As several of you noticed in Monday’s party recap, our patio area boasted another feature on Saturday (beyond more balloons and little kids than you can count). Yep, there’s a new 6′ privacy fence going on back there. When did it get installed? In the sliver of days between completing the patio and hosting the party. But time was so tight that I didn’t get to blog about it until after the bean’s shindig (aka: today).
Here’s how it all went down up. Throughout my patio-ing, Sherry regularly reminded that me she wanted to beef up the fence situation between us and the neighbor before Clara’s birthday party. Her goal was to prevent this big blue car that was always parked next door from becoming the backdrop to all of our party photos.
Though I agreed with her motive, my patio-ravaged muscles didn’t appreciate her timing and my mouth decided to say things like “you’re crazy,” “no way!” and “are you kidding me???” (yes, I’m a bit of a grump when sore, tired, and stressed). So for those wondering what the heck we argue over, getting to this whole fence project was one of those things that we didn’t exactly see eye to eye on. Of course Sherry got her way in the end though. When the patio project wrapped up with three days to spare, I begrudgingly rented a Lowe’s truck on Tuesday night and hauled home my supplies which amounted to four 8ft-long-and-6ft-tall fence panels, five 8ft-tall fence posts, and some other miscellaneous items.
The plan was to replace the current fence – a 4ft-ish wire mesh fence held up by a combo of wood posts and a single steel rod – with something taller (6 feet, to be exact) and, of course, less see-through.
First, that old fence had to come down. Luckily my wire cutters were sharp and both the wood and that steel post were pretty rotted, so I was able to strip them out quickly:
Next up was measuring and marking the spots for my posts. Using these ever-helpful Lowe’s videos that I keep finding on youtube, I knew placing my posts accurately would be extremely important (they’ve gotta be exactly 8 feet apart, or else my pre-made panels wouldn’t line up right). So first I roughly marked all of my holes with wood stakes, so that before I dug each of the holes I could triple-check my measurements (and then check them again before placing my post).
Next was the sucky part: digging. I had myself a hole digger and all, but it still made my already-sore body even more miserable. And you better believe I let Sherry know it. I’m that kind of hubby when she gets her way. Anyway, I had heard from a few folks that I should set my post 24 inches deep. But as I approached about 20 inches, the thick clay earth officially had me beat (and had me thinking weird things like “how do all of those sorority girls in horror movies manage to dig graves to hide bodies?”). So I cheated a smidge and just power-sawed my posts a few inches shorter so they’d stick no more than 6 feet out of the ground. Post-hole-depth purists, feel free to wag your fingers at me (thankfully in the end everything is still extremely solid and those last few inches of depth didn’t seem to compromise a thing thanks to our dense clay soil and my next step which involves concrete).
My post holes got an inch or two of gravel on the bottom (supposedly for drainage), followed by my post which was then surrounded by a couple of bags of Quikrete (the no-mix stuff that sets when you just-add-water). Oh and here’s a tip about that stuff. Obviously you don’t want it to get rained on in the bags before you use it (or it’ll set into giant rectangles of useless concrete). So I kept it in the trunk since I worried that our carport was still too moist/clammy for it and I knew it would be rain-free in there. It actually stormed in the 24 hours between getting it home and using it so I was definitely glad that I did the trunk thing.
But back to my fence posts. I rigged up some makeshift supports out of scrap wood to keep the post from shifting, though I think the concrete (both dry and eventually wet) did most of the work.
The true hero of the day was my post level, which is pretty much the only way I could ensure that each post wasn’t leaning too far forward, backward, or slanting to the side. So I highly recommend grabbing one of these babies if you’re ever tackling a fence project.
Second to the level were these couple of strings that I tied up – one to mark the front edge of my fence (to be sure that I’d set my posts in a straight line) and another to represent the top of my posts (to make sure everything was set at the same depth).
I won’t pretend it wasn’t a hard Wednesday afternoon, but eventually I did get all four posts placed (and realized that I didn’t need the fifth, thanks to one leftover from the old fence). And once all of my Quikrete was watered, dried, set, and covered with dirt, I decided to call it a day – just to be sure things were solid before putting any weight on them.
Thursday wasn’t all that complicated by comparison. Sure, the panels were a bit unwieldy but one by one I carried them into place and drove a few wood screws into them to keep them from going anywhere. I had to do a bit of digging and leveling to counteract the slight slope of the land, but – as you can see – I managed to keep a smile on my face. This is the point where Sherry stopped feeling as bad for me and starting saying things like “See how much of a difference it makes?!” and “Aren’t you glad we’re getting this done?!” and I had to admit I agreed with her. I hate when that happens. But some projects just feel pretty darn good in the home stretch and immediately make a dramatic difference – and this was definitely one of them.
The stars must’ve aligned for me that day because, more importantly, my fence panels aligned PERFECTLY – including the one that I had to cut down to fit (the space was 27 feet long, so I needed three full 8-foot panels and about 3-feet of the fourth). Cutting them involved taking a handsaw to the three horizontal rails, which drained the last few ounces of energy I had left in me. This is my tired face:
But here’s what I was left with – a virtually seamless, twenty seven foot stretch of privacy-rich fencing… done just in time for me to focus on Clara’s party on Saturday (which was about 48 hours away at that point).
We’ll stain the fence eventually – along with the existing panel in front of it – so it looks a bit more finished. As you probably guessed, we chose this new fence style to match that existing panel that was behind our recycling bin (but wanted the full 6′ height to gain as much privacy as possible from nextdoor (since their land slants up so we needed all the height we could get). Someday we might upgrade the shorter existing panel in the front to match the height of the side panels, but for now it doesn’t look too noticeable since there are a ton of plantings right in front of that shorter panel that make it really hard to see from the street anyway.
Oh and do you see that tiny sliver of space where the fences meet? A small 1 x 1 x 6″ piece of wood should conceal it perfectly whenever we have a chance to grab it (did I mention time was tight thanks to the impending party?).
I’m notoriously bad at keeping receipts, so this is my best guess at a budget breakdown based on my credit card statement:
- Quikrete concrete mix (8 bags): $30
- Lowe’s truck rental: $19
- Fence panels (4) and posts (4): $171
- Post level: $5
- Hole digger: borrowed from my sister
- Screws, stakes, line level, rope and screws: already owned
- TOTAL: $225 (for a 27-foot long, 6-foot tall fence)*
* Our actual total was really more like $213 because we purchased all of the above at Lowe’s and used our Lowe’s card which gives you 5% off every purchase (just like a Target credit card). Woot.
** This post isn’t an ad for Lowe’s, we just happened to find their youtube video helpful and then bought our stuff there – but we’re not in cahoots with them or anything.
I know we may have been able to tackle this project for less if I built the fence slat by slat, but in light of the tight wife-imposed timeline (and my tired arse) those prebuilt panels were a lifesaver. And they weren’t even that costly, considering all the time and effort they saved ($39 for each 8 ft long by 6 ft tall panel). As for Clara’s party this weekend, the freshly installed fence did its job: no big blue car playing camera hog in the background.
Ah, what a difference a fence can make:
As for me, my body has finally recovered from my two manual-labor-filled weeks. But that doesn’t mean I’m looking to take on any heavy lifting anytime soon. Sherry, I hope you’re reading this.
jbhat says
You guys kill me, you really do. If I only had an ounce of your energy. Your patio and fence look great, plus you are really reaping the benefits of working so hard on them.
jbhat
Bethany Bryant says
Ha! John, your face is priceless in the picture of you unloading the Lowe’s truck!
I get the very same look from my husband frequently in pre-party preparations. Though lucky for him, my requests are much less labor-intensive than Sherry’s! (I’ll remind him of the next time he gives me the “John-face.”
DanielleR says
Your website has inspired me so much that I recently repainted my own living room (floor to ceiling and even the trim!) which is a huge deal for me because I always just paid someone else to do it. AND we have been putting in some major efforts start to finish our basement. Next stop might be a privacy fence (cause our neighbors are the devil) AND … your round table idea so the family can all see each other and converse helped inspire me too, I bought a round table a few months ago on craigslist … 60″ Orion table that lists for $1299 on Crate & Barrel’s website, someone had it up for sale for $200 on CL. BARGAIN!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that is the best deal ever! So happy for you!
xo,
s
Margaret says
You must be butter cause you’re are on a roll!!:) Seriously I can’t even get my husand to hang my new towel bar. I’ve had it for 6+ months and have asked many times if he can finally do it. My favorite response was on Saturday morning I said “Maybe you can put up the towel bar today.” He turned to me with a perplex look on his face and said “Honey, I’m not prepare to take on home project this weekend.” I died laughing, putting up a towel bar is a “home project”. Classic. Sherry you have it good :)
Katie says
I didn’t know if you knew this (but since John mentioned the 5% off when you use your Lowe’s card) but if you go into Home Depot, use your Home Depot card and mention the Lowe’s 5% off thing, they will give you 5% off your order OR if you’d rather, mention that they are 12 mo’s no interest and they’ll change your 6 mo promo to a 12.. it’s a life saver sometimes :D just trying to help out since I have noticed you shop both places :D
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- never heard that! SO good to know!
xo,
s
Katie says
also the fence looks amazing! as does the patio! :)
Kate says
Do you know if that would work in an area where there is no Lowe’s? (The nearest Lowe’s to use is an hour away, which makes me sad because I would love to use Valspar paint!)
pam says
Um, yeah. My husband would say, “YOU go on line and check out those videos. YOU put up the fence if you think it’s so easy.” Plus, we’d have to use our precious-little vacation time from work to get something like this accomplihed. Both projects are physically exhausting and John, you are my hero. I especially appreciate your attention to detail – I’m sure all your measuring and leveling saves you hours of work in the long run. Great job John!
YoungHouseLove says
I actually found the videos and said I’d do it but John wanted to! Haha. He acts like he begrudgingly did this, but he wanted to do the fence all along- just on a slightly longer timeline. Haha. But when he saw those videos up on my computer it must have lit a fire under his (slightly sore) arse. Haha. So maybe calling your hubby’s bluff might help? You might even like it! I’m never happier than when I’m relaxing on the sofa all sore with some dirt under the ol’ nails.
xo,
s
Cameron says
That looks fantastic!!! It’s amazing how much more “finished” the patio area looks with a more substantial fence behind it. And I can’t believe y’all managed a patio and big ol’ fence in a few days time. What’s next? Going to start digging your own swimming pool in the backyard? (I figure John’s probably REALLY good at digging by now!)
Laura @ the Diniwilks says
YAY, a fence post! I have been thinking about putting a fence in but still have some questions…
1) Did you talk to your neighbors about what you were planning? I’m not sure how to approach the whole thing etiquette-wise with my neighbors.
2) Probably less of an issue here, since you were replacing an existing fence, but how do I find out where exactly my property line is so I know where the fence should go?
Yours looks great, especially with the new patio. Keep it up!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re good friends with our neighbors (who are actually selling their house, so they were excited for any fence upgrades since it’s great for both properties) so when we told them our plans they were excited and after John finished they praised him for how professional it looked. Whew. I think giving your neighbors a heads up and not trashing their yard while you install it would be a good etiquette thing to do. As for figuring out your property line, maybe call the county and see if they can send out a surveyor or checking your closing documents to see if they include a lot sketch with measurements from the house to tell you how wide your lot is? Good luck!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
HAHA! You said “fencepost”.
;-)
erika m says
I’m in Ohio and have used one for our county and such, and if you google parcel maps or tax maps, there is usually a way online you can see property info. Not sure if thats everywhere, but thats how we (construction) plot our drawings for permits.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that tip!
xo,
s
Caitlin @ Desert Domicile says
AMAZING!!! John makes everything look doable haha
erika m says
Hey Sherry,
This is off topic but, right now Jo-Ann Fabrics has a promotion going on for 50% one class. I have a coupon from the local newspaper, but I bet you could find one online or maybe at their website! i know you’ve got your Brother beat, but figured if you were going to take a class, why not at 50% off?
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much! I might be taking a local one at a quilting place nearby (I’ve heard amazing things about it) but I’ll have to look into the Jo-Ann one too. Thanks for the heads up!
xo,
s
Ali says
Looks great! I’m exhausted just reading about the patio and now the fence – kudos to you for actually doing it!
Michelle says
You have gotten so much done so quickly! It looks awesome and you saved soo much money doing it yourselves! Very impressed!
John Morgan says
Are the panels salt-treated? Looks great.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, not sure. They were marked as treated lumber but we plan to seal them after they acclimate. Maybe try checking them out at Lowe’s to see if the sign has more info that we missed? Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ted says
Most Lowe’s usually sell pressure treated ACQ wood (ACQ is Alkaline Copper Quaternary) which is basically a waterborne preservative that protects against bugs and rot. It’s pressure coated to soak into the wood. You can find more information by Googling for ACQ treated lumber.
J'Ann says
Everytime I see John fixing something I can only think of how not handy the BF is lol, wow, I like handy men :-(. Can I borrow John to fix some stuff around the condo? I promise to return him in the same condition as when I got him.
A Girl’s Next Best Friend
YoungHouseLove says
Sure! He’s probably a little burnt out today. How is tomorrow for ya?
xo,
s
John Morgan says
I just realized you put the “pretty side” out, facing the new pation, and the “ugly side” facing your neighbor? How come?
YoungHouseLove says
You can scroll back through the first page of comments for that info. We fought over the way it should face, but in the end we just followed protocol. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Katie @ Domestiphobia.net says
Whoah, whoah, whoah. I only scanned the first page of comments, but I was getting a little defensive of Sherry when that person questioned why she doesn’t seem as involved with the more “heavy lifting” type projects. Ummm… aside from all the projects they do jointly and the ones she mentioned in her responses, anyone remember painting all those beams and trim in their living room? Maybe I’m particularly empathetic because I just finished a large painting project by myself, but painting is a LOT tougher than it looks – especially when you’re reaching over your head the entire time – and I don’t think anyone should belittle that kind of work!
That said, the two of you have done an amazing job on that patio, and John’s hard work on that fence was well worth it. And I’m going to go ahead and guess that while he was doing that, Sherry was probably off doing the preliminary planning for their next big project (which, I’m just going to say it – planning is a lot of work as well!).
I’m still looking forward to when you two start the kitchen. You keep hinting at that paneling – teases!
Jenna @ Spitzer Stories says
I am seriously impressed with this project!
“How do all of those sorority girls in horror movies manage to dig graves to hide bodies?” Made me LLOL (new term I just invented…literally laughed out loud, since it’s necessary to differentiate from the regular LOL which may or may not be associated with actual laughter).
The party pics look wonderful. All your hard work totally paid off.
Barb says
Nicely done John.
As the old saying goes; FENCES MAKE GREAT NEIGHBORS.
Sherry: I think you need to give John a vaca from DIY-ing!!! Don’t you think?
B.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, I think the next big project is on me. Haha.
xo,
s
alg says
A-HA!!! I knew putting in a fence could be a 2-ish day, under $500 project! My husband can suck it!!!!! His arse is SO going to be digging fence post holes soon!!!!!! (Evil, evil laugh here.)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, gotta love the maniacal home improvement laugh.
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Perfect timign for this post. We were away on vacation in April, when a storm came through our area and split/knocked down part of out wooden fence. We live in one of those subdivisions where everybody has a wooden fence in their yard.
We’ve had insurance come out and file a claim (it also took some shingles off our roof), and insurance estimated that the cost of a new back run and gate amounts to $900 and roof repair $325. With out deductable being $1000, we only got a check for around $200 or soMeanwhile we’ve had fence companies come out and give us estimates that the entire fence around the entire backyard need to be replaced and estimates vary from $3500-$4000. Sigh.
So now I am debating if we can just do this ourselves. The only problem is, I am the handy one, while the hubster can’t follow insert tab A into slot B (don’t even give him IKEA directions), so I’d pretty much be the foreman on this job and using his strength for labor. I’ve been looking up videos, and I *know* it’s possible, but the question is do I really want to take this on? I have about 75′-100′ of a fence run to replace. Maybe I’ll just bookmark this post and keep re-reading to psych myself up.
YoungHouseLove says
I think you can do it! John thinks so too (I really asked him) just take your time and maybe do 30 feet at a time and then take a much needed break. Good luck!
xo,
s
Tanya says
Here’s a handy-man tip – if you drink a glass of Alka-Seltzer the night after you do a lot of strenuous work (laying concrete, building fences) you will wake up the next day without sore muscles! I do this every time we move, etc – it really helps! Sorry didn’t let you know last week when this might have been more helpful!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! Off to tell John.
xo,
s
Jamie B. says
Interesting … It’s lactic acid that makes your muscles sore, so I assume the Alka-Seltzer being an antacid helps combat that. Plus the asprin, of course! Cool tip.
liz @ bon temps beignet says
I had to laugh/comment on the first picture. Whoever that is on the left, right outside the gate, looks like he’s pointing (in awe)at your new creation
It looks amazing!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- that’s Travis. He was pointing at a ball that he just kicked over those bushes. We partied hard. Haha.
xo,
s
karen says
wow…john, you are awesome for doing that! you two certainly make a great team!
Emily says
Haha, I felt bad for John at first too! But it really does look SO much better!
Dana L. says
John, I have to say, you’ve earned yourself some serious street-cred. Sherry’s got her work cut out for her if she wants to even the score. Although, those slipcovers made a pretty dramatic difference in the dining room (but that seems like a lot less work than digging). ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- it’s true. I gotta break out the big guns now. Off to brainstorm…
xo,
s
Nicole says
Great looking fence! I see you guys borrowed John’s sister’s post hole digger. Doesn’t that answer the question “how do sorority girls dig graves”? His sister isn’t in a sorority, is she?? lol.
mribaro says
LOL!
Becky S. says
Great job John!! It looks great!!
I have to say, though, I am a little bothered by that one comment about Sherry not doing any hard work. You all are making it seem like she just sat around and napped while John was out working. You guys must have forgotten that she is busy being a food source for her child! For those of you that don’t know, it’s a lot of work!! Not to get on a rant about it but no wonder so many women in our society today don’t breastfeed very long and some not at all. It takes a lot out of you and can be even harder without a supportive spouse. So, good job Sherry and John!!! You guys never cease to amaze me with all you BOTH do!
KDB says
This could not have been better timing! We need to replace our fence in the next few weeks! Thanks for the great info.
Monika says
John, you are a champ! I hope you guys enjoy your celebratory dinner and the privacy on your new beautiful patio!
Megan @ Loving the little things says
The fence looks great! And I loved the commentary :)
Deana says
You guys can do absolutely anything. You both absolutely amaze me!!
Allison says
I thought you two had been found out and might be dealing with paparazzi- thus the privacy fence :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, oh yeah that’s the real reason. Not.
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I really like the way it looks with the fence!
Jenna says
Where are those patio chairs from? I need them, now.
YoungHouseLove says
They’re from Ikea about four years ago. Hope they still have them!
xo,
s
Kristin H. says
It looks like I’m the only one that is still SO confused with the layout of your yard!! I read over John’s outside tour like 3 times and it still just doesn’t make sense to me! I thought that the side of the patio faced the back yard, not the neighbors, so when I saw that house behind the fence I was all.. Huhwhatwho?! And when you said that it connects to your carport?!!!! I just gave up! Haha no need to respond, it looks like it’s just me out in confused lala land! Awesome fence regardless :)
YoungHouseLove says
Nope it’s not just you at all! We’ll have to do a video and draw a little lot sketch for you guys!
xo,
s
Kristin H. says
Ya!! That’d be awesome!! For some reason I just can’t piece it all together in my head. I re-read the photo tour again though and I think I got it. But a sketch would be amazetown. Like a YHL map!! I <3 maps (and clearly <3 being a HUGE nerd as well..)
YoungHouseLove says
Ok I’m on it!
xo,
s
Jen F says
It looks nice. We are embarking on a fence-building mission as well, but are worried since that fabulous clay starts about 3 inches down on our property. We might actually have someone with a power hole-driller do the holes and we will do the slats to save $$. We are going for a modern style with the slats all going sideways.
I think it is time for John to get a break. Don’t want to burn the poor guy out!
Beeya says
Woah patio and a fence…way to go Jhon!!!
Third picture from the top tells it all….Jhon’s expression is like he is not looking ffw to the project :))
Mary @ stylefyles says
I think my dad has instilled in me a dislike of fences. That said, I DO like yours…and of course, it’s definitely a personal thing. Plus, not to be a creep or anything, but it looks like there is some chicken-wiring type fence in the before picture….is that true? If so, that’s something I would DEF cover up. And, it’s probably also convenient for keeping Burger from running free! I can’t believe how quickly you two executed this project – nice work!
Mary @ stylefyles says
OHHHH I see now…the chicken wire stuff I spotted is an extension of the old mesh fence. haha, whoops!
Claudie says
I was wondering if you called 811 before you guys started these last couple of outdoor projects? Where I live, it’s required to call before we start anything that involves digging (even if it’s not very deep), but I know for sure that most states require it for things like fence posts.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup! We did that in the first patio planning post (just to be sure we wouldn’t hit anything buried before digging).
xo,
s
Beth says
You all are amazing and I just wanted to commend you, Sherry, for always handling the comments (both good and bad) with grace and poise. Not everyone is mature enough to do that.
The work you both pour into your home and family is incredible. You are living a dream, no doubt, and do not take that for granted. So kudos to both of you.
Claudia says
O-M-G! John deserves a “husband/father of the year award”! I’m very impressed that he took on that fence project only days after paving the entire patio! Sherry you’re one blessed woman! :)
Anna says
Whoa! I’m totally digging the post level and wondering why we don’t have one. We’re currently building our fence complelely from scratch and enclosing about 2/3 an acre. I think I need to grab my keys and head to Lowe’s.
P.S. I think John’s earned a nap.
Paula M. says
Holy cow! You deserve a medal for putting up that fence after doing all that backbreaking — uh, back-taxing — patio work!!!
Where do you get your energy? (Oh, that’s right, I was young once, too — but never a guy ;) ) …
I’d have probably cheated and put up a clothesline with a blanket over it for the sake of the party pix, LOL! … but you can be proud you persevered and got everything done so speedily and neatly.
You all are amazing!
Alice says
Hey, I was in a sorority in college (Delta Gamma) and I swear we never buried a dead body! I did see something like that happen on Days of Our Lives a few years ago though!
Love your new paver patio and your fence! Here’s hoping your next project isn’t so labor intensive, John!
The Distressed Mother says
Ummm John did it occur to you to just ask the neighbours to move their car?
TDM x
YoungHouseLove says
Haha. They actually don’t live there anymore (they’re selling) but they keep that car parked there. We’ve never seen it not there since moving in five months ago!
xo,
s
Keri says
Wait. You didn’t want to keep all that lovely Liriope along the fence? :P WTH is it with the previous home owners? They really liked Liriope and bi-fold doors, LOL!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- it’s pretty prolific stuff here in Richmond. Our old house had tons of it too!
xo,
s
Beth says
I think the fence actually defines your patio area even more so. It really shows off the curves and makes the whole area look cleaner and bigger. Great job John!!
Marie says
John~
You are a workhorse! The fence looks fab and it was totally worth the effort to get it done before the big party. Now an idea for you…Have you heard of Wet and Forget? It’s a non-toxic product that you can spray on fencing and it cleans up the greenish color that you end up with from vegetation. (I noticed you had some on your small short section) We have a corner lot with an in-ground pool so we also have a TON of cedar fencing. It is way easier than the whole power washing thing when it comes to fence clean-up. Love your website!
YoungHouseLove says
Never heard of it! Thanks so much for the tip. We’ll have to check it out.
xo,
s
Dena says
I love coming to your blog to find inspiration and motivation. :)
When I purchased the supplies for our fence project, I learned (and used) the offer that Lowe’s & Home Depot not only match, but will beat (by 5 or 10%, depending on location) competitor’s prices. After purchasing all the goods for a large fence project (or even a small one), that 5-10% adds up!
Also, I know what you mean about not keeping receipts, but it can make a nice difference come tax time…home improvement projects can be deducted. I imagine you might be able to deduct even more supplies since this is your personal business. I know you respect the value of your dollar, which is just one reason why I love your blog, so I thought I’d share that info just in case…
Thank you so much for sharing with your readers so we know that we can do these things, too!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the info Dena! We actually can’t deduct/write off any of our house projects just because we’re a home blog because this is a personal residence (and not “zoned” as a business, intentionally so we don’t have to pay taxes when/if we sell our house thanks to our accountant’s advice). Those things definitely vary by location and by business though, so thanks for the suggestion! We do get little write offs along with everyone for things like the purchase of Energy Star appliances though! And as for Lowe’s and HD beating competitor’s prices- we never knew that. Amazing!
xo,
s