Home Improvement: My San Antonio total kitchen remodel with a $21000 budget over 13 weeks, before, during and after gallery, product prices and links, labor budget in post |
- My San Antonio total kitchen remodel with a $21000 budget over 13 weeks, before, during and after gallery, product prices and links, labor budget in post
- Estimated nearly $3000 to replace a hot water heater, near $6000 for a tankless. Does this sound absurd?
- I renovated our yard so we no longer have drainage issues and we can finally grow grass
- Dropped a hammer into the tub.... need help identifying tub / fix
- Just added insulation to my attic and crawlspace
- Made a modern patio that also redirects/stores excess water away from my foundations!
- Spent last 3 days (on and off) removing tile floor, just learned its 20% Chrysotile asbestos
- Bathroom Gut Reno
- Moles are coming...
- Rockwool Safe N Sound \\ no R value? Dammit!
- I painted my bathroom cabinets with regular paint. How do I protect them?
- How to finish newly insulated attic room?
- Help me find: a liner I can put at the edge of my sink where it meets the countertop
- Dryer burner lits on and off
- Question for those more experienced!
- What’s the secret to removing tile?
- Best way to attach pergola to roof? (3D model attached)
- Tree trimming bidding wars
- Remove tub and install shower pan
- Replace Corner of Slab Foundation
- Shower door magnet issues
- Painting My Bathroom (GONE WRONG)
- Shingle damage from ice dam removal. Make them fix it?
- Small movement of a small toilet in a small bathroom...
- Did I end up on some contractor blacklist? Did I do something wrong here?
| Posted: 03 Feb 2021 10:40 AM PST This was a complete gut job demolished and rebuilt from April 1 to June 15, 2020. I'm located in San Antonio, TX. My original budget was about $17K for labor and materials did not include the appliances which were about another $4K. I used a general contractor and crew. I purchased this 1979 fixer upper home in March of 2020. The kitchen was original to the house including the still functioning 40 year-old Magic Chef appliances. The old cabinetry was all custom built on site, but had a terrible musty smell. The kitchen was closed off from the rest of the house, cramped and dark even with the big sliding door. We removed the wall between the kitchen and the stairs and made what had been a U shaped into an L shape kitchen and added an 8X3 island with drawers. No new structural carrying beam was required as the floor above has web joists. In order to keep the budget down I worked around the original placement of the sink and range. I was lucky to find plumbing for gas in the exterior wall from an old pool heater and we repurposed that line for the dual fuel range. (Gas cooktop, electric convection oven). New pex was run through the ceiling to provide water to the refrigerator. The pantry to the right of the sink has dedicated electrical outlets inside and that is where I've hidden the microwave and some small appliances. I wanted the Smeg range and hood to be the showpiece so I opted for white appliances so they would blend into the cabinetry. The knobs, pulls and faucet are champagne bronze. The 4x12 backsplash tile has a different pattern on each tile (6 different patterns). We added 9 LED canless lights, undercabinet lighting, cabinet interior lighting and two brass pendants over the island. We trenched the slab to add an outlet to the island. As well as adding an 6' high outlet for the TV in the corner. Budget breakdown is in the album Prices and Links: Vent hood: Smeg Victoria Ventilation Hood, Black$599 (is what I paid, but its discontinued now and the prices are higher) Faucet: Trask Champagne Bronze 1-Handle Deck Mount Pull-Down Handle/Lever Residential Kitchen Faucet$223.20 Wall Tile: Contempo 4x12 Matte black porcelain wall tile$3.70 Pendant lights: Carson Carrington Bayliss Midcentury Metal Pendant lights X2$149.58 Zenvida Pot Filler Faucet$59.46 Flooring: American SpiritSaddle Red Oak Smooth Solid Hardwood$2.99 s/f Knobs: Liberty Classic Square x20$49.60 Pulls: Liberty Tapered Edge x18$179 Paint: Agreeable Gray SW 7029, Sherwin-Williams Cabinetry: Pure white shaker from a local company. FGC Superstore$9800 +tax installed Quartz countertops: https://us.vicostone.com/en/quartz-stone/BQ8330$3800 +tax installed Fridge: Samsung 23 cu. ft. 3-Door French Door Refrigerator in White with CoolSelect Pantry$1897 Dishwasher: Samsung - 24" Front Control Built-In Dishwasher - White$448.20 Barstools: Amazon Brand – Stone & Beam Mid-Century Tub and Barrel Barstool, 42.5"H, Beige$265 Replaced glass in the triple slider for about $1200, much cheaper than replacing the door. Prices for the appliances have gone way up since last spring. I'll try to answer as many questions as I can. I hope you like it as much as I do. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 03 Feb 2021 07:20 AM PST Locale is Atlanta, so work shouldn't be particularly expensive based on area or anything. This would be to replace an electric water heater with a (50 gallon tank) gas one. There's an existing 1/2" gas line and exhaust venting. I'm also told that to upgrade to a larger gas tank we would need a larger vent, which sounds odd but I don't know enough and couldn't find anything online about this. For the tankless, as I understand they'll need to run a new 3/4" gas line from the attic (where our HVAC is, so they could tap off the furnace lines?) out the side of the house to the garage — I'd guess that's around 50 feet depending on routing. From what I've seen, this should cost around $20/foot? Are there additional costs associated with a tankless install that we should be aware of (aside from the higher cost of the unit itself)? Other factors: there's an existing whole-home recirculating pump which we'd want to continue using unless the new WH has one built in. WH in garage, should be no access issues. Existing vent runs through the exterior wall up to the attic, but we wouldn't mind venting directly through the exterior wall the WH sits on if that's an option (is it?). I haven't gotten a breakdown for these costs yet because they just sounded so outlandish. The tankless cost, I was anticipating around $3.5 considering they'd need to run a new gas line and the unit would be pricier, but the plain tank install I was expecting closer to $1200 — maybe $1500 at most. We're fairly young and own a relatively expensive home, so my assumption is this guy saw the house and dollar signs lit up... i can't think of a good reason for a straightforward WH replacement to run $2800. Am I just out of touch, or are there legitimate reasons for these costs? edit: per mod, we're awaiting additional quotes. The other plumber that came out didn't quote it because we'd need to remove a third wall that limits the available space for a tank WH -- we're getting that quote today, will update the post with theirs and get a breakdown from this contractor as well. [link] [comments] |
| I renovated our yard so we no longer have drainage issues and we can finally grow grass Posted: 03 Feb 2021 02:44 PM PST Album below with captions The previous homeowner dumped a ton of gravel beside the house so he could park his truck and trailer there without it getting muddy. Unfortunately it caused way more problems than it solved. The driveway no longer could drain, causing it to seep into our crawlspace. I removed the gravel, added a drain, and then did a lot to fix the compacted soil before planting grass. The clay was rock hard from the weight of the gravel, truck and trailer for all of those years. I had to use a pick axe to break it up. I sprayed it heavily with soapy water and it made a noticeable difference. Soap is a surfactant, so it helps the soil absorb more water, making it easier to break up. I added compost to improve the soil, and then perlite to help with aeration and drainage. It works for potted plants, so I figured it would be beneficial in the yard. I plan to keep putting more down after I aerate each season and see how it works. I wanted to do as much as I could because I still have to drive on that part of the yard to get my boat. Since I have HEAVY clay soil, I decided to make the trench for the French drain wider than I needed. I then back filled it with clay-free topsoil in hopes that it acts somewhat like a filter to keep clay out of the pipe. I also wrapped the pipe in more fabric as extra protection. I have an access point half way down the drain incase I need to clear out any clogs down the road. I know perforated PVC would have been ideal so I could snake it if needed, but it wasn't an option due to time constraints. Overall, it was a huge success and I'm thrilled with the results. [link] [comments] |
| Dropped a hammer into the tub.... need help identifying tub / fix Posted: 03 Feb 2021 05:48 AM PST Accidentally dropped a hammer into my bath tub; Damage is approximately 2cm Pictures of the damage. - damage area seems to "flake off" at its edges so not porcelain? The material underneath is magnetic. Any one know what kind of tub i have so i know what to google? Alternatively how does one coverup / "fix" this problem. Thanks [link] [comments] |
| Just added insulation to my attic and crawlspace Posted: 03 Feb 2021 07:29 PM PST Just wanted to tell somebody because I'm excited. Just added 13" of insulation to my attic and also had my crawlspace insulated. Now my floor is much warmer. I can't wait to see if this makes a difference on my propane bill which has run $277 a month for the last 3 months. I got my 62 year old, 1100 ft² house brought up to current standards with R38 insulation above and below. It only cost me $1650 for materials and labor. That even included putting down a moisture barrier under the crawlspace. Now, for that money they didn't do a perfect job, but they did a really nice job. Now that the crawlspace is nice and clean I can go down there fix certain things to my standards. I can now insulate my water lines easily and without getting covered in old nasty insulation that fell down a decade ago. I can change my furnace filter without getting nasty. I might insulate the block foundation with rigid foam at some point, but I doubt it. [link] [comments] |
| Made a modern patio that also redirects/stores excess water away from my foundations! Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:48 AM PST There are more details in the Imgur album here: https://imgur.com/a/TdCHhpP Summary: I bought a house in 2017 and it had a concrete pad in the back that collected water against my foundation. In 2018, I decided it had to go and rented a jack hammer to remove it. Then in 2019, I dug out the hole to drain water away from my house, lined it with landscape fabric, and filled it with gravel. Then in 2020 I put big bluestone pavers on top with river rock in between and now I have a lovely modern patio that doubles as a place for collecting excess rainwater until it can soak into the earth! Overall I love it and have gained a lovely outdoor space that maybe one day will be used for dinner parties again. Tools used:
Cost:
Rough total cost: $3500 to $4000 with rentals thrown in. [link] [comments] |
| Spent last 3 days (on and off) removing tile floor, just learned its 20% Chrysotile asbestos Posted: 03 Feb 2021 06:00 PM PST So, I threw caution to the wind and started ripping out flooring in my 1970's bathroom. Bottom layer was a linoleum flooring, which I started tearing out and busting into small pieces to fit the garbage can. After a few hours I finally listened to my better half and took a sample in for testing. Came back as 20% Chrysotile, which I understand to be an extremely high amount (based on the amazement in the lab tech's voice). I was wearing a N95 mask most (but not all) the time, which I read is not going to do much anyhow. I've sealed up the room the best I can and am having an abatement specialist come in the morning. But what until then? One guy I talked to recommended moving to a motel until it's cleared. What about the clothes/shoes/gloves I was wearing while doing the demo? Does this stuff wash out or should I toss em? I've read the sub's wiki and other articles about asbestos and realize it's likely not something to lose sleep over, but I have no idea how bad "20% Chrysotile" is so naturally I'm concerned. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 03 Feb 2021 07:52 PM PST Hey, Recently gut renovated our master bathroom to the studs. I've been reading & watching several people mention the Schluter products as the preferred method over using Sheetrock, WonderBoard (cement board) or others. Has anyone used Schluter for shower floor and wall and can provide any insights? Can/should it be used on bathroom wall or floor to prep for tiles? We will have a walk in shower, and plan to tile it A-Z to stay consistent with the bathroom tiling of wall & floor. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 03 Feb 2021 07:34 PM PST Last summer we had a surprise of multiple moles popping up in our back yard. Now that spring is getting close, what can I do to stop the onslaught? We live in MO and the moles push up the dirt and make trails through our yard. We still have scars in our grass/dirt where they destroyed the earth... our neighbors don't seem to have this issue. They seem to only dig about half a foot into the ground and our dog just LOVES digging up the trails they leave. Some are over fifty feet long.. Our cat is good at catching them and I've even seen a couple hawks on nearby trees.. but it's never enough. I even tried the water hose technique and that didn't do it either. Please help! [link] [comments] |
| Rockwool Safe N Sound \\ no R value? Dammit! Posted: 03 Feb 2021 06:34 PM PST Hey gang. Insulating the shed I've been working on and I think I messed up. I bought 6 bags of Rockwool Safe N' Sound and insulated half my shed before I just now realized it technically doesn't have an R value. Groan. I have 3 bags left that can be returned to Home Depot. Here's my question: 1) Do I rip it all out, return the last 3 bags and buy 6 bags of Rockwoll Comfortbatt? 2) Return the 3 bags, by 3 of the correct stuff and just finish the job? 3) Carry on and just finish the job with what I bought? (I realize this sounds kinda stupid) It's a Tuff Shed with a vapor barrier that came with it. We're in the Los Angeles area, so most of the time it's pretty warm. I went with the Safe N Sound so I could practice guitar and work on video editing projects without bothering my neighbors. And yeah, I do want to get some kind of thermal protection. There was someone on this sub that had a similar problem but it was difficult to figure out what the resolution ultimately was. Any advice would be appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| I painted my bathroom cabinets with regular paint. How do I protect them? Posted: 03 Feb 2021 05:34 PM PST I messed up and didn't realize I needed special enamel paint. I'm afraid of water damage over time because the cabinets are under a sink, and water drips down the front of them. I tried to pick up polycrylic, but it appears you can only use it over wood stain, not paint. And polyurethane would give me a shiny finish instead of a matte finish. What do I do?? [link] [comments] |
| How to finish newly insulated attic room? Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:59 PM PST Hello all. I have a Cape Cod style home with one bedroom upstairs. It has a sliding door access into a fairly large unfinished area. I want to finish this part in the photos. It was just spray insulated. I want to do the project myself with my sons. 1, what would be inexpensive for wall coverings? Paneling? any suggestions?
[link] [comments] |
| Help me find: a liner I can put at the edge of my sink where it meets the countertop Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:23 PM PST Where my sink meets my countertop, the sink edge is a little higher than the countertop. Is there some kind of plastic/silicone liner product I can install that would meet the edge of the sink and then taper down to the level of the countertop? I'd like to (1) protect against water seeping through the edge unintentionally and (2) make a seamless edge so I can use a squeegee while cleaning the countertop and drag the wastewater right into the sink. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 03 Feb 2021 06:49 PM PST We have a dryer and it's only now that I noticed glowing at the bottom part. I noticed it when the laundry ceiling light was turned off. I'd like to know if dryer burner's turning on and off is normal. I think I would turn on again after like 10 mins. [link] [comments] |
| Question for those more experienced! Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:23 PM PST Hello! My spouse and I just completed our first major home project.....by paying someone else to do it! We are not handy and have young kids! So we hired someone to finish out our basement for us. It's about 800 square feet and includes and wet bar, a bathroom a living space and a bedroom. So here's my question everything is about done. The painters came back today to do touch ups, most of the contractors stuff is gone, just a few tiny things to do. We did LVP on the floors. But everything is dirty! Like all the cabinets that were installed in the wet bar are dusty on the inside. The floors were already super dusty and then the painters came and did some sanding for touchups so now they are even worse. Am I wrong in my assumption that all that would be cleaned up? Even it was a half assed job at least it would be something? Is this normal?! Thank you for your input this was our first experience with something like this. ETA: this is an individual who owns his own company but he is licensed and used all his own subcontractors. [link] [comments] |
| What’s the secret to removing tile? Posted: 03 Feb 2021 07:21 PM PST Sigh. I ruined another wall. These previous owners glued their tile on like it was a wall. I spent 200 on a multi tool, grouse removing and carbide heads. Using it behind the tile it clearly is too much friction and will combust. Not to mention it's an ages to cut through even with such a tool. Tried breaking the tile but that takes out holes in the drywall. I have a whole kitchen backsplash to remove. Was hoping to avoid replacing all the drywall. (But they used drywall not cement board so it's not a bad idea to redo it.) I watch all the YouTubes but I can't figure out the secret. Ideas? Or do I just need to forget about it and plan to Just replace the sheet rock and go to town? [link] [comments] |
| Best way to attach pergola to roof? (3D model attached) Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:57 PM PST Looking for suggestions on how to secure pergola to roof. I came across this and seemed like exactly what I was looking for. [Pic 1] [Pic 2] I modeled it in 3D to make its possible but ran into a problem where the angle of my roof doesn't work well, also sort of limited by my skylights. 3D model image Theres also this but I'm not a fan of how it looks and don't want to rip apart my roof to install it: SkyLift Hardware I'm not too worried about wind as my deck is protected by retaining wall + trees on property. Looking for suggestions [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:57 PM PST I live in Texas. I have 2 humongous trees in my front. One is a native Live Oak tree which is always green and always growing. Another is a Pecan tree. They are about 13-14 feet away from each other. Both are at least 60-70 years old. I have lived in this home for 8 years and I'll bet, based on the owners that sold the home, nobody has ever spent a single penny on tree trimming to keep any of the 2 from going wild. Well, they are definitely going wild. I've called 3 companies, all of which I found on Google searching "tree trimming near me" The first company quoted me $500 with haul off and everything for 1 tree. The 2nd company quoted me $500 and same services because he was competing with the first offer I recieved. Both companies said maybe 2-3 weeks available. 3rd company I had out quoted $850, however, he offered to cut 2 trees, bring in the light, so to say, and haul everything off. 3rd company has all 5 star reviews. The other 2 only have 4.3, 4.5. I feel the third company is my best choice as they have offered to be out as early as 9am the next day, and they are bonded and insured up to $1,000,000. My research shows it's a good idea. Anyone else have this kind of experience? [link] [comments] |
| Remove tub and install shower pan Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:35 PM PST We have a mid'80's house that has a tub/shower combo that is fiberglass tub and ceramic tiled walls. The tiles are fine and wondering if cutting out the tub and installing a shower pan is realistic. Would tile the wall from the top of the pan to the bottom of the existing tile. TIA [link] [comments] |
| Replace Corner of Slab Foundation Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:34 PM PST I've got an 10x10 room in the corner of the house which is getting remodeled. Floating slab foundation on expansive clay. This corner holds a full bathroom, the laundry, the water main, all branch lines, and the hot water tank. Busy little area. Slab in this corner is settled. Initially I brought out a piering contractor (at the time covered the floor was covered in tile). I'm working through a few quotes to pier up the foundation. I tore up the tile in this area and have found the cause of the settling: in the past a 1x5 foot chunk of concrete was removed, presumably to move the toilet (there was once a side entrance to the house here, and once it was closed off the furniture was rearranged). Looks like they tore out this patch to move the toilet sewer line and patched it back up. The result of that project is that the concrete around this area is cracked in 4 different directions. Along the seams from original concrete to new, as well as what appears to be a third pour (perhaps to avoid the issue?) The 1x5 foot chunk was torn up about 1 foot from the edge wall, which appears to have created an additional crack in the original concrete remaining. As part of the project I get to break into the slab again (the adjacent shower is not properly plumbed in...at all. Not kidding here...the vent pipe is venting into the furnace area). Knowing that a plumber (or somebody else...I need suggestions on this) will be ripping out and re-pouring concrete for at least the 2nd time in this corner, how do I determine if the resultant concrete bastard will be stable enough moving forward? Will piering/slab jacking be "enough" to stabilize? Should I look for (and who) to rip out approximately a 4x5 section and repour? Edit: As one additional thought. In the back behind the toilet you can see exposed rebar from a 2 inch chunk or so which broke off from the original slab. Original slab is 50 years old. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:18 PM PST So we bought a house and moved in at the start of December. Within a week, we had to call the builder to send out his glass people because the magnet that holds the shower door shut had come unglued. The people came out, siliconed it back on and said, "this thing isn't going anywhere now." Two months later, it's going to come loose within the next three times we open the door. Without a doubt. Is there something specific I need to ask them to do when they come back, or is that just a pitfall of glass shower doors? Also, and disclaimer here: I don't build shower door setups for a living, but it seems to me that the magnet is way too strong and that's what is causing the issue. Most of the time when you open the door, the whole thing shakes from top to bottom. Can I ask them to just trim the magnet down some or would that risk not keeping the door closed? [link] [comments] |
| Painting My Bathroom (GONE WRONG) Posted: 03 Feb 2021 05:52 PM PST Now that we're past the catchy title, I have a few questions. I have been painting a small 5x5 foot bathroom for 2 hours (lots of nooks and crannies plus I'm short and my step stool was barely working out), with the door closed. Now I feel very dizzy due to having no ventilation. Has this ever happened to anyone and should I take it seriously? Secondly, I know I should wait a few days before showering because the walls will get wet, but can I take a cold shower as to not produce steam and then just be extra careful to not wet the walls? Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Shingle damage from ice dam removal. Make them fix it? Posted: 03 Feb 2021 08:02 PM PST Long story short, I hired a company to remove an ice dam, the guy slipped, slid partially down the roof, and damaged some shingles. From what I can tell (still snow and ice up there), he only scratched them up and ripped off some granules. None of the shingles appear loose or torn. Am I being an asshole if I push the ice dam removal company to replace them? They already refunded their services (minus a deposit). Is it even a big deal? [link] [comments] |
| Small movement of a small toilet in a small bathroom... Posted: 03 Feb 2021 04:05 PM PST Hey all, I'm looking to make the best of a (you guessed it) small space in my bathroom and it would be great if, when I upgrade my 70's toilet, I could move it over a few inches and maybe angle it. Looking to get anyone's semi-professional (or at the very least experienced) opinion on how difficult that might be to do, taking into consideration that I'll have to move the outflow pipe and whatnot. I always like to think I'm capable enough when it comes to these sort of projects (with the internet on my side), but it'd be nice to get a second/third/etc. opinion while I'm in the "pencil-to-paper" phase and haven't yet cut into the subfloor. Thank you in advance! [link] [comments] |
| Did I end up on some contractor blacklist? Did I do something wrong here? Posted: 03 Feb 2021 04:03 PM PST Hi all. I think I unintentionally did something bad with a couple contractors neighbors recommended to me. These are masonry contractors. Anyway, I got the numbers of two guys who my neighbors recommended. I called them both out to look at the work and provide an estimate. I was just doing my due diligence, trying to get more than one quote for the work. They both were very friendly when they came out and nice guys. They both said they would send a rep with brick samples to match the brick. Anyway, the rep comes by from the masonry supply store around my area with brick samples and asks me "hey are you going with (contractor A)? I heard you had (contractor B) come out as well". I explained I was just trying to get a couple quotes, and he spoke highly of both of them and said either was the way to go. I guess they actually know each other and use the same brick supply company. Anyway, a week later, contractor A gets back to me with an insanely high quote. It was over 7k, and the other quotes I got previously were 3-5k (mostly between 3-4k to do the same amount of work). I give contractor B a call to follow up on his quote. He leaves me a voicemail that he actually had a talk with contractor A in the parking lot of the supply store, talks about how he is a good mason, and they are gonna pass on my project. I'm not sure if this is some contractor code giving me a high price compared to others (really high), or if I unintentionally screwed up somewhere in the process by getting multiple quotes. [link] [comments] |
![[Pic 1]](https://sunsetpergolas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/attach_to.jpg){kind=link}
![[Pic 2]](https://sunsetpergolas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/polycarbonate_sheets_with_flashing2.jpg){kind=link}
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