- Just bought a house. What are some small things we could add to make it feel more luxurious? We’re thinking along the lines of a heated towel rack in the bathroom and one of those boiled water taps in the kitchen.
- Full Bathroom Remodel
- My Window Air Conditioner has black stuff inside and blowing out, Should I get a new one?
- My adventure in buying windows
- Politely declining contractor bids
- Vinyl Siding Bid
- What is the best way to wall off my in-law suite?
- Removed ceiling in cottage, want to keep it open. Can I do it?
- Corner posts need help
- Added power, AV cabling, and framed and stained pallet wood above fireplace.
- coffee stains in white marble?
- Kitchen cabinets for under $6k (before countertops).
- Benjamin Moore yellows are not recommended for exterior?
- House makes cracking popping noise
- Is it a bad idea to document projects for future owners?
- Shed flooring advice
- Hanging Gardena Hose Reel from Siding
- Order in which renovations should happen?
- Should I be sealing concrete?
- How to fix peeling stucco (or maybe it’s a thick textured paint?) on basement ceiling
- At what point do you just re-drywall and molding?
- How "perfect" does my base layer need to be for a paver patio? Am I overthinking this? (First big DIY project)
- Persistent Tunneling Pest
- How can I cover this old chunky baseboard (not wired anymore, so no safety hazard) effectively and aesthetically?
- Water baseboard heater in my condo is making noise when turned off
| Posted: 11 May 2020 12:54 PM PDT |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 03:31 PM PDT Hello! My partner and I completed a bathroom remodel that spanned just over two months from the date we tore everything down to the date the bathroom became usable. We did everything 100% ourselves and are very proud with how it turned out. It sure took our minds off the quarantine! We are in New England in a 1955 ranch. Great bones, but took a lot of abuse from previous owners. If anyone has any questions whatsoever, we learned a ton through this whole process and would love to share info! If anyone has any suggestions of how to be better, we absolutely welcome that too since this won't be our last bathroom remodel. Also, I am not sure how to get photos to appear...I do apologize for the lack thereof in this post! The post is marked NSFW because we found some old porn and it was too funny not to include it. It's very benign by today's standards, if that helps. [link] [comments] |
| My Window Air Conditioner has black stuff inside and blowing out, Should I get a new one? Posted: 11 May 2020 05:15 AM PDT My window AC has black stuff inside of it. When I turn it on it sometimes even blows these little black specks all over the floor and window. Is this mold? Is it dangerous? Is it possible to just clean it or should I just get a new one? The AC still works and cools my room. Pictures - https://imgur.com/a/KLtUfrQ [link] [comments] |
| My adventure in buying windows Posted: 11 May 2020 01:27 PM PDT First, I know that there are some FAQ posts about buying windows but I want to share some of what I've just learned for other folks. I'll include these windows as a part of my full remodel post when the house is done, but for now I hope it's ok to just have this info in a post. We're doing a complete renovation of our home. We tore it out down to the studs, and then (due to some unforeseen water damage and bad '70s construction) we tore down 1/3 of the remaining house, poured a new slab, and rebuilt it. Long story, but the scope of the project is essentially a new build at this point. We decided on some fairly high-end JeldWen Siteline windows. These are aluminum-clad wood, and we're putting in 14 of them. Roughly half are going into traditional 2x4 and 2x6 framing, and the rest are going into masonry walls that will get a stucco exterior. We got 3 quotes for the windows, and the experience has been really eye-opening. All prices include taxes & shipping. QUOTE 1: This was from a "wholesale" place near us that advertises cheap pricing. We went in, they suggested an installer, the installer came out and was really helpful in putting the measurements together and building the order. The price was $28,000 plus $3,000 in installation. We were a little taken aback at the price, and due to the fairly simple install I asked the installers if they could just do a couple of the tricky masonry units and leave the rest for me. I never heard from them again after repeated emails. This reseller also did not give line-item prices for each window, while the others did. QUOTE 2: This next one was from a major building supply company here in Phoenix that sells lumber, siding, roofs, and windows & doors. Their price (for exactly the same windows) was $18,500. Shockingly cheaper, right? We'd have to figure out the installation ourselves either by hiring someone or DIY'ing them, but we were encouraged by the price. QUOTE 3: We wound up at a super fancy high-end store in Scottsdale (the zip codes up there are waaaaay up into the ultra-wealthy 1% club) since they seemed a little more helpful in talking about front entry doors, and we had them put a quote together for the same windows while we were there. They came in at $22,000. I told them that we had a cheaper quote than that already, and they asked for a couple of days to see if they could match it. They got back to us with a quote for $17,000. So the ritzy price-is-literally-no-object store ended up beating the Wholesale Windows 'R Us (going out of business Everything Must Go!!!1) place by nearly 50%. Moral of the story seems to be that pricing can vary wildly depending on where you're shopping-- I had assumed that windows were just a single fixed price but that's clearly not the case. An identical window (same manufacturer, same options, same size, same everything) can vary wildly. I'm convinced something shady was going on with quote #1, since we never got detailed pricing from them and they ghosted us as soon as I started asking questions. Definitely shop around for this stuff. I don't know how it works with other manufacturers but for this line it has been super helpful to treat the whole experience like buying a car. P.S. It's also insane to me that consumers can't even see all of the available options in the configuration tool that the dealers get to use. The window websites only really show a portion of the various options that you can choose for a window. I don't see why I can't just go on and configure the things myself and take that quote into a dealer, rather than sitting in their office in the middle of a work-day for 2 hours figuring it all out with them. Ugh. [link] [comments] |
| Politely declining contractor bids Posted: 11 May 2020 12:46 PM PDT Hi all, I'm doing some work on my basement and had four foundation companies come out and provide estimates. I chose a contractor, and to be polite and not leave the others hanging (I would like to know what is still a potential job or not if it was me), I replied to the others' emails thanking them for their time and letting them know I was going with another company for my project. One replied and asked who the company I chose was. Is this normal? If yes, how should I reply. Is formally declining offers something I should or should not be doing? Appreciate the input. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 05:29 AM PDT I was quoted $13,800 to replace all siding with premium grade insulation backed alside gladiator xl siding and replace all soffits and fascia. They will also mediate all dry rot and/or mold found. I was told siding is 16 squares. Any thoughts on price? Claim retail is 24,000 and there's 30% off now + 3k off from stimulus grant. [link] [comments] |
| What is the best way to wall off my in-law suite? Posted: 11 May 2020 06:47 PM PDT Hello! I'm located in Ontario, Canada. I have a side entrance to my house which leads to a stairwell landing which goes to the basement and the main floor. When going down the stairs to the basement there is a gym room on the left and an in-law suite on the right. I'm looking for the best way to separate access to the in-law suite from the rest of the house. What would be the least obtrusive way to do this and cause the least amount of damage to the hardwood and stair railings? IE. Somehow walling off the stairwell and putting a door to the gym and a door to the stair landing so I can still access the basement but keep the doors locked if needed. Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/gS3l3VO [link] [comments] |
| Removed ceiling in cottage, want to keep it open. Can I do it? Posted: 11 May 2020 12:26 PM PDT Took down the ceiling in our old cabin, and love the look of the rafters and the underside of the roof. I would love to leave it open like this, but the soffit is right there, and so the outside air flows right into the room. I don't use the cabin much in the colder months, but I was hoping for advice on sealing the soffits and reducing the draft. [Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/euJcYdz.jpg) [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 06:02 PM PDT Can anyone recommend the best way to secure a 6x6 in a corner where the railing post is flush with the bottom of the rim joist. I could use hardware to attach the 6x6, but this would block my ability to bolt in the posts unless I drilled through the brackets thus voiding them. It keeps coming back to me as one or the other, I've been racking my brain as to how I could accomplish both being in the corner without mounting the railing on the outside or notching it. Thanks [link] [comments] |
| Added power, AV cabling, and framed and stained pallet wood above fireplace. Posted: 11 May 2020 09:45 PM PDT Trying to decide whether or not to whitewash all of the wood and/or just the frame, or whether to leave natural. [link] [comments] |
| coffee stains in white marble? Posted: 11 May 2020 09:43 PM PDT Hello r/homeimprovement Any chance there's a way to get these stains out? I'm actually not sure if the first pic is a stain or the natural marble. Any help is appreciated, ty! [link] [comments] |
| Kitchen cabinets for under $6k (before countertops). Posted: 11 May 2020 07:08 PM PDT |
| Benjamin Moore yellows are not recommended for exterior? Posted: 11 May 2020 08:40 PM PDT I'm on the Benjamin Moore website trying to find a yellow color for a exterior door and none of their yellows are not recommended for exterior use. Any idea why? Also, any recommendations for a yellow paint that can be used for exterior use on a door? TIA [link] [comments] |
| House makes cracking popping noise Posted: 11 May 2020 02:27 PM PDT Just bought my first house which was built in 2015 and I noticed there is cracking and popping noises, the first few nights I couldn't sleep because I didn't know what they were but now I think its framing and floor joists since it seems to be coming from floors and walls. My question is, is that normal that after five years there would still be noise ? [link] [comments] |
| Is it a bad idea to document projects for future owners? Posted: 11 May 2020 08:19 PM PDT Right now I have a standard house book with appliance manuals, install dates, paint colors/brand of paint, etc. I've been doing a few projects around the house and I was thinking about documenting the process to let the future owners know what changes were made, how they were made, and what they can expect. Is this a bad idea? Can the next owners come after me if something was done poorly? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 05:57 PM PDT Hey all! Just purchased a 12x18 shed with a plywood floor. What's the best way to protect the floor? I'll have a lawnmower and a bunch of small engine equipment that I want to protect from oil and such. Any ideas? [link] [comments] |
| Hanging Gardena Hose Reel from Siding Posted: 11 May 2020 07:50 PM PDT Hi all, I've been waging war against my current hose (too thick) and hose reel (pos) for years and that I'd upgrade it this summer. So there were four sets of screws already in the siding from previous owner so I thought no big deal. I went out and saw this on sale and got it. But now that I'm home I'm a little troubled. While the previous mounting piece had screws that could line up with studs, the new mounting bracket is tiny. For reference the screws are 11cm apart. This thing is quite heavy so I imagine it needs to be screwed into studs. Should I return this? [link] [comments] |
| Order in which renovations should happen? Posted: 11 May 2020 04:56 AM PDT Hello! We recently purchased a 1960s brick ranch. It looks like they made some updates in the late 70s/early 80s, added laminate flooring, and there's new carpeting in the bedrooms and living room. We want to start on some updates, but not sure of the order in which they happen. We don't have a lot of spare money, so these updates will be spread out over a few years. My priorities for 2020 are replacement windows or hardwood floors. Not sure where to start. We also would eventually like to get the walls cleaned up/painted, get the old wooden doors and trims updated. So, does it make sense to do one over the others? Is there an ideal sequence? Carpet is cream colored and we have a black dog... enough said, right? Long-term... re-do the kitchen and bathrooms. Thank you for your suggestions. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 02:27 PM PDT I apologize if this has been asked before but its worth a shot. I just installed a really cool Gazebo onto an existing concrete slab in my back yard. The slab has been there for at least 2 decades. Now that we have a nice area and want to hang out at. Should we seal this concrete? Is this something that needs to be done on a yearly cycle like our deck? Follow up question. Is this something I should do in my garage and driveway as well? As always thanks for the answers :) [link] [comments] |
| How to fix peeling stucco (or maybe it’s a thick textured paint?) on basement ceiling Posted: 11 May 2020 07:03 PM PDT Paint has been peeling off and leaving powder and chunks on the floor. What is the best way to take care of this? Does this need a pro? My preliminary plan is to scrape away the peeling part until I get to undamaged paint, then use some kind of compound to seal the edge of the paint that had been peeling, and then paint over. Reasonable? [link] [comments] |
| At what point do you just re-drywall and molding? Posted: 11 May 2020 10:59 AM PDT I have recently purchased a home which looked clean with stuff inside of it but with it empty I am noticing the walls and molding are not in perfect shape. The walls have many screw holes,dents, and by the amount and size of the drips I assume children painted the walls. The molding also does not match up completely. At what point do you take on just re-doing it all and give up on sanding, painting, caulking all the flaws? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 02:41 PM PDT Hello! I am in the process of putting in a paver patio for the first time and so far I have excavated, graded, and added my base layer in. I just spent the weekend on my hands and knees with a 4' level trying to get as close to a 1/8" grade as possible on my gravel base layer. My question is: How "perfect" do I need to get the grade away from my house on this base layer? The base definitely slopes away from the house but there are some areas of the gravel layer that are about 1/2" lower than others. In this photo you can see I have a 10' PVC pipe at a grade away from my house, but the base isn't perfectly even. Will the sand layer be ok if there are some areas that are a little over 1"? I keep reading everywhere that you want 1" of sand because any more than that you'll have your pavers start to shift out of place. Also, is the 1/8" slope away an absolute rule or more of a general guide? My yard naturally sloped away from the house before we started digging and we had no issues with water pooling before. I'm at at least 1/8" slope away from the house and in some places it is steeper (but not noticeable if you are walking on it). Is that ok, or should I buy more gravel to make it closer to the 1/8" grade? Thanks so much! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 06:20 PM PDT I have been working on my chain-link fenced-in yard since March. It's about 1500 square feet in the middle of 20+ total acres, in the Florida panhandle. About 3 weeks ago, I noticed tunneling in the ground consistent with moles, though I haven't seen a critter at all. I've used repellent granules twice and sprayed the yard and tunnels with castor oil and dish soap twice. I've put down coffee grounds in tunnels and on the ground and watered it in. The most "response" I've gotten was when I put fish in the tunnels—all of the tunnels looked as though they exploded. Not sure if things were rushing out or trying to air out the tunnels. This was last week and I didn't think to take pictures. We also bought repellent ground stakes. There hasn't been a change in tunneling at all. And the tunnels come within two feet of the ground stakes. As I've been trying to evacuate the tunnel diggers, I've discovered the actual magnitude of tunneling in my yard. Almost my entire fence line has tunneling—some surface shallow and some go deep into the soil. If they are moles, I think there's 2-4 that have divided up the yard into separate feeding grounds. It's not groundhogs, there's no entrance burrow. All the tunnels are enclosed and seem to come up and go back into the ground. Field mice would be the only other critter it could be, but I don't think it's mice. I've been trying to avoid poison and killing the critters, but I'm running out of ideas on how to get them out of my yard. Does anyone have any other ideas on how to get these things to tunnel elsewhere? Or do I need to start considering poisons? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 11 May 2020 09:41 PM PDT I live in a 100 square foot bedroom with awkward door placements, making all but one of the walls crowded, so I want to be able to use this wall with the baseboard heater for extra wall space. How can I cover the baseboard heater without any gaps between objects and the wall? I would like to place my bed (along with its 6 inch thick headboard) in the middle of this wall without any awkward gaps, but I'm not sure if it would work, so I want to see what all of you have to say. (It looks small on camera, but the edges of the wall are just out of frame. It covers about 80% of the wall) [link] [comments] |
| Water baseboard heater in my condo is making noise when turned off Posted: 11 May 2020 05:50 PM PDT Hi All, I'm trying to figure out how to alleviate the noise that my baseboard heater is making. The heating is connected to a boiler that services the entire building. Here's a photo of the baseboard heater in my room https://imgur.com/a/2ScJwow Throughout most of the day and night the baseboard is making noise as if water is running through it-- it's almost as if someone is taking a shower. I know it's off because if I turn the heat up and down I can hear the noise it usually makes when it turns off/on... also the baseboard heater isn't radiating hot air(I have confirmed that it radiates hot air when it's on). Some stuff I've read online is that the building(~50 units) is maybe bleeding the system but it has been like this for 3 or so days; does that sound plausible to you guys? It's messing with my sleep so I'm wondering if there's something I can do on my end to get it to stop making noise before I try to get a hold of the HOA. Any advice on what to do or to further troubleshoot would be appreciated [link] [comments] |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Hivemind Improving Homes. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment