Not sure about this, but...

rdanner3 · 06-11-2008, 04:03 PM

I'm in the process of attempting to recreate the actual lot my house sits on. It's 2.78 acres (more or less) and is a rectangular plot. Has a creek at the very back (and a zoning restriction as a result on the back acre due to said acre being on a 500-yr flood-plain)

Trying (first) to figure out which Sims2 lot size is the right one, then I'll take on the challenge of making the house. (which I dread; the house is very quick to move about in, but there are things about it that are . . . odd.) Example: Side door is on a deck three steps up. (How very Sims2.) The front porch, though, has a single step up to the porch floor level. Still haven't figured that one out, despite trying to build the porch correctly with the side door that high. There is no apparent slope to the land itself, and the house is only the height of six stacked bricks off the ground, which has made it interesting to get termite-bonded now for the last 4 years.

Miros1 · 06-11-2008, 09:02 PM

My first thought was to put the side door up on a small stage, which would be 3-4 steps higher than the front. My second thought was that the floor is "flat" (which I'll come back to in a minute) from room to room, so that wasn't a solution.

Assuming the floor is "flat" and the land is "flat," meaning no obvious steps, terraces, or changes in slope, one or the other (or both) must be sloping.

Think of the houses where water "runs" uphill -- it's just that the whole house is "crooked" so the end (of whatever the water flows through) that's closer to the floor is actually higher, relative to the center of the earth. Your eyes and brain interpret the "flat" floor as level and the trough (or whatever) as sloping the opposite of the true slope.

If you have a level, check the house. Even better is a line level (intended to hang from a horizontal marking line). Fasten one end of the line to the inside back wall of the house X feet from the floor and the other to the inside front wall of the house at the same height. Check the level. Go outside and do the same with sticks or stakes set near the front and back corners of the house (or use the corners of the house, measuring up from the ground, not from the top of the bricks). On the other hand, you could check the house by measuring from the top of the bricks instead of trying to run a line inside...

How to determine lot size: take the size of the lot in feet from your deed. Divide by 25 or 30. That's your Sims 2 lot size! You'll probably want your lot at least 2 in the smaller dimension, to allow for the 2 enforced spaces at the side and the sidewalk and mail box at the front. There is a cheat to build right up to the sidewalk, but not one to build walls all the way to the sides.

How I determined "25 or 30": a tile is approximately 2'6" (2.5') or 3' in either direction (remember that for working on the house). A 2x2 lot is 20 squares by 20 squares. So each "lot unit" is 25 to 30'.

By the way, to help with your termite bonding, make sure nothing is touching both the ground and the wooden sill the house is sitting on. If you can prove there is no path for termites to get to the wood of the house (and especially that they haven't constructed any of their "tubes" up the bricks) and that there's no termite damage to the wood under the house, your insurance company just might be willing to agree you don't have termites now. More hints: http://www.termitemd.com/inspection.htm http://unexco.com/Termite.html (has pictures of what to look for, plus info about getting that termite bonding)

rdanner3 · 06-12-2008, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miros1

By the way, to help with your termite bonding, make sure nothing is touching both the ground and the wooden sill the house is sitting on. If you can prove there is no path for termites to get to the wood of the house (and especially that they haven't constructed any of their "tubes" up the bricks) and that there's no termite damage to the wood under the house, your insurance company just might be willing to agree you don't have termites now. More hints: http://www.termitemd.com/inspection.htm http://unexco.com/Termite.html (has pictures of what to look for, plus info about getting that termite bonding)

Good tips all around.

The problem I'm having with getting a pest control company to come out is that (apparently) none of the local pest-control companies have anyone thin enough to fit under the house. I would love to have enough $$$ to simply jack the joker up to 5 cinder blocks off the ground. Then I could actually get under the house and wire at need (for one).

The last time a company checked under my house, they said I was clear, installed something (have no idea what) under the house, and said that the sill was about an inch off the ground in one place. I believe 'em, but can't get under there to fix it. They also didn't give me a chance to sign a reoccurring contract. I'm concerned here, but still have a few companies to check yet.

Miros1 · 06-12-2008, 03:25 AM

After posting here, I read more on the unexco.com site, and a lot of what they said about insects (various types of ants) I knew about rang true, so I'd say they're probably knowledgeable on the other subjects!

You might want to read their carpenter ant page -- they have a "sample interview" to help you weed out the extortionists and profiteers, which might also help you find someone competent to help with your problems (or at least willing come out to check for you). They also suggest maintaining a relationship with your exterminator, meaning once you've found a good one (since that one didn't gouge you too badly, they might be a candidate), call them back. Didn't your invoice say what they put under the house?

Could you dig a sort of crawl space under there, at least in the areas you need to get to? Or is that just going to lead to needing a sump pump? (Just brainstorming here...)

(Ok, we've totally strayed off the Sims now...)

06-11-2008, 04:03 PM	#1
rdanner3 Herald of the Dawn Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Alabama, US Posts: 53	Not sure about this, but... I'm in the process of attempting to recreate the actual lot my house sits on. It's 2.78 acres (more or less) and is a rectangular plot. Has a creek at the very back (and a zoning restriction as a result on the back acre due to said acre being on a 500-yr flood-plain) Trying (first) to figure out which Sims2 lot size is the right one, then I'll take on the challenge of making the house. (which I dread; the house is very quick to move about in, but there are things about it that are . . . odd.) Example: Side door is on a deck three steps up. (How very Sims2.) The front porch, though, has a single step up to the porch floor level. Still haven't figured that one out, despite trying to build the porch correctly with the side door that high. There is no apparent slope to the land itself, and the house is only the height of six stacked bricks off the ground, which has made it interesting to get termite-bonded now for the last 4 years.

06-11-2008, 09:02 PM	#2
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	My first thought was to put the side door up on a small stage, which would be 3-4 steps higher than the front. My second thought was that the floor is "flat" (which I'll come back to in a minute) from room to room, so that wasn't a solution. Assuming the floor is "flat" and the land is "flat," meaning no obvious steps, terraces, or changes in slope, one or the other (or both) must be sloping. Think of the houses where water "runs" uphill -- it's just that the whole house is "crooked" so the end (of whatever the water flows through) that's closer to the floor is actually higher, relative to the center of the earth. Your eyes and brain interpret the "flat" floor as level and the trough (or whatever) as sloping the opposite of the true slope. If you have a level, check the house. Even better is a line level (intended to hang from a horizontal marking line). Fasten one end of the line to the inside back wall of the house X feet from the floor and the other to the inside front wall of the house at the same height. Check the level. Go outside and do the same with sticks or stakes set near the front and back corners of the house (or use the corners of the house, measuring up from the ground, not from the top of the bricks). On the other hand, you could check the house by measuring from the top of the bricks instead of trying to run a line inside... How to determine lot size: take the size of the lot in feet from your deed. Divide by 25 or 30. That's your Sims 2 lot size! You'll probably want your lot at least 2 in the smaller dimension, to allow for the 2 enforced spaces at the side and the sidewalk and mail box at the front. There is a cheat to build right up to the sidewalk, but not one to build walls all the way to the sides. How I determined "25 or 30": a tile is approximately 2'6" (2.5') or 3' in either direction (remember that for working on the house). A 2x2 lot is 20 squares by 20 squares. So each "lot unit" is 25 to 30'. By the way, to help with your termite bonding, make sure nothing is touching both the ground and the wooden sill the house is sitting on. If you can prove there is no path for termites to get to the wood of the house (and especially that they haven't constructed any of their "tubes" up the bricks) and that there's no termite damage to the wood under the house, your insurance company just might be willing to agree you don't have termites now. More hints: http://www.termitemd.com/inspection.htm http://unexco.com/Termite.html (has pictures of what to look for, plus info about getting that termite bonding) __________________ A game that horrible Odessa-person introduced me to: http://www.puzzlepirates.com/?affili...163251&lang=en I'm spreading the addiction by corrupting all my friends (and attempting to make in-game money when they try the game). Last edited by Miros1 : 06-11-2008 at 09:20 PM.

06-12-2008, 03:25 AM	#4
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	After posting here, I read more on the unexco.com site, and a lot of what they said about insects (various types of ants) I knew about rang true, so I'd say they're probably knowledgeable on the other subjects! You might want to read their carpenter ant page -- they have a "sample interview" to help you weed out the extortionists and profiteers, which might also help you find someone competent to help with your problems (or at least willing come out to check for you). They also suggest maintaining a relationship with your exterminator, meaning once you've found a good one (since that one didn't gouge you too badly, they might be a candidate), call them back. Didn't your invoice say what they put under the house? Could you dig a sort of crawl space under there, at least in the areas you need to get to? Or is that just going to lead to needing a sump pump? (Just brainstorming here...) (Ok, we've totally strayed off the Sims now...) __________________ A game that horrible Odessa-person introduced me to: http://www.puzzlepirates.com/?affili...163251&lang=en I'm spreading the addiction by corrupting all my friends (and attempting to make in-game money when they try the game).