Comments by "Comm0ut" (@Comm0ut) on "DIY with Dave" channel.

Pay what the market will bear or tough cookies. There is no worker crisis, there's a GREEDY EMPLOYERS WANTING SERFS CRISIS and they can nug my huts. Any "crisis" won't bother me because over decades of fun I learned every trade I need to the degree I need it and more. So should others because it's awesome and you don't need to be the best to be plenty effective. Community college courses can be outstanding. I took welding and machining after retiring from aviation to use in my home shop and they were so much fun I volunteered then worked there (CCs hire from within to get known qualities). Blue collar workers can be had in any desired number if you EFFING PAY THEM. Same as trucking where everyone expects you to martyr yourself for free.
9
@JonDecker It's easy to build an attractive home that is never directly impinged by fire though rock or cement (or the asbestos siding on my home which I will never remove since it's not friable) are wise choices.. Defensive berms and fireproof perimeter walls (which are easy to erect over time which saves money) easily deflect inbound wind and fire. It's the same principle as a military revetment (all these problems have been solved for centuries). Gabions can be very attractively blended with their surroundings by using them as the stabilized core of a berm. Fire isn't going to cut sideways through tons of earth.
4
Softwood demand led to heavy logging recently and consolidation makes sense. Softwood in the US is plentiful but cost depends on location. Lumber companies can painlessly shut down and restart because time is on their side. The renewable "crop" is pine so low demand just means more time for growth to feed the next cycle.
3
Even if tariffs shrink the overall economy our domestic industries should be put above chasing the lowest prices.
2
Standing seam modern steel roofing is inexpensive, MUCH easier to install and lasts much longer than the usual asphalt shingle trash. My home was built in 1965 using much older reused barn metal. Not even hurricane Hugo bothered it.
2
Much of the southeast IS cheap but the vast majority of people are ignorant (ignorance in 2024 is a choice) so they cluster in formerly desirable areas thus ruining them. Humans are basically lemmings by choice but we can do better. It's really quite easy to not live in vulnerable locations by doing the most basic homework so I did before buying my homes. Mountains are pretty but as we see with Helene have many disadvantages notably fast moving water (which is what carved out those areas in the first place) and too many logistics issues which can make finding work difficult. Appalachia is poor for the same reasons it's purty so I don't live there. Flood plains have no advantages except for farming so I don't live in one. Coastal areas are hurricane bait and vulnerable to storm surge so I don't live in one. I live well inland and can drive to visit the ocean at much less expense. Useful locations inland are often easily affordable because the lemmings don't live there. Areas not far from transportation arteries are often affordable, quiet and have affordable land. A wise choice is buy land zoned agricultural so you have more personal freedom to build and do what you prefer. Neighbors are mostly useless but farmers tend to be competent people who don't bother others. Buying land in a very slow or no growth area is wise because that makes eventual retirement affordable. My property taxes are under a grand per year, overhead is dirt cheap and money I'm not forced to spend for nothing means more discretionary income. I planned decades in advance by learning what not to do from other peoples mistakes. I'm far from rich but retired at 47 since my military pension goes a long way in the right location. My alarm clock is a rooster and life is good. Anyone with a bit of determination can do likewise but fortunately for me and millions of others who live inland, they don't.
2
All orders should be made using online tools then picked up at the store or delivered. I want brick and mortar stores gone so I get even better online services. Use the brick and mortar locations as delivery hubs and end walk-in customers. I would buy everything online if I could get same-day pickup.
2
Building structures with wood invites destruction by fire as we just witnessed. Rebuilding them out of fuel is silly and not necessary but people are (mostly) such craven conformists they will insist on repeating mistakes while making excuses for it. Some homeowners think for themselves and use fireproof materials like concrete and steel. I get the appeal of cheap square footage but wood is self-evidently not fireproof so doing the same thing twice while expecting different results is questionable. The wealthy owners really have no excuse since artful designs like monolithic domes which are both fire and quake resistant are an option as is mimicing classic adobe construction using reinforced concrete. Steel roofing is lighter, easier to install, completely recyclable and available in a variety of colors including reflective white for lower energy use.
2
I welcome security because it benefits ME. What sort of frail customer would be intimidated and WHY? Security is for everyone's benefit and it being present simply reflects that reality. Having served near three decades in the military I'm fine with armed security and welcome more of same. I am more likely to shop at a store with visible armed security (unarmed humans are useless, I also carry legally). I prefer to shop Home Depot online for the convenience and rarely bother with brick and mortar locations unless I am actually buying bricks and mortar. While contractors need them in emergency as a DIYer I buy my power tools online at the best price (since I research online anway) and save money, time, fuel and labor. Driving forty minutes each way vs. a few mouse clicks is no contest and Home Depot service has been excellent.
1
Craftsman wasn't "great" quality, but it was at least decent. We don't need it any more as there are plenty of brands.
1