Home Improvement Today?

I know a guy that builds high end furniture 18th 19th century stuff. One of his customers wanted no power tools to touch his. At the end even a trained eye could not pick out which one had been built with no power tools. Morale of the story is done correctly is still correct mo matter how it was accomplished. One just cost more.

 

Personally I'd bid it high because I think its a unreasonable request with no understanding of the process. So it would get my potential difficult customer fee.

 

Yup that's what I meant. Not up-to date on all the terminology especially when it comes to roofing.

Im not sure to be honest, though based on my house I would say closed valley is ok. It appears to be what is currently there. Its basically just a shingle over the valley correct (in basic terms that is). If so that is what is there now and is where it is leaking from.

Im going off info from when my parents had their roof done. but almost all the companies they got estimates for at least had an option for hammer and nail. The one they did go with only does hammer and nail. They were the second cheapest bid (the cheapest guys were a bit....sketchy and unprofessional) . None of the companies specifically charged more for hammer and nail vs power tools. Nor add any time to the estimates. Maybe its just a WA thing.

Owens Corning has been where ive been leaning towards and its what the company im thinking of using (pending bid of course) uses as well.

This is the best picture I have available. The backside is just a flat pitch with the current roof vents (like 5 or 6 of them) plus a skylight.

 

I would get into the attic to check near the leak water can travel pretty far sometimes from the actual leak to where it shows up. Its amazing how a drop will cling to a pipe from a leaky boot for 10 feet then drop at a fitting.

 

I've been looking for a new water heater for a while so ive done quite a bit fo research. A 50 gallon electric should do two adults and a child no problem. The problem becomes if that child grows into a teenage daughter, in which it would be time for a new one anyway

FYI. Tall water heaters usually give 5 gallons more in their FHR. I assume because it limits the amount of mixing of hot and cold water.

 

Finishing up painting after tearing off wallpaper, and re-framing / re-drywalling the pass through bar and soffit. Lights are next.

 

Good info on the tall tanks, thanks. I'm going to check and see if the PO doesn't have it set in a way that was more cost effective and that's why its not meeting hot water needs, just in case.

here she is.

 

on the yellow energy label, usually where that metal strap is, is where the FHR is listed, at least on the new ones. You can use that for comparison. I bet it is the dip tube though. Buy a new one, its time.

 

It's exactly the same thing for the wall and roof sheathing , which is why we have a sheathing inspection here , having the pressure set too high can sink the sheathing nails too deep and you lose the integrity and lateral restraint of the plywood . Putting all your sheathing nails 1/2 way through your 1/2" wall or roof sheathing essentially just made it 1/4"

 

It's not possible that they don't charge more for hand nailing the whole roof versus using nail guns , if there is no difference in price that means they are just pricing every job as though they had to hand nail and if the customer doesn't specifically request it are banking more profit due to less labour on the nail gun roof

It costs them more when they have to pay their guys to be there longer , there is no way around that

 

Which might be true. All I know is all the bids we got for my parents place had hammer and nail at no real difference in cost. All the ones we got bids from had been in business for 30+ years so might just be they are "old school" in their though process on it though.

Might make more of a difference on bigger projects too. Both our roofs (parents an I) are basically two day roofs. One day to remove and start install. Next day to finish up and clean up.

Either way for the same cost Im picking hammer and nails.

 

I'm adding hand cut lumber and screwdriver driven screws to my jobs now. Cost will be the same. Its all about perceived value.

 

Do you at least have the common decency to give them a reach-around?

 

That's an extra. I'll be nice and toss in a discount on the lube.

 

So I found a t-stat under a panel on the tank and it was set pretty low. I bumped it to 160 (170 is max) and will see if it helps any atleast until I can budget in a new unit.

 

What are your thoughts on putting the heater/vent system in the attic as opposed to the hallway closet?

Getting a new hvac system with new ducts, and have been recommended to put the heater in the attic (which is currently in the hallway closet).

 

Is it conditioned space ?

 

Sorry, not sure what you mean.

 

Is the attic heated space or basically outside

 

just a standard attic, so I assume it is just basically outside. There are no vents to heat/cool the attic (except for the gable attic fan).