The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

[joecct]

In other news, we're about to have two garage doors replaced (doors, hardware, everything). No automatic openers or anything. Wow are they expensive...

Prices went up something like 60% in the past year. We were going to upgrade the Gdoor, but $4K for everything was just a wee bit too much.

[St. Clown]

Over the weekend I had to replace the concrete stairs/stoop that was torn out as part of the foundation fix in late April. The concrete guy who originally put in our old steps said that we would need to wait 3 years before we could install another concrete replacement. So on to a wooden solution.

There’s a lot more involved in that process than I had ever expected, and I learned how to create a stairs stringer that’s out of standard from the pre-made options you can purchase at your big box home center.

[dxmnkd316]

The concrete guy who originally put in our old steps said that we would need to wait 3 years before we could install another concrete replacement

Is that a soil compaction/settling thing?

[St. Clown]

Is that a soil compaction/settling thing?

Yes.

[burd]

Over the weekend I had to replace the concrete stairs/stoop that was torn out as part of the foundation fix in late April. The concrete guy who originally put in our old steps said that we would need to wait 3 years before we could install another concrete replacement. So on to a wooden solution.

There’s a lot more involved in that process than I had ever expected, and I learned how to create a stairs stringer that’s out of standard from the pre-made options you can purchase at your big box home center.

Although a good framing square contains all the information necessary to frame stairs and roofs, except perhaps the golden number of 17 1/2 which, as I recall, is the preferred rise and run total. Carpenters used to carry a small roof and stair framing book. Nowadays, I suppose a simple square and youtube is all one needs.

[Swansong]

So I'm finally having someone come take a look at my sagging deck next week.



Yes, you read that correctly.


I have lovely trex boards that are in great shape but about 1/3 of it is sinking, so need to have that looked at.

[dxmnkd316]

So I'm finally having someone come take a look at my sagging deck next week.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I have lovely trex boards that are in great shape but about 1/3 of it is sinking, so need to have that looked at.

Decks suck as much as they rule. Ours is in dangerous condition because it's 20+ yrs old and is pine. The previous owner decided to design it himself but, since he was a ****ing idiot, he didn't properly channel the water away from the joists, instead just making a place for water to sit. So you can imagine how structurally sound it is. It's actually kind of incredible it lasted this long. I stopped giving a **** about the decking and let it go a few years back. The boards are still in relatively good shape except for the cut ends.

We're trying to get ours replaced this year. Probably going with Azek. I liked the idea of full-PVC internals so no chance of water damage. I didn't really want to go with composite, but given interest rates and no sign of housing prices retreating, not sure if our plans to move in the next 5-7 years is going to be as easy as it would have been. Too damn expensive! Given that the mortgage is 2.75% and housing prices are outpacing that (and have been for a while), it would be insane to give up that mortgage.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

We need our driveway redone and we want a new privacy fence between us and our next door neighbor as well. Tricky thing is, there's a giant old oak right on our property line (mostly on the neighbor's side) which the fence will have to snake around somehow. In addition, the tree is so old and big that the roots are contributing to the breakup of our existing concrete and pouring new concrete in that area may be pointless (continued root growth will eventually break it up again over several years) and if whatever contractor we hire damages the roots while doing the work, it might also kill the oak. It really should be removed, but there's no reasoning with this lady. She got into a very nasty dispute with the previous owner of our house over tree trimming that he did which included branches on her side of the property line he shouldn't have touched, and I'm in no mood to torch off our own turf war with her.

[SJHovey]

In Minnesota it works this way. If the trunk is entirely on your property, you may do what you like with it. If it’s entirely on your neighbors property, you may trim that part hanging over your land, but only if it causes no harm to the tree(terrible appearance is not harm.) If the trunk is on the property line, you may again trim it if no harm will occur. Can’t go on neighbors property to do it. Both must consent to remove it. But if the tree is causing a nuisance ( sounds like it is) you can bring a nuisance claim and ask that it be removed.)

[walrus]

We need our driveway redone and we want a new privacy fence between us and our next door neighbor as well. Tricky thing is, there's a giant old oak right on our property line (mostly on the neighbor's side) which the fence will have to snake around somehow. In addition, the tree is so old and big that the roots are contributing to the breakup of our existing concrete and pouring new concrete in that area may be pointless (continued root growth will eventually break it up again over several years) and if whatever contractor we hire damages the roots while doing the work, it might also kill the oak. It really should be removed, but there's no reasoning with this lady. She got into a very nasty dispute with the previous owner of our house over tree trimming that he did which included branches on her side of the property line he shouldn't have touched, and I'm in no mood to torch off our own turf war with her.

Get a concrete contractor in there to give an opinion. You want someone that does flatwork. I'll bet I could place a concrete driveway that tree won't **** up : ) Excavate the roots all you want they are on your property.

[dxmnkd316]

Little over golfball-sized hail in GDO this afternoon. Upwards of 2".

Hoping for a new roof

[joecct]

About that garage door....

The HOA did its "annual" inspection (1st time I've seen them do one) of all the houses for compliance.

We got dinged for a dented and cracked garage door. Got an estimate from COSTCO. With 10% Costco card and a 5% senior discount, got the cost down to $3775. (cough, gasp).

[Swansong]

About that garage door....

The HOA did its "annual" inspection (1st time I've seen them do one) of all the houses for compliance.

We got dinged for a dented and cracked garage door. Got an estimate from COSTCO. With 10% Costco card and a 5% senior discount, got the cost down to $3775. (cough, gasp).

Total replacement? Or just a touch up? My quote - for two doors and all hardware/sliders/whatever (no automatic stuff, all manual) was $3400. We aren't getting windows or anything fancy on them, and aren't having them painted. And my favorite part is that the salesman was honest about timing - "yeah, a few months? Honestly I have no idea and I'm really sorry, but I don't want to overpromise".

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Little over golfball-sized hail in GDO this afternoon. Upwards of 2".

Hoping for a new roof

My parents house got hammered. Outside lights shattered, roof is a wreck and getting total replacement

[joecct]

Total replacement? Or just a touch up? My quote - for two doors and all hardware/sliders/whatever (no automatic stuff, all manual) was $3400. We aren't getting windows or anything fancy on them, and aren't having them painted. And my favorite part is that the salesman was honest about timing - "yeah, a few months? Honestly I have no idea and I'm really sorry, but I don't want to overpromise".

Door is 22 years old and is a wide door that needed reinforcement at one time to keep it from buckling. New one has some R value to it which should keep the sewing room above the garage warmer in winter.

Oh - and an AC smoke detector went on the fritz 3 years early. Replaced the backup battery and it still went beep all through last night. Going to replace all the detectors just in case, but the previous AH owner didn't label which breaker runs the smoke detectors. Will have to play hunt and check this weekend. %&&**!!!

And now my wife finally agrees that we need to replace the 22 year old builder grade windows (30 of them!). More money. Think we'll wait a bit more for the supply chain & economy issues to resolve.