The Home Renovation Thread

[J4U]

Countertops in, but fighting on measurement and fitment with guys who did the Lazer job. Crap shot at best. I can fix it, but they say it would void the warranty...wth! Looks great except if you know what to look for. Much better after I cut down the bar height and made it one big peninsula. Back splash arrives tomorrow...after two months of backorder. The one on the wall is a smaller 2x4 version of the 3x6 we are getting.

Flooring arrived so will get to that next week or so. Living room next to kitchen and master bedroom will get the hardwood treatment. Carpet in living room (where wood is stacked) and upstairs will be done after refinish of all hardwood. Have a carpet picked out just need to confirm after refinish of the dark hard wood Converting to a blasted gray scale with water pop.

Roof color picked out and ventilation inspection done. Will be changing everything. Product on order and osb for roof deck replacement will be acquired next week. Thank goodness the price has come way down. Talked the guy into letting me purchase and he install where needed.

Oh the joy! Golf Sim and so much more could have been had for this...haha

Still have to replace 12 doors upstairs and down. Found a place that has overrun product at cheap pricing. This lead to new tile for master bath...lmao!​

 

[Reframmellator]

Looks nice, but then I don't know where to look. That always drives me crazy on my projects.

Are you installing the hardwood yourself? I did two GRs of about 400 sf with Bruce prefinished oak. Still looks like new over thirty years later, but man, was that a lot of work! I';'d go through a box of planks, look at how much progress I'd made, and get depressed. an

 

[J4U]

Looks nice, but then I don't know where to look. That always drives me crazy on my projects.

Are you installing the hardwood yourself? I did two GRs of about 400 sf with Bruce prefinished oak. Still looks like new over thirty years later, but man, was that a lot of work! I';'d go through a box of planks, look at how much progress I'd made, and get depressed. an

Was wanting to, but the boss put the brakes on with my new knee. Interviewed 5 companies and told the guy who won he will wish he hadn't. He was more expensive than some, butbi liked his thought process. His son delivered the wood today and we walked the project. Showed him colors of what we were expecting and his answers solidified my decision to go with them at a bit more.

 

[Reframmellator]

You are a wise man.

 

[Duffer Waldorf]

Time for a new roof; we're thinking metal this time.

 

[J4U]

New roof completed...woohoo! Changed up the ventilation getting rid of vents and going with ridge cap and other venting options for cathedral ceilings on both sides. Had to replace 18 sheets of decking due to poor design and no air flow.. Will grab a pic later but they did a great job.

Flooring guys started today on hardwood in living room and master on main floor. Had it prepped for them to cut down on install time. Will be great to get rid of the dark colored floor. Will try and match banister later. Still taking old finish off and the balusters may go metal.

Poor wife has to be home during all the noise and smell as I'm in and out for jobs.

Let them know about cameras just wanted to be able to put a progress video together later.

Still fighting with countertop people to fix before I install backsplash.

 

[J4U]

Got to come home early from an out of state job. Which is extra nice because flooring crew is here to fix some issues I didn't like. Even better is I have some down time before heading to NM for the Titleist Experience!

Floor looks great overall and should meet my standards when he is done tomorrow...haha. I warned them going in.

Still have to get pics of the roof, but will do that and floors at same time.

Still haven't heard from countertop company.

 

[J4U]

Floors finally finished after the third time. Didn't like a couple sections...attempted to fix, redo the whole thing.

Finally satisfied and paid for an additional coat. Pictures don't do it justice as it's waterpopped and then stained. Wanted a burnished gray if you will. Happy with results. Not happy I have to refinish baseboards but what do you do.

Still work to be done sanding Bannister and replacing wood with metal ballisters, but that will come in time. Going to stain to Bannister match the floor.

Carpet is next.


Countertop people come out Monday to hopefully fix the issues so I can install the backsplash. Went and talked with the tile people about returns of extra boxes. They were cool with extending return window with all the issues we have had.

 

[Gyro25]

Floors look great @J4U ! You have a before and after with the counters and island? I can't see anything wrong it, at least the one picture

 

[J4U]

Floors look great @J4U ! You have a before and after with the counters and island? I can't see anything wrong it, at least the one picture

Thank you!

I do, but you still won't see it. Unless I show the picture with the string across the counters. Yup...I check everything.

That's why a lot of contractors aren't happy with me (I tell them before hiring them what to expect from my inspection). I expect a lot and having done most of it, know where to look.

Also why I dislike having other's do the work and not do it myself. Don't have the time for a lot of it, but always cringe when hiring it out. I don't go for cheapest bid, but for one I'm initially comfortable with their answers.

 

[J4U]

Baseboards refinished and installed(ended up taking them all off as the floor crew wasn't that "careful"). Made the last floor redo easier and less stress on me.

Just have to caulk and retouch paint.

Have to recut the baseboard around the peninsula. Didn't guesstimate the height of the wood correctly as it was carpet before. Off by 1/8 inch. Just going to rip off of top as you won't see it under the wood design the wife thought up.

Waiting a week to put furniture back in all areas of hardwood just because. Bedroom will be sudo placed as waiting 5 weeks to put area rug under bed. Don't want to disassemble everything again.

Fireplace surround changing. Leaving baseboard piece next to it off until replaced.

Countertop people come today and will hopefully find a way to resolve the issues. Previous person is no longer with the company I was dealing with. Doesn't surprise me.

Hopefully then can do the backsplash and get kitchen appliances out of living room!

Then finish stair Bannister and ballisters.

Then carpet in dining, formal living room and upstairs.

Then Paint all the doors/trim.





I will attempt to limit projects to one at a time going forward

At least it's progress.

 

[J4U]

Countertop People just left. They sent out the same people who installed it. Wasn't their fault, it was the measuring guy.

Anyway...95% of all my issues were resolved in an hour! 2.5 months wait for an hours worth of work!

The seem is the wife's biggest complaint, but it doesn't stand out unless it's dark and you turn on the undercabinet lights. Can't guarantee a better seem with a new slab they said. Will take pictures and go have the place we bought it from give us their thoughts.

I want to start the backsplash but have to make the attempt for the boss!

 

[J4U]

Spoke with GM at purchase store about countertops. Got a call from them and conferenced in countertop people.

Totally went how I thought it would go and blamed me the customer for not knowing. That didn't go over well. Basically said the conversation is over and told the person we bought it from I would be talking with them later.

Visited backsplash company again and updated on time lone for return of extra boxes. All good there. Will probably start that after Teras surgery.

 

[J4U]

Finally had time to go up in attic and add support for plugs they put in where the vents were removed on the roof. They were all installed at a seam between two deck boards.

Was able to snap a few pictures while I was up verifying I got them all.

Had vents installed low and high on cathedral ceilings that previously had no ventilation. Two areas had pass-through to ridge vent so only installed intake at the bottom.

Garage had no ventilation on area outside living space so added low and ridge vent there too.

Added Ridge Vent across entire roof on all peaks. I like the cleaner installation and it has already helped with the heat on top floor.




Overall very Happy as this improvement went without a hitch thank goodness!

 

[CTRosarian]

This was the cat room for a decade. Time to remodel the room! I've painted the radiator. Next up was alternately sanding and painting the floor with oil based polyurethane. One coat of stain and two coats of satin. I've spent $60 so far, half in sanding disks. Much better than it was.

 

[J4U]

Started to move furniture in...Woo-hoo! Two months sleeping in the loft or separate rooms due to covid.

Not permanent as have wait another 4 weeks to put area rugs in living and bedroom.

But...was able to put the beds together without headboard/siderails/sitting bench and furniture in living room temporarily.

Haven't been able to sit on the loveseat and watch TV, or sleep in our bedroom for 2 MONTHS!

Backsplash gets done in the next few days. Decided to fix the remaining requests on the countertops myself so I could finish kitchen and move appliances back in.

Progress!

 

[kiwichris]

Finally expanded out rather crappy deck to something a bit better..





Upper is now 20' wide by 12' deep with 2' cantilever. 4 steps down to another 10' deep by 20' wide lower section.
Lighting going in for the steps, upper needs one more drunkard light (middle of last step to folks know it's the last step) then figure out spacing of the lower ones.
Privacy wall is a mixture of pressure treated redwood posts with sealed cedar panels.

 

[J4U]

Finally expanded out rather crappy deck to something a bit better..

View attachment 9043629
View attachment 9043630
View attachment 9043631

Upper is now 20' wide by 12' deep with 2' cantilever. 4 steps down to another 10' deep by 20' wide lower section.
Lighting going in for the steps, upper needs one more drunkard light (middle of last step to folks know it's the last step) then figure out spacing of the lower ones.
Privacy wall is a mixture of pressure treated redwood posts with sealed cedar panels.

Excellent job! love the lighting inserts When's the grand opening?

 

[kiwichris]

Excellent job! love the lighting inserts When's the grand opening?

Based on weather, lack of time to complete all outstanding tasks, this will be a spring 2022 grand re-opening.
E-vite information included.

 

[vdubtx]

Redid the garage floors last week and painted.

The floors I did myself 6 years ago with epoxy from Sherwin Williams when we moved in and was holding up OK but could see a few chips starting to develop and tire marks showing from the cars. Wanted to get it done professionally and found a local company to do it for us. Turns out the guys that showed up were some guys that bowled in same league a few years ago. Haven't put all back together yet. Think it looks pretty good and a nice refresh.

Before



After

 

[Jman]

Well, roofing supplies ordered for the Doc’s home office building. Been about a two decades since I did any roofing, but for about 380 sq/ft I figure why not

 

[Jman]

Also have to get the windows and doors put in this week/weekend.

And order siding.

And get the concrete guys to come out.

 

[Duffer Waldorf]

Time for a new roof; we're thinking metal this time.

Roofers put in some serious work today and got the entire job done today. I am stunned they got it all done. They were pushing daylight to finish.

What I saw looked good. I'll be curious to see the finished product when the sun comes up.

Every acorn that falls now, though, sounds like a bomb going off. That will take some getting used to.

 

[dAS0]

It is time to update/repair the bathrooms, mainly the tub and showers. We replaced the shower and re-tiled 12 years ago and the tub was reglazed at about the same time. The shower pan has cracked years ago and was patched, plus the tub glaze has been peeling around the drain.

I am thinking of doing the demo myself, having a plumber install the tub and plumbing, then I would finish and tile the walls. Would this save me much or is the bulk of the coast the tub/shower and plumbing install? Just curious.

 

[AuzzieMatt]

I am thinking of doing the demo myself, having a plumber install the tub and plumbing, then I would finish and tile the walls. Would this save me much or is the bulk of the coast the tub/shower and plumbing install? Just curious.

That's the way I'd do it. A tiler would charge a small fortune and it's actually a fairly easy job to do.