Do It Yourself Help-Home Projects

[Kimbo]

Originally Posted by Jackhammer

Good deal I'm glad you have some help on the way.

You mentioned a gas dryer and a tankless water heater, these wont be sharing a gas line.... right?

The manufacture should be calling for a separate gas line coming off the gas meter for the tankless. NO sharing. Id double check on that little ditty.
Then you will be on your way to punching out the required power venting.

Im not going to tell you your old pipes make me nervous because the newer units have built in filters to eliminate the problem of debris jamming up the unit.


LOL, I should be in the wood thread too. I bought a flat screen TV and I have been a damn zombie with my mouth hanging open for a week.

I am glad I've got some help as well--I was a bit intimidated by the wall with all the pipes and elbows. My friend is also a contractor--ironically she is afraid of gas so she will help me with the wall and pipe but I have to call to have the other line fully brought in and hooked up. I knew that the heater would need it's own line, can the furnace and dryer be on the same line--I have a T already off of that line?

[cara]

Kimbo--I don't have to hang lights this year, it's just something I've always been curious about. My dad refused to put lights up outside, so if we wanted them, we had to do the task ourselves. I could never get them straight, though.

Jack--Pretty funny question, huh? Ah well. Glad I could keep you entertained.

~cara

[WILDCAT]

Originally Posted by Jackhammer

WILDCAT

Let me get back to you on those questions, Bronco Billy is on, he's trying to rob a train.

wooohooo

Oh my god! This reminded me of the "Married With Children" episode "Psycho Dad"!!! I just saw that AGAIN tonight?!

(Sorry, don't know what your show is, but I'm gigglin' here!!)

PSYCHO DAD!!!!! (There is a "Psycho Mom" version on the show for Peg, too!)

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wJX1Atch1k"]YouTube- Psycho dad and psycho mom[/ame]





*I love Al Bundy's way of fixing things! I know a guy like that!! Seriously!!

[christie]

Originally Posted by cara

Kimbo--I don't have to hang lights this year, it's just something I've always been curious about. My dad refused to put lights up outside, so if we wanted them, we had to do the task ourselves. I could never get them straight, though.

Jack--Pretty funny question, huh? Ah well. Glad I could keep you entertained.

~cara

Cara... Being that this is one of my pet peeves.... the "zen" Christmas lights and their unacceptability... I found a couple of tricks over the years...

The lil clip thingys that are sold at whatever your favorite retailer might be... a LIFESAVER. These are for hanging lights on the house...

The lights for trees/shrubs now are sold in "nets" rather than the strings and strings of lights twirled around the shrub.

Other than that, its a matter of patience and "being on a mission"...

On another note... pet peeve #987... special order countertops that were cut WRONG!!!! Thank goodness that Jess had measured meticulously (how did we ever live without the laser measure thingy from Sears?!?!?) and it wasn't the measurement that was the issue... the manufacturer just cut one of them wrong...

We know Jack's latest obsession with the flat screen... we picked one up on Black Friday with the BluRay DVD... AND have discovered the netflix streaming feature... needless to say, it makes not being able to finish the countertops more bearable.

The last thing on this round of kitchen renovation is installing the faux tin kitchen tiles. They look pretty easy... adhesive up...

Next on the list is moving the w/d and installing beadboard over the existing STUCCO walls in our now dining room....

For now, I am glad that we are on hiatus till after the holidays... more time for TV!!!

[Kimbo]

Well the sheetrock is down and my mess is cleaned up--now that I have a look inside the wall it makes sense. It does look like the culprit pipe is the hotwater pipe out of the water heater. Of course I am not going to be able to get that one fixed today because we will need to drain the tank and move it--I am hoping we can get the new heater early this week.

I've got an 1.5 hours before my friend is here--guess I'll go to Starbucks!

[Kimbo]

Sadly my project is delayed a week. Due to the location of the pipe and the fact that we need to drain and move the water heater and the fact that she thought rehooking up this water heater would be a bad decision. I've got to get the new tank in house so we can do the whole project at once. We have some challenges, we are going to try and move part of the plumbing so it would better accomodate a stackable laundry set saving even more room in the already small room...I am hoping it gets a bit warmer throughout this week--it's pretty cold here, not good for in, out project work.

Stayed tuned--

[cara]

So...I need to hang some curtains. I remember how hard it was last time trying to screw into the wall, so I bought a small, Black & Decker, cordless drill and a small set of drill bits. (My first power tool! I'm so proud!) I've charged the drill the obligatory 17 hours per instruction. I'm scared to drill holes in my wall, though! What if they come out uneven? I know I'm gonna end up spackling the wall when I leave, but I'm still wary of this task. I have to drill 3 holes with a 3/16" bit. Then, I have to put in 3 plastic anchors (my dad called them "Molly Bolts" when I was growing up). The screws will be easy and hanging the curtains will be a breeze.

I just have one question, so far: when measuring where to place the holes, can I base it on the ceiling line, or do I go with the window frame? (And does that make any sense?)

Handily challenged and may need to resort to if I can't get the curtains to hang level,

cara

[cara]

drill & bits. check!
level? damn!

Thanks for the help, Jack. My curtains are too narrow so I have to go back and buy the wider set. No curtains for me tonight. I should probably get a level and a new tape measure while I'm at it.

~cara

[Jess]

OK.. so here's a new one...

How do you go about jacking up a house? Ours is "drooping" in the back area.. specifically the kitchen.

There is a good clearance under it to place jacks/ supports. I have been told to use "pop bottle" jacks ( sure, I know what those are) and that the process has to be very slow, so as not to upset the foundation.

Is this something I should undertake myself or hire a professional " jacker?" WTF is a house jacker upper called anyway?? LOL. Anyone ( hint Jack) know of a good website with video showing the process?

There is very mild "sloping" in other areas, but the kitchen is the most dramatic. The wife says she hadn't noticed it so much until we placed a new round table in there, which makes it glaringly obvious. So,.. yet another wee little project in the ongoing saga of Extreme Home Makeover: Butch Edition.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Jess

[weatherboi]

http://www.ellisok.com/ellisok/rescon.html

This may be a little more intrusive than you need but we have used a system similar to this to help level an old bed and breakfast here.

I have watched this process a few times and wouldn't think of doing it myself. My liable general contractor side says hire a professional!!!

Hope the links help!!


http://homerenovations.about.com/od/...a/homejack.htm

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/f...t1/raising.htm

[Jess]

Originally Posted by weatherboi

http://www.ellisok.com/ellisok/rescon.html

This may be a little more intrusive than you need but we have used a system similar to this to help level an old bed and breakfast here.

I have watched this process a few times and wouldn't think of doing it myself. My liable general contractor side says hire a professional!!!

Hope the links help!!


http://homerenovations.about.com/od/...a/homejack.htm

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/f...t1/raising.htm

Thanks a bunch! Everything I have read thus far seems to lean toward hiring the job out. They also seem to state that most contractors don't want to do it. ACK!

Will keep plugging away at as many projects I can handle and leave the intrinsic to structure work to the pro's! Thanks again!

[Bit]

Jess, look in the yellowpages under "basement repair." You should find all kinds of contractors.

We had to have two steel I-beams and four jack posts installed in the basement of That House before we were allowed to move in; it ran us $1800 last April. $1200 of that was for the I-beams (and their installation).

Hey, Cara, I'm all excited; we found LED light strings on sale after the holidays and now have four. I've already got one of those outlets that screws into your porch light fixture, so we'll even be able to plug them in next winter. I'll probably wind them around our porch railings rather than hanging them from the roofline, though.

I bought two outlets, for front and back; our back porch light doesn't work properly because the pull string won't stay in the "on" position, so I'm hoping we can "fix" it by bypassing it; the outlet has a pull chain of its own.

[Jess]

OK.. sooo.. jacking up the house is on hold a while but is definitely still on " THE LIST".

Because working outside makes me feel better, I am starting to plan the re-do of our yard/ lot. I have some very clear ideas of features I want but am having a hard time visualizing exactly how it all needs to come together.

Anyone know of any free landscaping design programs that could help with laying out the yard?

Thanks!

[wolfwalker]

Originally Posted by Jess

OK.. so here's a new one...

How do you go about jacking up a house? Ours is "drooping" in the back area.. specifically the kitchen.

There is a good clearance under it to place jacks/ supports. I have been told to use "pop bottle" jacks ( sure, I know what those are) and that the process has to be very slow, so as not to upset the foundation.

Is this something I should undertake myself or hire a professional " jacker?" WTF is a house jacker upper called anyway?? LOL. Anyone ( hint Jack) know of a good website with video showing the process?

There is very mild "sloping" in other areas, but the kitchen is the most dramatic. The wife says she hadn't noticed it so much until we placed a new round table in there, which makes it glaringly obvious. So,.. yet another wee little project in the ongoing saga of Extreme Home Makeover: Butch Edition.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Jess

Jess, you can do it yourself. I raised an old farmhouse and made all the repairs myself.

it takes time. it took time to get that way and it will take time to get it back level. if you rush it. you will be looking at your house on the ground.

I will explain this whole thing to you and show you how when i come down that way for a visit. which will be soon. but you need to also check the source of the sag. is it just old age? or is it termites?

if its termites, house needs to be treated first. if it old age, cool. As long as you have good clearance. it not a hard job. its the time it takes to right it that makes it look harder then it is. The house has to be raised slowly over the course of a week or two. a bit at a time. when i did the farm. i did it in 1/8th to 1/4th inch every 2 days. this gave everything time to slowly move back into position. it means making adjustments every 2 days to several bottle jacks and supports. not really a biggie. but time consuming. How big an area it is will guide how many jacks and supports you need.

the biggest thing is make a list of supplies, check it twice before you do anything. the last thing you need is to be missing something in the process of raising.

wolfwalker

[Jess]

Awesome... that will be yet another "one less thing".. ( Our new mantra!)

We're really looking forward to seeing you and I am always open to advice/ suggestions.. lord knows anything that helps me in knocking out the list is a godsend!

[cara]

i bought a torpedo level and tape measure this weekend.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by cara

i bought a torpedo level and tape measure this weekend.

Someone's hanging curtains!

[cara]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Someone's hanging curtains!

They are UP! and none too soon 'cuz I have a date this Saturday!

At this point, I'm so proud of myself for getting them hung (and LEVEL even!) that I don't care that the curtains are too small for the window. Or that my bed totally doesn't match my current theme. And neither do my current bed linens.

YAY!

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by cara

They are UP! and none too soon 'cuz I have a date this Saturday!

At this point, I'm so proud of myself for getting them hung (and LEVEL even!) that I don't care that the curtains are too small for the window. Or that my bed totally doesn't match my current theme. And neither do my current bed linens.

YAY!

Yaaaaay for handiness and not being too matchy matchy!

BTW, hubba hubba on the youknowwhat.

[Kimbo]

Who would of known my project would have all these twists. My house is plumbed along with a new hot water heater. Only a few twists...I popped out a few tiles in the bathroom wall turning the shower valve and I might of put the blade of the reciprocating saw thru my bathroom sheetrock once or twice. My friend ended up getting pretty sick so I did most of the project myself. I've got one issue with the hot water in the kitchen that she is going to come and help me with this week. Hopefully we will have the sheetrock up and mudded by the weekend--I've left it down until she inspects all my work and makes sure I did it correct.

As soon as the plumbing has the okay then I'm putting in a new tub, with new tile on the walls and floors. I'll be building in a cabinet and taking out the medicine cabinet, putting in new sink, buying a huge mirror for the wall and a new light track and I'll be replacing the fan and moving some electrical. I'm hoping to have it all done by the third week of Feb and then maybe I can get back to my bedroom.

I appreciate all your help Jack. I don't know how one could do this in 4-6 hours alone..maybe it could happen but I certainly couldn't do it.