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litesalted · 2 years

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Hello! Could I please get a recommendation on a type of waterproof fabric to use for curtains on my porch please?

here's a pic if that helps. curtain is for decoration but also to hide people walking by because my dogs go CRAZY. thanks!

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litesalted · 2 years

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My $5750 Bathroom Renovation - 1950's House

I recently moved into a home built in 1956 and my first project was the main floor bathroom. We started the renovation in November and only finished last week - working most Saturdays. My work process was to research individual tasks as they arose and then I would relay the information to my dad who would bring over tools and help with the labour. This was a good process for preventing getting overwhelmed (every task seemed to bring forth its own rules, warnings, etc) but sometimes led to delays as we'd have to order parts in, etc.

The overall project cost approx $5750 for the 8 x 5 foot bathroom. I had actually called around to many companies who quoted me 25k-30k for the project, so I think I did well.

Here's the before and after.

Step-by-step progress with descriptions.

Here's a bit of a breakdown (not exact but what I had recorded for each item):

Wood: $100

Drywall: $70

Bathtub (Mirolin): $550

Toilet (American Standard): $300

Vanity (Wayfair): $900

Light (Wayfair): $130

Fixtures (Moen shower + sink, tub drain assembly): $580

Misc. Hardware (towel bar, shower rod, supply lines, etc): $200

Kerdi System: $700

Kerdi niches: $180

Main Tiles (Enigma) + thinset: $350

Niche tiles (Centura): $120

Paint: $50

Flooring: $200

Grout, sealer: $40

Electrician: $70

Plumber: $1200

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litesalted · 2 years

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Is it relatively safe to change outlets and switches and install light fixtures?

Like if a wire isn’t perfectly tight enough or something is it likely to burn the house down? Is the worst case it just not working or worst case being a fire? House/ wiring is from the mid-90’s!

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litesalted · 2 years

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My paint has… goosebumps?

Link to pictures

My house is old, with stone walls but relatively new plaster and paint on the interior. The paint is peeling on the inside of northern (shady) exterior walls in a weird way - like goosebumps or acne.

This is a small bedroom that has zero ventilation, so I’ve just got a dehumidifier to fix humidity levels in the room.

Presented with this, I’m not sure what to do before repainting… I’m thinking light scraping and then sanding smooth, before re-priming and painting again. Does that sound like it makes sense? I don’t want to damage the plaster but do want to give my new paint job the best chance it has of avoiding the same problem.

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litesalted · 2 years

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Master Bathroom Renovation Complete!

The hubs and I wanted to remodel the master bath the second we moved into this house, but had to wait 4 years. We budgeted $20K but never got a bid under $25K. Most were in the neighborhood of $30K to $50K. We decided to do it ourselves, because how hard could it be?

The answer is “hard.”

I’m a computer programmer and he’s a health inspector. We’ve done laminate floors, painting, and minor electric work in other houses, but nothing this extensive.

We started demo in February 2020. The shower glass was installed Wednesday. Total project time is about 26 months, but we only worked on weekends, and not every weekend. We took Thanksgiving to New Year off both years, and a weekend here and there for other things.

We hired out the major plumbing, drywall, granite, and shower glass. All the other work we did ourselves.

Our materials all came from box stores, except the wedi. We couldn’t get that locally and had to order it from a wholesale supplier.

Including all of the tools, we came in at about $17K.

https://imgur.com/a/TV5C705

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litesalted · 2 years

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Windows separating from walls

Hello all! I’m new to this community and have been searching the web on how to fix the gap between the walls and windows. I just recently took down the blinds that the previous owners left, and I noticed these gaps at the top of the windows, where I can almost see into the walls? I’m trying to repaint the walls, but I want to get this fixed before starting. Also, does anyone know how this might have happened?

https://imgur.com/a/MIni6QW

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litesalted · 2 years

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Hole in the wall; Husband got what he asked for, how do I fix it?

I posted here a while ago asking why we kept getting ghosted when trying to get someone to fix water-damaged flooring and everyone was super supportive. Hoping you can help me stretch my creative muscles now!

We finally got someone to agree to come put a new floor in our toddler's bedroom, after nearly four months of searching. And it only took them one day to do, hurray! While they were at the house and I was at work and unreachable by phone, my beloved husband had an idea. A plumber had warned him that at some point we were going to need to cut into the bedroom wall so we could access the tub plumbing behind it. So he asked the guys doing the floor to please cut a hole in the wall so we could access the plumbing, and install an access door, obviously offering to pay for the extra job.

I don't know exactly what words he used but he was evidentially not specific enough. The gentleman had cut a nearly 3-foot hole in the wall, starting flush at the floor, and covered it by screwing a piece of wood on top.

When they left we painted the wood, cut it down to fit the hole, added a hinge and a padlock, and have been keeping it behind furniture in the toddler's room for the past months. The plan was to one day install a more professional-looking solution. Well, today might have to be the day I try to do that. We have a new plumber fixing a leak in our tub. In the process of doing so he found that the entire plumbing system is made of incorrect materials and needs to be entirely re-installed. And in order to do so he has to cut the hole in the wall bigger.

We're having trouble finding a basic "access panel" to buy because, again, the hole goes all the way down to the floor. The hole is too small for any premade closet door I don't have a woodworking station at my house. And the tub plumbing is how the mice got into our house in the winter and I am not going to give them several inches of access to my kid's bedroom.

Any ideas or resources you all can help me with would be greatly appreciated - particularly short-term solutions so I can put my kid to bed tonight without worrying about losing them in the wall. Thank you for your time!

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litesalted · 2 years

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Encapsulant for lead paint that's "chipped".

I see everywhere that encapsulation cannot work for "chipping" lead paint, but I'm not sure exactly if that applies to my situation. I have an old house, and the inside of the window frame has chipping lead paint. I layered a chemical stripper for lead paint called Lead Out on it, and let it sit for 24 hours. I then wet-scrapped the paint off. However there are some spots that just are REALLY caked in there. So much so, trying to scrap it seems more hazardous because of how aggressive you have to be. So even though this is "chipped" paint, I figure since it is not loose itself, if now encapsulation can work? I don't see how not. I plan on using FIBERLOCK for my encapsulant and layering it on real thick.

Window frame: https://gyazo.com/1180051e0ddb75ad722a6f64ae8e358d

Window panel: https://gyazo.com/49e94ec8d08b80c6e81468ff4f427573

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litesalted · 2 years

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Is there such a thing as 12 inch square retrofit LED lights?

The covers to the recessed lighting in my basement are either broken or lost and I can't seem to find replacements that aren't super expensive. The issue I keep running into is that the recessed opening is approx. 12x12 inches and most of the retrofit lights are much smaller. Anyone know of locations that might have larger sizes?

I attached a link to what I'm looking (just can't find the right size)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Maxxima-6-in-Square-4000K-Neutral-White-New-Construction-Non-IC-Rated-Recessed-Integrated-LED-Kit-MRL-61600NWS/310487129?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US

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litesalted · 2 years

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How to get started on remodel? How to build layouts?

About to close escrow on a fixer. Most of it is modernizing what is already there except for the kitchen which we plan to expand into the master bedroom by reducing the size of the master.

My question is, visualizing/planning the kitchen expansion in software is something I can expect the contractor to do or I need to whip up myself to show that contractor?

I started trying to put the house as is into homeplanner.com and realized "what's the point if we're knocking these wheels down"

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litesalted · 2 years

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Can't get any concrete companies to get back with me...is the project not worth the time?

Trying to get a quote for a back patio. My rough measurements put it at 39ft long by 11ft wide. Thought that would be decent size. Also want a quote for new driveway.

Called 4 places so far and 2 haven't called me back after I left messages last week, 1 says they don't service my area, and another asked for pics, and I sent them then never heard back.

Last year I tried the same thing and had some one come out and look at it, gave me a good quote I said "let's do it" he said he would get papers written up then I never heard from him again.

Is it normally this hard to get a concrete job done in central illinois?

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litesalted · 2 years

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I'm Pooped

Edit for clarity: I am looking at CAN I, not should I. Obviously I should because 20 year old toilets use OMG SO MUCH WATER. But I am brand new to home ownership and don't want to cause problems while trying to fix something else. I can't find anything on the interwebs as to whether or not putting in low flow toilets would cause something like plumbing issues in the future. It's a beautiful 20 year old manufactured home, and I'd like to keep it that way.

My Aunt passed away from Covid this past August and, astoundingly, left me her 3 bed 2 bath house. Me and my family (2 adults, 4 kids) moved in. House is 20 years old. I noticed immediately that the toilet in the 'guest' bathroom is starting to discolor the floor so I know it's leaking and the toilet ring will need replaced (hopefully nothing else). What is on my mind is, since I'm in there anyway, can I put those snazzy low flow toilets in a 20 year old manufactured home? The ones with different water flows for 💦 and 💩. Happened on one at Costco for what looks like a good price (price comparison not done yet) and it got me thinking about it; initial price vs. water savings 💰 and environmental responsibility (and my septic tank....). Advice? Thoughts?

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litesalted · 2 years

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Standing water on roof after rain - how much is too much?

New construction condo, flat roof with some drains installed. The drains sit around an inch above the roof, so when it rains there's a pool of water up to the bottom of the drain. It's a couple feet wide and maybe a half inch deep on average.

It usually dries within a day if the rain has stopped. This is in San Francisco, so we don't get a lot of rain.

Will this end up causing any problems down the road, or is it ok?

https://imgur.com/a/L2piZB0

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litesalted · 2 years

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Is there an easy way to make small cuts to tile that’s already installed?

Purchased a home about 2-3 months ago and just got around to replacing an outlet on a wall with a tile backsplash. The cutouts they made in the tile are so narrow the replacement outlet won’t fit, needs another 1/4” of clearance.

https://i.imgur.com/KoDLdbz.jpg

Is there an easy way to trim the edges of the tile while it’s installed on the wall? I thought about using my dremel, but figured I would ask first before proceeding if there’s another recommended way.

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litesalted · 2 years

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Countertop Install Question

Lowes sent a countertop contractor to install quartz countertops. I won't go into all mess with them cancelling at the last minute the first time around, but it looks to me like they got the measurements wrong.

This is the result of that, where the countertop is shoved into the wall, and has pushed out the cupboards below.

Without visiting to inspect I had this response from the installer:

We have contacted Lowes. They should have contacted you in regards to this. The weight of the stone is what is making your cabinet pull away from the walls. You will have to get a contractor to secure your cabinets to the walls.

You may have had laminate before your stone install and your cabinets adjusted after install due to the weight of the stone.

Thoughts?

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litesalted · 2 years

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Pooling Water on Patio Leading to Water Problems in Basement

Some background: been watching a crack in the basement and this spring when it really pours (like all day), water starts to come through the crack. While I know I should get THAT fixed eventually, I want to fix the root cause of the problem so the crack doesn't come back.

I think it's being caused by the grading of the yard and subsequent pooling of water on the patio.

https://imgur.com/a/YvngNKK[patio]

What is even the best course of action here? Retaining wall to obtain the distanve to properly grade the yard around the house? Or should I install a drain of some kind?

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litesalted · 2 years

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Cracked LVP under area rug

Hello! We have LVP installed last year that was fine until recently. We have an area rug in this area and would hear crackling noises when walking over it. Removed the rig to find this damage.

https://i.imgur.com/JNe3sr8.jpg https://i.imgur.com/IhKX8Xb.jpg

Can I DIY fix this, or need a pro? Any advice is appreciated, I have kids who I cannot block-off from the area thus wanting to fix this asap.

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