Our water here in Pearland is very hard and leaves all our fixtures with calcite build-up, so it is now time to replace most everything in the house that uses water - dishwasher , refrigerator, water heater, faucets, shower valves, etc. Our house was built in 1995, so I guess it is about time. My goal is to buy everything on Craigslist or eBay for under $1000 total. First caution - check for recalls on the items. Most every appliance maker has recalled one of their products over the past 5 years for some reason or another. Here we go:
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Black GE Dishwasher (used, 2002) - $40 Craigslist - Blayton helped me grab the washer from a fellow Aggie whose wife wanted a bigger model. It looks brand new, and the retail is $299 at Home Depot.
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America Standard Faucet Fixtures (new) - $25 each eBay - saw the design we wanted in Home Depot for $46 each, but we needed four and they only had two in stock. So I Googled on the phone and bought SIX for $150 on eBay. That's right, I purchased these while on Home Depot's wireless network as I was standing in the plumbing isle. My bad.
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Moen Shower Trim and Cartridge (new) - $67 eBay - the plumber told me these parts are getting rarer, and to look on eBay. Sure enough...
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Whirlpool Refrigerator (used, 2005) - $300 Craigslist - we'll see how this turns out. I feel like refrigerators are the most issue prone devices in the modern western world. Well, outside of the power widow motor on the driver's side of your car (I've just jinxed you - your window will break tomorrow as you attempt to give the Sonic car hop a pitiful 25cent tip...mark my words)
Update - worked out great. the fridge was from another Aggie and it was near perfect.
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Hot Water Heater ($387 minus $275 cash ) - I just missed a new one for $175, oh well. Install costs alone are $308 at Home Depot, making the total purchase $655! This is the standard price from another local plumber as well. I might try to do this on my own, given that I have already replaced the pipes in and out of the current tank.
Update - After looking for two weeks, I decided I had to buy a water heater from a local store - there's just not a big market for new/used water heaters on Craigslist. But! I listed my old fridge on Craigslist and it sold in 2 hours, leaving me with $275 cash to spend on a water heater. And I decided I am installing it on my own.
So......drumrolllllllll.......
My budget was $1000. I spent $ 809.95 (including install costs), leaving me $110.05 under budget. Done and done.
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