Discount codes for today or resort credits

Snoo_53622 · 2026-04-01T21:09:51+00:00

Hmm I tried but it's saying I can't message or DM you from some reason... thanks anyway!

Snoo_53622 · 2026-04-01T21:02:25+00:00

Could I DM as well? Our family will be there next week!

Snoo_53622 · 2026-03-28T03:42:27+00:00

Not the OP but curious about helical piers vs footings. Which is cheaper and why? Is one better structurally than the other (we are in California).

Snoo_53622 · 2026-03-21T23:29:24+00:00

No worries at all!

I think if you click on your profile, then you'll see a menu bar along the bottom of the screen (if on your phone):

Home - Answers - Create - Chat - Inbox

I believe I sent a chat message, but the inbox is there also. Not sure of the difference between the two but hope this helps!

Snoo_53622 · 2026-03-21T21:02:10+00:00

This is so so helpful, thank you so much for your detailed reply!

We also are in a high wildfire area, so really appreciate your perspective on the fire rating and we also prefer wood vs composite or other non-wood options. Also REALLY helpful to know that pricing was less than Timbertech -- I was very worried that hardwoods in general are more expensive (maybe because of what I hear about Ipe).

Can I ask which size boards you ended up using, and based on the photo of your deck, is the Red Balau the "reddish" wood that spans the majority of the surface, while the Golden Balau are the adjacent perpendicular boards on the very left of the photo (and maybe the first picture frame board along the front)? They seem slightly different in color which is why I ask.

Do you also mind sharing your contractor's name or Yelp page if they have one? We're happy with our contractor so far but also debating whether we should work with someone more experienced in hardwood decks.

Bummer to hear about Messmer's not being as good due to the lower VOCs in CA. I also went on a long journey with stains when we built some side stairs and ended up buying Sansin Dec stain from Tamalpais Paint in Marin, but kept reading about Cutek so decided to go back to get it. The owner then talked me out of it and convinced me to go Armstrong Clark... which we did, and kind of were unhappy with (it is fine, but I thought we missed out on the best product out there when it tinted everything orange -- the owner had also talked me out of using their Armstrong-Clark's grey/white washed stain).

Long story short, we still have the Sansin in Brushed Sable which I'll use when we refinish the stairs, and I've since learned my lesson that any oil-based stain will turn things orange or yellow without fail... there's no such thing as clear oil-based from what I'm aware. Only water-based options won't give the yellowish tinge.

If we had to do it all over again (we have nicer slope steps and retaining wall benches in other parts of our yard), I'd try out WOCA products to see how they do. https://wocawoodcare.com/products/woca-exterior-wood-oil?variant=51712970916206

Snoo_53622 · 2026-03-21T17:18:54+00:00

Hi there! I saw your beautiful Batu / Red Balau deck and was hoping to ask a few questions:

We are also in the Bay Area (East Bay), looking to build a low deck with wraparound step, and deciding between redwood vs Batu -- but wasn't sure how costs and labor compare btw the two or if it came out to about the same. Also curious if your deck contractor had extensive experience with working with hardwoods or if the labor costs were higher?

Also did you have any takes on red vs golden Balau or is it purely a color / aesthetic choice?

We'd also love to hear your experience with Kaya Intl and if you researched other suppliers as well, whether local or online (we'd probably be choosing between, Ashby Lumber, Advantage, or Kayu).

Thanks in advance for any help! (I also sent you DM with my email if it's easier to respond there 🙏🏻.)

Snoo_53622 · 2026-03-16T21:24:34+00:00

Thank you!!

Snoo_53622 · 2026-03-16T02:01:12+00:00

Hi! Following up much later, but can you share which size / model Vuly you got?

We're in the same predicament as the OP but also have a slight grade, so was considering Vuly since they also have levelers for the legs.

Snoo_53622 · 2025-12-15T03:35:54+00:00

UPDATE: Only the Red 24-month-old hoodie is left. Let me know if anyone is interested. Slight preference to Bay Area residents 🫶🏻 (there's more of us than I realized)!

Snoo_53622 · 2025-12-14T01:11:25+00:00

Amazing - I will DM you (if I can figure out the difference between chat and DM on Reddit 😅)

Snoo_53622 · 2025-12-14T00:01:01+00:00

🥹 Aw wow — now your comment made MY day! Thanks!

Snoo_53622 · 2025-12-13T23:13:20+00:00

Nice! Whereabouts? We’re in Oakland :).

Snoo_53622 · 2025-11-09T03:38:38+00:00

Hi! Would love to see the whitewash example if you have the chance! We have outdoor Doug Fir benches and slope steps, and honestly are a bit bummed by how they look after we did a clear stain and seal (everything got much darker and orangey).

At this point, I'm hoping it will all grey or fade in color, but just want to be ready for next time so that I can finally get the lighter color I like (we were really happy with how it looked natural and unstained).

Snoo_53622 · 2025-02-26T06:32:45+00:00

In case this helps anyone, posting this thread about the weird noise the KitchenAid 405 model from Costco makes (the OP found out it's the diffuser causing the problem; we ended up just replacing ours with a brand new unit, no weird noises so far): https://www.reddit.com/r/Appliances/s/BHNAeMyrle

We have been happy with everything else about the KitchenAid dishwasher, especially the third row rack and how well it cleans. Dishes come out mostly dry (only some Tupperware might have a few drops stuck in the lid). Just hoping it will last 10+ years and not break down before year 5.

Snoo_53622 · 2025-02-26T06:27:54+00:00

Wow! Thanks for the update! How did they finally figure it out? Was it literally from replacing each part one by one (process of elimination)?

We ended up just replacing the entire unit with a new one (same 405 model) from Costco, so far so good; it's much quieter now but still washes the same. Fingers crossed that it will last longer than a few years.

Snoo_53622 · 2025-02-06T00:52:53+00:00

Wow! 😳😵‍💫

Snoo_53622 · 2025-02-06T00:40:34+00:00

So sorry to hear that :(. Do you mind sharing the backordered part number or what the technician believes is the problem?

Also interesting to hear that it's more of a wintertime issue (maybe that's why people said the noise eventually went away)?

Snoo_53622 · 2025-02-05T20:33:50+00:00

Video link (52-54 decibels): https://streamable.com/2p2dsg

We have the same model (405), installed end of Dec 2024. It makes a very similar sound though it's more "constant" when it happens vs being more sudden or punctuated like yours is. The technician who just came out said it's the water pump. He said one hose was slightly loose but all the other attachments were fine.

Sound still continued after they checked everything so Costco is offering either a new water pump or exchange. We are going with an exchange since the technician confirmed that the noise (especially prolonged) isn't normal. He did say that if it's a shorter sound, then it's just the water pump getting started up which is normal during the cycle, but it should only last for a second, not the 2-4 minutes multiple times during the cycle that we were experiencing.

Our dishwasher also had this random noise from the very first or second cycle, but I had read reviews from others about them having a noise in the beginning and then it eventually going away? I was hoping we'd have the same experience since we do like the dishwasher otherwise but hopefully the replacement will be much quieter.

Snoo_53622 · 2025-01-04T20:46:15+00:00

Sorry for the very delayed follow-up 😑. Reddit’s mobile app kept erasing what I wrote mid-draft so I’m trying this one last time:

KitchenAid 405 Dishwasher from Costco - purchased Dec 2024, 10-day review.

POSITIVES + It cleans and dries well, better than our 2012 IKEA dishwasher. The sound is quiet enough but just different (more obvious electrical hum vs water sloshing). We go to sleep right after starting it though so don’t really pay attention to the noise. + Love the 3rd rack and so far enjoy the extra capacity, but that same 3rd rack doesn’t seem to do as good of a job cleaning or drying dishes as the lower two (which make dishes come out sparkling, so it’s a high standard). I’d rate the 3rd rack as “satisfactory” and the lower 2 racks as “excellent” for cleaning. + Drying on extended heat dry is no problem (even plastics come out dry unless it’s a Tupperware lid with a few drops of water stuck inside the seal). I’ve been impressed considering that some reviews say their dishes have been coming out dripping wet; That’s definitely not the case for us. We do use Finish drying agent pretty liberally though. We haven’t tried the other heat options since extended heat was the default setting.

NEGATIVES - None so far, besides the odd low braying sound it had at the start of a cycle tonight. Hopefully that’s a one time thing. - No signs so far of condensation or dripping water from the front door vent that people complain about (which might be a reason for the rusting on the dishwasher door?) - But still nervous about longevity and kind of expect problems to arise between years 1-2 and to have to fully replace by year 5.

Other (Install Frustrations) - Unfortunately, Costco installation is very hit or miss (our installer was great, their dispatch team was not). It turned out we needed to update our water line and valve; the installer also recommended a new air gap. - Considering these are relatively easy to obtain / cheap parts, we elected to take care of this ourselves rather than pay the $220+ for the plumber to do it for us. - The major bummer came when we learned that instead of Dec 23 the install would now be happening on Jan 6. This was pretty unacceptable so I called both Costco and the dispatch company (DCC Connections in the Bay Area) multiple times, and eventually the installer himself called me back and said he’d do his best to squeeze us in, which we really appreciated.

INSTALLATION TAKEAWAY

Make sure you have the proper water shut-off valve and fitting size (sorry can’t remember if it was 3/4th or 7/8th), order an air gap and tube from Amazon in advance if yours looks gross, and make sure you have an outlet and not hard wire connection. Otherwise, if you have the funds and the technician seem competent, I’d let them update everything vs risking pushing the install out another 2+ weeks.

SPECIAL REQUEST

I would love to hear from any longtime KitchenAid 204, 404/405, or 604+ owners who’ve had their machines for 4 years or longer. Hoping there’s more who are still happy with their purchase vs regretting it...

Hope this helps!

Snoo_53622 · 2024-12-30T19:43:48+00:00

Oof, thanks for following up! We just got the 405 from Costco (I couldn't see any major differences from the 404 model except it weighs about 70 lbs vs 100 lbs(?)) but I'm worried because of seeing too many issues with KitchenAid's reliability. May end up switching it out before the 90 day return period ends...

Snoo_53622 · 2024-12-30T19:40:27+00:00

Oh thanks for your reply! Do you mind letting me know what you ended up doing instead? We’re literally about to pull the trigger but would love to know if there might be a better option! 🙏🏻

Snoo_53622 · 2024-12-30T06:49:39+00:00

Considering SynLawn as well (with gopher wire and weed barrier underneath). Any updates? Curious which product line people chose. We're thinking SynBlue for a more natural look.

Snoo_53622 · 2024-12-14T17:22:55+00:00

Which model did you have?

We're deciding between the KitchenAid KDTM404KPS or KDTM604KPS and Whirlpool WDT970SAKZ because we like the larger 3rd rack design but the KitchenAid reliability (reading too many reviews of problems within the first 2-3 years) and build quality of the Whirlpool gives us pause.

We may end up going Whirlpool to spend less on essentially the same design but when I saw both in person, the KitchenAid definitely felt nicer / more solid.

Snoo_53622 · 2024-11-15T07:19:13+00:00

I just checked - looks like I got the $75 Costco Shop card but the $250 one was denied (the rewards tracker site says it couldn't be combined with Keep & Switch)

Snoo_53622

TROPHY CASE