Home Repairs

Okay . . . let's try this again.

Moderators: Shirley, Sabo, brian, rass, DaveInSeattle

P.D.X.
The Dude
Posts: 5280
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:31 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by P.D.X. »

Closed on a condo this morning that's in a prime part of town that I never thought I'd be able to sniff. (Pretty sure my realtor was more hungover than myself.) Built in '82 and hardly updated since. Gonna be ripping out carpet and linoleum this weekend to prep for installing wood floor and tile hearth. Then it's new fridge and cabinet-painting time. I have a pretty comfortable 30 days left on my apartment lease, so getting it move-in ready shouldn't be to much pressure.
User avatar
sancarlos
The Dude
Posts: 18060
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:46 pm
Location: NorCal via Colorado

Re: Home Repairs

Post by sancarlos »

P.D.X. wrote:Closed on a condo this morning that's in a prime part of town that I never thought I'd be able to sniff. (Pretty sure my realtor was more hungover than myself.) Built in '82 and hardly updated since. Gonna be ripping out carpet and linoleum this weekend to prep for installing wood floor and tile hearth. Then it's new fridge and cabinet-painting time. I have a pretty comfortable 30 days left on my apartment lease, so getting it move-in ready shouldn't be to much pressure.
Congrats. In the Boulder area, I assume it is a very high likelihood that it will quickly increase in value and your upgrades will be money well-spent.
"What a bunch of pedantic pricks." - sybian
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

Congrats. Very interested to hear about the cabinets; it's a longer-term maybe project here.
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
GoodKarma
The Big Lebowski
Posts: 1508
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2013 12:14 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Home Repairs

Post by GoodKarma »

P.D.X. wrote:Closed on a condo this morning that's in a prime part of town that I never thought I'd be able to sniff. (Pretty sure my realtor was more hungover than myself.) Built in '82 and hardly updated since. Gonna be ripping out carpet and linoleum this weekend to prep for installing wood floor and tile hearth. Then it's new fridge and cabinet-painting time. I have a pretty comfortable 30 days left on my apartment lease, so getting it move-in ready shouldn't be to much pressure.
Congrats PDX...welcome to Boulder County home ownership. I hope you enjoy the property tax increases (and valuation appeals) as much as I have.
I would like expensive whiskey.
We only have beer & wine...
What am I, 12?
P.D.X.
The Dude
Posts: 5280
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:31 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by P.D.X. »

sancarlos wrote:Congrats. In the Boulder area, I assume it is a very high likelihood that it will quickly increase in value and your upgrades will be money well-spent.
Thanks much. In the year that I've been shopping every time something would come on the market there would be like a 3-5% price jump from the last comparable property. I was on the verge of getting squeezed out, and frankly lucky that no one swooped in with a last-minute cash offer (which had happened to me a few times prior.)
GoodKarma wrote:Congrats PDX...welcome to Boulder County home ownership. I hope you enjoy the property tax increases (and valuation appeals) as much as I have.
Coming from Portland the prop taxes are still pennies here (although we make up for it w/ sales tax). But the real win is getting out of the rental market — my PI + taxes + HOA is probably even with what rent would be on the same unit at the moment.
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

If the underlying structure is fine, is there any reason I wouldn't be able to replace my deck boards by simply measuring the current ones and swapping out one by one?
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
A_B
The Dude
Posts: 23319
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:36 am
Location: Getting them boards like a wolf in the chicken pen.

Re: Home Repairs

Post by A_B »

mister d wrote:If the underlying structure is fine, is there any reason I wouldn't be able to replace my deck boards by simply measuring the current ones and swapping out one by one?
So long as you don't screw up the joists pulling the old boards off you should definitely be able to reuse tHe substructure.
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
P.D.X.
The Dude
Posts: 5280
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:31 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by P.D.X. »

Finding some real gems watching diy youtube videos all day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JerVHGoj-d0

(I have to do this but only for like a 14"x46" hearth. Not gonna rent any power tools.)
User avatar
brian
The Dude
Posts: 27740
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:52 am
Location: Downtown Las Vegas

Re: Home Repairs

Post by brian »

I've guys re-doing the landscape in my backyard in 110 degree heat and I feel pretty damn bad about it. (There's nothing I can do about the weather, but damn...that's a tough job.)
Bandwagon fan of the 2023 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

If any of you local boys want a brown storm door, it's leaning up against the tree in front of my house.
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
P.D.X.
The Dude
Posts: 5280
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:31 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by P.D.X. »

$8k was the first quote to replace 2 windows and the patio door. Oof.
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

How much is the patio door itself? That sounds crazy high knowing general window prices, but maybe doors are that much more?
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
A_B
The Dude
Posts: 23319
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:36 am
Location: Getting them boards like a wolf in the chicken pen.

Re: Home Repairs

Post by A_B »

Dang. Did it have to be reframed?
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
P.D.X.
The Dude
Posts: 5280
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:31 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by P.D.X. »

mister d wrote:How much is the patio door itself? That sounds crazy high knowing general window prices, but maybe doors are that much more?
I didn't ask. The 2 windows are slightly large, non-standard sizes, so that probably adds. The crew I got the quote from replaced the windows in the apartment I've been renting, and I was really impressed with the product and install (top-end Andersen windows). The dude was cool though and gave me a referral to someone who'd do the base product of the same brand for roughly 1/2 the price, so going to look into that.

(This all started from the AC talk in here. Thought I'd get a window re-framed to accept a standard unit but apparently egress code won't allow for that.)
P.D.X.
The Dude
Posts: 5280
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:31 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by P.D.X. »

A_B wrote:Dang. Did it have to be reframed?
Yeah, I've watched them in action. They basically cut out around the old windows and then put in new frames, seals, inflation, waterproofing, etc. It's dope when finished but obviously $$$.
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

How many windows total in the place? I imagine it would look nicer, sell better and cost less per to redo at once.
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
Rush2112
The Dude
Posts: 7276
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:35 pm
Location: Cyrus X-1
Contact:

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Rush2112 »

mister d wrote:How many windows total in the place? I imagine it would look nicer, sell better and cost less per to redo at once.
He'll find out soon enough. Seems like the solicitors that are around all are window replacement guys. We probably get 3-4 flyers a month even with the large no solicitors sign.
Did you see that ludicrous display last night?
P.D.X.
The Dude
Posts: 5280
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:31 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by P.D.X. »

mister d wrote:How many windows total in the place? I imagine it would look nicer, sell better and cost less per to redo at once.
Just the 2 windows and the balcony door. It's small.
User avatar
Square Rob
Jesus Quintana
Posts: 769
Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:43 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Square Rob »

Home repairs lick the sweat off my taint after a four day hike through the sipsee wildnerness. Currently living with my mother in law, as we just bought a lot on the Tennessee river. Lovely lot, but to build the house we want we are looking at a year with the MiL because we sold our last house quicker than expected. Have finally convinced the wife to buy something else and then build later, but still am petrified at building. To get what we want right now leaves no float, but everything rational insints on leaving a 20% float.
Gunpowder
The Dude
Posts: 8525
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:52 am
Location: Dipshitville, FL
Contact:

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Gunpowder »

You know what I was taught growing up, Bert? Pentagons have 5 sides...and NONE of those sides are going to sit there and worry about a contingency plan. Those sides are ALL IN.
Pack a vest for your james in the city of intercourse
User avatar
Brontoburglar
The Dude
Posts: 5851
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:20 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Brontoburglar »

Guess who gets to redo his basement? And hopefully on the insurance company's dime?

We had biblical amount of rain Wednesday night and had water in my basement again. I think it was a gutter issue again -- created because of the amount of water in the gutter coming out of screw holes that are there from me redoing the gutters the last time -- spewing into a spot where water pools. There's a small wash hole between where I landscaped to prevent the issue from happening and a pavestone right underneath the downspout curve where the holes are.

Anyway, the basement is thankfully dried out, but the floor is all warped to hell. Supposed to have an estimate hopefully as soon as Monday and then file an insurance claim. I have a $1K deductible with coverage up to $5K for this type of stuff per my agent, so I'm hoping that covers most of a new floor and installation along with the 10 foot section of wall where the water has come in that I'd like to have replaced and waterproofed. And to save money, I'll be hopefully doing all the demo and moving and concrete floor kilzing to get the place ready for construction.

Hopefully this is done by football season. And I'm so glad that I spent the time and effort this spring to open the basement windows that had been painted shut by the previous owners.
"We're not the smartest people in the world. We go down the straightaway and turn left. That's literally what we do." -- Clint Bowyer
User avatar
wlu_lax6
The Dude
Posts: 10402
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:16 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by wlu_lax6 »

Brontoburglar wrote:Guess who gets to redo his basement? And hopefully on the insurance company's dime?

We had biblical amount of rain Wednesday night and had water in my basement again. I think it was a gutter issue again -- created because of the amount of water in the gutter coming out of screw holes that are there from me redoing the gutters the last time -- spewing into a spot where water pools. There's a small wash hole between where I landscaped to prevent the issue from happening and a pavestone right underneath the downspout curve where the holes are.

Anyway, the basement is thankfully dried out, but the floor is all warped to hell. Supposed to have an estimate hopefully as soon as Monday and then file an insurance claim. I have a $1K deductible with coverage up to $5K for this type of stuff per my agent, so I'm hoping that covers most of a new floor and installation along with the 10 foot section of wall where the water has come in that I'd like to have replaced and waterproofed. And to save money, I'll be hopefully doing all the demo and moving and concrete floor kilzing to get the place ready for construction.

Hopefully this is done by football season. And I'm so glad that I spent the time and effort this spring to open the basement windows that had been painted shut by the previous owners.


Interesting. I find water issues the craziest thing about insurance. A water main broke outside of my house years ago. We were in a town house community. Called them and they did not do anything for 8 hours. As a result water came into my basement (and my neighbors). Insurance gave me a Heisman since it was water from outside the foundation. Also VA law protected the crappy condo management company for failure to do their job. Then the next time it happened it was during a crazy rain storm that flooded a whole bunch of the county. I got lucky on this one because the company we used to dry out the basement lost the paperwork for the whole thing but we were warned by our insurance agent that this was likely the same situation as the first time. The 3rd time we had a problem with the washing machine. It just ran and ran flooding the basement. Insurance picked up the whole thing (maybe even went after the washing machine company. You also get coverage when you fail to maintain your house (i.e. your hot water heater goes after too many years and not enough maintenance).

So why does insurance not cover you when it is not your fault but if you just fail to properly maintain your house you are covered? Crazy.
User avatar
Shirley
The Dude
Posts: 7516
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:32 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Shirley »

wlu_lax6 wrote:So why does insurance not cover you when it is not your fault but if you just fail to properly maintain your house you are covered? Crazy.


Because they don't go bankrupt when one idiot fucks up. When it's a flood, they get hit with hundreds or thousands of claims at once.
Totally Kafkaesque
HaulCitgo
Walter Sobchak
Posts: 4444
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:07 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by HaulCitgo »

Ha. Youre trying to understand insurance.
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

I took today off to patch drywall holes and it's a truly suck process.
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
Brontoburglar
The Dude
Posts: 5851
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:20 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Brontoburglar »

I'm now being told I'm not covered -- well done, insurance agents! So I've asked for a copy of my policy so I can read it through and then see what's up. I've gone from "this isn't so bad" to "fuck this is terrible" in a matter of minutes this morning.
"We're not the smartest people in the world. We go down the straightaway and turn left. That's literally what we do." -- Clint Bowyer
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

Yeah, its never happened to us, but external flooding is almost always exempt from your homeowners policy. Natural disasters too, I think.
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
BSF21
The Dude
Posts: 5261
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:08 pm
Location: Playing one off the Monster

Re: Home Repairs

Post by BSF21 »

mister d wrote:Yeah, its never happened to us, but external flooding is almost always exempt from your homeowners policy. Natural disasters too, I think.


This has been a few friends of mine's experience as well. Inside is classified as a "water event" (pipe burst, etc) and is covered, outside is considered "flooding" and is only covered by supplemental flood insurance.
Dances with Wolves (1) - BSF

"This place was rockin'," said BSF21.

"There is nothing ever uncommon about BSF21."
User avatar
sancarlos
The Dude
Posts: 18060
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:46 pm
Location: NorCal via Colorado

Re: Home Repairs

Post by sancarlos »

BSF21 wrote:
mister d wrote:Yeah, its never happened to us, but external flooding is almost always exempt from your homeowners policy. Natural disasters too, I think.

This has been a few friends of mine's experience as well. Inside is classified as a "water event" (pipe burst, etc) and is covered, outside is considered "flooding" and is only covered by supplemental flood insurance.

"Acts of God" clause.
"What a bunch of pedantic pricks." - sybian
User avatar
govmentchedda
The Dude
Posts: 12672
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:36 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by govmentchedda »

This is why attorneys have jobs. If they won't pay, skip a public adjuster and go straight to a first party (claim against your own insurance) attorney.
Until everything is less insane, I'm mixing weed with wine.
User avatar
Pruitt
The Dude
Posts: 18105
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 10:02 am
Location: North Shore of Lake Ontario

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Pruitt »

There's a steady stream of wasp traffic heading into a small opening between the fascia and the wall. Must be a nest in my attic.

Help.

My first instinct was to climb a ladder and spray an insecticide/sealant on the hole, but from what I just read, that could mean the rest of the weekend in the hospital!

Any advice?
"beautiful, with an exotic-yet-familiar facial structure and an arresting gaze."
User avatar
rass
The Dude
Posts: 20209
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:41 am
Location: N effin' J

Re: Home Repairs

Post by rass »

mister d wrote:Burn it down


Call a pro?
I felt aswirl with warm secretions.
User avatar
Pruitt
The Dude
Posts: 18105
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 10:02 am
Location: North Shore of Lake Ontario

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Pruitt »

rass wrote:
mister d wrote:Burn it down


Call a pro?


Yeah. $120 is worth it.

I thought I'd be hero dad... until I did 10 minutes of research.
"beautiful, with an exotic-yet-familiar facial structure and an arresting gaze."
User avatar
rass
The Dude
Posts: 20209
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:41 am
Location: N effin' J

Re: Home Repairs

Post by rass »

Yup. I'm more than willing to acknowledge my limits.
I felt aswirl with warm secretions.
howard
Karl Hungus
Posts: 9467
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:00 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by howard »

sancarlos wrote:Exactly what came to my mind, too, when reading this thread.


It's a meme!

Why Are Air Conditioners Killing So Many TV Characters In 2017?
Who knows? Maybe, you were kidnapped, tied up, taken away and held for ransom.

Those days are gone forever
Over a long time ago
Oh yeah…
User avatar
Pruitt
The Dude
Posts: 18105
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 10:02 am
Location: North Shore of Lake Ontario

Re: Home Repairs

Post by Pruitt »

rass wrote:Yup. I'm more than willing to acknowledge my limits.


No point endangering my health to save cash...

Five years ago or so, I changed a bathroom sink as I didn't want to pay a plumber to do it. Ended up doing a fine job (on the 2nd try). So I saved the money and all it took me was 8 hours of work and $60 of stuff from the Home Depot. So based on that, my time is worth about $16 an hour.
"beautiful, with an exotic-yet-familiar facial structure and an arresting gaze."
User avatar
rass
The Dude
Posts: 20209
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:41 am
Location: N effin' J

Re: Home Repairs

Post by rass »

Slung some hot caulk today. Tight and straight, just the way my wife wanted it.
I felt aswirl with warm secretions.
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

Sliced the tip of my finger open doing yard work this past weekend which is a really good thing to do when your job (and distraction) requires incessant typing.
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
mister d
The Dude
Posts: 29047
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:15 am

Re: Home Repairs

Post by mister d »

The board on my dryer died for the second time in the last year and the guy who fixed it said we should surge protect it. Reading up, it seems like I should be doing this one a bunch of computer-y appliances. Any definitive yes/no list out there?
Johnnie wrote: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:13 pmOh shit, you just reminded me about toilet paper.
User avatar
EnochRoot
The Dude
Posts: 6187
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 6:18 pm

Re: Home Repairs

Post by EnochRoot »

mister d wrote:The board on my dryer died for the second time in the last year and the guy who fixed it said we should surge protect it. Reading up, it seems like I should be doing this one a bunch of computer-y appliances. Any definitive yes/no list out there?


In Belkin I trust.
Noli Timere Messorem
Post Reply