Ultimate Recycle
August 16th, 2008
Did you visit the REX project during the Ultimate Open House? Keep up with the progress on Oregonlive.com’s Ultimate Recyle blog. See a recent blog by Shannon Quimby below….
From the beginning of the Reuse Everything eXperiment, I’ve disliked the word “standard.”
“Everyone wants under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen; it’s standard” says the electrician.
“It’s standard to have the sink faucets centered,” says the installer.
“Bathroom vanities are a standard 32 inches high,” says the cabinet builder.
My reply: “Nothing is standard at the R.E.X. Project.”
So when the electrician showed up to install the doorbell and complained that the siding crew had covered his wiring, I was ready. I explained that I never wanted an electric ringer to begin with. Then I threw it at him: “Gosh, I hope you didn’t charge me for something I never asked for.”
Do I expect guests to bang on the door? Nope. I bought a crank chimer from Hippo Hardware for $98 — a bit more than the modern electric and wireless doorbells. It is installed in the door; turn the lever to ring the bell. It uses no electricity.
That’s not a lot of energy savings to get pumped up about, but it’s something and will pay for itself and more over time.
As for the faucets, mine are off-center. My bathroom vanities are 36 inches high — and true to the R.E.X. Project, they were built out of old doors, flooring, and window and door trim.
The word “standard” sits right next to “can’t” — and neither gets any respect from me.