diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2e505ab2..009ba6ae 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
 # Spee.ch
+Spee.ch is a [NodeJS](https://nodejs.org) React web app that reads and publishes images and videos to and from the [LBRY](https://lbry.io/) blockchain.
 
-spee.ch provides a user-friendly, custom-designed, image and video hosting site backed by a decentralized network and 
-blockchain ([LBRY](https://lbry.tech/)). Via just a small set of config files, you can spin your an entire spee.ch site back up including assets.
+You can create your own custom version of spee.ch by installing this code base and then creating your own custom components and styles to override the defaults. (More details/guide on how to do that coming soon.)
 
+Spee.ch depends on two other lbry technologies:
+  * [chainquery](https://github.com/lbryio/chainquery) - a normalized database of the blockchain data.  We've provided credentials to use a public chainquery service. You can also install it on your own server to avoid being affected by the commons.
+  * [lbrynet](https://github.com/lbryio/lbry) - a daemon that handles your wallet and transactions.
 ![App GIF](https://spee.ch/e/speechgif.gif)
 
-For a completely open, unrestricted example of a spee.ch site, check out https://www.spee.ch.
+## Install
 
-For a closed, custom-hosted and branded example, check out https://lbry.theantimedia.com/.
+### Ubuntu Step by Step
+[Ubuntu Install Guide](./docs/ubuntuinstall.md)
 
-## Installation
-
-### Ubuntu Step-by-Step
-
-[Step-by-step Ubuntu Install Guide](./docs/ubuntuinstall.md)
-
-### Full Instructions
+### Quickstart Overview
 
 #### Get some information ready:
   * mysqlusername
@@ -23,7 +21,7 @@ For a closed, custom-hosted and branded example, check out https://lbry.theantim
   * domainname or 'http://localhost'
   * speechport = 3000
 
-#### Install and Set Up Dependencies
+#### Install and Set Up System Dependencies:
   * Firewall open ports
     * 22
     * 80
@@ -51,7 +49,7 @@ For a closed, custom-hosted and branded example, check out https://lbry.theantim
     * _note: even running on http://localhost, you must redirect http or https to port 3000_
 
 
-#### Clone spee.ch
+#### Clone a spee.ch repo (choose one)
   * release version for stable production
 ```
 $ git clone -b release https://github.com/lbryio/spee.ch.git
@@ -97,8 +95,8 @@ Check out the [customization guide](https://github.com/lbryio/spee.ch/blob/readm
 
 #### (optional) add custom components and update the styles
 
-  * Create custom components by creating React components in `site/custom/src/`
-  * Update or override the CSS by changing the files in `site/custom/scss`
+  * Create custom components by creating React components in `site/custom/src/` (further instructions coming soon)
+  * Update the CSS by changing the files in `site/custom/scss` (further instructions and refactor coming soon)
 
 #### (optional) install your own chainquery
 Instructions are coming at [lbry-docker] to install your own chainquery instance using docker-compose. This will require 50GB of preferably SSD space and at least 10 minutes to download, possibly much longer.
@@ -224,8 +222,7 @@ Spee.ch also runs a sync tool, which decodes blocks from the `LBRY` blockchain a
   *  To run only tests that do not require LBC, run `npm run test:no-lbc`
 
 ### URL formats
-Spee.ch has a few types of URL formats that return different assets from the LBRY network.  Below is a list of all possible URLs for the content on spee.ch. You can learn more about LBRY URLs [here](https://lbry.tech/resources/uri).
-
+Spee.ch has a few types of URL formats that return different assets from the LBRY network.  Below is a list of all possible URLs for the content on spee.ch
 * retrieve the controlling `LBRY` claim:
   * https://spee.ch/`claim`
   * https://spee.ch/`claim`.`ext` (serve)
@@ -243,15 +240,22 @@ Spee.ch has a few types of URL formats that return different assets from the LBR
   * https://spee.ch/`@channel`:`channel_id`/`claim`
   * https://spee.ch/`@channel`:`channel_id`/`claim`.`ext` (serve)
 
-### Dependencies
-
-Spee.ch depends on two other lbry technologies:
-  * [chainquery](https://github.com/lbryio/chainquery) - a normalized database of the blockchain data.  We've provided credentials to use a public chainquery service. You can also install it on your own server to avoid being affected by the commons.
-  * [lbrynet](https://github.com/lbryio/lbry) - a daemon that handles your wallet and transactions.
-
 ### Bugs
 If you find a bug or experience a problem, please report your issue here on GitHub and find us in the lbry discord!
 
+### Issue tags in this repo
+#### level 1
+Issues that anyone with basic web development can handle; little-to-no experience with the spee.ch codebase is required.
+
+#### level 2
+Familiarity with web apps is required, but little-to-no familiarity with the lbry daemon is necessary
+
+#### level 3
+Familiarity with the spee.ch code base and how the lbry daemon functions is required
+
+#### level 4
+Issues with lbry (e.g. the spee.ch wallet, lbrynet configuration, etc.) that require strong familiarity with the lbry daemon and/or network to fix. Generally these issues are best suited for the `lbry` `protocol team` but are reported in this repo because they are part of the spee.ch implementation
+
 ## License
 
 This project is MIT licensed. For the full license, see [LICENSE](LICENSE).
diff --git a/client/scss/all.scss b/client/scss/all.scss
index 07601eb5..c61e42bd 100644
--- a/client/scss/all.scss
+++ b/client/scss/all.scss
@@ -1,44 +1,44 @@
-@import '~scss/_variables';
-@import '~scss/_reset';
-@import '~scss/font/_font.scss';
-@import '~scss/_html';
-@import '~scss/_body';
-@import '~scss/_react-app';
-@import '~scss/_text';
+@import '_variables';
+@import '_reset';
+@import 'font/_font.scss';
+@import '_html';
+@import '_body';
+@import '_react-app';
+@import '_text';
 
-@import '~scss/_link';
-@import '~scss/_input';
-@import '~scss/_select';
-@import '~scss/_textarea';
-@import '~scss/_video';
-@import '~scss/_form';
+@import '_link';
+@import '_input';
+@import '_select';
+@import '_textarea';
+@import '_video';
+@import '_form';
 
-@import '~scss/_asset-display';
-@import '~scss/_asset-preview';
-@import '~scss/_button';
-@import '~scss/_button-primary';
-@import '~scss/_button-secondary';
-@import '~scss/_click-to-copy';
-@import '~scss/_form-feedback';
-@import '~scss/_horizontal-split';
-@import '~scss/_label';
-@import '~scss/_nav-bar';
-@import '~scss/_page-layout';
-@import '~scss/_page-layout-show-lite';
-@import '~scss/_page-content';
-@import '~scss/_progress-bar';
-@import '~scss/_publish-preview';
-@import '~scss/_share-buttons';
-@import '~scss/_space-between';
-@import '~scss/_space-around';
-@import '~scss/_row';
-@import '~scss/_tooltip';
-@import '~scss/_social-share-link';
+@import '_asset-display';
+@import '_asset-preview';
+@import '_button';
+@import '_button-primary';
+@import '_button-secondary';
+@import '_click-to-copy';
+@import '_form-feedback';
+@import '_horizontal-split';
+@import '_label';
+@import '_nav-bar';
+@import '_page-layout';
+@import '_page-layout-show-lite';
+@import '_page-content';
+@import '_progress-bar';
+@import '_publish-preview';
+@import '_share-buttons';
+@import '_space-between';
+@import '_space-around';
+@import '_row';
+@import '_tooltip';
+@import '_social-share-link';
 
-@import '~scss/_channel-claims-display';
-@import '~scss/_dropzone';
-@import '~scss/_publish-url-input';
-@import '~scss/_publish-status';
-@import '~scss/_publish-disabled-message';
+@import '_channel-claims-display';
+@import '_dropzone';
+@import '_publish-url-input';
+@import '_publish-status';
+@import '_publish-disabled-message';
 
-@import '~scss/_media-queries';
+@import '_media-queries';
diff --git a/server/chainquery/bundle.js b/server/chainquery/bundle.js
index 4a96169b..a859bd5d 100644
--- a/server/chainquery/bundle.js
+++ b/server/chainquery/bundle.js
@@ -873,8 +873,7 @@ var claimQueries = (db, table, sequelize) => ({
     logger$1.debug(`claim.getAllChannelClaims for ${channelClaimId}`);
 
     const defaultWhereClauses = {
-      bid_state:
-      { [sequelize.Op.or]: ['Controlling', 'Active', 'Accepted'] }
+      bid_state: { [sequelize.Op.or]: ['Controlling', 'Active', 'Accepted'] }
     };
 
     const addWhereClauses = (whereClauses, params) => {
@@ -969,7 +968,7 @@ var claimQueries = (db, table, sequelize) => ({
   getTopFreeClaimIdByClaimName: async (name) => {
     return await table.findAll({
       // TODO: Limit 1
-      where: { name },
+      where: { name, bid_state: { [sequelize.Op.or]: ['Controlling', 'Active', 'Accepted'] }  },
       order: [['effective_amount', 'DESC'], ['height', 'ASC']],
     }).then(result => {
       if(result.length === 0) {
diff --git a/server/chainquery/queries/claimQueries.js b/server/chainquery/queries/claimQueries.js
index cf4b532b..521cda04 100644
--- a/server/chainquery/queries/claimQueries.js
+++ b/server/chainquery/queries/claimQueries.js
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ export default (db, table, sequelize) => ({
     logger.debug(`claim.getAllChannelClaims for ${channelClaimId}`);
 
     const defaultWhereClauses = {
-      bid_state:
-      { [sequelize.Op.or]: ['Controlling', 'Active', 'Accepted'] }
+      bid_state: { [sequelize.Op.or]: ['Controlling', 'Active', 'Accepted'] }
     };
 
     const addWhereClauses = (whereClauses, params) => {
@@ -168,7 +167,7 @@ export default (db, table, sequelize) => ({
   getTopFreeClaimIdByClaimName: async (name) => {
     return await table.findAll({
       // TODO: Limit 1
-      where: { name },
+      where: { name, bid_state: { [sequelize.Op.or]: ['Controlling', 'Active', 'Accepted'] }  },
       order: [['effective_amount', 'DESC'], ['height', 'ASC']],
     }).then(result => {
       if(result.length === 0) {
diff --git a/utils/createModuleAliases.js b/utils/createModuleAliases.js
index b9129f47..c77802e4 100644
--- a/utils/createModuleAliases.js
+++ b/utils/createModuleAliases.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ const { statSync, existsSync, readdirSync } = require('fs');
 const { join, resolve } = require('path');
 const DEFAULT_ROOT = 'client/build';
 const CUSTOM_ROOT = 'site/custom/build';
-const DEFAULT_SCSS_ROOT = 'client/scss';
 const CUSTOM_SCSS_ROOT = 'site/custom/scss';
 
 const getFolders = path => {
@@ -24,6 +23,17 @@ const addAliasesForCustomComponentFolder = (name, aliasObject) => {
   return aliasObject;
 };
 
+const addAlliasesForSCSS = (aliasObject) => { // scss
+  // creates an alias for every folder found in the custom scss folder
+  const customScssRoot = resolve(`${CUSTOM_SCSS_ROOT}`);
+  const customFolders = getFolders(customScssRoot);
+  for (let i = 0; i < customFolders.length; i++) {
+    let folderName = customFolders[i];
+    aliasObject[folderName] = resolve(`${CUSTOM_SCSS_ROOT}/${folderName}`);
+  }
+  return aliasObject;
+};
+
 module.exports = () => {
   let moduleAliases = {};
 
@@ -48,6 +58,9 @@ module.exports = () => {
   moduleAliases['@sagas'] = resolve(`${DEFAULT_ROOT}/sagas`);
   moduleAliases['@app'] = resolve(`${DEFAULT_ROOT}/app.js`);
 
+  // scss aliases
+  moduleAliases = addAlliasesForSCSS(moduleAliases);
+
   // return finished aliases
   return moduleAliases;
 };
diff --git a/webpack.config.js b/webpack.config.js
index 5672721f..1512a4d5 100644
--- a/webpack.config.js
+++ b/webpack.config.js
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ const Path = require('path');
 const ExtractTextPlugin = require('extract-text-webpack-plugin');
 const createModuleAliases = require('./utils/createModuleAliases.js');
 const SCSS_ROOT = Path.join(__dirname, 'client/scss/');
-const CLIENT_ROOT = Path.join(__dirname, 'client/');
-const CUSTOM_CLIENT_ROOT = Path.join(__dirname, 'site/custom/');
 
 const customAliases = createModuleAliases();
 
@@ -40,8 +38,6 @@ module.exports = {
   },
   resolve: {
     modules: [
-      CUSTOM_CLIENT_ROOT,
-      CLIENT_ROOT,
       SCSS_ROOT,
       'node_modules',
       __dirname,