Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Recommendation goes to Jefferson Commissioners on whether to allow accessory dwelling units

People in Jefferson County eager to add an accessory dwelling unit to their property will have to wait, at least for the time being.

The seven-member Jefferson County Planning Commission voted against opening the door to accessory dwelling units in the county.

Wednesday, Sept. 28, the commission presented its decision to the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, which will make the final decision.

"If we're going to add ADUs to rural residential land, we actually may not add that many additional living spaces to address the county housing shortage," said Roy Hyder, planning commission chair, " but we create unanticipated problems as well as conflicts between neighbors."

Regulations in Oregon require cities of 10,000 or more to allow ADUs. Smaller cities may allow ADUs. Madras has chosen to allow them. The cities of Culver and Metolius do not currently allow ADUs.Changes in the law give counties the opportunity to allow ADUs in rural residential areas. Crooked River Ranch had the most properties that qualified for ADUs, 839, followed by Three Rivers, with 554 properties. The rest of the county had relatively few qualifying properties, 216.

When the county surveyed residents about ADUs, 102 people responded. Of those, 10% said they'd use ADUs for rental, 70-80% said they'd use ADUs for relatives or guests, 50% specified they'd use it for an elderly family member.

Pete Bicart, who also sits on the commission, voted in favor of allowing ADUs. While people tend to think of ADUs as tiny houses or separate dwellings; additions on houses, garage conversions or basement apartments also qualify.

"Right now for someone to do that in rural Jefferson County there are zoning restrictions against that," argued Bicart. "This would make it easier for folks to covert those garages, shops and basements."

Commissioner Wayne Fording points out that people already have made the conversions or added ADUs to their property regardless of the regulations."If we can find a path where to make these safer, inspected, legitimate to where everyone's not doing it under the table it would be a good thing. It would help the staff," said Fording.

Counties cannot establish guidelines for the ADUs until the state completes a map outlining wildfire risk zones. The state released a a wildfire risk map in late July, then withdrew the map after a onslaught of complaints from property owners.

Deschutes County plans to allow ADUs once the state finalizes its wildfire risk map. That creates an awkward situation for Crooked River Ranch, which straddles both Deschutes and Jefferson counties.

"There's so much that's unclear right now," said Commissioner Fording. "It might be a good idea to sit back and see what the Legislature's going to do."

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Planning commission votes down ADUs in the county - Portland Tribune

SnowRunner, the open-world off-roading experience from Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment, has announced some exciting news for the October 13th, 2022 debut of Season 8: Grand Harvest. This newest SnowRunner expansion will challenge you with a streak of crop failures and poor harvests, leaving it up to you to restore sustainable agriculture with three new vehicles!

Explore plenty of fresh terrain over four brand-new 4km maps of countryside in need of a serious recovery plan. Your garage will have three new additions to back you up: the classic heavy-duty sturdiness of the Step 39331 Pike, as well as the old-school K700 and state-of-the-art K7M, two farming champions that mark the entrance of the Kirovets brand in SnowRunner.

Bringing farming to SnowRunner for the first time, Season 8 offers plenty of new activities: restoring the local town and airfield, farming (and fixing farming equipment), and maintaining a clean energy infrastructure in a landscape of railroad stations, gas stations, construction zones, villages and fields.

SnowRunner Season 8: Grand Harvest is part of the Year 2 Pass, which is priced at $25. It should also be available separately for $7.

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SnowRunner Season 8: Grand Harvest arrives on Oct. 13th, 2022 - GoNintendo

Newcomers to The Wharf include The Pendry Hotel, two Gordon Ramsay restaurants, and The Atlantic's new offices. Rendering via Hoffman-Madison Waterfront.

After three years, construction of The Wharfs phase two is coming to a close. The $3.6 billion development, which turned a previously low-key stretch of Southwest waterfront best known for its fish market into a coveted live-work-play destination, initially debuted in 2017. While portions of phase two are still undergoing construction, the area will officially open to the public with a celebration October 12.

Visitors can now walk the mile-long path that stretches from the the open-air fish market to the newly constructed additions. Along the way, theyll find 20 new tenantsalmost all of the phase two spaces are leased, says Monty Hoffman, founder and chairman of Hoffman & Associates, which developed The Wharf alongside commercial real estate group Madison Marquette. Hoffman is also currently developing another mixed-use project in Buzzard Point.

Wharf newcomers include DCs first Pendry Hotel, the luxury condo building Amaris, The Tides apartment complex, two Gordon Ramsay restaurants, a Blank Street Coffee, DCs first location of the New York-based Mediterranean restaurant Limani, and another Lucky Buns outpost.

While many of the new additions wont launch until 2023, The Tides is open and leasing to residents, Pendry Hotels official opening date is November 1, and Amaris and the Gordon Ramsay spots should be open by the end of the year. Employees have yet to move to The Atlantics or Freedom Forums new offices, but the law firm Williams & Connollys new HQ is open. A pharmaceutical trade association is opening an office in the new development as well, says Hoffman.

Many of the new Wharf sites are glam: Off the Pendrys marble lobby, visitors will find its cozy-meets-luxe Bar Pendry featuring velvet seating, a curved bar with mirrored backsplash, and a fireplace. It also has a Latin-influenced restaurant called Flora Flora that overlooks the pool and a Japanese-influenced bar-restaurant called Moonraker, located on the penthouse level with 360-degree views of the city. The Pendry Hotels levels are cantilevered while the next-door Tides apartments are terraced, so that neither impedes the others view of the waterfront.

Meanwhile, Amarishome to a $12 million penthousecomes with an Olympic-sized indoor saltwater pool, a treatment room for massages and facials, an apartment for guests, and an elevator for your car. (Just drive it into the street-level elevator, and the valet will park it for you in the underground garage.) Its glass siding is curved via a process called cold-warping, giving it a Watergate-esque structure and maximizing views. Of its 96 units, over half are sold, says Hoffman.

And it wont be all condos: The high-end Chinese restaurant Philippe Chow will open its first location outside of New York on Amariss bottom floor, where there will also be a Blank Street Coffee.

Additionally, The Wharf has added extra marina space, with slips by the forthcoming waterfront Limani restaurant where Hoffman says hed like to one day see superyachts docked, a la St. Tropez. A fueling center for boats has been added, as well as a clubhouse where liveaboards can shower and do laundry.

That isnt to say that the expansion is exclusively high-end. A lot of this is an experience in contrasts, says Hoffman. Near the parked yachts are kayaks for rent, and forthcoming restaurants like Bartaco and Slice of Matchbox (a spinoff of Matchbox) veer fast-casual. And over 50 percent of The Tidess units are marked as affordable housing, according a Hoffman-Madison Waterfront representative.

The new stretch will have several green spaces, as well as public gathering spots like The Grove, an open-air section outside the Pendry with a gas fire pit and a stage. Outdoor chandeliers and light posts with lampshade-like tops are meant to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living, says Hoffman. The whole idea is to bring people together to socialize and connect and have more intimate, liveable spaces than large, grand civic spaces.

The Wharf will celebrate both the grand opening of its phase two expansion and the five-year anniversary of phase ones completion on October 12. Guests can expect pop-up entertainment, live music on The Wharfs pier, specials at Wharf businesses, and fireworks.

Here is a full list of all the new spots coming to The Wharfs phase two expansion:

Join the conversation!

Home & Features Editor

Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. Shes written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.

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The Wharf's Phase Two Is Opening With Over 20 New Spots - Washingtonian

Halloween 4K Collection [UHD, Scream Factory]

What is it? Closure in 4K as the the last three films in the original Halloween run come to UHD.

Why see it? The late Halloween films, before Rob Zombies reboot and the Blumhouse sequel trilogy, are considered low points by many as they carry the desperate stench unique to some 90s horror titles. Theyre a mix of mythologies, one carries over plot lines from earlier films while another brings back Jamie Lee Curtis for a final face off against Michael Myers. The arguable highlight for the films is less about the Halloween content and more about some familiar faces, but Scream Factorys new 4K UHD box set makes the case for revisiting them all over again.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) attempts to wrap up the cult angle introduced in the previous film (1989s The Revenge of Michael Myers) by expanding on it in pretty bold ways. Unfortunately, the studio trimmed most of the subplot from the theatrical release resulting in a movie that doesnt make a lick of sense. The producers cut, also given the 4K scan treatment here and presented on its own disc, addresses that issue by adding much of the footage back in. Its still a bit messy at times, and director Joe Chappelles attempts at style are distracting at best, but the scripts attempt at something new is somewhat refreshing even if the franchise scares have grown cold.

Halloween: H20 (1998) is something of a dry run for the eventual David Gordon Green blockbuster as it brings back Jamie Lee Curtis for a direct sequel to 1981s Halloween II. Shes a headmistress at a private school now, still suffering with PTSD from her terrible night twenty years earlier, and she even has a son (Josh Hartnett)! Michael returns, naturally, while just a handful of people are left at the school over the Halloween weekend, and the slaughter ensues. Michelle Williams, LL Cool J, Adam Arkin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Janet Leigh are along for the ride, but they dont all make it to the end credits. Its a perfectly competent slasher, thanks in large part to director Steve Miner, and earned big at the box office despite featuring a lazy-looking Michael.

Last, and arguably least, is 2002s Halloween: Resurrection which posits that Lauries triumphant beheading of Michael at the end of the previous film was actually the murder of an innocent man. This is some Bobby in the shower on Dallas-level bullshit. Once Laurie is tossed to her death, the films main plot kicks in with college kids live-streaming a visit to the Myers house with the expected results. The camera footage is grainy as hell, the jumpscares are abundant and poor, and it makes you miss the days when the franchise would take risky left turns with satanic cults and bloodline shenanigans.

All three films in the Halloween 4K Collection come in their own case and hard slip, all fitting snugly into a box-set slipcase, and Scream Factory has continued the theme and format with their new cover art too. Its a slick affair all around, and the label also earns points for keeping the extras on the Blu-rays allowing the films to take full advantage of the UHDs bitrate.

[Extras: New 4K scans, commentaries, interviews, featurettes, deleted scenes]

What is it? An epic adaptation of the classic vampire novel.

Why see it? Francis Ford Coppolas blockbuster tale of horror is beloved by many, but Im continually left straddling a line with the film. Its undeniably gorgeous with stellar work in its production design, cinematography, and special effects but the damn thing is also so damn stagey in its execution. It never feels as if its unfolding in a real world, and the stilted performances of two of its leads dont help. We love Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves, but theyre not quite selling the characters, period, or love story. The criticisms, though, are outweighed the sheer ferocity of the films visuals. Every scene gives us some beauty to stare at in awe, and the UHD takes full advantage of that delivering some truly beautiful shots and sequences.

[Extras: Dolby Atmos/Vision, commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes]

What is it? A teen discovers a vampire has moved in next door.

Why see it? Tom Hollands mid 80s classic has gotten both a sequel and a remake, but neither can touch the infectious charm and fun of the original. Funny, sexy, creepy Fright Night has it all, and it holds up remarkably well on rewatch too. Roddy McDowall is just aces as the befuddled horror TV host roped into the adventure, and Chris Sarandon thrills as the vamp with a taste for young women and sweaters. Holland infuses the Rear Window-like plot with warmth and humor throughout, and the films special effects are as effective as they are endearing. Sonys new UHD offers up a fantastic picture, and the extras (on the Blu-ray disc) include some great new additions.

[Extras: Dolby Atmos/Vision, 35th anniversary script read, featurettes, commentaries, documentary, interviews]

What is it? Grief and shock lead a woman into a lush adventure.

Why see it? Julio Medems tale of sex, discovery, and wonder meshes various themes and tones into its magical realist tapestry. The plot takes some hard turns which might threaten to lose viewers, but the narrative isnt the most important thing here. Instead, its Paz Vegas journey through her past choices and relationships on a beautiful island that make for a mesmerizing watch. Theres real beauty here, beyond the much talked about high degree of sexuality and nudity, as Lucias realizations about the important things in this world come to light. The films been out of print on Blu-ray for some time and is well worth picking up.

[Extras: Featurettes, interviews, video essay]

What is it? A visit to the Medieval Dead!

Why see it? The Evil Dead films arent really my jam, inexplicably, outside of the remake (which rocks), but this third entry has some fun with its medieval setting. Bruce Campbell is especially fun bantering with the dimwits, and Sam Raimi ramps up his stop-motion antics and practical effect showcases while slathering it all in slapstick humor. Scream Factorys new release ports over all the previous extras, and its an extensive offering ensuring that fans have plenty of material to dig through in addition to the three cuts of the film.

[Extras: New 4K restoration of theatrical cut, directors/international cuts, Dolby Vision/HDR, documentary, commentary, deleted scenes, interviews, featurettes]

What is it? The survivors of the first are off to college, and a new killer has joined them.

Why see it? Wes Cravens second entry in his Scream franchise is a favorite for many, but it remains the one I like least. There are numerous issues with its characters and narrative, but the deal breaker is the killer reveal at the end. The character in question is never believable as the killer, and the performance itself is oddly over the top leaving the reveal a bit of a flat line. Still, there are some fun beats here, and for fans of the film, this new UHD is a massive upgrade from the current Blu-ray release as it cleans up obvious issues and offers a sharp presentation.

[Extras: Dolby Atmos/Vision, commentary, outtakes, deleted scenes, music videos, featurette]

What is it? A ground slug/worm causes havoc in a small town garage.

Why see it? Well, someone saw Tremors, liked Tremors, and decided to remake Tremors with a few bucks and a misunderstanding of what makes Tremors so endlessly great. I kid, but while the setup here seems promising with poisonous, underground worms causing havoc, it quickly drops us into a dark garage for way too much of the time. We never get real thrills and instead watch as minor threats are dragged out.

[Extras: None]

Also out this week:

Bel Air Season One, DC League of Super Pets, Dead for a Dollar, Into the Deep, Night of the Living Dead [UHD, Criterion Collection], Picard Season Two, Plague Zombie: American Invasion, Watcher, Winning Time

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Scream Factory Brings the Last Three Halloween Films to 4K UHD - Film School Rejects

Recently, Porsche claimed to have increased the Taycan Cross Turismos range by a significant amount with a new software update. To put that claim to the test, Harrys Garage took the car out for a drive in his latest video, as well as gave it somewhat of a mini review in the process.

This new update supposedly unlocks around an extra 15 percent of range, which amounts to around 30-40 extra miles (48-64 km). On top of the Taycan 4S Cross Turismos original EPA range figure of 215 miles (346 km), the updated model should be able to achieve around 250 miles (402 km). However, in Harrys real-world testing with the car Range mode, that figure was actually more like 270 miles (435 km), which is quite a significant jump.

Read More: Porsches Roof Tent Will Let You Drive And Sleep In A Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo

See Also: Can You Actually Go Off-Roading In The Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo?

As another part of his tests, Harry also decided to take the Cross Turismo beyond the asphalt to see if its minor off-road additions make it any different than the standard Taycan. Putting it in gravel mode does raise the ride height a bit and alter the traction control profile, but it wont be conquering Moab anytime soon.

Where the Cross Turismo really shone in Harrys tests was in its ability to find traction in seemingly impossible situations. As part of his mini off-road excursion, Harry took the wagon up a set of steep, slippery grass hill, and the car was able to manage it effortlessly thanks to its clever traction control.

As far as driving impressions are concerned, theres nothing to be said about the Taycan that hasnt already been said. Being an EV, it naturally has ludicrous acceleration and a low center of gravity from the heavy battery in the floor. Being a Porsche, it has the sharp steering and stellar dynamics weve come to expect from the German manufacturer.

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Porsches Updated Taycan Cross Turismo Is Better Than Ever - CarScoops

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For some, a body of water or a soaring mountain range makes for a good view. For interior designer Jessica Hansen, it was simply the ability to look out into the distance that sold her on her hillside Oregon home back in 2018. The Portland fog can feel so claustrophobic, so being able to see out really helped, says Hansen, the founder of Tandem Design. Naturally, once her Vladimir Kagan sofa finally arrived (she bought the vintage piece from a seller in Florida who was kind enough to stow it in a storage unit for a year as her renovations took place), there was only one spot to put it: smack-dab in front of the extra-long window overlooking the backyard.

The U-shaped sectional is unsurprisingly the center of life in Hansens house: Its where she entertains friends and where her two sons, Walter (9) and Otis (7), curl up with a book after school. I dont know what the original upholstery is, but Ive gotten mud out of it, blood out of it, dog pee she says with a laugh.

Because the circa-1961 house is perched on a slope, it looks small and unassuming from the street, when in reality it spans 3,548 square feet. It took a few major structural updates to get the interior looking as spacious as that, though. The house was actually very dark. It had lots of rooms, she recalls. Hansen took down a wall that originally divided the living and dining spaces and extended the pitched ceiling. Where there was once just a window over the kitchen sink, there is now a series of five sliding door panels (the designer stole part of the nearby garage to give herself enough wiggle room for the indoor-outdoor feature). The arrangement allows for ultimate flexibility: Hansen can crack open just one or unfurl them all. The Faye Toogood seating on the adjacent deck features custom tie-dyed cushions, courtesy of Hansens intern, Addie.

Not sticking an island in the middle of the kitchen or uprooting the floor plan was a decision made withwhat else?the views in mind. Every way you face, youre either looking outside or youre looking into the rest of the house, Hansen points out. To maximize the cupboard layout, she had her cabinetmaker add six drawers to the corners (though you can barely tell theyre there because they blend in with the fluted paneling). There was just dead space, so I wanted to use it for the things we dont need very often. One of them is my junk drawer, says the designer. Other additions she swears by: a hidden pull-out trash can, a wine refrigerator, and tall upper cabinet doors that hide her small appliances.

Previously, one half of the massive fireplace that bisects the living and dining areas was covered in thin bricks. Hansen decided to wrap it fully in stone like the other side, but finding a match to the ones that had been unearthed more than 50 years ago proved to be a challenge. The masonry person was like, This is never going to happen; you should just pick a new material, she recalls. But in a quarry in Colorado, she discovered an option that looked similar enoughshe could pull this off. In order to make the whole thing appear authentic, Hansen took bits of stone from the original side and sprinkled them on the new wall.

The designer was met with nos once again when she began scouring her local stone yards for slabs of colorful marble, but her persistence led her to uncover a blush option for her primary bathroom vanity (the piece was a remnant from a hotel project 10 years ago). When Hansen discovered a slab of pink and green marble for her guest bathroom in the depths of another yard, the shop let her take it home for a mere $600. They were so excited to see somebody buy it, shares the designer. Despite his nerves, Hansens fabricator was able to seamlessly cut it into two solid pieces, making delicate holes for the tub and the arched shelving nook.

It took quite a few more tries to get Hansens bed right. When she first ordered the custom piece from a design firm she has long admired, it arrived smaller than expected. She had to wait for the company to sell the queen-size version to a new buyer before building her a king from scratch once more. But when that one arrived, she noticed the headboard had been damaged in shippingand the replacement part didnt align with her current bed-frame system. Thankfully, the brand swiftly solved the problem by hiring a local furniture maker to come out and tweak it. It was worth the wait, says Hansen. Its so sturdy. The dog and my kids are all on it. Its held up great.

Hansens boys have begun to tap into their own creativity, too. The designer wasnt a fan of the barn door in Walters bedroom (it came with the house), but her 9-year-old was adamant about keeping it so he could treat it like a canvas. We love stickers! she jokes. Otis prefers to apply his collection to his wall-mounted IKEA desk. Of course, what big brother is into, little brother is into, adds Hansen.

The designer introduced a part of her own youth to the home in the basement: Above the piano is a self-portrait she painted when she was 20. I had given it to my mom because I didnt think I wanted it anymore, but recently I was like, you know what, I want that back, she shares. Its all about perspective.

The rest is here:
Even on Gloomy Days, a U-Shaped Kitchen Promises Good Views in This Portland Home - Domino

Setting VLANs

If your WAN uplink is on a trunk port, choose VLAN tagging > Use VLAN tagging and enter the appropriate value for VLAN ID for your network.

You can toggle the LAN4 port between LAN and Internet, through Uplink configuration under the Local status tab.

PPPoE authentication may be required if you are connecting MX device to a DSL circuit. You need to know your authentication option and credentials (supplied by your ISP) in order to complete these steps.

These settings take effect if the MX device has to fall back to using HTTP to contact the Cloud Controller. By default, web proxy is disabled. To enable web proxy, do the following:

To apply all configuration settings to the appliance, be sure to click Save Settings at the bottom of the page.

Configuring physical link settings

To configure physical link settings on the Ethernet ports, click Local status > Ethernet configuration. You can enable half duplex, full duplex, and autonegotiation, as well as set 10- or 100-Mbps data rates.

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MX64 Installation Guide - Cisco Meraki

Installing and replacing electrical outlets is a quick and easy way to upgrade your home and bring it into the modern era. Whether youre hoping to upgrade to USB outlets or simply add a new location in your kitchen, we can help you plan for your project.

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Expect to pay around $125 to $175 to replace or install a standard outlet. The national average can run anywhere from $100 to $500 per outlet depending on the complexity of the job. Read on to learn more about the factors youll need to consider for your project.

Depending on what type of outlet you are hoping to install or replace, the cost for the outlet itself can be as low as $3 for a standard 120V outlet to $50 or more for smart outlets. The type of outlet also determines the cost of labor, as some require a bit more time to install than others. Read on for more information about the cost of different types of outlets.

The most common type of outlet is a 120V outlet. These outlets are the least expensive to replace, usually $3 to $5 for the outlet itself. If you want to, you can also opt for 120V outlets with integrated USB ports. These will be a bit more expensive, around $15 to $25 each, but wont cost any more to install. Expect to pay around $175 per new 120V outlet that you install and around $125 for each one you replace.

Higher voltage outlets are used for large appliances that require a higher amperage than a typical appliance, think dryers, refrigerators, large AC units, cooking ranges, etc. Nowadays, electricians will usually install 250V outlets to accommodate more appliances, but you can still have 220V and 240V outlets installed if you prefer. These outlets will generally cost $10 to $20 for the receptacle, totaling $300 or so to install.

One of the cost factors that comes with adding higher voltage outlets is that a new circuit is usually needed on your electrical panel and new wiring usually needs to be run. If youre simply replacing an existing high voltage outlet, however, the cost is comparable to replacing a 120V.

Although not as common, homes built before 1968 will often have 2-prong outlets rather than 3-prong outlets, which are required by code these days. A 2-prong outlet has a hot wire and a neutral wire, but a 3-prong outlet also has a ground wire. These outlets are necessary for small appliances and any tech with metal parts and are designed to ground any unused power and protect you from electrocution.

Because replacing 2-prong outlets usually also means running a ground wire to the locations, the installation or replacement process can be more expensive. Expect to pay about $27 or so per linear foot for the running of new wire if no walls need to be opened. With all that considered, the cost to upgrade to a 3-prong outlet is about $100 to $300 per outlet.

GFCI outlets, or ground fault circuit interrupter outlets, are required in any location where water may be present such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and garages. They are pretty easy to spot as they have a reset and test button on the faceplate. Similar to the 3-prong outlets, these are grounded outlets designed to protect against electrocution.

Unlike the standard outlets, a GFCI outlet is designed to monitor current flow and will trip the circuit if it detects any variation in the flow, preventing surges and electrocution. The outlets themselves cost between $7 and $25 and can require a bit more time to add, particularly if a new ground wire needs to be run to the location. Expect to pay $125 to $250 per outlet depending on if youre replacing an existing or adding a new location.

Floor outlets add convenience and are great for large spaces where running cables to the wall may be hazardous or unseemly. These outlets require more robust housing and are designed to be stepped on and exposed to water while you clean your floors. A typical kit runs about $30 to $50.

Installation can be trickier for floor units and is easiest when there is access to the floor from below and wire nearby so that new cables dont have to be pulled to the location. These installations require a bit more finesse and tend to take longer, so expect to pay $175 to $300 to add a floor outlet.

If you have a smart home system, upgrading to smart outlets is a great way to gain more control and keep your electrical bills low. A hardwired smart outlet will typically cost $25 to $50, so expect to pay around $175 to $250 per outlet to have them installed. If you want the benefits of a smart outlet, but dont want to add the cost, there are many plug-in models that run from $15 to $50 that can give you many of the same benefits without the added cost.

In most cases, adding and upgrading outlets is a simple task. If, however, you are hoping to take on a more extensive upgrade project, or require larger repairs, the overall cost can grow quickly.

As we mentioned above, if you are upgrading from a 2-prong to 3-prong outlet or adding a GFCI or 250V outlet, new wiring may need to be run. Even in the case of replacing existing outlets, new wiring may be necessary if the electrician discovers there is a problem with the existing setup. Oftentimes, issues with a faulty outlet imply other problems with the wiring and can require more extensive repairs.

In many cases, snaking new wire is simple to do and will cost about $27 per linear foot, totaling around $500 to $1,200 per project. If more extensive work is deemed necessary, a contractor may need to open up the walls, increasing the cost significantly, anywhere from $3,500 to $8,000 for a full project.

Another common requirement when adding new outlets or appliances is upgrading or replacing your electrical panel. Perhaps you only need to add a circuit, a relatively simple task, but you may also need to upgrade to a larger panel to accommodate the new work. This type of work can cost between $1,200 and $3,000 depending on the upgrades necessary.

If you are adding in a few large appliances in particular, you may find that you need to upgrade the electrical service to your home. This is a pretty big task and will require more coordination with your power company and electrician. The final cost will vary greatly based on your location and your home, but expect to pay several thousand dollars for this work.

While some upgrades and replacements may seem like a simple task, we always recommend hiring a professional when doing any electrical work. An electricians job is to ensure that all of their work is up to code to protect you and your family from hazards like electrical fires and electrocution.

If you are hoping to save on the overall cost of having an electrician come out to do the work, we would recommend bundling as much work as possible. The fewer times an electrician has to come out to do work, the more money you will save in the long run.

That being said, certain smaller projects, such as replacing the cover plates on your outlets, can be done quite easily without the help of an electrician. If you do choose to undertake a project yourself, be sure to consult with a professional beforehand, turn off the power before you begin working and use a voltmeter to double-check that there is no current running.

With the right electrician and a general understanding of the costs, replacing or installing outlets in your home can be a simple and cost effective task.

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How Much Does A New Outlet Installation Cost? - Forbes Advisor

A TikToker has gone viral after posting a story about how her cat got stuck in the drywall that her contractor put up.

Online cat content is usually harmless fun, but a video posted by Ashlin Hadden (@ashlinhadden) has amassed over 71,700 views and garnered plenty of questions from users.

In the clip, Ashlin shows the audience her bathroom, which is being renovated while she was away on a business trip. According to her, the contractors pulled out the bathtub to put in a new shower. However, when she got back home and was looking for her cat she says, I could hear the cat crying from somewhere in here, while gesturing to the new shower wall.

She continues to explain that she had to punch a hole in the wall and as she expected, her cat came out of it. Yes, the stupid ass contractor drywalled my cat into the drywall underneath the bathtub, she says. She claims her cat had been stuck inside the wall for three days when Ashlin realized that it was in there.

However, if Ashlin thought that posting her story to TikTok would garner sympathy, she was wrong. The majority of commenters said that the situation was her fault and that she should have invested in a cat-sitter if she wasnt going to be at home while the contractor was working.In fact, many online sources like the Just Cats Clinic, have suggestions for what to do when you have cats in a home where construction work is happening as they are notorious for finding their way into hard-to-reach spaces.

I have seen this happen before. Its not the contractors fault, its yours, one user said quite plainly.

I was ready to say dont blame the contractor but thats been said already! said another, referring to the many comments siding with the contractor over the woman and her drywalled cat.

Viewers with construction experience also weighed in. I dont usually do animal checks when I do drywall so. one user said.

Another echoed the same, saying Yeah checking for your cat isnt something we do

One user even asked Ashlin directly, Do you really think he did it on purpose? Cats are stealthy little creatures. I seriously doubt he knew the cat was in there. Ashlin replied to the comment, noting that she didnt think the contractor left her cat in the drywall on purpose. But, she continued, I do think that if you are going to leave a hole over night that they should have at least covered it.

However, viewers were so unanimous in their message that Ashlin defended herself in the pinned comment of the video. 1. I wasnt told they would be cutting a hole. 2. Yes they knew about the cat. 3. Yes I shut the bedroom AND bathroom doors before leaving, she wrote.

Ashlin also replied to one user who commented, Everyone agrees its your fault. Not the contractor, with a video captioned MY FAULT, responding to all the criticism.

In the second video, which received only 5,156 views, Ashlin reiterates that the contractor knew about her cats being in the house when he was putting up the drywall. She also states that she wasnt aware they would be cutting a hole in that particular place in the wall and that she had been told the job would only take one day.

The comments for the second video were a little less harsh, with many viewers saying that it was an accident and nobodys fault. However, many people reiterated that Ashlin should have got a pet sitter to watch the cats since they are notorious for hiding in small, dark spaces.

The Daily Dot reached out to Ashlin via Instagram direct message.

Update 2:44pm CT Oct. 7: In an Instagram direct message exchange with the Daily Dot, Ashlin explained that her viral video reminded her how quickly viewers will jump to conclusions.

I have played around with TikTok before a little but never get more than a few views, she said. This viral video reminded me very quickly how quickly people jump in to judge without knowing the whole story AND how important it is to tell the whole story in the first TikTok.

She added that she didnt explain the full story in the first video, which led her to receive a lot of hate from viewers.

My phone was going crazy and wow people were rude she wrote. The whole story is: I hired a contractor to replace my bathtub. They didnt get the job done before I left on a business trip. The contractor knew I had cats. The job was in the master bathroom. I shut the master bathroom door and shut the master bedroom door.

Ashlin noted that this is normally what she does when she goes away for just a few days, which allows her cats to roam the rest of the house, excluding the master bathroom and bedroom. Along with an automatic food feeder, water bowl, and self-cleaning litter box, she believed her cats would be perfectly fine.

I was not told the contractor would be cutting a hole in the closet to get to the plumbing, the TikToker recalled. They didnt get the job done again on time so they left for the night. They obviously didnt cover the hole, left the bathroom door open, and the bedroom door open. So I guess the cat got in the hole at some point. When they came back the next day, they patched up the hole and texted me that they would come back to paint when I got home.

However, when she returned home three days later, Ashlin said she couldnt find her cat. She posted a later video showing her searching for her cat after she got home. Hearing his meows, she realized he was trapped in the wall.

I freak out and go to the neighbors house for a drywall saw, she says. Try to cut it out but the cat was whining so bad that I just punched the wall in.

Ashlin said she called the contractor about the incident, and they apologized and offered to repair the drywall.

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Continued here:
I could hear the cat crying from somewhere in here: Woman says cat was stuck in wall for 3 days after contractor put new drywall up - The Daily Dot

Lea este informe en espaol.

Norma Izaguirre still has trouble sleeping. For months, she felt like she was being trailed, certain that the man who she says raped and repeatedly sexually assaulted her at work would follow through on his threats to hurt her and her family after she reported the abuse.

Her anxiety has eased since Diego Medina, 30, who faces charges of felony rape and sexual assault in Dakota County, left town and went back to Mexico. But shes still scared he could come back.

Izaguirre says Medina helped her get a job at Absolute Drywall, a company with a checkered past of labor violations and currently under investigation by state regulators for wage theft, as the Reformer first reported in May.

The two met in a Minneapolis restaurant and struck up a conversation that eventually turned to work. Izaguirre told him she cleaned houses, but work had largely dried up in the pandemic and she was struggling to make money.

Medina told her Absolute Drywall needed workers for a major contract: sheetrocking hundreds of apartments at Viking Lakes, a sprawling multi-use development the Wilf family owners of the Minnesota Vikings built around the teams new headquarters and training facility in Eagan.

Izaguirre was hired to clean up after the other workers finished hauling out garbage and sweeping up dust. It was one of the lowest-paying jobs on the site and at times degrading, like when she had to clean urine from bathtubs and pick up urine-filed bottles left by workers with nowhere else to relieve themselves.

The job promised more than she made cleaning houses $18 an hour although like many of her coworkers, she says she was rarely paid for all the hours she worked. Izaguirre has filed a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for thousands of dollars in wage theft, along with about two dozen others who worked on the Viking Lakes project.

Several months after she started, Medina started making sexual advances, Izaguirre said.

He wanted to hug me, wanted to touch me, Izaguirre said in Spanish through an interpreter. I didnt like that. I wanted to work.

Izaguirre said Medina would seek her out on the job while she tried to avoid him. One day on the Viking Lakes project, Izaguirre said she was bending over to clean out a bathtub when Medina came up behind her and pressed himself against her. She says she spun around and told him not to touch her.

But Medina pushed her into the shower and raped her, according to criminal charges filed by the Dakota County Attorneys Office.

He threatened to hurt her if she told anyone and said no one would believe her, according to charging documents.

Izaguirre did tell someone about the abuse. She says she immediately told Guillermo Huerta, her supervisor, that Medina was bothering her. Huerta told her he would investigate and talk to Medina about it.

Huerta said in an interview through a Spanish interpreter that Izaguirre told him Medina was bothering her outside of work. He said he spoke to Medina, who showed him text messages indicating the two were in a consensual relationship. Huerta said he doesnt have copies of the text messages.

In a six-page response to a complaint Izaguirre filed with state Department of Human Rights, Absolute Drywall called it a consensual relationship turned sour. A lawyer for Absolute Drywall did not respond to questions about the allegations or the criminal charges.

Emails to Lester Bagely, a spokesman for the Minnesota Vikings and MV Ventures, were answered from a generic MV Ventures email address saying the company was unaware of the allegations and had not been contacted by law enforcement. MV Ventures also said it has not been contacted by state authorities about the wage theft complaints workers say they filed last year.

Women working in blue-collar, male-dominated industries are especially vulnerable to sexual harassment and assault. Construction remains the most male-dominated industry even more than mining and manufacturing with just one in 10 workers being women. Women in construction also often work in isolation, heightening the risk for abuse.

Labor advocates say sexual abuse goes largely unchecked in the non-unionized construction sector, where other labor abuses such as wage theft and payroll fraud run rampant and enforcement is rare. Many of the workers are immigrants, which also makes them vulnerable to abuse. When businesses do face consequences, the penalties are seldom severe enough to force a business to change, let alone an industry.

Accurate data on sexual abuse at work is hard to come by, since it so often goes unreported. One frequently cited survey from 1992 found 57% of female construction workers had been touched or asked for sex on the job. Another survey from 2021 found 57% of female construction workers were either sometimes or frequently sexually harassed.

Although union workers arent immune from abuse, they do have a grievance process and are more likely to have advocates to bring their complaints to company owners and law enforcement. The building trades also have their own processes for handling abuse complaints, which, though imperfect, offer a clear avenue to seek redress.

Izaguirre only filed her complaints with police and the state Department of Human Rights after connecting with representatives from the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.

The carpenters union was investigating working conditions at the Viking Lakes project since union contractors were passed over for the work.

The Vikings have a long relationship with trade unions. The Vikings worked exclusively with union contractors on U.S. Bank Stadium, Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, TCO Performance Center and TCO Eagans medical office building and sports medicine center.

When the company decided to use non-union labor for the apartment buildings at Viking Lakes, the carpenters union warned the lower price tag is usually paid for through labor abuses like wage theft. The union cautioned Vikings executives about Absolute Drywall, pointing to multiple federal and state citations for labor violations, including employing a 14-year-old to work more than 50 hours a week.

When MV Ventures moved forward with Absolute Drywall, the carpenters union asked that labor advocates be allowed on the site to watch for abuse and harassment. MV Ventures declined, according to the union.

At the time she was working for Absolute Drywall, however, Izaguirre was on her own.

After she first reported the abuse, Absolute Drywall didnt have a human resources professional investigate. Instead, they sent Huerta, a male supervisor who Izaguirre and other former Absolute Drywall workers say verbally abused them. Huerta denies it.

Izaguirre said the company would sometimes send Medina and her to separate job sites. But he would still show up and continued to harass and assault her, according to Dakota County charging documents and her human rights complaint.

Once she was cleaning bathtubs at a job site in Roseville when Medina approached her from behind and said he would pay her for sex, according to her Human Rights complaint. Izaguirre said he reached to grab her but she pushed him away and threatened to call the police if he didnt leave her alone.

After that, Izaguirre said Medina groped her again while she was bending down to pick up a piece of scrap drywall, according to the Human Rights complaint. Izaguirre said she sprung up and grabbed a broom to beat him away, but he just walked away laughing.

Another worker for Absolute Drywall, Guillermo Macario-Alcocer, said he witnessed some of the abuse. He said he saw Medina grope her, and he saw Izaguirre push him away.

Macario-Alcocer says he told Medina to leave her alone, and Medina asked if he wanted to have sex with Izaguirre, too.

(I told him) he was crazy and sick, Macario-Alcocer said in an interview in Spanish through an interpreter.

Izaguirre, who has work authorization and has been in the country for 23 years, said she thought about quitting but didnt have a car and needed to keep earning money to pay her bills and help her family.

After reporting the abuse to her supervisor, Izaguirre said she finally brought her complaints to Absolute Drywalls owner, Daniel Ortega. But she says he replied that she was in a consensual sexual relationship with Medina.

I said, That is a lie, Izaguirre said. He didnt believe me.

Izaguirre told police Ortega threatened to fire her if she continued complaining. Soon after, she was. Ortega told her there was no more cleaning work.

In Absolute Drywalls response to Izaguirres complaint with the state Department of Human Rights, Ortega denies that Izaguirre told him about sexual assault at their meeting. He said she just complained that her hours were being cut and Medina had not be fired.

In the company response letter, Ortega did acknowledge receiving a complaint from Izaguirre in July 2021. Ortega said Izaguirre complained of harassing comments but not assault. According to the letter, Ortega confirmed he had Huerta and another employee investigate.

Huerta reported back to Ortega that Izaguirre and Medina had a consensual sexual relationship outside the workplace, and that no one had seen them touching one another in the workplace.

It is plausible that the alleged harassment was in fact consensual moments between intimate partners, the letter states. Izaguirre was, according to coworkers, upset when the relationship ended and she may have re-framed the interactions as nonconsensual after the fact.

The company said in its letter to state investigators that Izaguirre was the one who created a hostile work environment by refusing to do cleanup work and instead demanding other kinds of work. According to the company, Izaguirre was fired because there wasnt any scrapping work that she demanded, not because she reported being sexually assaulted.

Izaguirre said she did tell Ortega she didnt want to clean bathtubs because they were often filled with urine and other excrement.

The letter states that Medina was let go around the same time as Izaguirre and more than 50 other workers in September 2021, after the company finished work on the Viking Lakes project.

After being fired by Absolute Drywall, Izaguirre was jobless for two months but now has work again cleaning houses.

Through filing complaints she hopes to be made whole financially. She could also win a monetary settlement through her discrimination complaint, but Izaguirre says she doesnt want money.

I dont want this to happen to any more women, Izaguirre said. You have to report it, denounce it to the authorities so the same thing doesnt happen again.

Her hope is waning, however.

Izaguirre filed a complaint with the Department of Human Rights nearly five months ago and hasnt seen any progress in the case except the response Absolute Drywalls lawyer sent in August. She says she also hasnt seen anything come of her complaint of wage theft with the state Department of Labor and Industry.

Neither department confirmed ongoing investigations.

Although there is a warrant out for Medinas arrest, its possible hell never be arrested let alone stand trial.

Read more from the original source:
She reported sexual abuse on the job. The boss told her it was consensual. - Minnesota Reformer