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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Return was a bit of a hassle since it was a 3rd party seller on Amazon but I got them to issue a prepaid FedEx label, packed it up in its original box (that I'd thankfully saved in case this happened!), and didn't throw my back out @stoney -fashion in getting said 150+ lb box to FedEx.
Speaking of things that are a hassle to return, I bought this treadmill a few weeks ago:



It was delivered via a freight carrier, and I paid the two Mongolian delivery dudes $20 each to haul the 340 lb box (!) into my living room instead of leaving it on the driveway. Then I enlisted the help of my neighbor to help me carry the platform down into the basement and assembled it in place down there.

Anyway, it also sucks, albeit not as much as the near-DOA off-brand snowblower. To be specific:

- it has two speakers on its console, and the right side one doesn't work
- moreover, said right side speaker occasionally makes noises, but not music or voice from the program but rather harsh electrical-short type noises
- probably not coincidentally, the built-in fans sometimes don't work, and sometimes when they do work there's a smell of burning insulation

The interface is also clunky compared to the standard set by Peloton, too: very slow to boot up, not particularly responsive, bad UX design (they did not hire @Full Trucker !), and associated with a separate subscription.

So for all of these reasons but most of all the burning smell and high likelihood that something's shorted behind the right speaker I'm returning it.

Returning a treadmill is a non-trivial task. Again it weighs 340 lb! and is just super, super unwieldy. I also destroyed the original packaging in the process of assembling it so that ship has long since sailed. Thankfully, this was sold directly by Amazon and they're taking care of me. They have dispatched a freight company who will accept it in unassembled, unboxed state, and this company will pick it up from my basement to boot!

Perfect.

Screen Shot 2022-11-19 at 10.26.21 AM.png


Room of Choice Pickup, aw yiss
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
Turns out that it indeed sucked: ran for about 5 seconds then crapped out, repeatedly, let alone actually blowing any snow. Return was a bit of a hassle since it was a 3rd party seller on Amazon but I got them to issue a prepaid FedEx label, packed it up in its original box (that I'd thankfully saved in case this happened!), and didn't throw my back out @stoney -fashion in getting said 150+ lb box to FedEx.

Not going to have FOMO for this one. Plopped $500 refundable to get in line for it. This would replace the PHEV PacHy in the garage, whereas the forthcoming EQB shall replace my beloved Land Cruiser.





I have 50# of lead inbound, due today. Wifey is gonna have to help me move it.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
You guys are fuckin' KILLING me today!

:rofl:
I'll have more fodder for you soon, too. Meeting the interior planner lady at the mountain house on Wednesday, and on Saturday getting a formal quote on the window replacement for same said joint from Renewal by Anderson.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
Speaking of things that are a hassle to return, I bought this treadmill a few weeks ago:



It was delivered via a freight carrier, and I paid the two Mongolian delivery dudes $20 each to haul the 340 lb box (!) into my living room instead of leaving it on the driveway. Then I enlisted the help of my neighbor to help me carry the platform down into the basement and assembled it in place down there.

Anyway, it also sucks, albeit not as much as the near-DOA off-brand snowblower. To be specific:

- it has two speakers on its console, and the right side one doesn't work
- moreover, said right side speaker occasionally makes noises, but not music or voice from the program but rather harsh electrical-short type noises
- probably not coincidentally, the built-in fans sometimes don't work, and sometimes when they do work there's a smell of burning insulation

The interface is also clunky compared to the standard set by Peloton, too: very slow to boot up, not particularly responsive, bad UX design (they did not hire @Full Trucker !), and associated with a separate subscription.

So for all of these reasons but most of all the burning smell and high likelihood that something's shorted behind the right speaker I'm returning it.

Returning a treadmill is a non-trivial task. Again it weighs 340 lb! and is just super, super unwieldy. I also destroyed the original packaging in the process of assembling it so that ship has long since sailed. Thankfully, this was sold directly by Amazon and they're taking care of me. They have dispatched a freight company who will accept it in unassembled, unboxed state, and this company will pick it up from my basement to boot!

Perfect.

View attachment 185094

Room of Choice Pickup, aw yiss
It's a treadmill, it was always going to suck.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
It's a treadmill, it was always going to suck.
I’m going to get a Peloton Tread. I like the interface much better. Shall wait for a sale on it—Black Friday perhaps?

The same Peloton membership I already pay for (for the bike+ at home and the bike- at the mountain place) will cover its content as well so eventually it’ll pay off relative to the janky NordicTrack plus separate ifit membership for inferior content.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
I also discuss electric cars and occasionally RVs I’ll never buy since I’m not an RV park person
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
That's a lot of money for a clothing rack. :D
I sprung for the extension of the 1 year warranty to 4 years to make sure that if it becomes a clothing rack it’ll at least be due to apathy and not merely it malfunctioning (and being too big to move for service)
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
He was misguided enough to buy one to begin with.
Then he was lucky enough to be able to get a no cost easy return for it.
Then he's bought another one.

homer.icon
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
All bindings adjusted, liners heat molded where appropriate, and batteries for the sundry heated gear charging up.

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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Is tomorrow the first plank sliding of this season?
Nah, with only 9% terrain open not going to bother until Dec 3, the first day of Devo. And that (and the 10th) will be skiing-with-Baby-Aya days, although if something fun's open then Mariko and I will sneak in a few runs on the Sunday mornings following each day.

We were up there so as to meet up with the interior designer lady, go over revised (pared down!) plans, and pay her $5k (down payment towards design/coordination work + the architect's time as he's already been involved, too). Shall post separately about that.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
PNC will only write to 75% LTV and due to the current size of the (jumbo when originated and jumbo when refinanced to 2.375%!) primary note that means they'll only go to $85k.

So $200k from the Denver house to play with plus this $85k. Will have to keep these constraints in mind when considering the scope of the interior redo.
Turns out that window replacement outfits (like Anderson and Pella) do their own captive financing, with actually pretty good rates!

and moreover if I did this route then this would be distinct from the headroom available on the Denver and Tabernash HELOCs, the latter now officially approved at $85k and awaiting a closing date.

Wife and I met with the interior designer lady today to go over more realistic renovation plans, and much of what we hope to achieve should be achievable in ~$200k (+ the window replacement cost separately):

- master suite creation
- carpet redo throughout upstairs
- minor updates to the existing upstairs bathrooms
- de-mirroring all closet doors! and minor lighting updates here and there
- vinyl plank over the existing granite (with its radiant loops, recall) on main floor
- full kitchen redo and expansion on main floor
- keeping kitchenette in basement but adding one bedroom across from it with minimal drywall work
- adding a lockable door at bottom of basement stairs to potentially make it a distinct ADU if zoning/HOA allows for this
- renter-grade carpet over the granite downstairs
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,379
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
Turns out that window replacement outfits (like Anderson and Pella) do their own captive financing, with actually pretty good rates!

and moreover if I did this route then this would be distinct from the headroom available on the Denver and Tabernash HELOCs, the latter now officially approved at $85k and awaiting a closing date.

Wife and I met with the interior designer lady today to go over more realistic renovation plans, and much of what we hope to achieve should be achievable in ~$200k (+ the window replacement cost separately):

- master suite creation
- carpet redo throughout upstairs
- minor updates to the existing upstairs bathrooms
- de-mirroring all closet doors! and minor lighting updates here and there
- vinyl plank over the existing granite (with its radiant loops, recall) on main floor
- full kitchen redo and expansion on main floor
- keeping kitchenette in basement but adding one bedroom across from it with minimal drywall work
- adding a lockable door at bottom of basement stairs to potentially make it a distinct ADU if zoning/HOA allows for this
- renter-grade carpet over the granite downstairs
:popcorn:

:D
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
What's more is that I plan to re-up the Tabernash HELOC to the full $200k after this first round of interior renovation is done, because what was holding back the appraised value on it as it stands is its weird-ass layout. Once that's rectified it should appraise much higher, what with normal finishes, a nice, new modern kitchen, an extra two bedrooms (!) and an extra full bath, and nothing that just screams oddity.

Well, besides the peach-pinkish stucco that's totally out of place for the mountains, that is.

:D
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Going to give the Carv device a try. 100 day return policy and limited tolerance for bullshit means it’s going to have to prove that it improves my skiing noticeably to stick around in mah boot-shells. (It goes between the shell and the liner so shouldn’t interfere with my in-liner heated insoles.)
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Turns out that window replacement outfits (like Andersen[spelling fixed] and Pella) do their own captive financing, with actually pretty good rates!

and moreover if I did this route then this would be distinct from the headroom available on the Denver and Tabernash HELOCs, the latter now officially approved at $85k and awaiting a closing date.
Contract signed for new windows. 18 quite large windows and 2 sliding doors. After a 25% discount for signing (and financing) on the spot a cool $100,224. I’m financing $99,999 of it—their most attractive offer was 6.99% fixed x 15 years, 0 down. No prepayment penalty at the least, and again this doesn’t count against the available credit on the HELOCs.

moar debt wheeeee
 
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6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
Have you considered buying a mountain house without a dodgy layout, worn out deck and worn out windows?
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Have you considered buying a mountain house without a dodgy layout, worn out deck and worn out windows?
The proof will be in the pudding of what it appraises at after all this work. Plus it being so big is useful (as she said)
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
rich.PNG


Only weekend left to book is Presidents Day now--the Christmas booking just came through likely as the dynamic pricing algorithm dropped nightly rates as compared to the New Years stay after it. Otherwise it's all for our use :)
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
does that cover more than 1-2 months mortgage?
no. the benefits I accrue are in the equity and in our actual use of the place.

(I'll consolidate the weekend owner holds into confluent blocks when it becomes clear that it won't rent out mid-week between the weekends, so as to not pay the cleaning fee each time and so that we can leave our gear out instead of packing it away in closets.)
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Wife and I met with the interior designer lady today to go over more realistic renovation plans, and much of what we hope to achieve should be achievable in ~$200k (+ the window replacement cost separately):

- master suite creation
- carpet redo throughout upstairs
- minor updates to the existing upstairs bathrooms
- de-mirroring all closet doors! and minor lighting updates here and there
- vinyl plank over the existing granite (with its radiant loops, recall) on main floor
- full kitchen redo and expansion on main floor
- keeping kitchenette in basement but adding one bedroom across from it with minimal drywall work
- adding a lockable door at bottom of basement stairs to potentially make it a distinct ADU if zoning/HOA allows for this
- renter-grade carpet over the granite downstairs




Settled on a significantly more limited scope of work at < 50% the proposed initial cost.



Pretty nice gig for the designer! $175/hr + 25% margin on the things basically subcontracted through her. I'll purchase all but the cabinets and counters directly to save that margin. We paid a $5k retainer already, which includes 15 hours of that $175/hr time of hers.