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Hey Michigan and Doc Fungus

mlblack16.

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Mar 9, 2017
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I figure the way you two go on about a good barrel fire, you may appreciate this DIY to make it almost smokeless. This looks like it's using the same venting concept as the Solo Stove - I have one of those, BTW and it's fvcking bauce.

As a side note, I'm doing this from my phone and will likely have to edit a couple times to remember how to embed a video.

 
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The Solo Stove also burns the wood more efficiently. The ash seems minimal by comparison to the traditional fire pit I was using.
 
My buddy swears by his.

Mrs Fungus talked me into a big patio project with built in fireplace. Otherwise I’d get that Solo.
Shit. Poor kids will be eating Ramen for the next six months to make up for that expense on the balance sheet.
 
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Good info on the Solo. Have done a lot of work to our backyard this past summer and want to replace our old fire pit with something closer to the house and portable. Anyone have any experience with these? The sear plate intrigues me.

 
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Good info on the Solo. Have done a lot of work to our backyard this past summer and want to replace our old fire pit with something closer to the house and portable. Anyone have any experience with these? The sear plate intrigues me.

Haven't heard of those. If you're wanting to use one as an insert that would be very ideal. Otherwise, Solo has a variety of accessories to be able to grill as well. Assuming you were referring to that when you mentioned sear plate? I like that this company offers a much larger pit size.
 
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Haven't heard of those. If you're wanting to use one as an insert that would be very ideal. Otherwise, Solo has a variety of accessories to be able to grill as well. Assuming you were referring to that when you mentioned sear plate? I like that this company offers a much larger pit size.
The Breeo has better reviews for grilling but is heavier. The Breeo actually has very good reviews.
 
The Breeo has better reviews for grilling but is heavier. The Breeo actually has very good reviews.

We're not campers so it will stay at home so weight isn't much of a concern. Actually like that it's heavier and made in U.S. And again intrigued about the sear plate. Had some steaks cooked over a sear plate once and they were excellent.
 
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Metal drum from an old washing machine. Best. Firepit. Ever. $30 from a junkyard.

firepit-1.jpg
 
All you need is a 55 gallon drum, two cinder blocks, and a drill with 1/2" holes.

Can get all that for free if you got the connections. Doc Fungus is going to need one of these 55 gallon drums when he moves out to the country and needs to burn them tree limbs. If you want to be extra cool, put some chicken wire over the top of the barrel to keep the wood from busting a move and popping out.
 
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@riflearm2

Got the final quote on the outdoor project. I may need Michigan's burn barrel on second look. Aside: If I hear another "well, we have to do it this way due to "city code" even though it's not really necessary" I'm going to lose it. City code jacks up prices and just adds middle men. I'm not a slumlord. I'm not going to burn barrels on the front porch. I live in a nice area.

Serious question to you or others in the thread.

Let's just say for simple numbers your house is $500K. I live in a moderate cost of living area, not in WV.

What is the maximum reasonable number of money you'd spend for an outdoor fire place, covered area/pergola with TV and fan, pool/pool deck with tanning ledge, and spa?
 
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What is the maximum reasonable number of money you'd spend for an outdoor fire place, covered area/pergola with TV and fan, pool/pool deck with tanning ledge, and spa?
My neighbor just did this exact project. Big money Hungus....BIG. Just write the check for crying out loud. You're loaded. 😂 (And your neighbors will enjoy it!)
 
@riflearm2

Got the final quote on the outdoor project. I may need Michigan's burn barrel on second look. Aside: If I hear another "well, we have to do it this way due to "city code" even though it's not really necessary" I'm going to lose it. City code jacks up prices and just adds middle men. I'm not a slumlord. I'm not going to burn barrels on the front porch. I live in a nice area.

Serious question to you or others in the thread.

Let's just say for simple numbers your house is $500K. I live in a moderate cost of living area, not in WV.

What is the maximum reasonable number of money you'd spend for an outdoor fire place, covered area/pergola with TV and fan, pool/pool deck with tanning ledge, and spa?
Depending on the size/type of pool and the materials used, you could spend anywhere between $75K & $150K+.

Although, I've heard that inground pool installation costs have nearly doubled.
 
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Depending on the size/type of pool and the materials used, you could spend anywhere between $75K & $150K+.

Although, I've heard that inground pool installation costs have nearly doubled.

You've heard correct. I met with three different pool companies over the past 6 months. All have said due to materials, but a lot due to labor costs, there's not way you're getting in a gunnite or fiberglass pool for less than $110-130K in my area (roughly a 28 X 14 foot pool). They said it's up around 30-40% over the past.
 
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My neighbor just did this exact project. Big money Hungus....BIG. Just write the check for crying out loud. You're loaded. 😂 (And your neighbors will enjoy it!)

It's crazy out there now. We are getting unsolicited offers to buy our house for almost double what we paid for it 10 years ago.

We don't want to move at all. We are very happy with our street, house, neighbors, etc. Plus, if you sell then you've got to buy in an inflated market.
 
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It's crazy out there now. We are getting unsolicited offers to buy our house for almost double what we paid for it 10 years ago.

We don't want to move at all. We are very happy with our street, house, neighbors, etc. Plus, if you sell then you've got to buy in an inflated market.
Same here in this market.
 
You've heard correct. I met with three different pool companies over the past 6 months. All have said due to materials, but a lot due to labor costs, there's not way you're getting in a gunnite or fiberglass pool for less than $110-130K in my area (roughly a 28 X 14 foot pool). They said it's up around 30-40% over the past.
We did a 16 X 36 Fiberglass pool in 2019 and our installer (who still does some service for us) said installations this past summer cost 40-50% more and they had a 1 year waiting list. Crazy!
 
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We did a 16 X 36 Fiberglass pool in 2019 and our installer (who still does some service for us) said installations this past summer cost 40-50% more and they had a 1 year waiting list. Crazy!

That is exactly the same story we're getting here. Earliest anyone can start is May 2022.
 
The additional cost is not due to labor cost. The contractors are charging what they are because they can. And grinning all the way to the bank.
 
The additional cost is not due to labor cost. The contractors are charging what they are because they can. And grinning all the way to the bank.
When you get out of podunk WV….the increase in estimates is labor (and materials). Many of the contractors in this market have had issues keeping help too.
 
When you get out of podunk WV….the increase in estimates is labor (and materials). Many of the contractors in this market have had issues keeping help too.
The increase in swimming pool installation costs is going into the contractors bank accounts. Idiot.
 
The increase in swimming pool installation costs is going into the contractors bank accounts. Idiot.

Youre not right about all that.

I have good contractor friends/neighbors. Guys /subs won’t show up to work for the rates they would a year ago.

Of course contractors are driving up pricing because demand is up, but to act like wage inflation isn’t going on is nuts. It is.

There can be two things true at once.
 
Youre not right about all that.

I have good contractor friends/neighbors. Guys /subs won’t show up to work for the rates they would a year ago.

Of course contractors are driving up pricing because demand is up, but to act like wage inflation isn’t going on is nuts. It is.

There can be two things true at once.
Forgive Greed. He’s used to a swimming pool being a muddy pond down the road.
 
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You might want to rethink all this pool stuff. Fencing, increased insurance costs, pool chemicals, cleaning and maintenance costs. Not to mention the initial construction costs.
When my parents were alive, they went through all this. Thought it would be a good way to encourage the grandkids to visit more often. The grandkids soon got bored with the pool and it just sat there and turned green.
 
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Youre not right about all that.

I have good contractor friends/neighbors. Guys /subs won’t show up to work for the rates they would a year ago.

Of course contractors are driving up pricing because demand is up, but to act like wage inflation isn’t going on is nuts. It is.

There can be two things true at once.
So, you really think I was saying every penny of price increases in pools was going to the contractors ??

No, just a huge majority of it. If you believe otherwise, you're nuts.
 
So, you really think I was saying every penny of price increases in pools was going to the contractors ??

No, just a huge majority of it. If you believe otherwise, you're nuts.

I wasnt sure of the breakdown.

Demand is sky high. It’s just Covid stir craziness I think and seeing your house for so long and wanting different ways to enjoy the time at home.
 
I wasnt sure of the breakdown.

Demand is sky high. It’s just Covid stir craziness I think and seeing your house for so long and wanting different ways to enjoy the time at home.
My brother works in this industry, not as a contractor, but delivers products to swimming pool contractors pretty much on a daily basis. One of the contractor's friends didn't want to wait on him as he was scheduled heavy and got a bid at $70,000 from another contractor. The homeowner mentioned this to the contractor and he told him if he'd wait just a few weeks, he'd make time to do the job. As a favor the contractor charged normally for materials and for his employees wages, in other words the contractor waived his fee for the job. 2 week job. Saved the homeowner $30,000. Take that for what its worth to you.
 
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Neighborhood switched two years ago maintenance has been cheaper chemicals are cheaper
Neighborhood pool? I did some reading up on the saltwater pools last summer. The only thing that concerned me was that most of that which I read states that if it needed work, even some of the smallest things, requires a technician. I never could find out how often that might be or anything about what that work might cost.
 
My other neighbor put in a pool 5 years ago. It was salt water. Aside from vacuuming and dumping a bucket of salt in it….he’s had very little if any maintenance
 
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