Home Improvement Today?

I have some 9"x9" linoleum tile in my basement that needs painted and some ductwork insulation that also needs encapsulated.

 

That’s what I’m told by all the removal outfits. Best to encapsulate instead of removal if you don’t have to. These were demo’s right to concrete so everything got tested. Place was vacant for like the last 20yrs.

 

Wow, my $500 guesstimate wasn't too far off.

 

Google says average price is $1.50 sq/ft installed. I guessed 10 sheets.
32 sqft a sheet
320 sqft total
320x1.5= $480

Nice to see the guy knows how to quote a job. I wouldve just pulled a number out of my ass and went with it...

 

Worth it, i hate drywall. Well its the mudding i hate

 

I swear that is par for some contractors. Most are just that good but basing it on how busy they are seems.......unfair.

 

I was thinking about $150 for 10-12 4x8 sheets roughly, plus another $50 for sandpaper, drywall tape, joint compound, and drywall screws, and $300 for labor. Glad it worked out. Some jobs are better outsourced. Your time is worth something.

 

Yeah. He said he just wrapped up a job where the client hung it themselves. Said he hates doing that. They didnt even put the joints on the studs apparently. He told them it would crack, they said do it anyways.

Yeah if youre too busy dont take on more jobs. Its really that simple.

And I get to burn a few days of vacation from work in the process.

 

I like to mud drywall.

 

I knew there was something wrong with you...

 

Now, if you want, I gotta swap out the shower valve in the new place tomorrow. You're more than willing to help me light the house on fire soldering putting one in

 

I can solder copper too. I just don't wanna drive the whole length of PA.

 

Actually just gonna solder on a couple PEX adapters and be done with it. Already have to enlarge the opening behind the tub, but the previous plumber did me a solid and put in two valves to turn the tub/shower off separate. Hoping the new valve don't cut down on the pressure too much. For being on a well, it has some pretty good pressure. Has a big pressure tank, so I guess that helps

 

Thats one thing I've learned on what makes a good plumber. When they dont just do a job for "right then and there" but think of the poor guy who has to do something to it down the road (ie valves). Its seriously <$100 bucks (adding a bunch of valves that is) to do but makes it so much easier for the next time


Course the best part is when you have a plumber do something and call them back in a few years to change/fix something and they complain about the work they originally did




Or in my case with the HVAC guy working on the furnace and complaining how it is installed. He (or least his small company) is the one who installed in 11 years ago!

 

Ya it had the 55" track and a couple blades... I'm beginning to loath used tool shopping tho. I message the guy and offer to pickup this and a few other items he had listed (Festool CT sys, and a couple systainers) and asked if he'd take $100 off it I took everything. He messaged back "All sold seperately for list price." end of story, and an hour later the listings were gone. Sometimes it's just easier to just by new.

 

Changed heater filters.

 

So, after looking at the current shower valve plumbing I gave up all hope as there's gonna need to be some restructuring behind the tub for a new valve. That would also require cutting out a larger portion of sheetrock behind the tub. Noped outta that today; just gonna have to live with the odd noises and water hammering going on. So, I needed to do a load of laundry today, so I decided to hook up the washer and dryer. Well that turned into a 3 hour ordeal...

The dryer vent line that was there was either dry rotted or chewed through by mice. Ok, easy enough to put a new line on there. Yea, nope. It's in a precarious spot and the old vent was trashed. So, off to ACE for a new vent. Finally got that up and going!





The vent was filled with spray foam around it, unlike what was previously there, cold air was coming strait in. Not to mention possible mice entry. I'll need to seal it on the outside when temps get possible to do it. Bought some brown Dynaflex to do it with.

Now, I needed to hook up the washer. Well the way they had the drain setup would not work for my washer. So, another trip to ACE for an 1-1/4" Fernco. The copper drain is 1-1/2", which is the same size as 1-1/4" PVC. Also clamps down enough on the washer drain.



(the black ABS line you see is feeding the cistern from the front gutter)

Great, drain setup now just need to hook up the hot/cold supply. Well one of my hoses rubber washer was missing, but on further investigation the hoses just looked kinda crappy. They were 5+ years old anyways. Went to ACE yet AGAIN for some nice stainless braided lines. Now we're in business!

So, nothing seems to be going easy right now. Found out the toilet does not flush large turds at all (cue the poop knife story...) so that'll need replaced. The kitchen faucet is leaking somewhere. And the bibbs for the washing machine are leaking slightly as well. They're so corroded tightening the packing nut is only gonna break the things to smithereens... So, lots of stuff to do! To be expected, it's an old house and has been vacant a little while. The water softener does seem to be doing a good job. Using the same amount of soap in the shower as the previous place (very hard city water) resulted in way too much rinse time. Ooops!

 

Picked up something similar by DAP that claims to be hard enough to be planed. Also picked up a circular saw. After borrowing one to demo the 2 bathrooms I decided it was time to buy since I need to trim down 6 doors. After shopping around my buddy offers me the 1 I had borrowed for $120, including the 20T framing blade & 4ah battery. The only use any of it has had was by me! Hard to turn down that deal when used ones were going for at least that much and no blade or battery. Also picked up a 60T Diablo ultra finish blade for the door trimming, as well as some clamps for a cutting guide and some 120g sanding pads for my oscillating tool. Came down with the C this weekend after my girlfriend had it last week, so I'll be getting paid sick hours to work on these doors a few days this week

 

I'll have you fix my drywall from now on since you like it