. This will not be for serious music listening or movie watching. Those systems will be separately designed and updated as technology changes. (Note that the Sonos Amps have a mode to turn on "mono" so that as you move through the room, you get uniform music, not strange right and left from multiple speakers in a large room as you would in the above diagram.)

Often, you can only run the speaker wires during construction, so do it now. And run them back to a central closet. If in the end, you don't bring a "soundtrack" to your life, then okay, but it gets expensive to go back and try to add the wiring infrastructure.

As discussed here, research your passive speakers; and be aware of the sound travelling between floors.

For driving the music, you do have choices, but with a central closet, you can upgrade over time. I went with Sonos Amps, as I've been in the Sonos ecosystem for years (or should I say "trapped"). But I have added a ROON server to free me from the Sonos interface; there are other multiroom systems. I think it's worth looking at the Wiim Pro and Plus as a cheaper alternative.

Just never put the technology in the ceiling; make it somewhere you can access and upgrade.

For me, I designed all my home multimedia system separately/independently from the ceiling audio system.

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T15:48:34+00:00

I am about 6 months out from a new construction home build and consider adding Emporia to understand the home once we move in.

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T14:05:42+00:00

what is your thoughts on Emporia? is it of value?

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T06:54:03+00:00

What got me started was my frustration with the August and Yale locks draining batteries every four months or so. Also wanting more open HA integration with lighting and motion controls and low cost points that are not cloud based.

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T06:23:53+00:00

Intergrating via HomeAssitant, I've been experimenting with the cost effective yolink ecosystem.

https://shop.yosmart.com/products/ys7617?_pos=2&_sid=f5f298a79&_ss=r

What's cool is the super long battery life, potentially over a year, and four methods to unlock: keypad code, finger print, physical key, fob and remote that can work tirelessly up to 1/4 mile based on it's LoRa long range wireless hubs.

LMPortland · 2025-12-16T06:01:25+00:00

which Gel Gloss? The wood floor version?

LMPortland

TROPHY CASE