I'm puzzled

[k0ua]

I have seen people build roofs over their trailers also. Probably due to the notorious leak vulnerability of trailer roofs.

 

[fidowanttobe]

My Dad also taught me to always return borrowed things in better condition then when you got them. Often, I got the impression that the people didn't even care.[/QUOTE]

Yup I do this too. I have to say tho that my efforts are appreciated and my Pals are always willing to let me re-borrow. Even to the point of ribbing at get togethers, "When you gonna borrow my truck Ken? It needs a wash and wax."

 

[fidowanttobe]

Borrow it the first time.
Rent it the second time.
Buy it the third time.
4th, if you stop working to borrow it, you should stop working to return it, don't wait until it is convenient for you.

Good advise to keep your friends. However, between my brother, my best friend, and I we have a mutual agreement that we don't all three need scaffolding, a sheetrock jack, large and small trailers, a powered post hole auger, etc. etc. The 3 of us all take care of our stuff, return it in good condition, so it works for us that we have a larger assortment, shared by 3. And we NEVER borrow something out to someone outside of us unless we tag along.

 

[Shaneard]

A really good friend of mine ask to borrow our skidsteer, I talked to my wife and told her he is one of 3 people I would let borrow it, the other 2 being my dad or my brother. I thought if something happens to it he for sure will fix it. First time he used it he ripped both lines off the grapple bucket, he got new ones. I went to pick it up 5 months later (I hauled it to him FULL of fuel) because it had been a wet winter and I didn't need it, He said let me get the tire plugged before you pick it up, no problem, it happens. I went to get it nobody was home so I went in the shed and first thing I notice is the whole right side covered in hydraulic fluid. I looked and the end of the packing had come out and was puking fluid everywhere, apparently for a while. Next thing I checked was fuel, it was empty! I was beyond livid. I loaded it up, took it home filled it with fuel and pulled it in the shop to rebuild the cylinder. Got to looking and there was barbed wire wrapped around one of the axles. After this I told my wife if anyone wants to borrow it again it will be with me in it for $60 an hour. I wound up selling it a few months after that and buying the Ford 4630 with the loader on it. No more will I let anyone borrow a tool with an engine on it without me running it.

 

[PJSprog]

I'm right there with you, mapper. I don't get it either.

When my Wife's grandmother bought a new JD several years ago, it went into the barn. Wife's uncle was the only one who used it, and kept leaving it outside at his place. There were two barns and a large shed that could have accommodated it at any time, yet he always chose to park it outside. His barn and shed were always full of junk, but G'ma's barn (ours now) always had a spot for it. I always wondered at why he would do that, sometimes all winter long, when it was unnecessary. Since we inherited the place earlier this year, we bought a new LS and parked it in that spot in the barn, where it stays when not in use. All implements are in there as well, except the rear blade which sits just outside (no room for it just yet). He has torn down his barn to build a new one, so that Deere is still outside.

We have an attached 2-car garage. There used to be so much stuff crammed into it that G'ma's SUV could barely squeeze in there. You couldn't open the doors all the way. Once we cleaned all that out, we now park both of our cars in there. My Wife noted that it's the first time in 16 years (since her Grandfather died) that there has been the space to fit 2 vehicles in there. G'ma is probably rolling in her grave over us chucking all her "treasures" into a dumpster (3 dumpsters, actually), but man ... we just can't live that way.

 

[Alien]

Some farms around here own over 20 tractors. It's not uncommon to see over a dozen working in one field at once when harvesting vegetables. Most are corporate owned but quite a few are still private. It would be hard to house them all at once. I was told the other day one farm ordered 18 new tractors at once. Most seem to be Deeres.

 

[Oaktree]

My wife and I both park in the garage every day. Mine is only 24x24 but i fit two cars and 5 tons of pellets in there. Can't figure out why you would have a garage and not use it?

Maybe I'm just a contrarian (moi?), but IMHO a garage is way too valuable a building just to use to park a car in. My wife, alas does not agree. We did come to a compromise that she could park her car in there from Nov-April. I do park the tractor on "my" side in the winter so I don't need to clear it off when it's time to plow the driveway. Starts easier too.
Otherwise, the garage is my workshop. It has a woodstove, but in a 24 x 24 uninsulated building once the real cold weather hits by the time it gets heated up I've usually lost interest in whatever project I wanted to do. Basically a 3 season shop, so I don't really mind much of it being taken up by vehicles in winter.

Then we make sure the dog has the right kind of food without too much grain and for sure plenty of water and shade and shelter in the winter. We go on vacation and make sure the horses have all the attention to make sure their food is the correct amount and food value, walked, watered, sheltered.

We worry about all this "stuff" and don't get the least bit concerned about ourselves. We can eat until we're obese, don't get proper health care, exercise or nutrition and it doesn't bother us in the least.

Ain't that the truth! I just shake my head when I see dog food commercials on tv, with so much emphasis on how "healthy" it is, then it's followed by an ad for beer or a pizza or burger place. Never really understood some peoples' obsession with a pet, but as you say don't take care of themselves.

Well since neither the shop or the garage is considered living space, there is no property tax hit on those. Nor is my 15 X 40+ foot man cave.

Must be nice. Here all buildings are included in the tax assessment, though maybe "non permanent" ones (definition open to interpretation) may not count.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Must be nice. Here all buildings are included in the tax assessment, though maybe "non permanent" ones (definition open to interpretation) may not count.

My buildings are still included into property taxes but it's not much at all. The 25x32 barn with a hay loft and a leanto, 16x32 barn with a lean to and all that is valued at less than $5500 so it barely raises my taxes

 

[Oaktree]

My buildings are still included into property taxes but it's not much at all. The 25x32 barn with a hay loft and a leanto, 16x32 barn with a lean to and all that is valued at less than $5500 so it barely raises my taxes

Here in N.H. we have neither an income nor a general sales tax (only on hotel rooms and prepared meals), so a large amount of the state and town/city revenue comes from the property tax (with roughly 70% of it going to schools). The tax man gets you one way or another.

 

[dickfoster]

Maybe I'm just a contrarian (moi?), but IMHO a garage is way too valuable a building just to use to park a car in. My wife, alas does not agree. We did come to a compromise that she could park her car in there from Nov-April. I do park the tractor on "my" side in the winter so I don't need to clear it off when it's time to plow the driveway. Starts easier too.
Otherwise, the garage is my workshop. It has a woodstove, but in a 24 x 24 uninsulated building once the real cold weather hits by the time it gets heated up I've usually lost interest in whatever project I wanted to do. Basically a 3 season shop, so I don't really mind much of it being taken up by vehicles in winter.




Ain't that the truth! I just shake my head when I see dog food commercials on tv, with so much emphasis on how "healthy" it is, then it's followed by an ad for beer or a pizza or burger place. Never really understood some peoples' obsession with a pet, but as you say don't take care of themselves.




Must be nice. Here all buildings are included in the tax assessment, though maybe "non permanent" ones (definition open to interpretation) may not count.

Well I never said they were cheap. One way or the other they really know how to dig into your pockets. My guess is we could swap property tax bills and I'd come out ahead and it's not as bad as it used to be. It got so bad at one time that retired folks simply couldn't afford to stay in their own homes even though they owned their homes free and clear. Every time the gubberment wanted more money to waste, which was all too often, they'd send appraisers around and jack up the property taxes. Finally the Howard/Jarvis tax bill was passed to put an end to it. Still it ain't cheap.