day 4: shopping

A couple of times I have mentioned the amount of time it takes just shopping for the stuff, let alone the time it actually takes to do the reno work. I think the closer you get to finish work the greater "shopping" time grows exponentially. As I ease into my vacation I'm making it my mandate to try and tick a few of the annoying shopping tasks off the list each day.

I had started out the morning stopping by my local tile store. The funny part about that store is the varying amounts of knowledge and service you get depending on the day you go. Today's help was scant at best. Last time I was there I mentioned I was having a hard time cutting the 12"x24"x1/4" porcelain tiles. The guy said he could have some custom cut for me "no problem" by his "stone guy". Today it was like a totally different store. When I asked the little blondie in charge all she could produce were photo copied business cards of a couple of local contractors and an electrician. A fruitless detour at best in the day.

There were two big ticket items on the docket that have been hovering for a while. I think the main reason I've been avoiding them is the electricity hog. A dryer and a deep freeze. You'll remember a couple of posts back we talked about having "repaired" the dryer. Well...not so much. It seems that the surge took out the mother board on the fancy GE dryer. The guy Michael brought in said it would be over $200 for the part alone, and if it ever went again it would cost the same, again.

Something I've noticed about dryers. On electric ones (yes,  I know gas are more efficient but I'm already set up for 220) I challenge you to find an energy rating on any of them. They just don't do it. My guess is they are such energy hogs that they are "sparing" the consumer.

The second item on the hog list was a freezer. The refrigerator we have in the kitchen is just that; a refrigerator. For a couple of months now we haven't had a freezer. For the most part it hasn't been that bad, but we did want a small chest for the basement.

I started off at Lowe's as they were alleged to have a better appliance selection than the Home Depot. I was quickly frustrated by the lack of service, but did realize they only carry gas models (unclear why). I ended up with a new dremel tool (tile cutting diversion again, more on that later) and I found pulls for the kitchen cabinets, so it wasn't a total bust

After a quick trip home I headed back out to PC Richards. They had exactly what we wanted; a small freezer with a decent energy rating, and a mechanical three setting dryer that we can repair if needed. I think the lesson here is the fancy tricked up "digital" version may not always be the better way to go.

After Michael got home we put up another four pieces of Hardiebacker. Maybe one day soon we'll have that one chipped away too.

Comments

[Barbara]

Hey dollface... nice to see you're making such great progress!!

[jeff]

I would be concerned about the quality of the power if it blew out 2 dryers. (or was it one, and i'm confusing something). Don't the dryers have fuses? If the fuse doesn't go before the 'motherboard' that is pretty odd... it suggests a brown out, not a surge.

You know how much I love UPSs... maybe you could use one in the basement..... (not sure how much 220 V UPSs run....)