Home Improvement.

[jsanders]

I thought I’d start a little thread on some of the things we are doing to improve our dwellings. A place where we can share dreams, get a little advise from each other, and actually enjoy ourselves.

So have fun and tell us about your latest, or next, project.

Ya’ll know I’ve been in the construction business for over 20 years now. So I’d love to share some of the things I’ve learned.

 

[Rich]

So I’d love to share some of the things I’ve learned.

Just how to make money out of it will suffice for now, thanks

 

[Kraj]

I'm in an apartment, so I'm afraid I'm pretty much left out of this one. But I do have some war stories from when my mother finished our family's basement all by herself. She did everything but the plumbing and carpet installation. Frames, wallboarding, electrical. Circular saws, 2x4s, concrete nail guns (fun!), plumbobs. Oh, the laughs...

 

[jsanders]

Just how to make money out of it will suffice for now, thanks

Whats your plan?

 

[Rich]

Whats your plan?

To survive

 

[jsanders]

To survive

You’re going to have to be more specific than that.

 

[Kraj]

Just tell people whatever work they want you to do a.) requires your expertise, b.) will raise the value of the home and c.) will prevent their certain demise.

 

[jsanders]

Just tell people whatever work they want you to do a.) requires your expertise, b.) will raise the value of the home and c.) will prevent their certain demise.

Works for me.

 

[MrsGorilla]

We just had new windows put in our house in July. Also we painted and landscaped the exterior. We're toying with the idea of putting our house up on the market so of course we are now trying to tear out the old (horribly ugly) wallpaper in the bathroom and are looking at slapping a quick coat of paint in the whole house to try to make it look more presentable. You know, all the stuff you'll do if you're trying to sell your house but don't seem to have time for just for yourself.

 

[Pat Hartman]

We did some sprucing up in the kitchen this summer. I hired someone to do it since my husband isn't very handy and neither am I. We:
1. painted the cabinents (they were a dark wood finish originally) a creamy white
2. replaced all the hardware
3. replaced the countertop
4. replaced the sink
5. replaced the flooring.
6. painted the walls.

We did most of the teardown work - stripped the old wallpaper, pulled up the old floor. It seemed like the handyman and his helper should have been able to get the stuff done in 3 days, maybe 4 or 5 if it was really humid and the paint was taking a long time to dry and that's what we agreed to. It's not a big room. The contractor agreed to start a week from Monday so we got busy on the teardown the following weekend but of course, the contractor didn't show up for another week.

He'd come in one day, promise to be back the next and show up three days later unanounced. He'd work for an hour and leave for a week. Well 8 weeks later, most of the job was done but we just couldn't stand it any longer so we fired the contracter and finished up the trim work ourselves!

Since then, I have been threatening to start a home repair service and call it "We show up!"

 

[Rich]

Since then, I have been threatening to start a home repair service and call it "We show up!"

It's an honourable sentiment Pat but in reality it's totally impractical

 

[jsanders]

It's an honourable sentiment Pat but in reality it's totally impractical

She can make it work; she’ll just need to hire Hispanic workers.

 

[FoFa]

Having our sprinkler system fixed today.
Finishing painting the molding in just about the entire house.
Get a pool cover to the leaves out over the winter.
Extend the sidewalk out to the pool.
Decide on which new digicam to get (oops, sorry not home improvment).

 

[jsanders]

Having our sprinkler system fixed today.
Finishing painting the molding in just about the entire house.
Get a pool cover to the leaves out over the winter.
Extend the sidewalk out to the pool.
Decide on which new digicam to get (oops, sorry not home improvment).

You have to have a pool in Texas.
I'm glad to see ya’ll posting on here, its fun to hear from the other side, for a change. I tend to see this stuff as work.

 

[Rich]

Decide on which new digicam to get (oops, sorry not home improvment).

Which one did you get?

 

[statsman]

I don't know if you get this show in the US yet but there is an excellent TV program called "Holmes on Homes". See hgtv.ca for details.
Every week Mike Holmes goes out to a renovation which has gone horribly wrong. The thing I've learned from this show are:
Always get permits. If you're doing changes to structure, plumbing or electrics almost all the building codes in N. America require a permit. That way it has to be inspected before the contractor seals up the walls (and his mistakes). If a renovation guys says you don't need permits, show him the door.

 

[FoFa]

Digicam:
Have not decided as if yet, seem to be caught beween the panasonic's FZ5 and FZ20, the sony H1, Fuji's S5200 and Pentax @ist DS

 

[jeremie_ingram]

So far I have dealt with the minor things like installing track lighting in the loft and added a few phone lines run with cat5.

I am looking into putting hardwood on all of the first floor, its the time it would take that has me putting it off.

 

[FoFa]

We put in laminate instead of wood, we love it. Doesn't fade in the sun like hardwood, and many more designs. Wears like iron.

 

[Friday]

We put in laminate instead of wood, we love it. Doesn't fade in the sun like hardwood, and many more designs. Wears like iron.

Just don't get it wet.