Home repairs. I wish I had more knowledge in the matter.

[throttleplate]

I am gettin real good using wood glue.

[Hammer 4]

There are many projects that home owners can do If you take the time and do some research.

I built and repaired homes for a living, and all to often I saw diy stuff that made me cringe, mainly cuz they went about blind. There's a ton of stuff on youtube. if you don't feel confident, doing a larger project, then I recommend seeking out a Licensed Contractor, and interview at least 3, and ask for referrals that you can contact, then Contact them.

Lastly, there area number of us here on BR that would be glad to assist folks.  

[TnRiver46]

I’ve got to replace a deck one of these days, at least I don’t have to wait 24 hours between all the steps like drywall haha

[PhishLI]

19 hours ago, J Francho said:

Some quotes are just too crazy high.  I got one for installing two 6' chain link gates spanning my driveway for $2300.  I see myself installing the $300 worth materials in the future.  I mean is it really $2000 to dig two holes, pour concrete, plumb up two poles and attach two gates? 

I'm not defending this price in any way as i don't know all the details.

19 hours ago, J Francho said:

I'm missing something

All I can say is this: If you're completely above board in the building trades, the true cost of doing business in this state is staggering.

[gim]

9 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

Clean slate, everything is brand new, and under warranty.

That's probably the most ideal way to go but a new house where I wanted to live is way out of my price range and there's all kinds of delays building them too.  I was worried about not having a place to live in between houses and I didn't want to move twice.  I've made some upgrades to this house I just moved to already but I definitely took for granted living in a brand new house before this and really not having to do much.

[Jmilburn76]

I dont like to pay anyone so Im always willing to try and fix things myself including plumbing,electric,HVAC,flooring,automotive etc . Im very mechanically inclined and an automotive mechanic by trade. I should say was, my accident last year will probably keep me from doing major things.

[TOXIC]

I’m good with smaller diy projects but leave the skilled stuff to skilled contractors.  YouTube has helped with a lot of the things I don’t know that much about like garage door opener repair, replacing and repairing my refrigerator ice makers and door handles, but plumbing, electrical, hvac, etc. other than routine maintenance and small repairs, I leave to the professionals.  Did have a subcontractor when we had our kitchen remodeled use a pinch valve on a refrigerator water line relocation and it failed flooding my lower level (where we rarely go) and that was a $7,000 insurance claim.  

[J Francho]

17 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hahahah! Just messing with ya. My buddy actually lives in a concrete house with metal roof, he’s had problems just like all of us. I think stucco can be really good once you get it squared away. The styrofoam excuse for stucco they use here is comical, it’s pretty much tropical weather so obviously it soaks up moisture 

The stucco on my house was put up by hand around 25 years ago, according to a neighbor. It's just hardware cloth and whatever the plaster stuff over it. It looks pristine. Pretty sure it will last a long time. There are minor cracks here and there, but they just get sealed with caulk and painted over. The house looks like it was dipped in paint. 
 

 

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I'm not defending this price in any way as i don't know all the details.

All I can say is this: If you're completely above board in the building trades, the true cost of doing business in this state is staggering.

Pretty sure they don't want the work. A local fence guy that pays his employees hourly wages will do it for under $1000. They seem like a class act organization. 

[Darth-Baiter]

59 minutes ago, J Francho said:

The stucco on my house was put up by hand around 25 years ago, according to a neighbor. It's just hardware cloth and whatever the plaster stuff over it. It looks pristine. Pretty sure it will last a long time. There are minor cracks here and there, but they just get sealed with caulk and painted over. The house looks like it was dipped in paint. 
 

 

Pretty sure they don't want the work. A local fence guy that pays his employees hourly wages will do it for under $1000. They seem like a class act organization. 

great looking home!  has great curb appeal!

mine isnt bad either.  but that one leak was like a thorn in my side.  i will have a really good looking patch.  he might have to ugly it up some to make it match the more dated hyper texured look of my region in the 70's.

[12poundbass]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

That's probably the most ideal way to go but a new house where I wanted to live is way out of my price range and there's all kinds of delays building them too

Oh for sure, here too. We got really lucky in the sense that we had a place to rent month to month from our friend. The unlucky side of the deal was our house wasn’t finished in time for our rate lock window so our interest rate went up which increased our monthly payment $210/month. I was not happy about that and had some words with the builder because it was totally unavoidable, he just didn’t want to pay some winter rates to get a few things done. He tried blowing smoke assuming I wasn’t up to speed on construction, excavating, and utility installation. He got quiet pretty quick when I told him what I do for a living and I called him out. He found an extra $4k to put towards our closing costs too. ?

[J Francho]

45 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

great looking home!  has great curb appeal!

mine isnt bad either.  but that one leak was like a thorn in my side.  i will have a really good looking patch.  he might have to ugly it up some to make it match the more dated hyper texured look of my region in the 70's.

Thanks! It is a huge upgrade from the little cape I had for 20 years. 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

The stucco on my house was put up by hand around 25 years ago, according to a neighbor. It's just hardware cloth and whatever the plaster stuff over it. It looks pristine. Pretty sure it will last a long time. There are minor cracks here and there, but they just get sealed with caulk and painted over. The house looks like it was dipped in paint. 
 

 

Pretty sure they don't want the work. A local fence guy that pays his employees hourly wages will do it for under $1000. They seem like a class act organization. 

Hardware cloth > styrofoam 

[J Francho]

I've seen the styrofoam stuff. Mostly when a car bumps a corner on a strip mall. Seems like they use it a lot. 

[Scott F]

Next time you talk to your professional repair guy, ask him how much of his work is fixing what the homeowner screwed up by trying to do the job on his own. 

[A-Jay]

4 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Next time you talk to your professional repair guy, ask him how much of his work is fixing what the homeowner screwed up by trying to do the job on his own. 

And or non code/unfinished work by another contractor . . . .

The old take the money & run gig.

?

A-Jay

[Hammer 4]

35 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

And or non code/unfinished work by another contractor . . . .

The old take the money & run gig.

?

A-Jay

This happens a bunch. To avoid this, any reputable contractor will NOT ask for a sizable deposit up front, they have accounts to buy your materials. A small read 2 to 5 % is what I asked for on Big jobs, anything under say 10K I asked for nothing up front.

Re: contractors, one thing I didn't mention in my previous post was to check with your states contractor license board, to make sure that their lic. is valid, and if they've had any complaints, ect.

  

[BigAngus752]

I am very blessed to have the knowledge and ability to do nearly anything that needs done.  Several years ago at our old house the leach field of our septic failed.  We had to have the old septic system smashed and filled in and a new aeration system installed.  It was expensive.  My wife said to me, "I can't believe you are paying someone to do this.  I can't believe you aren't doing it yourself".  I looked at her like she had two heads and asked, "Seriously?  What do I know about installing septic systems?".  She said, "You've replaced everything in this house. Why wouldn't I think you would install a septic system?"  

 

It's a huge blessing to be healthy enough and have the knowledge, but it also puts alot of pressure on you to do it yourself.  How can I pay someone?  I give up a LOT of weekends and evenings to "do it myself".  

[Way north bass guy]

Having worked in construction my entire life, primarily as a stonemason, I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside many excellent tradesman for years. I’ve absorbed a ton of info in everything from carpentry, to plumbing, electrical, roofing etc. I can pretty much do anything on my own, except for any work where large machinery is needed, just cause I don’t have any. I’ve spent the last month or so redoing our barn to make it my workshop. First I had a new driveway put in, so I don’t have to drive across the yard anymore to load/unload the truck. Installed steps to the loft, built new insulated doors and replaced the windows, installed a new sun panel for extra electrical, and just today got it all painted so it now matches the house for colour. Also built some big raised garden beds and a deer fence for that. Next up on the list is a lean to on the side of the barn to store the boat in year round, and a new greenhouse so we can grow stuff year round. It’s a lot of work, especially when I work a full day in stonework as well, but I enjoy it and know it’s been done properly and to my specs, and I also save a ton on labour and material markups. 

[Mobasser]

On 6/27/2022 at 11:13 AM, J Francho said:

I'm pretty good with a great many home related repairs and renovations.  My house is nearly a century old, so there things that go wrong where I have to get a little creative, especially if it involves preserving certain things in their antique state.  Pretty much EVERYTHING is original, or at least 50 years old.  All of the gumwood, leaded glass, pocket doors, and hardwood floors are original.  There are upgrades to bathroom facilities, kitchen, and all the electrical has been replaced.  Most fixtures and appliances are high end stuff.  The exterior is smooth stucco, so I am learning about maintenance on that.  The issue is I'm at a point where even though I could do it myself, at 50 I find myself seeing the value of paying someone else and trading that time to spend with my family.  It depends on the quote really.  Some quotes are just too crazy high.  I got one for installing two 6' chain link gates spanning my driveway for $2300.  I see myself installing the $300 worth materials in the future.  I mean is it really $2000 to dig two holes, pour concrete, plumb up two poles and attach two gates?  I'm missing something or they only want big jobs.

 

I'll stop rambling.  It's good to learn how to DIY, and it's nice to build up a tool collection.  Always but your tools carefully. There's always a reason some are cheaper, and cheaper may be the way to go if it's one and done.  Depends on the application.  If you're just trimming a bathroom, you don't need a $600 contractor grade lithium powered compound sliding miter saw.  A simple $150 chop box will serve you well.  That's just one example.  Opposite end: hammers.  Seriously, get whatever you want as long as it says Estwing on it.

Agree on the Estwing J Francho. The best out there.

[Way north bass guy]

8 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Agree on the Estwing J Francho. The best out there.

As long as you get a good one. I had one once that sounded like a tuning fork every time I hit a nail with it. Drove me nuts, I gave it away. 

[roadwarrior]

Received my quote for kitchen remodeling yesterday. How does $120K sound?

Plan B will be quite different.

 

                                             

[the reel ess]

All I can do is sympathize because I'm not very good at them either. I tell my wife "I could do it. But then someone else is going to have to fix it." My dad always did all our home repairs, carpentry, electrical, etc. Consequently, there were always several things in need of repair because he hadn't gotten around to it. My grandmother moved in with us when I was about 8. He closed in the carport and made it her suite. He was in the process of taking it back to a garage when he died. Had to sell the house with a carport that had no means of entry. My cousin bought it and was returning it to a rec room.

26 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Received my quote for kitchen remodeling yesterday. How does $120K sound?

Plan B will be quite different.

 

                                             

Good Lord! The kitchen is the most expensive remodel in the house. But it sounds like that guy was trying to get out of the job. We remodeled an entire house for less than that, including a beautiful kitchen.

[Darth-Baiter]

IRONY ALERT!!

 

you all bring up hammers.  my wife got me a cool hammer.  i have used it a lot.  mostly rebuilding all my fences at my last home.  every contractor that visits me, offers to buy my hammer.  it is not for sale.  :).