This is not a vent board or any other kind of therapy. Before you hit the POST button, ask yourself if your contribution will add to the level of discussion going on.

Important notes on articles:

• Please do not copy entire articles into your post; rather, provide links to them.. We are now links-only for ALL Internet publications. If only a small portion of the article pertains to your post, Fair Use allows you to copy those one or two paragraphs, provided you cite the author's name and the publication for which he writes. Otherwise, put a link in the HTTP Link box.
• Even if you're copying a reference to an article, provide a link to the page from which the article came. We're trying to cut down on duplicate topics, and the posting process will check the link to your article to see if it's already being discussed on this board. At the very least, you'll save yourself some grief on the boards.
• If your first reaction after reading the article you're going to share is the author is uninformed / stupid / a jerk / all of the above, it's not worth sharing with anyone. Not every article needs to be discussed. The more the hair-pulling articles are discussed (e.g. ESPN Page 2), the more the authors will write hair-pulling articles.

Post being replied to

Don’t knock elevators. by IAND75

First, there is very little maintenance needed. One of the least expensive things in my home to maintain.

We have one in order to transport my son upstairs for bed. He has to be transported by wheelchair. There isn’t any bedroom space on the first floor. The elevator runs to the basement as well. Actually, that is a given in any design.

But other than getting my son up and downstairs, it is amazing how much we use it in day to day life. Just hauling stuff up and downstairs it is a godsend.

And as we get older it is reassuring to know that we aren’t limited by steps. It also lessens the risk of falling on steps carrying stuff between floors or to the basement.

They don’t add all that much to the cost of a new home, likely in the $20,000 to $40,000 range depending on size and level of finish.

With the idea of aging in place, I wouldn’t own a home (other than a single level on a slab) without one. I see all these new 3 or 4 story homes in big cities being built without one. I think that is very short sighted.