The Home Renovation Thread

Quick question, do/would you guys tip or give a little extra to a pair of laborers who's working on a project. Aside from the owner there's two workers who are installing my concrete patio, just want to see if I should have a little extra cash for them?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
greekelite;n8899260 said:
Quick question, do/would you guys tip or give a little extra to a pair of laborers who's working on a project. Aside from the owner there's two workers who are installing my concrete patio, just want to see if I should have a little extra cash for them?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I probably wouldn't, since their labor is included in the owner's pay. He can decide whether the give them a bonus if he wants.

On the other hand, if these guys are making $10/hr or something and they've been working their a$$es off, I might give them $20 each or something.
 
campilobaxter;n8899279 said:
I probably wouldn't, since their labor is included in the owner's pay. He can decide whether the give them a bonus if he wants.

On the other hand, if these guys are making $10/hr or something and they've been working their a$$es off, I might give them $20 each or something.

Yeah I have no idea what they're making, but as this guy came in at half the price of the other quotes with evidence of his work being as good if not better, I hope he's not underpaying them. I initially thought an extra $40 or 50 for each of the 2 guys because it's a 3 day job
 
Well there was no point in asking because my wife forgot to give them the cash anyways grrrr think they have to come back anyways to remove the wood frame around the two sections so hopefully I can catch them then

Overall came out really nice.. I may dig out the lawn a little around it and get more rocks for a nice border but will see on that one
b163cc16b20745444f0e49416e70c1d8.jpg


Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Anyone replace an exterior/entry door before? I believe that is on my to do list for tomorrow.
 
The canned lights and insulation are now done in my woodworking/club building/cigar lounge. Now comes the drywall.

I hate insulation because I itch for days but I really hate drywall.
80733A44-CA19-4411-86F1-16BD723EB1A1.jpeg4A078195-0585-4A24-BE06-3E0FD1CFAC78.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: J4U
We had a wet back yard on and at the bottom of a slope running the entire width of our property. Last September, I dug a 70 foot an 90 foot trench and a big honkin' 100 gallon hole at the end. I laid 160 feet of corrugated pipe/poly rock/mesh cloth (highly recommended desppite the premium - it took me 20 minutes to install the 160 feet) and filled the dry well with crushed rock to 18" below grade. I graded the entire area and reseeded.

This spring was exceptionally wet. Everyone on our street had wetter than normal backyards. Around the dry well, the ground was so soggy and spongy I couldn't walk or mow there. I hoped things would settle and I wouldn't have to sink a point well. The last two days we had 3.5" of rain, and while the dry well area has a small amount of standing water, it's firm and doesn't give. What' s more, the rest of the formerly wet area is dry. I'm declaring victory and moving on to the next project.
 
Nice job on the water management.
 
Nice bump, but with the nicer weather perhaps some of us have some projects coming.. cmpleted this PITA assembly today
IMG_20200327_195859_01.jpg
 
New retaining wall installed this week.
3D4EE15B-3105-4E6C-A41A-F7BE515E81C3.jpeg
And a new tree
C2F58D52-3CE0-49AF-A7D1-5855FA994266.jpegE
 
Fixing up our front plant boxes

Before
20200404_154629.jpg

After (well the other section)
20200404_154615.jpg

Tomorrow we go on the hunt for plants then just have to get mulch
 
All finished ... Friggin exhausted


20200405_143406.jpg

Hope the stimulus check comes soon haha
 

Attachments

  • ISmmrmsfhyi5yb0000000000.jpg
    ISmmrmsfhyi5yb0000000000.jpg
    55.3 KB · Views: 7
Sanded and sealed my Cedar deck that I built last year. Applied Nano Poly Seal to it for 5-10 year protection. I never got the chance seal it after it was built due to injuries.

Cannot wait to hang out on it.
 
Any one ever painted/whitewashed/limewashed outside bricks? Wife is wanting to do that as another spring project. A lot of people say not too, particularly with the standard outdoor paints, and to rather cover it with siding or do a different stone front (probably not in our budget, as painting is just a 100-200 if we do ourselves)

If you have, pros and cons you have seen? Last long?

Or top choice is this Italian lime paint but of course supply is scarce with covid, but probably better than the standard paints out there.
 
Last edited:
Working on fixing a few things in the kitchen like a new faucet/garbage disposal and all of that jazz. One thing I am stumped on (I am not a handyman)... one of my cabinets is pulling away from the wall at the top in each corner. It is causing it to separate in the middle (part held by staples) from the back board as well.

What can I do to fix that?
 
Welp a month and a half ago we bought our forever home, brand new build but plenty of projects to get done. Love it so far, just got our driveway paved and added a 12 ft extension for extra parking/our boat. A few highlights since March
a3eaaabb5d5e1c2f40bef0b03e8adc8b.jpg


1654750820657160211df436756b1aa3.jpg

da6391a2b65af8b5cd0f540f0dfb7fb0.jpg

d2ced983c1db0bbd9a9582c170bacc39.jpg

d40e25fea3e83eeff1a2f2362083e289.jpg

c06b0a01d6f757dbe118aaafdab0b8b5.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Working on fixing a few things in the kitchen like a new faucet/garbage disposal and all of that jazz. One thing I am stumped on (I am not a handyman)... one of my cabinets is pulling away from the wall at the top in each corner. It is causing it to separate in the middle (part held by staples) from the back board as well.

What can I do to fix that?
Got pics? Can't quite picture it.
 
Any one ever painted/whitewashed/limewashed outside bricks? Wife is wanting to do that as another spring project. A lot of people say not too, particularly with the standard outdoor paints, and to rather cover it with siding or do a different stone front (probably not in our budget, as painting is just a 100-200 if we do ourselves)

If you have, pros and cons you have seen? Last long?

Or top choice is this Italian lime paint but of course supply is scarce with covid, but probably better than the standard paints out there.
I personally don't like the painted brick look. have you thought about renewing the bricks by sandblasting?
 
I personally don't like the painted brick look. have you thought about renewing the bricks by sandblasting?
Eh shes more about changing the color than renewing it
 
Getting quotes on three big projects the next couple weeks then picking one.
1) One room add on of a new master suite which would give the three kids all three rooms on the other side of the house and be glorious when they’re older.

2) Kitchen and living/dining remodel.

3) Outdoor stand alone screened in patio with indoor kitchen and fireplace.
 
Getting quotes on three big projects the next couple weeks then picking one.
1) One room add on of a new master suite which would give the three kids all three rooms on the other side of the house and be glorious when they’re older.

2) Kitchen and living/dining remodel.

3) Outdoor stand alone screened in patio with indoor kitchen and fireplace.
Be sure you are sitting down when the quotes come haha. Just got mine for a kitchen, master bed and bathroom remodel. Yikes!
 
Be sure you are sitting down when the quotes come haha. Just got mine for a kitchen, master bed and bathroom remodel. Yikes!
Definitely. I’ve honestly tried to get the Doc to either buy land to build or just move to Stillwater, she loves our old ranch style on the 10 acres though, and I don’t blame her. Haha
 
Contractor is coming out this weekend to measure for a major remodel of our master bath and a minor for the guest bath and counter tops and new sink in the kitchen. I think this is going to get very spendy, very fast....
 
Another project checked off the list. Budget shiplap wall in the kitchen

Just used 1/5" plywood underlayment, cut down to 4" width
20200524_131737.jpg

And painted finished product
20200524_195908.jpg


Not bad for $45.. vs the few hundred it wouldve been with precut shiplap


Wife is going to paint the walls in there over the week... but I know as soon as I come home from work shell be asking me to get into the difficult spots :mad:
 
Bought a new Samsung electric range. We had the original one, which was a drop in, and this is a slide in so we knew some work was going to be required. I thought I had it measured correctly, but I guess I didn't because when this puppy arrived, it's 29.75" wide and the space between the cabinets is 29.5".

So, I figure I need to take at least a 1/4" from each cabinet (or 1/2" from one). Thinking the 1/2" from one may be my easiest option. There is one cabinet I can rip out, cut and put back in. But it's going to make a job that should have taken an hour (need to redo the wiring from the floor to the wall) into something probably substantially more.

Nothing is ever easy.
 
Back
Top