The Home Improvement Thread

update electrical system (getting licensed professionals for this of course)
tear up nasty old carpet to expose oak floors, refinish etc (also getting someone to do this for me due to fumes/heavy lifting)
replace water heater
put better insulation in the attic
replace a few drainpipes that look ready to go

Also, we need to paint some walls and hang some curtains. The big doozy is my plan to enclose our basement/crawlspace into some sort of ... room. I don't know how to do any of that, including knowing which phone number I should call out of the Yellow Pages for an estimate.

So yeah. If anyone's ever done any extensive remodeling, I'd love to hear how you went about it.

My advice is, if you're not afraid to give something a try, go ahead and do it. Use the library to learn how & make sure you're doing it right. There are a few online bulletin boards that may be helpful, but occasionally you get incorrect advice..

Insulation is evil, it makes you itchy for days and messes up your sinuses something fierce (the new plastic wrapped batts are better than one-sided paper but still somewhat miserable). You'd probably want someone to do blow-in insulation in your attic anyway, though.

The carpet and floors sounds doable DIY. Cut the carpet into small strips, it should only be tacked down on the edges and should be easy to get rid of. Take up the tack strip with a scraper or even a wonderbar.
You might find that the oak floors underneath don't need much more than a good clean to be presentable.

When the kitchen floor needed redoing (bad subfloor due to frozen water pipe/leaks), I hired someone to take care of it, because I couldn't live with the kitchen out of service for as long as it would have taken us to get it done.

I've done some plumbing, and working with PVC pipe isn't bad. If your water heater is electric, replacing it wouldn't be tough, except for moving those beasts around and getting rid of the old one.

Things to have first: a Shop Vac!

Easy things to do are tiling, skim coating, eating bagels while painting.

I've been drafted to do the minor work necessary for selling or renting my grandmother's house (small, 1970-ish three bedroom/two-bath with the world's smallest kitchen) in the upcoming months and I need to fix up the interior most of all.

Mostly easy stuff, but I think the dark panelling is the biggest obstacle as the living room and one-bedroom are dark and miserable because of it. Is painted panelling a major interior design faux pas, should I go through the trouble of tearing it out and texturing, or would you (potential buyer/renter) simply not care?

Our kitchen is almost done. All we lack is the floor, a bit of paint and some cabinet details. This weekend we tiled the backsplash:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/541495701_f4780f2afc.jpg

Here are the new cabinets and counter before the backsplash went up:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/541495721_e052a25c5c.jpg

For comparison here's a shot of old counter, sink and a bit of cabinet. The big hole above the sink was this weird window that looked into the den. We filled it in:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/393530747_3ebeae7368.jpg

The kitchen was taken down to the studs. In fact, G. replaced many of the 2x4s and re-sheetrocked. New appliances, new cabinets, new counter, soon new flooring. He moved the gasline, plumbing, and removed part of a wall. The only thing we contracted out was moving a light fixture. Unlike the rest of the house renovations we've done I didn't do a whole lot here other than helping in the decision process, tiling and some minor handyman assistance. But it's a been a long, awesome process to behold.

Lots more detailed pictures here. . .

How was that backsplash, cost- and time-wise? We're thinking of doing the same soon-ish. I assume those are the sheets of tiles, rather than the individual ones?

We just bought our first house; a little old lady had lived there for years and years and it hadn't been updated in ages. It was also at least $15,000 cheaper than anything else we looked at in the area. We've pulled the carpets to find the hardwoods which are mostly great, except where someone drilled a bunch holes to find the joists and screwed floorboards down prior to the carpeting. Most everything is getting painted, we paid to have our overgrown jungle yard thinned out a bit, flooring for bathroom and kitchen has been ordered, as have new kitchen countertops. We're doing as much ourselves as possible, and as cheap (yet still visually nice) as possible. It's kind of fun, mostly. But we're still in an apartment so we don't have to live in the disruption.

Does anyone know any decent home-improvement type message boards?

How was that backsplash, cost- and time-wise? We're thinking of doing the same soon-ish. I assume those are the sheets of tiles, rather than the individual ones?

Yeah they were 12x12 sheets of a mesh backing with the tiles attached. Easy to cut up. They were $12.95 a sheet but we had to do some shopping around. One guy wanted $30 a sheet! We did it all in a day (well, we had to wait 24 hrs to grout but combined it was about a day). Much easier than the slate tiles we put in on the floor.

The disruption in the kitchen was hard at times. we started in Nov/Dec and for a couple of months we had no water in the kitchen, filling stuff up in the bathroom, etc. For months we had no cabinets and used storage shelves to hold all dishes/food. And then there were the weeks we had cabinets but plywood counters. Overall it's been worth it though (though very $$. No vacations for us for awhile). The new kitchen is stunning and we'll definitely see a return when we sell.

Next, the bathrooms. .

msg boards. . .I've never found one in particular but when needing info I just search and would usually find what I was looking for somewhere.

Those worktops and units are lovely, are they granite?

Ms. Miz, your kitchen is looking so gorgeous!

The counter/worktop is granite, yeah. It's looks fantastic although it was a heavy bitch to put in.

xpost, thanks!

Does anyone know any decent home-improvement type message boards?

You mean the ones that don't have threads like lol why you never see Wilson's face??, right?

Home improvement in the vaguest sense, you could check Readymade Magazine's forums (readymademag.com, I think) - but that's more in the realm of DIY design than Bob Villa.

For general talk try
garden web

or iVillage

al borland just bent over and pulled his blue jeans down his ass revealing fertile fields of hair sproutiuping up . you could the testosterone residue oyn your face this portrait of rugged manhood. tim cannot but not look away for mthis display of pure manhood.

i don't think so tim

i'm converting this little back house into an office for myself and there's one problem, that being the exposed concrete that extends 8 inches from the floor and up to the drywall, running all along one side of the office and into a closet. not having done any home improvement before, does anyone have any suggestions for what sort of base or trim could be used for this? what i've seen in home depot seems to small to cover that sort of thing. i've thought about just having some shelves and plants along the wall to cover it but i dunno...

http://www.cds.caltech.edu/%7Edvangogh/Pictures/1510Silverlake/slides/IMG_0547.JPG

1x10 pine, liquid nails generously applied, tack to the wall above with finish nails while the liquid nails dries. Caulk seam between pine and existing wall, paint. If the seam is too large, put a piece of trim (quarter round, inside corner, whatever) along the top if you wish.

actually a pretty ideal seeming solution esp since the carpet stops 1" shy of the wall and there is exposed concrete there as well.

So, we just bought a house! Yay!

And I want to redo the back deck myself. Roughly 10 x 30, 2 feet off the ground at the highest.

Anybody ever do anything of this sort? It doesn't appear to require electrical or plumbing, so I'm all for it.

you should be fine! I recommend using a level to make sure everything's even though. you may want to look into that newish composite plastic/wood stuff for your decking, it is pricy and heavy but lasts a long time. also, use decking screws not nails, that way you can replace things easier.

how it is supported underneath? with those square concrete blocks (aka pier blocks) and 4x4s? you might be able to keep all of the framing stuff under the decking, unless you're redoing it cuz it's rotted.

I have no idea - just decided I wanted to do this this morning. Something of a way of me saying "This is MY house."

I will inspect further, and report back asap.

DUDES. I just took the drain stopper out of our bathroom sink to clean/unclog it, and I feel AWESOME! It's cable-operated, not the rod & ball kind that most sites address, so I was pretty much on my own, and I totally did it!! If anyone ever needs to know how, hit me up.

Man, I could watch this sink drain ALL DAY LONG.

Parts of it were like a computer game where you don't know how step 1 will affect step 2 so you just mix and match until it works. Luckily, there wasn't anything I couldn't undo if it was wrong. Unless you break it, I guess, which since all the pieces are made of plastic, is more likely than I might have thought.

http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/09/08/Home-Improvement-reunion_510.jpg

The moon spread a fever into the house at midnight, dripping its white blood against the shadows and lightening the cold bedroom where Tim and Jill were slowly dancing; listening to an old radio he had just finished repairing. 'Nights in White Satin' playing its ghostlike melody, drowsed with static and tender pain. Jill leaned against him helplessly, the cologne of his warm skin always reminding her of sawdust, of happiness. She could remember being happy only when he held her in his arms. Away from his embrace she drowned. Dancing during the middle of the night was something Tim had come to cherish, particularly because it soothed Jill from her nightmares and emptiness; he felt he could finally reach her, to bring her back to life by letting her rest against him and swaying her in the bright darkness. It too helped him forget his torments, his guilt.

'Beauty I've always missed, with these eyes before. Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore…' tears glinted in Jill's eyes as she clung to Tim, the radio crackled and haunted, static hissing softly over the fluted blue music. She pressed herself deeper into his chest but could not feel his warmth anymore. The pain flourished, the memory of what she had lost hurt so terribly she could bleed without opening the wound, so sore it opened itself. Tim felt her grow heavy and tired in his arms, he dragged her with her feet skimming the carpet, wanting to hold her until the song was finished. He put his lips to her icy forehead and let her slump back into the bed.

"Will you fix me a cup of tea?" she murmured, her throat clotted and aching, it hurt to even speak. Her hands were folded atop the pillows as she waited until Tim had left the room. With the radio silenced, she could hear his footsteps on the stairs, kicking over the laundry and books she left disarrayed there, too exhausted to clean them up. "I love you," she whispered to him, certain he could not hear, and rose from the bed, turning away from the darkened mirror into the bathroom.

Downstairs the kettle burned in the dark as Tim waited by the stove, staring through the open door that led to the basement where his son had once slept. Jill had forgotten to shut it like always, he knew during the day she went to lay on Randy's bed and touch his things. She did the same in the bedroom belonging to Brad and Mark, going through their school work and old toys, breathing in the scent of their clothes, not wanting anything to stale. The house was littered in stained teacups, filthy plates of untouched food, laundry gathered upon the stairs and couch, and on the dining table photo books were strewn open, the pages worn by being turned endlessly with a sad finger.

Tim wanted to ignore the mess, to keep believing nothing was wrong, that his wife would return to him someday as the glowing creature she once was. He spent his time at work and in the garage, refusing pity from Wilson and Al, oil leaking across his fingers and gritty solitude filled the hours. If Jill was not crying into the photo albums or trying to steady a cup of tea in her shivering hands, she was sedated from her pain in bed, a string of prescriptions that deadened the sickness only when she slept.

A chill stung at his skin as he entered their bedroom, even with the porcelain cup blazing against his hand. An empty bed was shown to him in the darkness; he heard water running in the bath, peppering the floor. The tiles were slick as jewels, soaking his feet and threatening to pull him down. Tim saw her floating like a doll, the water bloomed with red, her wet arms drained and shining as they rested in a poppy-coloured sea. He sank to the floor and the sopping scarlet water collected in his palms, trickling through his fingers.

'Just what you want to be, you will be in the end.'

Ok, this should be fairly simple to answer:

I want to install room-darkening curtains in our bedroom to help our baby fall asleep early, but I also want to be able to have regular, non-room-darkening curtains for privacy and daylight during the day. Is there some kind of two-tracked curtain rod, or is there a way to install two different-sized curtain rods such that it will allow this?

ikea do double track rails yeah

Any opinions on refinishing a floor with no stain? It's partly a time/money consideration (need to move in relatively soon and the stain winds up pushing back the schedule), but also wondering if it might look nicer

The stain will repel liquid/dirt/grime. It would be a good idea to put some sort of coating on it.

You can leave it bare and seal it (matte if you want to make it look extra natural), save the step of possibly multiple coats of stain/sanding in between.

I wouldn't leave it completely raw, though.

We have an open side porch that's about 10 x 20 and has ugly cinder block walls (about 3 ft high). Any ideas on what to cover the interior side of the walls with?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnsiZOJjfUg

i came here to see if i could drop my question about a leaking roof/ceiling, only to find that i had responded to man alive's search for interior siding with tim allen grunting. so unhelpful! sorry man alive. and then, just above that, 13 years ago, some really good home improvement fan fiction from pplains. i have no idea how he wrote all that without ai, just amazing!

What’s your question?

welp, a couple weeks ago i bought a house, and during the inspection the roof was found to be in good shape, estimated 6-8 years old. it has been an incredibly hot and dry several weeks since i moved in.

last night, it rained hard, and the ceiling in the backroom started leaking in two different spots - the bubble in the ceiling appeared, bulged out, and then started leaking onto the floor in two places. luckily, the rain stopped pretty soon afterward, and it's supposed to be dry today so i can look at it.

it's happened to me several times before, but i was always renting. now, it's me who has to fix it, fuck!

today after work i'm going home and going up on the roof, and i reaaaaaally hope i find clogged gutters or something else that's easy to fix that will solve the problem. the ceiling leakage made very straight and obvious lines, so i'm hoping i'll find something corresponding on the roof. i'm also going to go get a bigass tarp and cover up the affected area on the roof until i can fix things (or, almost 99% chance, hire a roofer to fix it for thousands of dollars).

i guess i should have posted this after checking the roof this afternoon. but i'll report back later.

*tim allen grunt*

From my bitter experience, the straight lines will probably correspond to the bottoms of roof joists, not anything on the top of the roof.

if it's been really dry, sometimes rain will cause swelling which might slow or stop the leak

wmc yeah, that makes sense. i feel like i'm going to get up there, see that the gutters are not clogged (they weren't a month ago when i was up there during the inspection), look around for a problematic/leaking area and see nothing, and then have to hire a roofer. oof

this is…like, SUPER RARE, so i wanted to commemorate the fact that i went on the roof and _diagnosed the problem with confidence_, holy shit!

but in this case, the cause was clear - there are two levels to my roof, and there’s a gutter on the top/upper layer that had come unmoored from the tuckpointing/brick! there’s like a 4-foot section that’s completely come off the building, by just an inch or two, but enough for rain to leak directly from the upper roof into the ceiling/attic area of my back room.

sounds like a big job

not really, though - consulting with a construction/roofing friend of mine to see what he would do

what would I do? Sue the seller for nondisclosure!

during the inspection the roof was found to be in good shape

and there’s like a 4-foot section of gutter that’s completely come off the building?? was that inspector hired by the seller or their realtor? just asking, because damn if that doesn't smell rotten to me.

Not sure if you could sue for something that would have been obvious from a visual inspection. … honestly I have seen/dealt with roofs in much worse shape …. Sometimes gutters are a separate line item than the roof, itself.

Depending on the amount of leakage and wall/floor materials, you might need to mitigate against potential mold.

honestly, (this is probably a topic for another thread), it would take a lot to get me to sue someone, and i didn’t even think of it! i bought the home “as is”, and i was there for the inspection, including the roof. a better inspector probably would have caught it, but i was also up on the roof goofing and distracting him. not sue-worthy!

also shit, i mean, i bought the house ‘as is’, it’s possible it’s in the inspection report and i forgot about it.

i love how my lackadaisical practices are starting to really bite me in the ass lol