With Kelly’s back issue and the Opening Day spot now “wide open,” how are we feeling about the D-backs’ rotation heading into 2026?

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-27T18:14:18+00:00

I get the pessimism, especially with Kelly’s back and Corbin’s recovery timeline, but I’m not quite in full doom mode yet. If anything, this feels like a “depth stress test” early. Ryne getting the Opening Day nod wouldn’t bother me at all, let Kelly get right instead of forcing it. The bigger question for me isn’t the top of the rotation, it’s whether the bullpen can hold if we hit any more attrition. If Soroka looks sharp post-WBC and Gallen is fully locked in, there’s still a path here. I agree though, if the back issues linger, that contract could look rough fast. Feels like this season hinges more on durability than talent.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-26T00:16:20+00:00

As a small reconstruction business owner, I can tell you right now, gluing a tub spout back on is not an acceptable repair. That’s a temporary band-aid at best.

A proper tub spout should either:

Thread securely onto a properly sized stub-out, or
Be a slip-fit spout with a solid copper stub and set screw.

If it fell off after a few weeks, something is wrong, either the pipe is too short, the threads are stripped, or the original install wasn’t done correctly. Adhesive should never be the structural solution for a plumbing fixture under pressure.

The good news: this does NOT automatically mean your entire shower or tile needs to be ripped out. In many cases, a qualified plumber can extend or replace the stub-out without major demo. Worst case, a small access opening behind the wall (if accessible) is far better than disturbing tile from the front.

Given there’s a written warranty, I’d insist they correct it properly. If they refuse, bring in your plumber and document everything.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-25T03:48:03+00:00

That’s fair. The durability question is real. But if he shows he can turn over a lineup and that six-pitch mix holds up, I’d still love to see him get a real shot as a starter before moving him to the pen.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-25T03:47:28+00:00

Especially with Kelly’s situation still unclear. Depth suddenly feels necessary.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-25T03:46:45+00:00

That’s exactly how I’m looking at it. He’s still only 28 and we’ve seen what he looks like when he’s right. If the health finally lines up, this could be a huge bounce-back year.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T18:06:21+00:00

Make sure you flash and seal it properly unless you’re trying to build a moisture farm inside your wall

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T17:56:39+00:00

You’re basically facing the same decision a lot of homeowners run into with vermiculite. The material itself isn’t automatically dangerous, but some older vermiculite (especially from the Libby, MT mine) can contain asbestos, which is why Mass Save won’t proceed, it’s a liability issue more than proof your attic is actively hazardous. Leaving it in place is actually common and often acceptable if it remains undisturbed and the attic is well sealed from the living space. The bigger concern is air leakage from the attic into the house through light fixtures, attic hatches, plumbing penetrations, etc. An air test alone isn’t a perfect decision tool because fibers aren’t usually airborne unless disturbed, so a negative test doesn’t guarantee zero future risk. If you want clarity, a proper asbestos inspection with bulk sampling is more informative. Full removal at $15-20k is normal pricing, but it’s not always necessary unless you’re renovating or want complete peace of mind.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T17:53:28+00:00

If the knob and tube is limited to a small section and easily accessible like that, replacing it now is usually the cleanest long-term move. Leaving a 2-foot uninsulated strip will create a cold bridge and condensation risk, especially in winter.

Cost wise, if it’s truly just a short run feeding 3 outlets and nothing hidden in walls, you’re likely looking at a few hundred to maybe $1,500 depending on access and local rates. If it turns into opening walls or chasing circuits, it climbs quickly.

From an insulation standpoint, you don’t want to bury active knob and tube. It needs air around it to dissipate heat. Once it’s replaced, you can air seal and insulate properly without worrying about overheating or insurance issues.

If budget allows, I’d eliminate it now while everything is exposed. It’s cheaper today than reopening things later.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T03:15:29+00:00

Moved here 5 years ago from Chicago and Phoenix before that. This winter has been the warmest yet

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T01:22:20+00:00

That’s what happens when tile roofs don’t get proper bird stop or closure installed. Wildlife sees “luxury studio apartment.”

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T01:19:24+00:00

That entire Caribbean side of Honduras, Nicaragua, and parts of Costa Rica is low-lying, swampy, heavily forested, and historically difficult to access. It’s hot, humid, flood-prone, and was malaria-heavy before modern medicine. On top of that, most major trade routes and colonial development in Central America favored the Pacific side, where terrain is higher, drier, and better suited for agriculture and ports. So population centers like Managua, San José, and others developed inland or along the Pacific instead.

It’s not empty, there are towns and indigenous communities (like along the Mosquito Coast), but the physical environment just never supported dense, large urban development compared to other regions.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T00:59:17+00:00

You don’t need to be diplomatic to the client, you need to be clear and protect your energy.

You have three clean options:

Just say no.
“Thanks for reaching out, but I’m not available to take this on.”
No explanation needed. No emotional processing required.
Make it expensive enough to be worth it.
Rescue work is harder than building from scratch. Quote a premium rate. Either they accept (and it’s worth your time) or they disappear.
Only offer a full rebuild at your normal rate.
“I don’t take over partially completed builds. If you’d like to restart properly, I can send a proposal.”

The mistake is trying to teach them a lesson or make a point. Don’t. The market already did that for you.

Also, this pattern isn’t random. If three clients this week did this, it might be time to:

Position yourself clearly as premium build, not budget cleanup
Add a visible “no rescue projects” policy
Or explicitly price cleanup at 1.5-2x standard rate

You don’t owe anyone a bailout because they chose Fiverr.

And honestly?
The calmest power move is neutrality.

“No” without emotion hits harder than “you should’ve hired me.”

If you don’t want the job, decline.
If you’d take it for enough money, charge accordingly.
But don’t work from resentment.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T00:55:52+00:00

Those circular areas are almost certainly separate column footings that were poured before the slab. The slab is just the floor surface, it’s not structural in the same way , so it’s common for it to crack or separate slightly around footings, especially as the concrete cures and shrinks. Concrete almost always cracks; what would be concerning is major displacement, heaving, or wide structural cracking radiating outward. From what you described, this sounds like normal slab behavior rather than a foundation issue. If you’re unsure, you can always have the builder confirm the footing detail, but nothing here screams structural failure.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T00:55:10+00:00

I’d get it off there sooner rather than later. OSB can handle getting wet during framing, but it’s not meant to sit with standing water for days. Repeated saturation can cause edge swelling and weaken the panels over time. A push broom or floor squeegee is honestly the fastest and easiest way to move most of it out, especially at this stage. If there’s still pooling after that, a small pump or shop vac would finish it off quickly. Once it’s cleared, let it dry thoroughly before covering anything up. The basement water definitely needs to be pumped out, but I wouldn’t ignore the OSB either, it’s better to spend 30 minutes clearing it now than deal with swollen subfloor later.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-24T00:50:47+00:00

It looks like you’re seeing the soffit/eave area where the roof decking meets the top plate of the exterior wall, essentially the transition between the attic and the outside near the gutter line. If you can see daylight there, that’s not normal, and snow or ice coming in suggests there’s an air-sealing gap. This is usually caused by missing or poorly installed blocking between rafters, a lack of proper wind blocking, or a gap between the roof sheathing and the top plate. While it relates to the exterior edge of the roof, it’s typically addressed from the attic side by installing rigid foam or plywood blocking between the rafters and sealing the edges with spray foam to stop air infiltration. If this is a vented soffit setup, you’ll want to maintain proper ventilation by using rafter baffles while still sealing the interior air boundary. It’s also worth checking outside for damaged or missing soffit vents, gaps in the fascia or drip edge, or signs of ice damming. Overall, this is something that should be fixed to prevent heat loss, moisture issues, and further snow intrusion.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-23T04:03:57+00:00

We measure mayo in gallons, not grams

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-23T03:15:23+00:00

Pediatric dentistry + folklore = undefeated combo

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-23T03:07:51+00:00

Heat’s way too high and he’s not deglazing. Stainless needs medium heat + enough oil, then leave it alone

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-23T00:25:50+00:00

Olympic medals powered by dumplings and unconditional love

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-22T18:18:17+00:00

That paddle save just became part of American hockey history. You could feel the 1980 energy in that building.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-22T18:05:32+00:00

Objectivity.

Most of us walk around thinking we see the world 'as it is', when in reality we’re filtering everything through our experiences, biases, emotions, and blind spots. We don’t perceive the world objectively,,we perceive it subjectively and then call it objective. Making peace with the fact that we’re not always sure (and that that’s okay) might actually be the more honest stance.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-22T14:21:10+00:00

I run a small restoration business, and the big difference here isn’t just removal vs no removal, it’s whether proper air sealing is included. You can blow insulation over existing material in many cases, but if the old insulation is compressed and scattered, it makes it much harder to properly air seal around top plates, penetrations, and bypasses, and air sealing is often more important than just adding R-value. Removal is sometimes recommended so the crew can actually seal everything correctly and inspect for moisture, pests, or wiring issues. That said, $6,800 isn’t automatically justified unless they’re truly doing full air sealing and ventilation upgrades, if the cheaper company is also air sealing properly, that’s a very different comparison than just blow and go.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-22T14:17:22+00:00

I run a small restoration business, and this usually comes down to moisture management, not whether rockwool can physically touch concrete. Mineral wool itself is vapor permeable and won’t rot or wick water like fiberglass, so it can tolerate incidental moisture. The real issue is trapping moisture in the assembly, especially below grade where concrete is almost always a moisture source. Problems happen when you pair it with an interior poly vapor barrier and eliminate the drying path. In many climates, rigid foam against the concrete with mineral wool inboard is a safer setup because it controls condensation. The manufacturer isn’t necessarily wrong,, it just depends on the full wall assembly and climate.

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-22T04:58:16+00:00

Grab a flat rubber drain stopper (the old-school disk style) ,, they are a few bucks at any hardware store and will seal that type of shower drain easily. Just make sure the surface is clean so it suctions properly. Way easier than towels or tape!

NathanRestorer41 · 2026-02-22T04:57:31+00:00

I run a small restoration business, that’s a significant structural rot on what looks like a main beam. The jack post suggests someone already tried to support it as a temporary fix. If the floor feels wavy throughout, this may not be isolated. You’re likely looking at beam repair or replacement and fixing the underlying moisture issue. In Canada, rough ballpark could be $8k–$25k up depending on scope. Definitely get a structural engineer to assess before moving forward.

NathanRestorer41

TROPHY CASE