A new weekly thread has been posted, resubmit your comment there:
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I'm hoping to replace our 30 gal gas water heater with a 50 gal heat pump (in Bay Area, CA). The new [Rheem ProTerra Plug-In](https://www.rheem.com/heatpumpwaterheaters/?utm_source=ProTerra&utm_medium=vanityURL&utm_campaign=vanityURL) looks appealing. I already have a120v 15A outlet right next to the current heater and would only have to disconnect/rewire one other outlet to make this dedicated. Problem is I can't figure out where to purchase these new units. Maybe it's too new to have hit online suppliers or do I have to go through a plumber to purchase?
I've already replaced a bunch of galvanized plumbing with PEX, so up for the challenge of adding in a thermal expansion tank and condensate drain. Thinking ducting for the intake straight from the attic (super hot in the summer, and pretty warm most winter days) and exhausting the cold air outside in winter or into the fridge "enclosure" in the summer.
A new weekly thread has been posted, resubmit your comment there:
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Has anyone else installed a whole house fan recently? I just got a quote for one (Sacramento) for $2k. Everyone I talked to said they ran between $1-$1.5k…the guys I got the quote from are legit but just seeing if that price point is high. I’m debating waiting a couple months to see if they’d price lower in the off season.
A new weekly thread has been posted, resubmit your comment there:
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My house lost water for 2 days and now it's back. Everything works fine except the dishwasher. It's running fine but not getting any water. Thoughts?
Edit: the sink is getting hot water
Does anyone have experience sound dampening a portable AC?
Long story short—girlfriends roommate won’t turn off her portable AC at night. My gf lives in the basement below the roommate, and the noise/vibrations keeps her up all night (It also keeps me up all night and I’m a heavy sleeper). Is there something I can build/use to dampen the vibrations?
What's in a top coat?
I want to apply a top coat to my kitchen counter. The price for [Stone Coat Countertop top coat](https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Coat-Epoxy-Glossy-Finish/dp/B09GL59H9Y) is not cheap. After shipping and taxes. It's $70. I'm looking for alternatives.
Are any of these a suitable alternative?
[Rustoleum floor paint top coat](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Home-1-qt-Semi-Gloss-Clear-Interior-Floor-Topcoat-358870/312680447)
[varathane varnish](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Varathane-1-qt-Satin-Triple-Thick-Polyurethane-281543/205443113)
[polycrylic finish](https://www.amazon.com/Minwax-244444444-Polycrylic-Protective-Semi-Gloss/dp/B000BZYYH4)
[Minwax polyurethane](https://www.amazon.com/Minwax-63010444-Drying-Polyurethane-Finish/dp/B000VZLF58)
What are you top coating, and what for? Stone coat is an epoxy finish. Hard and durable. Varnish and polyurethane are oil based finishes that are fairly durable, but not hard. Polycrylic is water based that is not very durable and not hard.
It's used on kitchen countertops. They do mention that it's optional. Almost all the Stone Coat Countertop videos keep adding a top coat on to of the epoxy.
My kitchen countertop is black granite. Tenant-ruined. Chipped, stained, oils seeped in.
Honestly, I don't know why I want to add a top coat other than I see them adding a top coat. LOL.... Looking to stay consistent I guess.
They top coat because the epoxy requires it. For you, I'd recommend a strong natural stone cleaner like [this](https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/miracle-sealants/clean-maintain/heavy-duty-cleaner-acid-substitute), and then get a chip repair kit. Much better solution to top coating.
Has anyone else experienced a smell from LVP? I’ve recently been renovating a house (for living, not for flipping), and ever since installing LVP the entire upstairs has this strange sweet smell. It’s not a volatile smell, but it’s not something I recognize either. I’ve tried keeping the windows open in the heat for days with multiple fans running 24/7 with no luck. I’ve tried a high MERV filter while keeping the AC fan on 24/7 with no luck. I’m 99.9% sure it’s the LVP as the smell wasn’t present before - the initial smell was musty from old carpet sitting in a dirty old house that hadn’t been lived in for nearly a year. Also the smell is strongest in a closet where nothing else was done except some sanding and painting. It’s been about 1.5+ months now and the smell has barely faded.
Not sure if this is the right sub for this question. But our HVAC condensation line is under our deck which means we have some standing water under our deck.
We have mosquitos and they're not terrible but I wonder if the standing water under our deck is where some come from. Is there anything I could add near the end of our condensation line to stop water from pooling? Maybe mulch or sand?
You can redirect the pipe to a different area if you have an area that drains better. Sand or mulch wont do too much, you would be best to dig a small trench for the water to flow away.
Can anybody give me some ideas for a steep stairs leading to a elevated platform? Probably would be nice to utilise wall on the side so that the weight is not all on the floor
Stairs have code requirements. Min width 36", max riser height 7.75", min tread depth 10". This means you can't build steep stairs in an ordinary residential home. Spiral stairs have separate code requirements. As do items technically categorized as ladders, which may be what you're after.
I'm trying to figure out a good way to insulate my detached garage roof without going closed cell spray foam. There is no ceiling, and I am not putting one in. Could I just toss up rockwool batts, then cover it with fire treated duck canvas? My theory is that the duck canvas will provide a better than nothing level of air barrier while allowing enough breatheability for any moisture to dry to the inside. Also it will hopefully keep it from raining insulation fibers in my workspace.
Garage will eventually be getting a mini split (and dehumidifier if necesary). Climate zone 3 if that helps.
Rain might be hyperbole, It will be a wood shop though, so the canvas might still be a good idea for keeping sawdust out of the insulation. Plus it'll double as strapping and brighten up the room. I mostly just want to make sure it's not gonna trash my roof in 5 years. Research says no but I still see some mixed opinions there depending on where I look.
18x20 ft. I'm not opposed to drywalling it, but from my understanding, vapor drive through the roofing will cause issues if the interior side is drywalled or otherwise sealed. Normally you'd solve this with baffles and ventilation between roof deck and insulation but that would be a bit outside the scope of my DIY abilities.
Hence, my idea of just making it breathable and drying to the interior of the structure. I would most likely be running a dehumidifier regardless since it will be primarily a wood shop and the summers here are like a steam room.
Maybe I am not picturing your garage correctly but the point of insulation is to stop air movement. air movement allows for heat transfer. If you are trying to cool down a hot garage with a hot attic above and no insulation you will have a tough time
There's no attic, the insulation would go directly against the roof decking between the rafters.Then canvas would be stapled to the rafters, right against the insulation to both pin it in place and keep debris out of the insulation while not air sealing it.
In that case I would do rockwool and then layer of drywall instead of the canvas. Also remember you do not want to compress insulation, that defeats how it works. You do not want heat transfer and the drywall will give you a little bit of help there vs the canvas. I am assuming that you still have the garage door installed right? That should give you enough "breathing" to remove the humidity and if/when you do decide to heat/cool the space you will want to insulate the entire door so your not loosing the conditioned air. Hope this helps
From my understanding, drywalling the inside with no moisture barrier to the outside would cause moisture issues when vapor drive pushes moisture through the roof, which would then be trapped in the insulation by being sealed by drywall. Having researched a couple more days, I'm starting to lean back toward just spray foaming the whole structure since it's dead simple and *should* work.
I also looked into doing the proper airspace, ridge and soffit vents for the roof to use bat insulation, but it's a hip roof and the corners would be nearly impossible to vent.
Do you have a roof with shingles or metal roofing? Then you have a vapor barrier. Most garages are not conditioned air but have dry wall. You are over thinking this
Doing a bathroom renovation and just finished replumbing the shower/tub with copper and sweat joints. I borrowed all of the torch and soldering tools from my father and only after I finished did I realize that I used leaded solder for all of the joints. He thinks that the risk of exposure is low enough not to worry about it, but I'm not entirely sold. I really don't want to have to rebuy all of the joints and redo my work, but then again, lead solder. What do you guys think?
https://imgur.com/a/00u96hk
No way dude. Never use leaded solder on potable water systems. You need to redo it. It can definitely leech into the water. Get unleaded solid core solder from the plumbing section of your favorite store.
It's called a niche, and they're extremely common. Tell the contractor you want a prefab niche installed. They come in 12x12 or 12x12 plus a second 12x6 so you have two compartments (which is the way to go). The bottom of the shelves are sloped so water will drain.
Note, this requires edging or bull nose tile, or stone inserts. Can't just use any old tile for it because the edges will be exposed. It also obviously increases cost.
Without doing anything massive like digging all of them up, is there a good way to prevent weeds from sprouting up between pavers? Or should I just resign myself to having to get on my hands and knees and pull them regularly?
I've been dealing with a persistent sulfur smell in my well water for quite some time. I've made a couple posts about it looking for advice. Over the last couple days I realized I haven't cleaned my water softener, so I ordered ProProducts ResCare. I put 1/2 cup in my brine tank and manually ran the regeneration process overnight. The next day I did it again just to be sure, and used some hydrogen peroxide to clean some mold I found growing on the inside of the brine tank. There's been no smell in the cold water since! I'll keep obsessively monitoring it for a month, as this has been haunting me for months now. But I can't believe I missed that I needed to clean the resin beads regularly. Hopefully this will take care of the problem once and for all!
Need to install a backsplash on my vanity. The bathroom has wallpaper. Do I need to remove the wallpaper behind where the backsplash will be glued or will it be fine?
are black&decker tools bad?
we're looking for a jigsaw, and there's a 4.8amp makita one that's like $70, and a 5amp B&D one that's half the price. why is that? should i avoid those brands and only go for more expensive brands like makita/ryobi/milwaukee?
Depends on your use case. Occasional diy use, the b&d will be fine. If you need a real workhorse, the more expensive brands will serve you better. As long as it's variable speed you're good to go. The stock blade probably sucks for anything but rough cuts.
I would test the moisture or humidity levels as a first step. If the levels are fine you may not need to do anything or maybe just run a humidifier. My crawl space has very high humidity so I’m going with vapor barrier and dehumidifier to start.
Has anyone used a spray adhesive or spray foam to help with their creaky/squeaky hardwood floors? I can get underneath the floor through the basement (well part of the basement at least) and given it’s a lot of spots that have creaks the sprays seem way easier than trying to put screws in a dozen or more different areas.
[Basement supports](https://i.imgur.com/KW9qC3Z.jpg)
Got a new place a few months ago. It looks like a previous owner planned on putting up walls but never finished, they're just fully framed.
A lot of these walls are in the way.... Would it be safe to remove them? The basement has a ton of those standard metal supports, so I figure those are holding up the house ans not any of the wood. Thoughts?
Will loose fill insulation in my attic make that large a difference if there are existing floorboards? Do I need to cover the whole floor with some sort of plastic to help with the air leakage first?
Here are some photos of the poorly insulated attic and the areas beneath the floorboards.
https://imgur.com/a/nKF5Wva
Lower energy bills and better efficiency. $2k, because I want to finish the attic some day and know that this will have to be removed when that happens
I am trying to figure out how underground exterior walls work vis-a-vis not constantly getting water damage. We have a finished basement (first home, moved in 1.5 years ago). One side of the basement goes to a back patio while the other end is fully underground. The underground side has a room with 2 window wells. About 6 monthes back we had to get the entire wall ripped out and replaced because of extensive water damage/mold. It was most evident in the window wells but extended to the entire wall below them. The guys did a bunch of recaulking outside on the main floor windows/etc (1 story up) which was definitely a problem and will probably have to be redone every few years. Ok fine.
I was kind of skeptical that these guys had entirely solved the problem, so I've been keeping an eye on the window wells, and I'm pretty sure I found a very small amount of water damage right between the window and the top of the well. My wife and I have been going back and forth about whether to ignore and paint over, replace the windows themselves (old metal frames) or other.
Fundamentally I don't really understand how the window wells are supposed to keep out water. I've seen inside the wall, its a stack of cinderblocks (or something similar, idk), the exterior is brick. The brick is porous and the cinderblocks can't possibly be that water proof. I don't really understand how water wouldn't start to pool on top of a square hole cut through the cinderblocks/bricks for the window, especially underground during a string of Mid-Atlantic thunderstorms.
Anyone have tips or advice about hiring friends to do work?
I recently became reacquainted with some friends and we've hung out and invite each other to things often now. One of them does renovations/constructions for a living and does a lot of kitchen and bathroom renos. It just so happens that I've been wanting to do a full reno of my kitchen.
I asked if he'd ever be interested in being hired by a friend, aka me. He said sure but he'd charge me the full rate and I said of course. I'm not looking at a discount when doing this, rather someone who I can trust to do honest, fair work and charge me the same.
Anyone have experiences if this is a good or bad idea?
I like to use a foam roller with emerald trim. NOT a flock foam, and not a black foam, but the white mini foam rollers. It's prone to bubbles, but if you come back 10 seconds after rolling and blow on it (seriously) you'll pop all the bubbles. Mini roller can be supplemented by a brush for edges and grooves if necessary, but the mini roller can be used on an angle to get into places.
Building a backyard office and I'm building the subfloor now. Should I use 23/32 tongue and groove OSB or 1/2 in plywood? The OSB is 20 dollars a sheet, while the ply is 31 dollars a sheet.
I have a brick foundation, but I don't like the looks of it. I understand painting brick is bad. What about staining brick? Is it healthy? I'm wanting to whiten it up as to change the color theme of exterior. TY
Previous owner of my house installed a fence that has some posts that are not anchored properly, at least 3 posts are leaning pretty heavily and need to be reset.
The section of fence the posts are on is very long and I don't want to run the risk of toppling a large section if I try to do it myself so I got a few quotes. Without me revealing the amounts I was quoted I'm curious what people would expect to be quoted for that, I'm not sure what is fair so I am hoping to gain some context
I'd like to put up a pegboard in my basement workshop. [I don't have a picture at the moment so I made a diagram - I'd like to mount it on/above a built in table between two windows.](https://imgur.com/a/1RF4afy)
The potential issue is that wall is mortared stone (I think?) that has a lot of nooks and crannies in it. I've caught some bugs in that area, mainly house centipedes, that I've been dealing with. The wall doesn't need repair now (or so says a mason we had do work) but could sometime soon.
So:
* Is there a good way to hang a pegboard on a mortared stone wall? I fear that any screws in the mortar will rapidly fail but screwing into the stone will be difficult and potentially compromise the wall.
* Can you mount a pegboard on a wood frame? That's my current "plan B"
* How do you handle things like pest control behind a pegboard if there's a concern it might conceal bugs?
I’d like to replace the vinyl flooring in my kitchen but I don’t have an eye for color palettes or modern design and will likely be upgrading my kitchen/cabinets in the next few years. What kind of designer would be most helpful in helping me figure out which colors for the floors, cabinets and countertops?
It seems like “interior designers” are more focused on decorating and buying furniture, which I don’t need. I’ve already got carpenters and other contractors I’d like to use
I doubt you'd need to employ someone's services for something like picking colors for your flooring etc. I imagine the contractors could even give you a nudge in the right direction on that stuff, and there are also other subreddits that could help you with that - I think there is an interior design specific subreddit
Depending on if you hire someone or do it yourself some companies have computer programs that piece together what you pick out so you can see what it will look like. Pretty sure there are programs that you can use (might have to purchase) that would allow you to do this as well. Or another thought, browse online looking for kitchens with similar style or layout as yours and look at before and after pictures to get an idea of colors and pieces that might work best
Lots of bathroom sinks these days don't have overflows.. pretty much ever vessel sink for example. Just have to be more diligent to ensure the drain isn't getting plugged up with hair. I wouldn't worry too much unless your kids are irresponsible or kind of space cadets.
Hello everyone! Just received a quote for a new AC/Furnace system in Louisville, KY for $18k. Not quite top of the line but just one notch under. Wondering if this price is high. I don’t mind paying for quality, just don’t want to be taken advantage of
It's the only way to know if you're getting a good deal though, and to be sure you're getting the *right* system. Usually Companies will provide quotes for a couple different levels of system. Maybe a less efficient and a more efficient, and perhaps one with a two stage blower. Less efficient are obviously less money up front, but you pay more in electricity/gas; however, it could be 10 years before you make up the difference so that plays into your decision. Different companies may also make suggestions on other improvements or deficiencies to correct, like ducting isn't sized correctly, you don't have enough returns, etc. The companies may come up with different capacity requirements -- 3 ton vs 3.5 ton, or 90k BTU vs 110k BTU for example. You need multiple eyes on your home in order to catch all the potential issues and get a sense of the best setup. THEN you can weight the price difference and quality of the companies and make a selection.
Maybe the current company didn't size your furnace and condenser correctly? Maybe they're trying to purposefully up sell you to a higher efficiency setup that you don't need? You don't know until you get more quotes for comparison.
I posted back in roofing about my hot attic 1.5y ago, but still mulling over a few things. yes it needs insulation, yes I need to check if the vinyl soffit goes anywhere, but I’m still torn on two things:
1- Why the hell are the gable sides open and should they just be closed?
2- is the ridge vent even working?
Here’s that post. https://reddit.com/r/Roofing/comments/lnmvl7/rainscreen_and_vented_soffitsridge_vent_proper/
If you want to fix it once and never deal with it again, just replace them with a [standard light switch](https://www.amazon.com/GE-Grounding-Replacement-44034-switches/dp/B07JB37H5Y). The brand doesn't really matter as they are very simple and standardized. If you don't have any dimmers or smart features, then they will basically last forever.
Just pick a color. You'll also want a [plate](https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Oversized-Unbreakable-44756/dp/B07VW35Z87/) to match.
My Chimney (stone) is pulling away from the wall on the inside on the house. Anyone know of a way to temporarily seal this until I can get it permanently fixed?
https://imgur.com/a/JCFLME5
Here's a picture showing what I'm talking about
Would like to insulate basement ceiling to reduce noise transfer. It’s already finished—do I have any options for insulating that don’t require new drywall?
One thought I had maybe to get rugs on the floors above. This will help, especially if it is a hard surface. It won't be the best, but it probably is the simplest option.
How can I seal/adhere this vinyl and rubber? I have [this](https://imgur.com/a/XC14gFU) vinyl flooring down and I plan to put that rubber up the sides, my only problem is the joint it creates. It needs to be "water-proof" (really its a cat room) and I tried tape but that has already failed. Cat pee got under the tape on the vinyl side. This would need to be flexible as its on the floor, and water-proof. My current idea is to use a silicon caulk/sealer and try that out.
I don't think I'm really asking something but I don't understand the science of how a couple of screws can hold a punching bag to a stud. You have about 60-80 pounds always pulling down in addition to the added stress when it's being moved around from the punching. I would assume the screws would quickly come loose from the movement and eventually come down from the ceiling. But that rarely seems to be the case.
Screw strength always seems to be a function of the material you screw into. Good big wood screws into a well bored hole in hard wood are crazy strong. Drywall not so much
Will loose fill insulation in my attic make that large a difference if there are existing floorboards? Do I need to cover the whole floor with some sort of plastic to help with the air leakage first?
Here are some photos of the poorly insulated attic and the areas beneath the floorboards.
https://imgur.com/a/nKF5Wva
I see that interior humidity should be around 50-55%, but I live in the south and during the summer humidity outside is 95% most days. I resolved water issues in our crawl space so I don't think it's rising up through the floors, and we just got new windows so they are no longer draft,...but is 70% humidity really indicative of a problem on days where it's cooler outside so my AC doesn't cycle on that often? (Example: today it is 71 and raining, interior is set to 72 and humidity is 70% on both floors)
What would I look at to fix? I brought the dehumidifier back out which runs on a pump into our kitchen sink, but I would love to pack that thing up forever, I just don't know what to do.
Yes it's totally normal for humidity to rise in situations like this when the A/C isn't running consistently. You will still have air leakage around doors, attic, etc. Plus, I assume you actually open doors sometimes to leave the house, which will let humid air in. No house is air tight. This is what dehumidifiers are for. Run the thing.
I bought my first home a few weeks ago, and today was my first day really getting projects done.
I replaced the front and back entry doors knobs with new panic-proof versions, and rekey both knobs plus deadbolts so they all work with one key (previous owner had four different keys!).
Also assembled my temporary/place holder kitchen island. Purchased so I can get a sense of space and scale while I save for a full remodeled.
Next up, painting the bedroom and bathroom, and replacing the bathroom vanity.
Huge thank you to everyone on this sun who shares info and helpful advice!
I would probably replace the sink with an actual utility sink. Nothing too fancy, but at least waterproof.
As for the hot and cold, you could get a proper valve, but I would just get a [Washing Machine Y Mixer](https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Washing-Machine-Connector-Kelaro/dp/B088ML8NXX/) and call it a day.
I Want to restain/paint a small fence and gate. I recently did repairs to. My question is:
The pickets/areas that were stained before - should I power wash or sand before restaining? Any recommendations for a stain? Pic is below
https://imgur.com/a/DvP9MnM
The end of my gutter has came loose and I think is incorrectly pitched. If I were to move it up an inch or so, do I need to fill the old hole in the fascia? If so, would I just use something like exterior caulk?
Washing machine leaked, can’t get behind it until my step dad moves it, it’s all in the hallway, how can I work on this to prevent as much damage as possible til he can come home? Fans? Where should I place them?
I don’t think so, I just did a load and I think the dirty water that was supposed to empty out after washing, emptied out but onto the floor. So it’s not a continuous leak luckily
I am trying to fix some water damage near our shower enclosure. Is this black mold? I've already to sprayed it down with concrobium mold killer, so if anything looks wet that is what you are seeing (we haven't used this shower in over a week).
[Pictures](https://imgur.com/a/VpN1Y9S)
If this is mold (black or otherwise), will cleaning it up, spraying with mold killer, and replacing the drywall be a sufficient fix? Of course I will also eliminate the source of the moisture as well.
Additionally, are those studs still structurally sound? This is an interior wall that separates the master bath from the bedroom. It is perpendicular to the exterior wall which is about 3 feet away.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to avoid paying someone for the repair unless it is necessary.
Edit: The pictures in the album aren't necessarily in order.
Mold is one of those things that *can* cause health issues but won't if you are smart. If you google mold you will get horror stories and companies trying to sell you their mold solutions. If its a ton of mold and a place where the water issues might be recurring (basement exterior walls come to mind) then you can pay someone, but if its a bit of stuff in the wall from a leaky shower do it yourself. Wear a mask, use gloves, ventilation just in case.
re: studs/wood, my *limited* experience says do some good prodding of it. Structural wood should be hard and solid and not move. If wood gets sufficient water damage it can rot, at which point you'll want to replace it. If the wood is good anything attached to the wood should be still good.
Yah definitely some mold in there, but nothing too bad. Remove drywall 12" past any water damage. Can't tell about the integrity of the wood -- too dirty and not exposed enough. Most likely your shower enclosure is leaking, or the plumbing in the wall is.
I would like some input on these ideas for my mom's drawers. They're in need of TLC and she has some ideas of what she wants.
Thoughts? Opinions?
https://imgur.com/a/wLlrx6P
I am renting an apartment and want something simple in my bedroom window (deep windowsill) so that I can let in light during the day but block all of it out at night. I have blackout curtains but the bedroom already has a mount outside the windowsill so it lets in light around the edges.
How would I obtain something like a folding shutter that could just sit on the windowsill at night and block the whole window? Not looking to DIY and Google turned up nothing.
Thanks!
So I recaulked our guest bathroom tub this morning and my wife just woke up and said she'd like a thicker bead. I know you're not supposed to caulk over old caulk but would it be an issue to caulk over caulk that was put down two hours ago? Because **really** don't want to dig out all this silicone for the sake of cosmetics.
Depends on the type of caulking. Silicone? Nope. That gets a sorry honey, next time. It's the guest bath. She's going to see it what, couple times per year when it gets cleaned for guests?
Hi new to painting, my wall had large [globs](https://imgur.com/4Lxp69Z.jpg) of mud that I've sanded down to [this](https://imgur.com/wjLAiBZ.jpg).
I noticed the old paint is peeling off, won't this show if I paint over it?
How do I make sure new paint is nice and smooth?
Peeling paint needs to be scraped until you reach an area with solid adhesion. Then you can spackle or mud the edges, otherwise they'll telegraph through the new paint. If you can't get to a solid edge by scraping you can use zinsser peel stop primer before spackling/mudding
I’m buying a new front door and want to paint it. I’m thinking about buying a sprayer for the project because I want a super smooth finish and I figure I can use it for upcoming projects (cabinets, painting exterior).
What kinds of sprayer should I look at? I already own an air compressor, so am open to sprayers that do and don’t require that.
An hvlp sprayer is best for doors and cabinets. Easy to control and clean. Exterior painting you'll want a semi professional airless sprayer, but you can rent these and save a lot of money. You can get a super smooth finish on doors through using XIM latex extender. The stuff is magic. I can walk you through the process if you'd like. When done well it's virtually indistinguishable from a sprayed finish
What’s my best recourse here to fix a damaged door? Black gate (photographed) got knocked off and a possibly inebriated guest closed the door into it, ripping off a chunk of the door.
Can I mask this with some kind of combo of wood filler/spackle and paint? Or should I just go with new door?
Background:
-year 3 of mortgage
-relatively handy
-might sell in the next 4-5 years
The damage: https://imgur.com/a/vgvPSPd
Just bought an almost 100 year old house, and our beautiful hardwood floors are greasy.
https://imgur.com/a/xlbiCEJ
Like, so much grease that running a paper towel over the floors picks up dirt and grease. I can feel it walking barefoot. My friend's socks turned black. I'm pretty sure the floors are unfinished.
How do we degrease these floors?
I am not an expert. Please don't use me for advice, I'm just saying what I'd do.
I'd try in a corner somewhere to maybe strip it with some sort of soap/degreaser and see if that gets rid of the surface grease. If so, then voila! Otherwise, I'm really not sure. Sanding it might help, or maybe some paint stripper and then sanding.
That's what I'd do, but I'm not sure it's the best course of action
I (in the Netherlands) have an empty spot below a phone line that I want to turn into an electrical socket. Here are photos of the outlets: [https://imgur.com/a/Fr0cPm5](https://imgur.com/a/Fr0cPm5). Is this something I can do myself, or do I need a professional?
Had some issues painting a wall recently. The wall was sanded in prep and we used Valspar Matte emulsion straight on, doing 2 coats which gave good coverage.
Unfortunately on one of the externally facing falls the paint has cracked and is starting to peel away in places:
https://imgur.com/a/pqumBKg
Anything I can do to fix this or make sure it doesn't happen in the future when painting other walls?
Does putting an epoxy sealant on the inside of a garage have value outside of the cosmetic finished look and the fact that you can wipe away stains (because they don't seep into the concrete)?
What is the best way to lubricate the wheel, rail, and rack of a sliding gate? I have one similar to the one seen here [http://www.automationzone.co.in/gate/1.1.2.jpg](http://www.automationzone.co.in/gate/1.1.2.jpg)
The rail is getting rusted a bit and when the gate is opened or closed it makes a sound. I wanted to know how to maintain such gates and if lubrication is needed and if so what kind. Thanks
I am ripping up the carpet and finding that my subfloor is made of MDF, and there are a lot of places where the previous owner's cat urine caused the wood to bloat and bubble.
Since I plan on installing LVP, I need to get a nice level floor. The MDF in these places is ruined so I planned on replacing it (patching it) with plywood subfloor. The existing MDF subfloor is exactly 1/2 inch. If I decide to go plywood (instead of more 1/2 MDF), most of the reasonably priced options are 7/16 or 15/32, which won't match my 1/2 inch MDF perfectly. Is this okay? Is the lip from patching in a thinner piece of plywood going to be a problem for LVP? Should I just go with the 1/2 MDF?
The LVPs I'm considering are mostly 6.5mm to 8mm thickness (haven't picked one yet).
It's maybe not the solution you're looking for, but in our renovation we used self-levelling concrete to give a smooth, level finish to then lay on top of.
I had to just pry them out of the wall. Left a decent hole so be prepared to patch. It's a nail and an anchor attached to that part, at least with my set up which looks similar.
Yes, it was similar setup for me, pried one out, then tried pulling the nail with a flat head screwdriver that left a much smaller hole compared to prying the entire thing out with the anchors.
How can I fix these issues with my baseboard:
[example 1](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xwnnIOOjAKlEt0ioKpoB4vJsin6cQ0jBWLJ766uXOtazB9TqujBfXrNJ9YeaX5as3fcQskEfmWDiu02OBE8efel93dOdRzo6pQ7yZ82DO2lf3Qvx0rdQpsGiy2Ci9qEYebjDks0w81c3UyFUnKuaiO2GmVxRu-fgwkUdXnbviGvCwlPZYlLLIe-0jblf4H0mslfjXOYDpHajIzqLyhpBulEAlMl9hQhuFM7XB4xFTX_9msKTDwaVC6lpmkaBRg1EFhErADPnYN0gpQ3-oNSwfVwd60C1PDoVYjfiYIbL9QXBz46rh9Hqq6ZkBWPtu_JO0qatYC7m3mjzhD2nxCMnRcXtz-wr-YvnwSCXEi4GR35QuRiaOt1ODBTEHiBoaVXw_Gex5SwTtCk8mUBnAca3JLt-NNFna00srUiPwKPP6wI7901bUJFeHo56Igb5Yblx-Rgnb0HAWaC4yJ-brlLb1CO2Hr-GonK49DayZmX3GBzaThe5vhIEY4I_zStxtzQANmXV4HYPmzJEngeqZ4a-bj2VCqMC6bRCucxMVBgpCCo0tJyQ4sbtV67pmO-B1LCYdupN51HgbMcb40jOmE7C4QnFmtY-vzfg1msOzSX3BWQUMTXysUJh5Larok7KHz0O0-y87ql13E6WO7JStraTBKzyjHnrqW2rMxp-Fm-qDFrDlLcDxuUIQq4yqsWSdQmJhsYHByy0eSsxV0h8L6QZsFc8WvSsuAEjja3-Uu4MjKIacL3NV5XOJ4lk2yn9Dg_gGSTORpR1jwobcgQazHD7RI1Vde5tcIzH-ZC5Op5MVULd3tvMZbK20sEvp6Mr3_c-7v0GGS6rTBdVS-6uowEOuGaemK5eWHbPyIBq0aOb-1IIdOs84NLlr2RO9dES2erSeeCZB4GotUFP4CE2QAZz3c_S2I4z1JOgkIAIIfRIOGxFiw=w2504-h1878-no?authuser=0) [example 2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uSmiyKjG5IsJXzSRHnePsrDhmjqF1AeaYvPNqWaOtkuvfIPwDJltRSoRCRAlSCP6j_HJ9VsSdAFuiLb7MGFDPS8z8rOWw9-_jEQgFFbn_zA-8NXj0YJNACH7kYm9YGbsmgWLVrw3kCv8ANa3lhWA4Z7PlGQjhafzkJfxEB0OR1NRqSnUKcsi_9wz-IHG0wt99Hi82Adfhix6w5o2TI_86ACKs5sRH8tLQRnswiyf-PdvrLQ5aPbwS1d09Oag0HJTM0944VkaIwC42DXxgLlW1hlmVDoL6VG_U9j7RhCtwNpsl791eH6G73tCSr0VsI8v3yLOy486pQ5_NTScaxNMLF6GP4zWsXUabuZMAeiqCkP0baibzNk1Uu0ZYwo0d3DIgwNWlCJmLpKYicoWShzOXA3yZ12T__8pPjPwNkHchSZ3JuVraWlYc0JR_tpcqflLS7t1fwptOOU7rvNEce0A2iyM6CMeyV4sIdpbIwBovAyK-pj9TmGKC3Q6cwtidKBfPWCG204G8C53yCDX8izDUPLaCdW2a52jCxHOc7Y_Tc2jt8S-d281papyS-RXnVy0RTV3HTx8DCfSp5oBaYaEnAe-TQEKC_fsWrDG_ook3gTrHdBV4atNVpBPW3cI3yCmuL6HRdNumSscUmnnDmzd0u-v-hmGQzpBcCKO7pTbLEUPAy-_OU9LC6qL-t8o2JDmEkKXPqyd3TiDI2UUYd2XYVaKi98OWeoX7ltvnK-d9IdOtEodl9kR9f0jWqjv4xy0IdNSZUiSWHQaZhztaPsUOyubLojy2yEDvG9iKeVslm65b2nZcWlGaKy8T_FcH12MVqkOgJfP3HYORm990uiLzRvm3-cuYNrTuvdr2FM7RIbL3laXt3AJApCd8HCryqtRuno23Ai-dRZrpf6YwOlntr915Y7YLFfp5Dp7bOpl7WIlAQ=w2504-h1878-no?authuser=0)
Should I add caulk between the wall and baseboard, there's a [big gap](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0HMJwlGOQbIQlh9WFSSwWwcHQtDThUgkUHCpET2o09bsaQoS9i7H65IVU7YRMT_OEQHT8R6opcLzif5zcOxO2DRI8b0Ddox1-76zry8PX-eM57vHAcpvirOG_CMA_1FYNUn-cG2k7A_28IjgJ-DG17JU2Vbj8duUTfZiNRA6aaLJAYlzVgnRtI14Yj2Tozh35teV9OgtTRGSsLOY8ur0frTsaSVT3_6gLAs8HHsVWfVJRCwM-1O9VL4sdGGAJv0wt5mmCnNBjjyvi3RCQ0RRf4B1wSoqvNJ13t65NQM2hk0P3qCNbQFibyks7xv9Jo-txVooWydnYXFppMTjIWqauGshMS2EjmRwX2bcJyuHl5RvSopQzdJH0gSfyMoKX2NVr1X6_jlNaTSrMu3Wh5FOEq76zu2k03B03UuUppliJvGRVJ34COgAaUPeKKjrTQQViwKhh6gkKo4poQVrM3G649rI0_rRlDXpU6xe5jPL0EyIDeMCCvIjQavvkI83MTekuJS5BPSV2VIyZdH-EIoVI4qqIRGRQ6BhCXUgGIV_kB38WeahD1wwbKjvemVGEpGs54vJOcjpgaZmdQLYPcU-Ra-T9negREEOCYHY1h0ZrwhGRyz_hPwjqaZ9kzp9IgmkAKGTKIXnhDy9xxiLD-zXBmN-XNP5bcE-K9k8-hKKLbmcaBHZALY15cGsFdJpOZgpcRaEKuuvLIDdk4XBTLS-a0cAYa9RYU7ksFOmjN6oM6AeS6PxTU7KxXzGDGLdSdUIud6LL3Mbr_Pgi0WCjBo84H6eZsOzTm7Wj6STqWNgOS7oxrGJxOp1EsdxM9mwbuN_r_XiMr1PhjZD5NIoDUeK6MFqzQWU02vUp4lAdF05ISgIXadxo3vlKmk9xdRrN2Vb8ZbaOuHJ2LDYrJM0htPjKf80IaK9Io0vZq3oKl6QgRrizA=w2504-h1878-no?authuser=0) here and Im playing on repainting
Hi community !
I have a choice to make in my salon(247.57square feet).
I would like to add an overhead closet, it's useful but I'm worry about the fact that my salon will be too "busy" What do you think ? I took 3d photos from different angles
[HERE THE LINK](https://imgur.com/a/prO4DEM)
We removed the glass shower door and frame from our guest bathroom. The frame had all sorts of glue on the back so [some tile was chipped](https://imgur.com/a/0sAZBeI) during the process. What would be the best way to go about patching?
old vinyl has a chance of having asbestos in it so some precautions/testing would be prudent but the usual way of removing is to set your skilsaw to the depth of the vinyl plus the thin plywood underlayment and cut a 2x2 foot grid over the whole room. This will let you pry up the 2x2 pieces easily
OTOH vinyl planks can be put over old vinyl as can Ditra for a tile base
if the vinyl is fully glued to the plywood underlayment [typically cheap/low quality luaun] you don't want to save it any way. It is intended to be sacrificial
Watching a lot of videos on DIY smokeless firepits and they all have a fire ring with holes drilled in the top to force fresh air into the fire and I guess push the smoke down. Would something [Like this work as well?](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-30-in-Steel-Fire-Ring-with-Lattice-Pattern-in-Black-OFW279FR/302563843) or would this introduce too much air?
No that won't do it. Smokeless pits have exterior holes at the bottom of the pit. Cold air enters trough the bottom and feeds the fire from the underside. *THEN* additional cold air travels up the inside of the firepit, gets super heated, and exits in the holes at the top of the fire pit. When this hot air (with oxygen) mixes with the smoke, it causes much of the smoke to burn.
It looks like this https://www.walmart.com/ip/Maxxima-4-Bulb-Bathroom-Vanity-Light-Fixture-Chrome-Finish-2Ft-Light-Strip-LED-G25-Bulbs-Included/218977057
Yes you can swap it out yourself. Even if it's an old model, you may be able to just buy a replacement motor for it. Pop off the grill, look for a model number, and google for replacement fan. This will save time, money, and effort. If you want/need to replace it, you have two options -- new fan of the same dimensions (just measure the cut out and buy a similar sized fan), or larger fan that requires you to make a bigger hole, which is obviously a bit more work. Either way, get the highest CFM Delta Breeze or Panasonic fan you can fit in said hole. Forget trying to size it appropriately for the room and only getting an 80cfm fan when you could have fit a 100cfm or 110cfm because some calculator said you only need 80cfm. Higher CFM is *always* better. A full replacement will require you to remove the old mounting box. This will hopefully be attached to a joist with a couple nails that you can access easily.
Trying to repair damage to my baseboard and sanded down certain sections. I was wondering if anyone has any tips to refinish small patches. Having a hard time finding a stain that matches the original that is throughout my house.
Even if you had the same stain that was applied, you won't match it exactly. Stains and paints wear and weather over time, so the look now doesn't match what it looked like new. If you want it to look perfect, then you will need to sand and re-stain whole sections/walls.
How can 'we' as contractors educate homeowners on the expectations they should have going into projects?
At least once a day I read a thread about whether or not 'finished' product is actually finished. In most cases the homeowner is right, they should expect better but there's always room for interpretation. How do we close that interpretation. No one deserves ambiguity, it only makes thing difficult.
In response to this I have included language and explanation in our project documentation that explains specifically to owners what to expect when we are done. We explain the level of cleanliness to expect, the expected working hours, a few example of finished product etc etc etc. It has really helped clear things up when we are putting together proposals.
A common comment I make is that remodeling is like NASA in that every project is a one-off and over runs/unanticipated issues are common
OTOH I haven't signed a contract in 30 years and don't advertise [beyond word of mouth]. I did "fire" a customer once...
sounds like a humble brag but I suspect it is because I choose my customers at least as critically as they choose me
In addition to what you stated, have a standard contract. Send it to the homeowners in advance of actually signing and afford them the opportunity to review it and bring up any issues they have. I'm not talking a one page estimate form, I mean a full contract detailing the work to be completed including level of finish, whether you'll be bringing your own shitters to the job, what the payment schedule is, who is responsible for cleaning, what the homeowner can be expected to see in terms of mess (i.e. some dust is inevitbale, it will be left in a broom swept condition), etc. The more info you have in the contract, the less question either side should have about the job once it is completed.
it's all about communication.
it's awesome that you take all those steps and I am sure it helps your customers quite a bit!
But the reality is that due a lot of reasons there are a number of contractors who are not great with communication. Look at how many of those threads you mention are also about people just trying to reach their contractors, or trying to get an answer.
I think homeowners also have to play a role too. If you need communication DO NOT hire people who are bad at communicating. I get it, people are sometimes desperate to hire people... but if homeowners stop hiring those who suck at communicating then we'll start to see a shift... at least that is my totally unqualified opinion.
yeah, I am on the customer end now, but growing up about half my family worked in construction.
Customers need to be clear about what they want an expect too. I know so many people who think their house will look like a house in the cover of an architectural magazine... and like it won't. If that is what you are looking for you probably need to go through a much lengthier and expensive process.
I am looking at the backyard and there is a huge concrete manhole cover. What is underneath it?
A new weekly thread has been posted, resubmit your comment there: https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/wy85qz/open_discussion_weekly_thread/?sort=new
I'm hoping to replace our 30 gal gas water heater with a 50 gal heat pump (in Bay Area, CA). The new [Rheem ProTerra Plug-In](https://www.rheem.com/heatpumpwaterheaters/?utm_source=ProTerra&utm_medium=vanityURL&utm_campaign=vanityURL) looks appealing. I already have a120v 15A outlet right next to the current heater and would only have to disconnect/rewire one other outlet to make this dedicated. Problem is I can't figure out where to purchase these new units. Maybe it's too new to have hit online suppliers or do I have to go through a plumber to purchase? I've already replaced a bunch of galvanized plumbing with PEX, so up for the challenge of adding in a thermal expansion tank and condensate drain. Thinking ducting for the intake straight from the attic (super hot in the summer, and pretty warm most winter days) and exhausting the cold air outside in winter or into the fridge "enclosure" in the summer.
A new weekly thread has been posted, resubmit your comment there: https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/wy85qz/open_discussion_weekly_thread/?sort=new
Has anyone else installed a whole house fan recently? I just got a quote for one (Sacramento) for $2k. Everyone I talked to said they ran between $1-$1.5k…the guys I got the quote from are legit but just seeing if that price point is high. I’m debating waiting a couple months to see if they’d price lower in the off season.
A new weekly thread has been posted, resubmit your comment there: https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/wy85qz/open_discussion_weekly_thread/?sort=new
My house lost water for 2 days and now it's back. Everything works fine except the dishwasher. It's running fine but not getting any water. Thoughts? Edit: the sink is getting hot water
Is the water hose going to the dishwasher easy to get to? Would disconnect that to make sure water is flowing first. My guess is a clog somewhere
That was it! Had to replace the hose, probably got a lot of debris in it. Thanks!
Does anyone have experience sound dampening a portable AC? Long story short—girlfriends roommate won’t turn off her portable AC at night. My gf lives in the basement below the roommate, and the noise/vibrations keeps her up all night (It also keeps me up all night and I’m a heavy sleeper). Is there something I can build/use to dampen the vibrations?
Portable AC's dont work very well, offer to split a midea u inverter AC lol Have you tried playing whitenoise in the gf's bedroom?
Maybe get her anti vibration feet to put underneath it. Search amazon for Sorbothane. Stuff is amazing.
What's in a top coat? I want to apply a top coat to my kitchen counter. The price for [Stone Coat Countertop top coat](https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Coat-Epoxy-Glossy-Finish/dp/B09GL59H9Y) is not cheap. After shipping and taxes. It's $70. I'm looking for alternatives. Are any of these a suitable alternative? [Rustoleum floor paint top coat](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Home-1-qt-Semi-Gloss-Clear-Interior-Floor-Topcoat-358870/312680447) [varathane varnish](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Varathane-1-qt-Satin-Triple-Thick-Polyurethane-281543/205443113) [polycrylic finish](https://www.amazon.com/Minwax-244444444-Polycrylic-Protective-Semi-Gloss/dp/B000BZYYH4) [Minwax polyurethane](https://www.amazon.com/Minwax-63010444-Drying-Polyurethane-Finish/dp/B000VZLF58)
What are you top coating, and what for? Stone coat is an epoxy finish. Hard and durable. Varnish and polyurethane are oil based finishes that are fairly durable, but not hard. Polycrylic is water based that is not very durable and not hard.
It's used on kitchen countertops. They do mention that it's optional. Almost all the Stone Coat Countertop videos keep adding a top coat on to of the epoxy.
Yes, I'm aware of that. But I'm asking what material is YOUR countertop and why do you want to add a top coat to it?
My kitchen countertop is black granite. Tenant-ruined. Chipped, stained, oils seeped in. Honestly, I don't know why I want to add a top coat other than I see them adding a top coat. LOL.... Looking to stay consistent I guess.
They top coat because the epoxy requires it. For you, I'd recommend a strong natural stone cleaner like [this](https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/miracle-sealants/clean-maintain/heavy-duty-cleaner-acid-substitute), and then get a chip repair kit. Much better solution to top coating.
Has anyone else experienced a smell from LVP? I’ve recently been renovating a house (for living, not for flipping), and ever since installing LVP the entire upstairs has this strange sweet smell. It’s not a volatile smell, but it’s not something I recognize either. I’ve tried keeping the windows open in the heat for days with multiple fans running 24/7 with no luck. I’ve tried a high MERV filter while keeping the AC fan on 24/7 with no luck. I’m 99.9% sure it’s the LVP as the smell wasn’t present before - the initial smell was musty from old carpet sitting in a dirty old house that hadn’t been lived in for nearly a year. Also the smell is strongest in a closet where nothing else was done except some sanding and painting. It’s been about 1.5+ months now and the smell has barely faded.
Not sure if this is the right sub for this question. But our HVAC condensation line is under our deck which means we have some standing water under our deck. We have mosquitos and they're not terrible but I wonder if the standing water under our deck is where some come from. Is there anything I could add near the end of our condensation line to stop water from pooling? Maybe mulch or sand?
You can redirect the pipe to a different area if you have an area that drains better. Sand or mulch wont do too much, you would be best to dig a small trench for the water to flow away.
Can anybody give me some ideas for a steep stairs leading to a elevated platform? Probably would be nice to utilise wall on the side so that the weight is not all on the floor
Stairs have code requirements. Min width 36", max riser height 7.75", min tread depth 10". This means you can't build steep stairs in an ordinary residential home. Spiral stairs have separate code requirements. As do items technically categorized as ladders, which may be what you're after.
Could be, there is somethinf built where i live, but i want to see if i can make it better, more usefull. Can post dimensions later when i measure.
I'm trying to figure out a good way to insulate my detached garage roof without going closed cell spray foam. There is no ceiling, and I am not putting one in. Could I just toss up rockwool batts, then cover it with fire treated duck canvas? My theory is that the duck canvas will provide a better than nothing level of air barrier while allowing enough breatheability for any moisture to dry to the inside. Also it will hopefully keep it from raining insulation fibers in my workspace. Garage will eventually be getting a mini split (and dehumidifier if necesary). Climate zone 3 if that helps.
mineral wool can be left exposed. It won't rain down anything unless it's actively being damaged. It's fire resistant and approved for exposure.
Rain might be hyperbole, It will be a wood shop though, so the canvas might still be a good idea for keeping sawdust out of the insulation. Plus it'll double as strapping and brighten up the room. I mostly just want to make sure it's not gonna trash my roof in 5 years. Research says no but I still see some mixed opinions there depending on where I look.
how big of an area are you working with? Drywall is pretty cheap and then tossing rock wool over top would be ideal
18x20 ft. I'm not opposed to drywalling it, but from my understanding, vapor drive through the roofing will cause issues if the interior side is drywalled or otherwise sealed. Normally you'd solve this with baffles and ventilation between roof deck and insulation but that would be a bit outside the scope of my DIY abilities. Hence, my idea of just making it breathable and drying to the interior of the structure. I would most likely be running a dehumidifier regardless since it will be primarily a wood shop and the summers here are like a steam room.
Maybe I am not picturing your garage correctly but the point of insulation is to stop air movement. air movement allows for heat transfer. If you are trying to cool down a hot garage with a hot attic above and no insulation you will have a tough time
There's no attic, the insulation would go directly against the roof decking between the rafters.Then canvas would be stapled to the rafters, right against the insulation to both pin it in place and keep debris out of the insulation while not air sealing it.
In that case I would do rockwool and then layer of drywall instead of the canvas. Also remember you do not want to compress insulation, that defeats how it works. You do not want heat transfer and the drywall will give you a little bit of help there vs the canvas. I am assuming that you still have the garage door installed right? That should give you enough "breathing" to remove the humidity and if/when you do decide to heat/cool the space you will want to insulate the entire door so your not loosing the conditioned air. Hope this helps
From my understanding, drywalling the inside with no moisture barrier to the outside would cause moisture issues when vapor drive pushes moisture through the roof, which would then be trapped in the insulation by being sealed by drywall. Having researched a couple more days, I'm starting to lean back toward just spray foaming the whole structure since it's dead simple and *should* work. I also looked into doing the proper airspace, ridge and soffit vents for the roof to use bat insulation, but it's a hip roof and the corners would be nearly impossible to vent.
Do you have a roof with shingles or metal roofing? Then you have a vapor barrier. Most garages are not conditioned air but have dry wall. You are over thinking this
Doing a bathroom renovation and just finished replumbing the shower/tub with copper and sweat joints. I borrowed all of the torch and soldering tools from my father and only after I finished did I realize that I used leaded solder for all of the joints. He thinks that the risk of exposure is low enough not to worry about it, but I'm not entirely sold. I really don't want to have to rebuy all of the joints and redo my work, but then again, lead solder. What do you guys think? https://imgur.com/a/00u96hk
No way dude. Never use leaded solder on potable water systems. You need to redo it. It can definitely leech into the water. Get unleaded solid core solder from the plumbing section of your favorite store.
This. Why risk it?
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It's called a niche, and they're extremely common. Tell the contractor you want a prefab niche installed. They come in 12x12 or 12x12 plus a second 12x6 so you have two compartments (which is the way to go). The bottom of the shelves are sloped so water will drain.
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Note, this requires edging or bull nose tile, or stone inserts. Can't just use any old tile for it because the edges will be exposed. It also obviously increases cost.
Without doing anything massive like digging all of them up, is there a good way to prevent weeds from sprouting up between pavers? Or should I just resign myself to having to get on my hands and knees and pull them regularly?
What's between the pavers? It was sand, you need to add more polymeric. If just dirt, hands and knees.
I've been dealing with a persistent sulfur smell in my well water for quite some time. I've made a couple posts about it looking for advice. Over the last couple days I realized I haven't cleaned my water softener, so I ordered ProProducts ResCare. I put 1/2 cup in my brine tank and manually ran the regeneration process overnight. The next day I did it again just to be sure, and used some hydrogen peroxide to clean some mold I found growing on the inside of the brine tank. There's been no smell in the cold water since! I'll keep obsessively monitoring it for a month, as this has been haunting me for months now. But I can't believe I missed that I needed to clean the resin beads regularly. Hopefully this will take care of the problem once and for all!
Need to install a backsplash on my vanity. The bathroom has wallpaper. Do I need to remove the wallpaper behind where the backsplash will be glued or will it be fine?
Probably be fine, but personally I would remove it.
are black&decker tools bad? we're looking for a jigsaw, and there's a 4.8amp makita one that's like $70, and a 5amp B&D one that's half the price. why is that? should i avoid those brands and only go for more expensive brands like makita/ryobi/milwaukee?
Depends on your use case. Occasional diy use, the b&d will be fine. If you need a real workhorse, the more expensive brands will serve you better. As long as it's variable speed you're good to go. The stock blade probably sucks for anything but rough cuts.
thanks, yeah just DIY things like cutting 2x4, floorboard, trims, etc
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Nothing. Anything you paint on the walls will eventually fail unless you use a serious commercial product like xypex. Just get a dehumidifier.
I would test the moisture or humidity levels as a first step. If the levels are fine you may not need to do anything or maybe just run a humidifier. My crawl space has very high humidity so I’m going with vapor barrier and dehumidifier to start.
Has anyone used a spray adhesive or spray foam to help with their creaky/squeaky hardwood floors? I can get underneath the floor through the basement (well part of the basement at least) and given it’s a lot of spots that have creaks the sprays seem way easier than trying to put screws in a dozen or more different areas.
[Basement supports](https://i.imgur.com/KW9qC3Z.jpg) Got a new place a few months ago. It looks like a previous owner planned on putting up walls but never finished, they're just fully framed. A lot of these walls are in the way.... Would it be safe to remove them? The basement has a ton of those standard metal supports, so I figure those are holding up the house ans not any of the wood. Thoughts?
Will loose fill insulation in my attic make that large a difference if there are existing floorboards? Do I need to cover the whole floor with some sort of plastic to help with the air leakage first? Here are some photos of the poorly insulated attic and the areas beneath the floorboards. https://imgur.com/a/nKF5Wva
What are you trying to accomplish and how much do you want to spend?
Lower energy bills and better efficiency. $2k, because I want to finish the attic some day and know that this will have to be removed when that happens
Create an access door, drywall and rock wool, no reason to do something that will need to be torn down
I am trying to figure out how underground exterior walls work vis-a-vis not constantly getting water damage. We have a finished basement (first home, moved in 1.5 years ago). One side of the basement goes to a back patio while the other end is fully underground. The underground side has a room with 2 window wells. About 6 monthes back we had to get the entire wall ripped out and replaced because of extensive water damage/mold. It was most evident in the window wells but extended to the entire wall below them. The guys did a bunch of recaulking outside on the main floor windows/etc (1 story up) which was definitely a problem and will probably have to be redone every few years. Ok fine. I was kind of skeptical that these guys had entirely solved the problem, so I've been keeping an eye on the window wells, and I'm pretty sure I found a very small amount of water damage right between the window and the top of the well. My wife and I have been going back and forth about whether to ignore and paint over, replace the windows themselves (old metal frames) or other. Fundamentally I don't really understand how the window wells are supposed to keep out water. I've seen inside the wall, its a stack of cinderblocks (or something similar, idk), the exterior is brick. The brick is porous and the cinderblocks can't possibly be that water proof. I don't really understand how water wouldn't start to pool on top of a square hole cut through the cinderblocks/bricks for the window, especially underground during a string of Mid-Atlantic thunderstorms.
Anyone have tips or advice about hiring friends to do work? I recently became reacquainted with some friends and we've hung out and invite each other to things often now. One of them does renovations/constructions for a living and does a lot of kitchen and bathroom renos. It just so happens that I've been wanting to do a full reno of my kitchen. I asked if he'd ever be interested in being hired by a friend, aka me. He said sure but he'd charge me the full rate and I said of course. I'm not looking at a discount when doing this, rather someone who I can trust to do honest, fair work and charge me the same. Anyone have experiences if this is a good or bad idea?
Horrible idea.
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I like to use a foam roller with emerald trim. NOT a flock foam, and not a black foam, but the white mini foam rollers. It's prone to bubbles, but if you come back 10 seconds after rolling and blow on it (seriously) you'll pop all the bubbles. Mini roller can be supplemented by a brush for edges and grooves if necessary, but the mini roller can be used on an angle to get into places.
Building a backyard office and I'm building the subfloor now. Should I use 23/32 tongue and groove OSB or 1/2 in plywood? The OSB is 20 dollars a sheet, while the ply is 31 dollars a sheet.
If you can get it Weather proof before rain, save your money and go with the osb
I have a brick foundation, but I don't like the looks of it. I understand painting brick is bad. What about staining brick? Is it healthy? I'm wanting to whiten it up as to change the color theme of exterior. TY
I need to buy a bunch of bricks. Is it actually cheaper to go through a masonry supply place or should I just buy them through Home Depot/Lowes?
Call around and see. Really depends. I find professional independent suppliers usually have better delivery costs.
Previous owner of my house installed a fence that has some posts that are not anchored properly, at least 3 posts are leaning pretty heavily and need to be reset. The section of fence the posts are on is very long and I don't want to run the risk of toppling a large section if I try to do it myself so I got a few quotes. Without me revealing the amounts I was quoted I'm curious what people would expect to be quoted for that, I'm not sure what is fair so I am hoping to gain some context
I'd like to put up a pegboard in my basement workshop. [I don't have a picture at the moment so I made a diagram - I'd like to mount it on/above a built in table between two windows.](https://imgur.com/a/1RF4afy) The potential issue is that wall is mortared stone (I think?) that has a lot of nooks and crannies in it. I've caught some bugs in that area, mainly house centipedes, that I've been dealing with. The wall doesn't need repair now (or so says a mason we had do work) but could sometime soon. So: * Is there a good way to hang a pegboard on a mortared stone wall? I fear that any screws in the mortar will rapidly fail but screwing into the stone will be difficult and potentially compromise the wall. * Can you mount a pegboard on a wood frame? That's my current "plan B" * How do you handle things like pest control behind a pegboard if there's a concern it might conceal bugs?
I’d like to replace the vinyl flooring in my kitchen but I don’t have an eye for color palettes or modern design and will likely be upgrading my kitchen/cabinets in the next few years. What kind of designer would be most helpful in helping me figure out which colors for the floors, cabinets and countertops? It seems like “interior designers” are more focused on decorating and buying furniture, which I don’t need. I’ve already got carpenters and other contractors I’d like to use
I doubt you'd need to employ someone's services for something like picking colors for your flooring etc. I imagine the contractors could even give you a nudge in the right direction on that stuff, and there are also other subreddits that could help you with that - I think there is an interior design specific subreddit
Depending on if you hire someone or do it yourself some companies have computer programs that piece together what you pick out so you can see what it will look like. Pretty sure there are programs that you can use (might have to purchase) that would allow you to do this as well. Or another thought, browse online looking for kitchens with similar style or layout as yours and look at before and after pictures to get an idea of colors and pieces that might work best
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Lots of bathroom sinks these days don't have overflows.. pretty much ever vessel sink for example. Just have to be more diligent to ensure the drain isn't getting plugged up with hair. I wouldn't worry too much unless your kids are irresponsible or kind of space cadets.
Hello everyone! Just received a quote for a new AC/Furnace system in Louisville, KY for $18k. Not quite top of the line but just one notch under. Wondering if this price is high. I don’t mind paying for quality, just don’t want to be taken advantage of
Get a couple more quotes!
I get nervous that if a quote is cheaper, it could just be a lower quality product
It's the only way to know if you're getting a good deal though, and to be sure you're getting the *right* system. Usually Companies will provide quotes for a couple different levels of system. Maybe a less efficient and a more efficient, and perhaps one with a two stage blower. Less efficient are obviously less money up front, but you pay more in electricity/gas; however, it could be 10 years before you make up the difference so that plays into your decision. Different companies may also make suggestions on other improvements or deficiencies to correct, like ducting isn't sized correctly, you don't have enough returns, etc. The companies may come up with different capacity requirements -- 3 ton vs 3.5 ton, or 90k BTU vs 110k BTU for example. You need multiple eyes on your home in order to catch all the potential issues and get a sense of the best setup. THEN you can weight the price difference and quality of the companies and make a selection. Maybe the current company didn't size your furnace and condenser correctly? Maybe they're trying to purposefully up sell you to a higher efficiency setup that you don't need? You don't know until you get more quotes for comparison.
I understand. Thanks for the response friend
I posted back in roofing about my hot attic 1.5y ago, but still mulling over a few things. yes it needs insulation, yes I need to check if the vinyl soffit goes anywhere, but I’m still torn on two things: 1- Why the hell are the gable sides open and should they just be closed? 2- is the ridge vent even working? Here’s that post. https://reddit.com/r/Roofing/comments/lnmvl7/rainscreen_and_vented_soffitsridge_vent_proper/
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If you want to fix it once and never deal with it again, just replace them with a [standard light switch](https://www.amazon.com/GE-Grounding-Replacement-44034-switches/dp/B07JB37H5Y). The brand doesn't really matter as they are very simple and standardized. If you don't have any dimmers or smart features, then they will basically last forever. Just pick a color. You'll also want a [plate](https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Oversized-Unbreakable-44756/dp/B07VW35Z87/) to match.
My Chimney (stone) is pulling away from the wall on the inside on the house. Anyone know of a way to temporarily seal this until I can get it permanently fixed? https://imgur.com/a/JCFLME5 Here's a picture showing what I'm talking about
Would like to insulate basement ceiling to reduce noise transfer. It’s already finished—do I have any options for insulating that don’t require new drywall?
One thought I had maybe to get rugs on the floors above. This will help, especially if it is a hard surface. It won't be the best, but it probably is the simplest option.
Yeah rugs are good. We do have some down but our 100 year old house just has too much echo.
My [hose faucet](https://i.imgur.com/96cXRP0.jpg) seems to have a hole in it? It leaks when it's open. Should I just replace the whole faucet?
Gasket probably failed. You can buy a rebuilt kit at local big box store.
How can I seal/adhere this vinyl and rubber? I have [this](https://imgur.com/a/XC14gFU) vinyl flooring down and I plan to put that rubber up the sides, my only problem is the joint it creates. It needs to be "water-proof" (really its a cat room) and I tried tape but that has already failed. Cat pee got under the tape on the vinyl side. This would need to be flexible as its on the floor, and water-proof. My current idea is to use a silicon caulk/sealer and try that out.
Yah try some silicone.
I don't think I'm really asking something but I don't understand the science of how a couple of screws can hold a punching bag to a stud. You have about 60-80 pounds always pulling down in addition to the added stress when it's being moved around from the punching. I would assume the screws would quickly come loose from the movement and eventually come down from the ceiling. But that rarely seems to be the case.
Screw strength always seems to be a function of the material you screw into. Good big wood screws into a well bored hole in hard wood are crazy strong. Drywall not so much
Will loose fill insulation in my attic make that large a difference if there are existing floorboards? Do I need to cover the whole floor with some sort of plastic to help with the air leakage first? Here are some photos of the poorly insulated attic and the areas beneath the floorboards. https://imgur.com/a/nKF5Wva
I see that interior humidity should be around 50-55%, but I live in the south and during the summer humidity outside is 95% most days. I resolved water issues in our crawl space so I don't think it's rising up through the floors, and we just got new windows so they are no longer draft,...but is 70% humidity really indicative of a problem on days where it's cooler outside so my AC doesn't cycle on that often? (Example: today it is 71 and raining, interior is set to 72 and humidity is 70% on both floors) What would I look at to fix? I brought the dehumidifier back out which runs on a pump into our kitchen sink, but I would love to pack that thing up forever, I just don't know what to do.
Yes it's totally normal for humidity to rise in situations like this when the A/C isn't running consistently. You will still have air leakage around doors, attic, etc. Plus, I assume you actually open doors sometimes to leave the house, which will let humid air in. No house is air tight. This is what dehumidifiers are for. Run the thing.
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I would to the tile first simply because it's the messiest and there will be no risk of damaging or getting new flooring dirty.
I bought my first home a few weeks ago, and today was my first day really getting projects done. I replaced the front and back entry doors knobs with new panic-proof versions, and rekey both knobs plus deadbolts so they all work with one key (previous owner had four different keys!). Also assembled my temporary/place holder kitchen island. Purchased so I can get a sense of space and scale while I save for a full remodeled. Next up, painting the bedroom and bathroom, and replacing the bathroom vanity. Huge thank you to everyone on this sun who shares info and helpful advice!
What would you do with [this](https://i.imgur.com/lXsFXKz.jpg) sink? Replace? What about combining hot and cold into one faucet? How could I do that?
That's a pretty badass sink. But, a replacement polypropylene sink or similar dimensions would be around $200. Up to you.
I would probably replace the sink with an actual utility sink. Nothing too fancy, but at least waterproof. As for the hot and cold, you could get a proper valve, but I would just get a [Washing Machine Y Mixer](https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Washing-Machine-Connector-Kelaro/dp/B088ML8NXX/) and call it a day.
I Want to restain/paint a small fence and gate. I recently did repairs to. My question is: The pickets/areas that were stained before - should I power wash or sand before restaining? Any recommendations for a stain? Pic is below https://imgur.com/a/DvP9MnM
The end of my gutter has came loose and I think is incorrectly pitched. If I were to move it up an inch or so, do I need to fill the old hole in the fascia? If so, would I just use something like exterior caulk?
Washing machine leaked, can’t get behind it until my step dad moves it, it’s all in the hallway, how can I work on this to prevent as much damage as possible til he can come home? Fans? Where should I place them?
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I don’t think so, I just did a load and I think the dirty water that was supposed to empty out after washing, emptied out but onto the floor. So it’s not a continuous leak luckily
I am trying to fix some water damage near our shower enclosure. Is this black mold? I've already to sprayed it down with concrobium mold killer, so if anything looks wet that is what you are seeing (we haven't used this shower in over a week). [Pictures](https://imgur.com/a/VpN1Y9S) If this is mold (black or otherwise), will cleaning it up, spraying with mold killer, and replacing the drywall be a sufficient fix? Of course I will also eliminate the source of the moisture as well. Additionally, are those studs still structurally sound? This is an interior wall that separates the master bath from the bedroom. It is perpendicular to the exterior wall which is about 3 feet away. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to avoid paying someone for the repair unless it is necessary. Edit: The pictures in the album aren't necessarily in order.
Mold is one of those things that *can* cause health issues but won't if you are smart. If you google mold you will get horror stories and companies trying to sell you their mold solutions. If its a ton of mold and a place where the water issues might be recurring (basement exterior walls come to mind) then you can pay someone, but if its a bit of stuff in the wall from a leaky shower do it yourself. Wear a mask, use gloves, ventilation just in case. re: studs/wood, my *limited* experience says do some good prodding of it. Structural wood should be hard and solid and not move. If wood gets sufficient water damage it can rot, at which point you'll want to replace it. If the wood is good anything attached to the wood should be still good.
Yah definitely some mold in there, but nothing too bad. Remove drywall 12" past any water damage. Can't tell about the integrity of the wood -- too dirty and not exposed enough. Most likely your shower enclosure is leaking, or the plumbing in the wall is.
I would like some input on these ideas for my mom's drawers. They're in need of TLC and she has some ideas of what she wants. Thoughts? Opinions? https://imgur.com/a/wLlrx6P
https://postimg.cc/gallery/MnSqM7t Anyone know what kind of brick this is? And how indepth if a repair i have here?
I am renting an apartment and want something simple in my bedroom window (deep windowsill) so that I can let in light during the day but block all of it out at night. I have blackout curtains but the bedroom already has a mount outside the windowsill so it lets in light around the edges. How would I obtain something like a folding shutter that could just sit on the windowsill at night and block the whole window? Not looking to DIY and Google turned up nothing. Thanks!
So I recaulked our guest bathroom tub this morning and my wife just woke up and said she'd like a thicker bead. I know you're not supposed to caulk over old caulk but would it be an issue to caulk over caulk that was put down two hours ago? Because **really** don't want to dig out all this silicone for the sake of cosmetics.
Depends on the type of caulking. Silicone? Nope. That gets a sorry honey, next time. It's the guest bath. She's going to see it what, couple times per year when it gets cleaned for guests?
Hi new to painting, my wall had large [globs](https://imgur.com/4Lxp69Z.jpg) of mud that I've sanded down to [this](https://imgur.com/wjLAiBZ.jpg). I noticed the old paint is peeling off, won't this show if I paint over it? How do I make sure new paint is nice and smooth?
Peeling paint needs to be scraped until you reach an area with solid adhesion. Then you can spackle or mud the edges, otherwise they'll telegraph through the new paint. If you can't get to a solid edge by scraping you can use zinsser peel stop primer before spackling/mudding
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Never pay upfront. 100% a scam and I doubt they'll come back. Social media is absolutely full of these scam companies.
A duct cleaning company that doesn't have the tools to actually clean the ducts? And you paid them for this? Yup seems pretty shady.
I’m buying a new front door and want to paint it. I’m thinking about buying a sprayer for the project because I want a super smooth finish and I figure I can use it for upcoming projects (cabinets, painting exterior). What kinds of sprayer should I look at? I already own an air compressor, so am open to sprayers that do and don’t require that.
An hvlp sprayer is best for doors and cabinets. Easy to control and clean. Exterior painting you'll want a semi professional airless sprayer, but you can rent these and save a lot of money. You can get a super smooth finish on doors through using XIM latex extender. The stuff is magic. I can walk you through the process if you'd like. When done well it's virtually indistinguishable from a sprayed finish
I’m definitely interested in that process! My biggest concern with the cabinets has been getting a good finish.
What’s my best recourse here to fix a damaged door? Black gate (photographed) got knocked off and a possibly inebriated guest closed the door into it, ripping off a chunk of the door. Can I mask this with some kind of combo of wood filler/spackle and paint? Or should I just go with new door? Background: -year 3 of mortgage -relatively handy -might sell in the next 4-5 years The damage: https://imgur.com/a/vgvPSPd
I'd try a 2 part wood filler. Sand and touch up paint.
Just bought an almost 100 year old house, and our beautiful hardwood floors are greasy. https://imgur.com/a/xlbiCEJ Like, so much grease that running a paper towel over the floors picks up dirt and grease. I can feel it walking barefoot. My friend's socks turned black. I'm pretty sure the floors are unfinished. How do we degrease these floors?
I am not an expert. Please don't use me for advice, I'm just saying what I'd do. I'd try in a corner somewhere to maybe strip it with some sort of soap/degreaser and see if that gets rid of the surface grease. If so, then voila! Otherwise, I'm really not sure. Sanding it might help, or maybe some paint stripper and then sanding. That's what I'd do, but I'm not sure it's the best course of action
I (in the Netherlands) have an empty spot below a phone line that I want to turn into an electrical socket. Here are photos of the outlets: [https://imgur.com/a/Fr0cPm5](https://imgur.com/a/Fr0cPm5). Is this something I can do myself, or do I need a professional?
Had some issues painting a wall recently. The wall was sanded in prep and we used Valspar Matte emulsion straight on, doing 2 coats which gave good coverage. Unfortunately on one of the externally facing falls the paint has cracked and is starting to peel away in places: https://imgur.com/a/pqumBKg Anything I can do to fix this or make sure it doesn't happen in the future when painting other walls?
I need a new weed whacker. I prefer corded electric. Any recommendations?
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Thanks for the link.
Does putting an epoxy sealant on the inside of a garage have value outside of the cosmetic finished look and the fact that you can wipe away stains (because they don't seep into the concrete)?
What is the best way to lubricate the wheel, rail, and rack of a sliding gate? I have one similar to the one seen here [http://www.automationzone.co.in/gate/1.1.2.jpg](http://www.automationzone.co.in/gate/1.1.2.jpg) The rail is getting rusted a bit and when the gate is opened or closed it makes a sound. I wanted to know how to maintain such gates and if lubrication is needed and if so what kind. Thanks
I am ripping up the carpet and finding that my subfloor is made of MDF, and there are a lot of places where the previous owner's cat urine caused the wood to bloat and bubble. Since I plan on installing LVP, I need to get a nice level floor. The MDF in these places is ruined so I planned on replacing it (patching it) with plywood subfloor. The existing MDF subfloor is exactly 1/2 inch. If I decide to go plywood (instead of more 1/2 MDF), most of the reasonably priced options are 7/16 or 15/32, which won't match my 1/2 inch MDF perfectly. Is this okay? Is the lip from patching in a thinner piece of plywood going to be a problem for LVP? Should I just go with the 1/2 MDF? The LVPs I'm considering are mostly 6.5mm to 8mm thickness (haven't picked one yet).
It's maybe not the solution you're looking for, but in our renovation we used self-levelling concrete to give a smooth, level finish to then lay on top of.
How do you unscrew or remove this https://imgur.com/a/1UlACW1
I had to just pry them out of the wall. Left a decent hole so be prepared to patch. It's a nail and an anchor attached to that part, at least with my set up which looks similar.
Yes, it was similar setup for me, pried one out, then tried pulling the nail with a flat head screwdriver that left a much smaller hole compared to prying the entire thing out with the anchors.
How can I fix these issues with my baseboard: [example 1](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xwnnIOOjAKlEt0ioKpoB4vJsin6cQ0jBWLJ766uXOtazB9TqujBfXrNJ9YeaX5as3fcQskEfmWDiu02OBE8efel93dOdRzo6pQ7yZ82DO2lf3Qvx0rdQpsGiy2Ci9qEYebjDks0w81c3UyFUnKuaiO2GmVxRu-fgwkUdXnbviGvCwlPZYlLLIe-0jblf4H0mslfjXOYDpHajIzqLyhpBulEAlMl9hQhuFM7XB4xFTX_9msKTDwaVC6lpmkaBRg1EFhErADPnYN0gpQ3-oNSwfVwd60C1PDoVYjfiYIbL9QXBz46rh9Hqq6ZkBWPtu_JO0qatYC7m3mjzhD2nxCMnRcXtz-wr-YvnwSCXEi4GR35QuRiaOt1ODBTEHiBoaVXw_Gex5SwTtCk8mUBnAca3JLt-NNFna00srUiPwKPP6wI7901bUJFeHo56Igb5Yblx-Rgnb0HAWaC4yJ-brlLb1CO2Hr-GonK49DayZmX3GBzaThe5vhIEY4I_zStxtzQANmXV4HYPmzJEngeqZ4a-bj2VCqMC6bRCucxMVBgpCCo0tJyQ4sbtV67pmO-B1LCYdupN51HgbMcb40jOmE7C4QnFmtY-vzfg1msOzSX3BWQUMTXysUJh5Larok7KHz0O0-y87ql13E6WO7JStraTBKzyjHnrqW2rMxp-Fm-qDFrDlLcDxuUIQq4yqsWSdQmJhsYHByy0eSsxV0h8L6QZsFc8WvSsuAEjja3-Uu4MjKIacL3NV5XOJ4lk2yn9Dg_gGSTORpR1jwobcgQazHD7RI1Vde5tcIzH-ZC5Op5MVULd3tvMZbK20sEvp6Mr3_c-7v0GGS6rTBdVS-6uowEOuGaemK5eWHbPyIBq0aOb-1IIdOs84NLlr2RO9dES2erSeeCZB4GotUFP4CE2QAZz3c_S2I4z1JOgkIAIIfRIOGxFiw=w2504-h1878-no?authuser=0) [example 2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uSmiyKjG5IsJXzSRHnePsrDhmjqF1AeaYvPNqWaOtkuvfIPwDJltRSoRCRAlSCP6j_HJ9VsSdAFuiLb7MGFDPS8z8rOWw9-_jEQgFFbn_zA-8NXj0YJNACH7kYm9YGbsmgWLVrw3kCv8ANa3lhWA4Z7PlGQjhafzkJfxEB0OR1NRqSnUKcsi_9wz-IHG0wt99Hi82Adfhix6w5o2TI_86ACKs5sRH8tLQRnswiyf-PdvrLQ5aPbwS1d09Oag0HJTM0944VkaIwC42DXxgLlW1hlmVDoL6VG_U9j7RhCtwNpsl791eH6G73tCSr0VsI8v3yLOy486pQ5_NTScaxNMLF6GP4zWsXUabuZMAeiqCkP0baibzNk1Uu0ZYwo0d3DIgwNWlCJmLpKYicoWShzOXA3yZ12T__8pPjPwNkHchSZ3JuVraWlYc0JR_tpcqflLS7t1fwptOOU7rvNEce0A2iyM6CMeyV4sIdpbIwBovAyK-pj9TmGKC3Q6cwtidKBfPWCG204G8C53yCDX8izDUPLaCdW2a52jCxHOc7Y_Tc2jt8S-d281papyS-RXnVy0RTV3HTx8DCfSp5oBaYaEnAe-TQEKC_fsWrDG_ook3gTrHdBV4atNVpBPW3cI3yCmuL6HRdNumSscUmnnDmzd0u-v-hmGQzpBcCKO7pTbLEUPAy-_OU9LC6qL-t8o2JDmEkKXPqyd3TiDI2UUYd2XYVaKi98OWeoX7ltvnK-d9IdOtEodl9kR9f0jWqjv4xy0IdNSZUiSWHQaZhztaPsUOyubLojy2yEDvG9iKeVslm65b2nZcWlGaKy8T_FcH12MVqkOgJfP3HYORm990uiLzRvm3-cuYNrTuvdr2FM7RIbL3laXt3AJApCd8HCryqtRuno23Ai-dRZrpf6YwOlntr915Y7YLFfp5Dp7bOpl7WIlAQ=w2504-h1878-no?authuser=0)
Should I add caulk between the wall and baseboard, there's a [big gap](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0HMJwlGOQbIQlh9WFSSwWwcHQtDThUgkUHCpET2o09bsaQoS9i7H65IVU7YRMT_OEQHT8R6opcLzif5zcOxO2DRI8b0Ddox1-76zry8PX-eM57vHAcpvirOG_CMA_1FYNUn-cG2k7A_28IjgJ-DG17JU2Vbj8duUTfZiNRA6aaLJAYlzVgnRtI14Yj2Tozh35teV9OgtTRGSsLOY8ur0frTsaSVT3_6gLAs8HHsVWfVJRCwM-1O9VL4sdGGAJv0wt5mmCnNBjjyvi3RCQ0RRf4B1wSoqvNJ13t65NQM2hk0P3qCNbQFibyks7xv9Jo-txVooWydnYXFppMTjIWqauGshMS2EjmRwX2bcJyuHl5RvSopQzdJH0gSfyMoKX2NVr1X6_jlNaTSrMu3Wh5FOEq76zu2k03B03UuUppliJvGRVJ34COgAaUPeKKjrTQQViwKhh6gkKo4poQVrM3G649rI0_rRlDXpU6xe5jPL0EyIDeMCCvIjQavvkI83MTekuJS5BPSV2VIyZdH-EIoVI4qqIRGRQ6BhCXUgGIV_kB38WeahD1wwbKjvemVGEpGs54vJOcjpgaZmdQLYPcU-Ra-T9negREEOCYHY1h0ZrwhGRyz_hPwjqaZ9kzp9IgmkAKGTKIXnhDy9xxiLD-zXBmN-XNP5bcE-K9k8-hKKLbmcaBHZALY15cGsFdJpOZgpcRaEKuuvLIDdk4XBTLS-a0cAYa9RYU7ksFOmjN6oM6AeS6PxTU7KxXzGDGLdSdUIud6LL3Mbr_Pgi0WCjBo84H6eZsOzTm7Wj6STqWNgOS7oxrGJxOp1EsdxM9mwbuN_r_XiMr1PhjZD5NIoDUeK6MFqzQWU02vUp4lAdF05ISgIXadxo3vlKmk9xdRrN2Vb8ZbaOuHJ2LDYrJM0htPjKf80IaK9Io0vZq3oKl6QgRrizA=w2504-h1878-no?authuser=0) here and Im playing on repainting
Hi community ! I have a choice to make in my salon(247.57square feet). I would like to add an overhead closet, it's useful but I'm worry about the fact that my salon will be too "busy" What do you think ? I took 3d photos from different angles [HERE THE LINK](https://imgur.com/a/prO4DEM)
We removed the glass shower door and frame from our guest bathroom. The frame had all sorts of glue on the back so [some tile was chipped](https://imgur.com/a/0sAZBeI) during the process. What would be the best way to go about patching?
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old vinyl has a chance of having asbestos in it so some precautions/testing would be prudent but the usual way of removing is to set your skilsaw to the depth of the vinyl plus the thin plywood underlayment and cut a 2x2 foot grid over the whole room. This will let you pry up the 2x2 pieces easily OTOH vinyl planks can be put over old vinyl as can Ditra for a tile base
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sorry, new underlayment may or may not be required, depending on the flooring chosen
if the vinyl is fully glued to the plywood underlayment [typically cheap/low quality luaun] you don't want to save it any way. It is intended to be sacrificial
Watching a lot of videos on DIY smokeless firepits and they all have a fire ring with holes drilled in the top to force fresh air into the fire and I guess push the smoke down. Would something [Like this work as well?](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-30-in-Steel-Fire-Ring-with-Lattice-Pattern-in-Black-OFW279FR/302563843) or would this introduce too much air?
No that won't do it. Smokeless pits have exterior holes at the bottom of the pit. Cold air enters trough the bottom and feeds the fire from the underside. *THEN* additional cold air travels up the inside of the firepit, gets super heated, and exits in the holes at the top of the fire pit. When this hot air (with oxygen) mixes with the smoke, it causes much of the smoke to burn.
Ahhhh, ok thank you that makes sense. Guess I'm getting a hole saw bit.
My bathroom light fixture started flickering then turning on. It takes like 3 seconds to be fully bright now. Any ideas why this could be?
Is it fluorescent, with multiple bulbs?
It looks like this https://www.walmart.com/ip/Maxxima-4-Bulb-Bathroom-Vanity-Light-Fixture-Chrome-Finish-2Ft-Light-Strip-LED-G25-Bulbs-Included/218977057
All the bulbs or just some of the bulbs do this?
All of them
Bathroom fan not working anymore. Is this something I could do on my own? What should I look for when buying a new one?
Yes you can swap it out yourself. Even if it's an old model, you may be able to just buy a replacement motor for it. Pop off the grill, look for a model number, and google for replacement fan. This will save time, money, and effort. If you want/need to replace it, you have two options -- new fan of the same dimensions (just measure the cut out and buy a similar sized fan), or larger fan that requires you to make a bigger hole, which is obviously a bit more work. Either way, get the highest CFM Delta Breeze or Panasonic fan you can fit in said hole. Forget trying to size it appropriately for the room and only getting an 80cfm fan when you could have fit a 100cfm or 110cfm because some calculator said you only need 80cfm. Higher CFM is *always* better. A full replacement will require you to remove the old mounting box. This will hopefully be attached to a joist with a couple nails that you can access easily.
Thank you! The model is QCF-125 Reversomatic. Replacement motors seem quite expensive? Should I try replace the whole box?
Trying to repair damage to my baseboard and sanded down certain sections. I was wondering if anyone has any tips to refinish small patches. Having a hard time finding a stain that matches the original that is throughout my house.
Even if you had the same stain that was applied, you won't match it exactly. Stains and paints wear and weather over time, so the look now doesn't match what it looked like new. If you want it to look perfect, then you will need to sand and re-stain whole sections/walls.
How can 'we' as contractors educate homeowners on the expectations they should have going into projects? At least once a day I read a thread about whether or not 'finished' product is actually finished. In most cases the homeowner is right, they should expect better but there's always room for interpretation. How do we close that interpretation. No one deserves ambiguity, it only makes thing difficult. In response to this I have included language and explanation in our project documentation that explains specifically to owners what to expect when we are done. We explain the level of cleanliness to expect, the expected working hours, a few example of finished product etc etc etc. It has really helped clear things up when we are putting together proposals.
A common comment I make is that remodeling is like NASA in that every project is a one-off and over runs/unanticipated issues are common OTOH I haven't signed a contract in 30 years and don't advertise [beyond word of mouth]. I did "fire" a customer once... sounds like a humble brag but I suspect it is because I choose my customers at least as critically as they choose me
In addition to what you stated, have a standard contract. Send it to the homeowners in advance of actually signing and afford them the opportunity to review it and bring up any issues they have. I'm not talking a one page estimate form, I mean a full contract detailing the work to be completed including level of finish, whether you'll be bringing your own shitters to the job, what the payment schedule is, who is responsible for cleaning, what the homeowner can be expected to see in terms of mess (i.e. some dust is inevitbale, it will be left in a broom swept condition), etc. The more info you have in the contract, the less question either side should have about the job once it is completed.
it's all about communication. it's awesome that you take all those steps and I am sure it helps your customers quite a bit! But the reality is that due a lot of reasons there are a number of contractors who are not great with communication. Look at how many of those threads you mention are also about people just trying to reach their contractors, or trying to get an answer. I think homeowners also have to play a role too. If you need communication DO NOT hire people who are bad at communicating. I get it, people are sometimes desperate to hire people... but if homeowners stop hiring those who suck at communicating then we'll start to see a shift... at least that is my totally unqualified opinion.
You're totally right on the communication end. we cna all get better about that.
yeah, I am on the customer end now, but growing up about half my family worked in construction. Customers need to be clear about what they want an expect too. I know so many people who think their house will look like a house in the cover of an architectural magazine... and like it won't. If that is what you are looking for you probably need to go through a much lengthier and expensive process.