Pet Peeves: The Holy Trinity and Beyond

[mojito]

1 hour ago, dga28 said:

my number one cringe saying is "not our style".....

Me, too. It's often declared by one of a couple of dueling spouses whose stated wishlist is conflicting. Frequently stated by a couple who have known each other for a whopping year. They barely know each other, let alone have a "style".

Two more "A" words that need to go: absolutely and actually.

I like "wow" because it says it all in one short word. If only people stopped at just that.

I might appreciate a tub if the water stayed hot, but I have one of those common tubs without heating elements and the joy of soaking is short-lived. Feels like a waste of time to me. I'd rather take a long-ish hot shower that uses less water and is more satisfying. 

The other thing that makes me cringe is the "Where's my" question. Seems so demanding and bitchy. Why not, "Is there a...."? Funny how little things can annoy.

Can't say I've ever seen the word "agreeance" before. Words are not only my biz (and education), I've also been around the block a few times. Learn something new every day, if you're lucky and open to that kind of thing.

[Homily]

8 hours ago, OpieTaylor said:

Well, maybe it's happening more in the Tiny House episodes where the buyer wants a tub, which seems like a big space-taker. But I think it's also happening a lot in the full-size House Hunters shows too. In those episodes, maybe it's more like the wife (or husband sometimes) makes a big deal about "Ooh, an ensuite bathroom with a tub! How wonderful! You know how I like baths!" It just seems like there's a lot of talk about bathtubs these days, cuz I keep noticing it. 

For me what would grate about that isn't that they want a bath it's that they're surprised to see one.  It would be like walking into a kitchen and going "oh good a sink".  Somewhat stating the obvious!  

[AuntiePam]

My #1 cringe has become "I can definitely see myself . . . " .  Maybe it's the "definitely" that bugs. 

Sometimes my husband watches with me, and he's surprised at the couples who bitch that the bathroom is too small for both of them to be in there at the same time.  If there's just one bathroom and you both have to get ready for work at the same time, yeah, but who potties while their SO is brushing their teeth or showering?  I guess we're just old.

[laredhead]

Adding to the list of things I'm tired of hearing HH's say:

The word "amazing" to describe every little thing that really isn't all that amazing.  These people need a thesaurus.  Don't forget the the dreaded ceiling fan as in "I'm not a fan of fans".  Someone really did say that.

[Empress1]

12 hours ago, OpieTaylor said:

Why the recent love affair with bathtubs on all the various HH shows, even the Tiny Houses? Seems at least half of the time the hunters really want a bathtub.  And they aren't all parents with babies/little kids. It's brought up so often these days, that I think there has to be an ulterior motive on the show's part - some reason to promote tubs. What could it be? Bathroom remodel sponsors?

I don't have kids but I wouldn't buy a house without a tub. A long relaxing soak feels good, especially after exercise. But I also wouldn't think to put a bathtub on my wish list, because I feel like that comes pretty standard.

1 hour ago, laredhead said:

Adding to the list of things I'm tired of hearing HH's say:

The word "amazing" to describe every little thing that really isn't all that amazing.  These people need a thesaurus.  Don't forget the the dreaded ceiling fan as in "I'm not a fan of fans".  Someone really did say that.

Louis CK has a joke about the word "amazing," basically that we've taken words that have meant something really exceptional like "amazing" and "genius" and completely diluted them.

1 hour ago, AuntiePam said:

My #1 cringe has become "I can definitely see myself . . . " .  Maybe it's the "definitely" that bugs. 

There's something about when someone says "I can see myself cooking in this kitchen" that really bugs me, because that's what the kitchen is for. You wouldn't say "I can see myself doing our taxes in this kitchen." I get what they mean - they like that particular kitchen a lot and are picturing themselves in it. But that phrasing irks me. I also get annoyed when they ask what they would use a particular room for. Use it for whatever you want, it's your house! Have some imagination!

[izabella]

For some reason, the one that gets me is, "I can see myself drinking coffee on this balcony/patio/deck/terrace."  Maybe it's because just about everyone says it, but it grates every time.

[Mittengirl]

I hate when some twit walks into a bathroom and declares it "completely not functional" when what they mean is they don't like the looks of it.  If the plumbing fixtures work as intended, I.e the toilet flushes, the taps work, the tub doesn't leak, then the bathroom functions.  Ugly or outdated does not equate to nonfunctioning.  Same with kitchens and white appliances.  Stainless steel is not required for an appliance to work as intended.

[abbey]

I hate it when they walk into a bathroom or kitchen and declare it   a total gut job.  The rooms are completely functional just not to their taste.  I lived with my ugly kitchen for 12 years until I had the money to remodel it, harvest gold stove and all.  My house was built in 1951, and when I toured it I did not           expect to find spacious closets and a master bedroom with its own bathroom.  These people who want older houses with character and expect to find walk in closets and multiple bathrooms make me crazy.                                                         

[AlleC17]

I hate it when they go into a fully functional and new kitchen and declare it 'needs to be upgraded'.  No...you may not like the countertops or cabinets or whatever, but just because it isn't your taste does not mean it needs to be 'upgraded'.  It's like they think their taste makes something more valuable.  Maybe I think your taste sucks so it would be a downgrade in my opinion...lol

[topanga]

When buyers say that the lack of RV parking/3-car garage/finished basement/home theater/huge closets/a dedicated room for the home brewery "might be a deal breaker." And that's often the home they choose.

[auntjess]

Bathrooms have become spa-like.  Does that mean hot and steamy?  It certainly seems to mean large with a lot to clean.
 

On ‎8‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 10:53 AM, izabella said:

For some reason, the one that gets me is, "I can see myself drinking coffee on this balcony/patio/deck/terrace." 

Yes, said about a deck off the master bedroom.  Do most people really get up early enough to schlepp their coffee upstairs before going to work?
And these couples with several small children, who see their bedroom as a "retreat."
Well once the kids are in bed, the whole damn rest of the house is yours.  And you need a couch in the bedroom?

Edited August 11, 2016 by auntjess

[scrb]

Depends on if you want to spend a lot of time in there.  I take short showers never baths.  So it doesn't have to be large.

On the other extreme, you have these small bathrooms in HHI.  Yes they don't have to be as large as the ones in the US but these showers you can't even turn around without bumping against the doors.

Or some just have a drain at the bottom of the bathroom floor which is tiled.  That doesn't work either.  You end up with puddles often.

[scootypuffjr]

On 8/9/2016 at 0:44 AM, Albino said:

Top Ten Things I'm Sick Of Hearing Home Buyers Say.  What are yours?  I'm sure I missed dozens.

1.  Where's my stainless appliances?

2.  Where's my grand entrance? (usually uttered by twentysomethings with a $160K budget)

3.  It's a complete gut job.

4.  Now that's what I'm talkin' about  (usually in reference to a 'man cave')

5.   Why is there a window in the bathroom!?!?

6.  You can have this shelf right here!  (witty wife to whipped husband touring roomy walk-in closet)

7.  But where will you keep your clothes?  (witty wife to whipped husband touring roomy walk-in closet)

8.  Not a fan of  the ________  (fill in: tile floors, carpeting, popcorn ceilings, light fixtures, granite, size of back yard, fireplace, etc. etc)

9.  There's barely room to move...we'll be bumping into each other.  (referring to a perfectly adequate kitchen)

10.  No pool?  We were really hoping for a pool.  :(

Don't forget, "Where's my ocean view?" Because a 4 minute walk to the beach is unacceptable if you can't actually see it from every room of the house. And "It's not my Craftsman" when it is the Colonial the spouse wanted, and vice versa. 

[juliet73]

I'd like to hear these buyers complain about commuting, school districts, property taxes, etc as "deal breakers" instead of not having granite, double sinks, etc.  Speaking of property taxes,  I wish they would mention how much they are.  I've watched this show from the beginning and I can only remember ONE episode where they mentioned the taxes on each house because the couple asked.  It was in NJ.

[Kohola3]

Quote

Bathrooms have become spa-like.  Does that mean hot and steamy?  It certainly seems to mean large with a lot to clean.

Personally I think big bathrooms are huge waste of space.  I don't know about the rest of the world but the bathroom is one place I spend very little time.  Go in, do whatever I need to do and get out.  There are more comfortable and appropriate places for lounging around.  And what's with the separate shower and bathtub thing?  I bet that 99% of couples never simultaneously use those any more than they use the much desired double sinks.

[AuntiePam]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

 I bet that 99% of couples never simultaneously use those any more than they use the much desired double sinks.

They don't in my house.  If someone flushes a toilet while the other one is the shower, the water pressure drops.  "Don't flush!  I'm in the shower!" 

[Homily]

2 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

 I bet that 99% of couples never simultaneously use those any more than they use the much desired double sinks.

I always laugh to myself when I hear them cooing about double sinks - we had that in our last house and I honestly can't remember a single time when my husband and I were using the bathroom at the same time let alone at the same time using both sinks.  I could see the advantage of the double sink more in the main bathroom if you have a couple of kids who need teeth brushed etc before bed or before school but always (well it seems like it's always) its the en suite bathroom that just absolutely MUST have the double sink.

[laredhead]

I don't understand the double sink desire either.  My ex-husband and I never shared bathroom time, even when our work schedules were approximately the same.  You're with this person 24/7/365, can't you be by yourself for a few minutes a day?  The only thing I can figure is one of the couple is a total pig about leaving the sink full of toothpaste, shaving debris or whatever and the other person doesn't want to deal with it.  I would much rather have a longer vanity devoted to counter space or a nice linen closet.  Two sinks are so far down the wish list they don't even register on the radar.

[chessiegal]

I had a house with double sinks in the master bath. We more than not used them at the same time when getting ready to go out or getting up at the same time. I'd love to have them again, but then we are 2 people who don't mind being in the bathroom at the same time doing whatever.

[Grneyedldy]

My husband and I use our double sinks at the same time a lot. We could live with one, but it's nice having two. Just like double ovens. :-)

[Albino]

12 hours ago, juliet73 said:

I'd like to hear these buyers complain about commuting, school districts, property taxes, etc as "deal breakers" instead of not having granite, double sinks, etc.  

"I love the house, but the 20-minute commute is a dealbreaker."  Twenty minutes?  Are you kidding me?

Back in NJ it would take me 15-minutes to walk to the train station, then a 50-minute train ride, then a 10-minute PATH train trip to Manhattan and an 8-minute walk to my office.  And that was on a good day!  

But I have to say, I was very happy to say goodbye to all of that when I retired.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Albino

[Empress1]

I rolled my eyes when the Austin woman balked at her 20-minute commute. Long commutes are a deal-breaker for me after a 90-minute each way commute I had, but 20 minutes is not long.

[roseslg]

Me too!  A 20 minute commute would be a dream.  You can't even read a good chapter in that time.  

[laredhead]

Posted in wrong place. 

Edited August 12, 2016 by laredhead
Posted in wrong place

[MsNewsradio]

2 hours ago, Empress1 said:

 

I rolled my eyes when the Austin woman balked at her 20-minute commute. Long commutes are a deal-breaker for me after a 90-minute each way commute I had, but 20 minutes is not long.

 

Thank god I didn't catch that episode. My commute currently runs me 2 1/2 hours one way - I would have wound up throwing something through the tv. 

The house I grew up in had double sinks in both the master bathroom and in the "main" upstairs bathroom. My parents did often use theirs at the same time, but I'm sure it was more a luxury for them than a necessity. The other bathroom, however, was used by myself, my two siblings, and my grandmother, so those double sinks were a godsend when getting ready on school days.

[Bastet]

My parents' bathroom has two vanities, and in a really cool set up -- they're across from each other, rather than next to each other, so there truly is room for two people to be in there at the same time without getting in each others' way, plus there's plenty of storage.  But they laugh when they see all the HHs on about needing two sinks, because they can probably count on one hand the number of times in 40-some years in that house they've been in there at the same time.

As with so many things on this show, it's not that any given HH wants a particular feature, it's that so many of them follow the same script.  The percentage of HHs who purport to need to use the bathroom at the same time as their partner just doesn't reflect reality.

[roseslg]

I would just want two sinks so that I didn't have to see my husbands nail clippings.  He clips them and leave the clippings in the sink.  It irks me every single time.  The bathroom is never a place we hang out together.  I like the privacy.  

[buttercupia]

yeah. the whining about commutes. I leave the house every day at 610 to get to work by 730. I have to drive to a park and ride then take a bus. Leave work at 530 and lucky if I get home by 7. Days that I drive isn't much better-leave home at 630, get back home at maybe 615 if traffic isn't too bad.  

[AuntiePam]

I'm retired and work part-time -- I walk half a block to my job. 

My worst commute was similar to buttercupia -- bus to park and ride, then another bus to work.  The park and ride was just a parking lot with no shelter.  If you drove to that park and ride, fine, you could sit in your car in bad weather.  But if you took the bus like I had to, you stood in the weather waiting for the second bus. 

[laredhead]

WRT to the young first time buyers who want it all for a low price, for a while I have been looking closely at the houses of the parents when they film scenes between the HH's and their parents.  Usually these are filmed in what looks like a very nice kitchen or on a lovely patio in a nice back yard.   Highly doubtful those parents had that house as their first house,  and it is probably their 2nd or 3rd (or more) house.  I think their expectations are based on what they lived in with their parents and they don't realize it takes a few years to build equity and move up in price and size.  I really hope all of their comments are producer driven and they aren't that naive.

[Kohola3]

Quote

I think their expectations are based on what they lived in with their parents and they don't realize it takes a few years to build equity and move up in price and size. 

Unfortunately studies of Millennials show that they want what they want when they want it.  They are in the instant gratification mode and have no patience for saving or working toward a goal.  In school they are encouraged to work in groups which means one person does all the work and the rest get the credit.  Thus they expect prizes for doing very little.  While this is a generalization, of course, in my job we see it all the time with new hires.  It's scary.

[mojito]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

 

Quote

Unfortunately studies of Millennials show that they want what they want when they want it.  They are in the instant gratification mode and have no patience for saving or working toward a goal.

Baby Boomers were accused of the same. And it was true. I can remember the early 80s when people were purchasing BMWs and Saabs and parking them in non-covered parking lots of apartment complexes (and I'm talking about Texas, not major cities where housing is very expensive or scarce). At the time, I thought that was so silly. Get the home first, then the luxury car that you can park in the garage. The fact that they were independent enough not to be living in Mommy and Daddy's homes says something, though. And they didn't have all the clutter of participant trophies filling up their apartments.

But then, the millenials are at least thinking ahead and purchasing homes.

Well, now I have this conflict going on in my head....

[Homily]

I'm the tail end of the baby boom and the start of whatever came next and I can recall my parents saying the same thing around the time my friends and I were setting up our own homes.  That we wanted everything right away that they had had to work 25 years to get.  I think it was truer then than it is now to be honest.  Most parents of millennials didn't live through a depression or a war and for a lot of millennials their parents are always going to be better off than they are ever going to be.  It's a very elite group of millennials who have the kind of money to want what they want when they want it!  A lot of others are struggling to keep their heads above water.  I don't envy this young group of people at all even if some of them have more money than God!

Edited August 13, 2016 by Homily

[Kohola3]

I'm a Boomer and I worked hard for my entire life, saving all the while. The parents of Boomers were often products of the Depression and knew that they had to be careful.  I recently retired and between my savings and living carefully I was finally able to purchase the home of my dreams at age 66.  I never got a thing from my parent in terms of loans or down payments which seems to be the norm these days.  The Millennials seem to think that a paid college education also entitles them to a big fat gift from Mom and Dad for their McMansions.  

My parents lived well but frugally and I guess I followed their example as did all of my friends and relatives of the same age. None of us had big houses or fancy cars.....ever!

[Homily]

And that in a nutshell is why it's wrong to label entire generations!  People made sweeping generalizations about baby boomers and they're doing it today about millennials.  If I based my judgement on those kids who appear on HH I'd think my generation really lost out because there is no way in hell at 25 that I was buying a McMansion.  There's no way now at my age that I'm buying a McMansion!!  But my millennial kids aren't buying McMansions either.  My son and his girlfriend just bought a very modest bungalow and my daughter and her husband are still saving for a downpayment so they can get out of renting and they're pinning their hopes on a townhouse as the first step up the property ladder. Not every kid has parents who can afford to give them downpayments - I wish we could but it's not going to happen.

[mojito]

Marketing and advertising people give us our stereotypes of generations. I remember when they started labeling BBs as "Yuppies", those who were well-educated and landed great jobs with great benefits (and Beamers, remember that?). Didn't reflect everyone, but they this specific group was their target for products and services. It would do HGTV no good to cater to the struggling among us; as always, those who are the most prosperous are portrayed as "typical" of their generation by people trying to make a buck off them. 

Edited August 18, 2016 by mojito
typo

[proserpina65]

On ‎08‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 0:59 AM, azshadowwalker said:

Ever lived on a busy street? I just moved from a house right above the 580 in the Bay Area. We had to run loud fans to sleep. I had difficulty talking to someone on the phone while inside the house, forget about sitting outside and chatting. Couldn't open the windows ever. Before that, we lived on the other side of the Bay right by the Caltrain tracks.  The train was less annoying than the traffic, because it wasn’t 24/7. Never again. 

It doesn't bother me that much, probably because I grew up next to train tracks, then moved to an apartment next to a major highway at the intersection where all the ambulances turned to go to the hospital.  I still live next to that highway, but nowhere near a hospital so it's quiet in comparison.  Except for the idiots who ride their dirt bikes/atvs in the field next to my development.  But if someone isn't used to it, I can see noise being a concern.

[proserpina65]

On ‎08‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 5:03 PM, Kohola3 said:

Personally I think big bathrooms are huge waste of space.  I don't know about the rest of the world but the bathroom is one place I spend very little time.  Go in, do whatever I need to do and get out.  There are more comfortable and appropriate places for lounging around.  And what's with the separate shower and bathtub thing?  I bet that 99% of couples never simultaneously use those any more than they use the much desired double sinks.

I would love to have a separate tub, a nice big faux clawfoot one for the long soaks I occasionally take.  That way I wouldn't have to clean it every time I took a shower, and the shower itself would be smaller and easier to clean regularly without having to hang over the tub to do it.  But it's not a deal-breaker. ;-)

Quote

They don't in my house.  If someone flushes a toilet while the other one is the shower, the water pressure drops.  "Don't flush!  I'm in the shower!" 

At my parents' house, not only would the pressure drop, but it made the shower very, very hot, very, very quickly.

Edited August 26, 2016 by proserpina65

[Ottis]

Quote

And that in a nutshell is why it's wrong to label entire generations!  People made sweeping generalizations about baby boomers and they're doing it today about millennials. 

There are always exceptions, however, these stereotypes exist because a large number of people reflect them. I think, by and large, stereotypes for both BBs and Millennials are true. Now, whether you view them as good or bad is a matter of individual perspective. For instance, you might view job hopping to move up as smarter and more desirable career-wise than staying in one place for 25 years and working your way up the ladder. Neither are good or bad, they're just different. I identify more with late BB values, and find Millennials annoying, but that's my perspective. However, I find the generational labeling mostly accurate.

[chessiegal]

I was watching a show yesterday where a couple was touring a new build, and the wife commented that it had been nicely "updated". WTF? How can a brand new house have been updated?

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

....and the wife commented that it had been nicely "updated".

Probably required to use a certain number of expressions from the HH Guide to TeeVee Fame.  She hadn't used her quota so had to grasp for something even if it didn't make sense.

[chessiegal]

Since the new build was their home, on reflection I thought maybe she was patting herself on the back for the finishes she chose. But you're probably right, she was quoting from the stock of scripted comments she'd been provided.

[auntjess]

A contractor, who has little or no English, is hired by an HGTV fan, and given the trinity +list to use in remodeling the house.
We tour the finished house, which has granite floors, hardwood wall around the fireplace, subway tile on the exterior.
OK, help me finish this house.

[Kohola3]

Don't forget the hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances.  BORING.

[Mittengirl]

Subway tile and gray painted walls w/white trim.  Open concept.  Master bath the size of Rhode Island.

[Kohola3]

And those stupid barn door things.  Gah!  When in the heck are those going away?  What a total waste of space - you can't put anything on the wall behind them and no furniture on the wall where it would get clobbered.  And they are always so enormous and unsightly.  If you want a sliding door, put in a pocket door.  That way you have usable wall space.

[Mu Shu]

I hate ALL barn doors.  I think they're ugly, ungainly, and a waste of budget.

Farm sinks piss me off too.   The sink is a utilitarian item.  Just polish the existing stainless sink wit your dremel, or get a "new" one for a couple bucks at a you pick yard.   There is so much savings you can get that way, and spend money on things you need a professional for. 

The gutting of perfectly solid cabinets grinds my gears.   Paint that shit!  Use the money you save to put in new stuff like doors or windows.  Or buy a lot of crack.

[auntjess]

Farm sinks look like they would take a lot more water if you wash dishes in them.
Nice for really large pans, but I'd rather have 2 sinks.
I'd love a true pocket doors, built with in a wall, but then I'd want a house that merited them.  And then you'd need a butler to open them.

[AuntiePam]

Farm sinks -- had one once, not new though, just a big sink in a very old house.  The trick for washing dishes without wasting water is to wash them in a rubber dish pan, in the sink.  Those big sinks are great for washing babies too (not to mention cats and small dogs). 

Removing perfectly fine kitchen cabinets -- around here, people put them in hunting and fishing cabins, and garages.  I like to think that's what happens with the reno shows, that those cabinets aren't going to a dump.  Or that they're just replacing the doors and leaving the cabinets. 

[BradandJanet]

White sinks were a problem for me. The last one I put in was soapstone or something, and every stain that hit it stuck. Only bleach could make it look right. I like the idea of the apron on the front of the farm sinks, but would never, ever again own choose a porous sink surface. It's back to stainless for my next remodel. After a while, you learn how much maintenance you want to do.