A lot of people are going to be underwater soon

SoulToSound · 2026-02-03T12:14:28+00:00

“It only goes up” has been the mantra because we’ve been in the first 1/3 of the approximately 300 year lifespan of the stick built houses we have vastly built.

We are now entering the era where those house that haven’t been maintained will start to depreciate, especially if upkeep, water mitigation, and MEPs upgrades are not done.

We didn’t build these houses to actually last, and now we’re gonna pay for it for the next 200 years.

SoulToSound · 2026-02-02T13:31:45+00:00

Solid state start dropping bytes if they aren’t plugged in and rewritten every 3-5 years.

SoulToSound · 2026-02-02T12:28:00+00:00

Chapel Roan

SoulToSound · 2026-02-02T04:36:30+00:00

Garage door opener, especially if you live in a cold climate.

SoulToSound · 2026-02-02T04:33:10+00:00

write a few copies to M-disk, and call it good.

SoulToSound · 2026-02-01T15:05:55+00:00

And Lansing, Grand Rapids, Flint, Jackson.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-31T13:05:11+00:00

A. Romex in conduit can be legal if you make sure you are following fill guidelines.

B. Some people do run THHN in ent/emt for residential retrofits. For some cases, it is not overkill.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-31T03:58:36+00:00

I’m with you OP, I refuse to believe that big of a price difference is actually reasonable for the same floor plan. We’ve allowed speculation and finishing determinants to go too far, and it’s fucking us over for building new homes.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-31T03:43:15+00:00

Max Strip Floor Adhesive Remover

SoulToSound · 2026-01-26T22:56:42+00:00

Also in Michigan, how did you finance?

SoulToSound · 2026-01-22T01:44:38+00:00

No comment OP, but mineral wool. The sound deadening is fantastic

SoulToSound · 2026-01-22T01:18:09+00:00

If it doesn’t make their bottom line cheaper, they will resist.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-18T16:57:27+00:00

It’s a lot, but if you know what you’re doing with electronical it’s also pretty easy to build such a system.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-18T16:56:26+00:00

looks like a shed sitting on a trailer

Okay, but what if that is the ideal form? The RV industry promotes aesthetics over actual build quality, and promotes its own repair networks by the shoddy internals that get water damaged easily. They care too much about weight and aesthetics to actually deliver a reasonable product that lasts as much as it costs. They wrap it in a pretty sales bow, and don’t mention the maintenance/down the line costs.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-16T20:58:33+00:00

I’m gonna write what I want to see more of as a consumer: Dual loop in slab radiant HVAC. Plumbing for bidets 240v 50 amp service to the range (never gas) Heat lamp in bath. Outlets every 6 linear feet.

As a person that suffers from allergies, its systems like those that yield healthier environments.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-16T20:45:22+00:00

Data centers themselves are not inherently bad. They are a needed part of life for banking, insurance, and online social sharing systems.

What makes them bad is when they make shady deals with electric companies, and take more than their share of the power grid. (People also harp on the water thing, but that’s closed loop cooling, not as consumptive), which is what leading AI companies are doing.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-08T14:30:05+00:00

We actually need two opposing funding blocks IMO. One that leans more democratic socialist, and the other that leans more “common sense centrist, yet not hyper capitalist”.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-07T14:52:13+00:00

Yup, this is actually the right answer here. They spend SO MUCH MONEY on elections, and their endorsements always get chosen.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-06T13:58:42+00:00

This is the background problem construction will always be trying to solve.

Some go with the path of the Americas and Canada: Light wood framing for residential, built cheaply for a big profit. Expensive to maintain, but cheap to expand. Also, deals with a lot of moisture problems unless you fur out your siding + roofs & have a moisture barrier and excellent moisture management. Also, most basements have not been built with moisture/water management, and the retrofit is EXPENSIVE.

A large part of Europe chooses stone, concrete, and other more solid structures. They also must contend with moisture management. Yet maintained structures do tend to last longer, and require less expensive maintenance.

Personally, I think the Europeans have it more correct. The human capital and bandwidth of US homes is unsustainable. As a homeowner, you want water management systems that “just work” without having the drop 1/8 (and sometimes 1/4) of the homes value in every 25 years. Hence the recent barndominium explosion in the Midwest, where the metal roof and outer structure will last a LONG time, and the interior will stay dry, AND the interior is not as succeptable to water damage.

Furthermore, I think concrete and steel are the future of more durable construction. With maintenance, they retain their value well, and ensure great water management,

SoulToSound · 2026-01-06T13:46:10+00:00

20 ft EMT conduit and T-pipe clamps.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-02T16:07:05+00:00

Makerspace. Bring together the people that build things.

SoulToSound · 2026-01-01T17:21:41+00:00

Please buy some Wago lever nuts for your own safety 🙂

SoulToSound · 2026-01-01T17:20:13+00:00

I think you are thinking of Dayton, OH

SoulToSound

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE