Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[lifelinksplit]

Hahaha! Reasonable delivery time.....might be quicker to build one. Depends how "nice" you want. I've been finding basic lower end exterior(entry) doors in stock up here in Montana but I doubt that's what you're looking for.

I'm actually putting in a 2x4 interior door in a 2x6 wall 2moro and making jamb extensions because I'm not waiting to find a 2x6 pre hung in stock.

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[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Probably someone has some good tips for hanging a new slab door in an existing doorway; I struggled to get things as precise as needed.

Story stick marked off the mortises in the jamb.

[JimmyCarter]

I swear I saw this discussed somewhere already (best tool thread?), but what’s the best tool/battery family to buy into these days? Need to buy some tools (and will probably replace/add some others) and trying to limit mix and match. Currently have Milwaukee drills (like), makita saw (don’t like), ridgid disc sander (not bad) and ridgid angle grinder (really not used enough to form an opinion).

Any specific tools still worth going corded or are the newer batteries that much better?


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[nickwm21]

Building salvage stores typically have racks and racks of used, old doors. Maybe not a permanent solution but definitely a temp option…

Regardless of where you get the door you obviously want to check width and height but also prep; what hardware is the door prepped for… type of lockset and height, type of hinge and height, side and swing… etc…


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[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Also Habitat for Humanity stores.

[californiagrown]

Also Habitat for Humanity stores.

I found these, in the Seattle area at least, to be basically goodwills. They really didnt have any construction related items to speak of. I was disapointed. they are supposed to have excess or nick/scratched construction stuff too right?

Building salvage stores typically have racks and racks of used, old doors. Maybe not a permanent solution but definitely a temp option…
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Yep, there were literally a couple hundred doors to pick from at the 2 salvage stores i visited a couple weekends ago. Prices werent as good as i was hoping, but my impression is that you just gotta visit once or twice a month for a year and pickup the steals that you find. If you go there once looking for something specific, youll probably come away disapointed, but if you are flexible with your needs and timing these stores are the shit!

[Danno]

We have a perfectly functional door so a salvage door isn't needed/helpful. We are trying to upgrade the front door to a modern style in keeping with the interior, for our upcoming sale.

Sounds like I should be looking for pre-hung.

So anyone know places in the Denver-ish area where I can get one (ie might have in stock)?

[climberevan]

I swear I saw this discussed somewhere already (best tool thread?), but what’s the best tool/battery family to buy into these days? Need to buy some tools (and will probably replace/add some others) and trying to limit mix and match. Currently have Milwaukee drills (like), makita saw (don’t like), ridgid disc sander (not bad) and ridgid angle grinder (really not used enough to form an opinion).

Any specific tools still worth going corded or are the newer batteries that much better?


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You might as well ask which brand of skis is best.

Personally I think Makita and Milwaukee have the best readily available collections. Dewalt carries some kind of unexplainable stigma in my mind, but if I'm being honest I think they have some innovative designs. Ridgid/Ryobi/HF/etc are not serious pro tools IMO.

Cordless that I love: drills & drivers especially the 12V brushless Milwaukee ones which have mostly replaced the 18V ones for my daily use, Makita brushless 6 1/2 saw (huge improvement over the old brushed model and plenty to frame an addition or deck), small recip saw, angle grinder, Makita dust buster

Corded tools I still use regularly because I either seldom use them or can't justify the cost for the minor extra convenience: jigsaw, trim router, job site RO sander, leaf/dust blower

Corded that I still use because I think (maybe incorrectly) that the battery ones might not be badass enough: roto hammer (lots of 8" deep x 3/4" holes in granite to epoxy in rebar), belt sanders, bigger routers, angle grinders for extended grinding or concrete polishing, oscillating tool (Fein), big recip saw with 12" blades for demo, shop RO sander (used for many hours at a time and always connected to dust collector anyway), vacuums, compressors (huh? You still need a hose, so this one's a head scratcher for me.).

Obviously the 220V shop tools like the cabinet saw and planer are in no danger of being replaced by cordless. Same with the chop saw, though the companies are flogging the battery ones hard.

FWIW I have had decent luck with knockoff LXT batteries. It can be a good way to get a few more for the rotation for half of the cost. My oldest Makita batts are 10y or so and they still work for shorter tasks. I'd say the knockoff 5AH ones are at least as good as the original 3AH, and they are way cheaper.

[climberevan]

We have a perfectly functional door so a salvage door isn't needed/helpful. We are trying to upgrade the front door to a modern style in keeping with the interior, for our upcoming sale.

Sounds like I should be looking for pre-hung.

So anyone know places in the Denver-ish area where I can get one (ie might have in stock)?

If

1: your handyman is a real carpenter and can mortise for hinges and lockset without making a mess of things and

2: your existing trim and jambs (the parts attached to the building) are in good shape (post a couple of pics and I'll tell you)

You'll save money and time by going with a slab. Why tear out your jambs and trim and then have to paint/caulk/foam it all back if you don't need to? It's much easier and less wasteful to just replace the door slab.

[dan_pdx]

If

1: your handyman is a real carpenter and can mortise for hinges and pocket without making a mess of things and

2: your existing trim and jambs (the parts attached to the building) are in good shape (post a couple of pics and I'll tell you)

You'll save money and time by going with a slab. Why tear out your jambs and trim and then have to paint/caulk/foam it all back if you don't need to? It's much easier and less wasteful to just replace the door slab.

I agree with that but would go even further and say that in today's RE market it doesn't seem there's much need to replace the front door. Do you really think it will impact the sale price that much in our current market?

[fatnslow]

I agree with that but would go even further and say that in today's RE market it doesn't seem there's much need to replace the front door. Do you really think it will impact the sale price that much in our current market?

THIS IS THE REAL ANSWER ! Save the money and buy a pair of skis cause a new door won't help sell your house.

[Danno]

I agree with that but would go even further and say that in today's RE market it doesn't seem there's much need to replace the front door. Do you really think it will impact the sale price that much in our current market?

realtor (tm?) seemed to think it would.

[::: :::]

Paint it

[::: :::]

I never understood buying shit to bump a sale

It rarely is worth much because of the cheap ass shit that gets installed

[Ted Striker]

Currently have Milwaukee drills (like), makita saw (don’t like), ridgid disc sander (not bad) and ridgid angle grinder (really not used enough to form an opinion).

If you're already in the Milwaukee cordless family, I'd stick with that. I don't think you can go wrong with either of the big M brands, other than they're pricier than a lot of the competition.

Any specific tools still worth going corded or are the newer batteries that much better?

Unless you're only doing small jobs, sanders and grinders. And a high power corded drill is nice for mixing small batches of cement, mortar, mud, etc.

[fatnslow]

realtor (tm?) seemed to think it would.

Go find a new realtor. If your house doesn't sell in this market something is seriously wrong beyond a old front door.

[Danno]

Paint it

Won't work, it's a style thing. Our house presents as updated and modern with the paint colors, street numbers, and interior kitchen/living room, but the door is old/traditional looking. Paint won't cure that. We wanted to replace it when we remodeled, but we were running out of money and some things got cut from the scope of work.

I never understood buying shit to bump a sale

It rarely is worth much because of the cheap ass shit that gets installed

On the one hand, this is true. On the other, spending money on maintenance items, on staging, painting, etc, improves the look (sometimes) dramatically, and surely impacts the desirability of the house, and thus the price. So it's not "spending money to bump a sale is stupid", it's figuring out where your money is well spent. In this case, the door is the first thing people will see, both in pics and in person. So making it pop adds to the overall aesthetic impression quite a bit, and the money may be well spent. But it's a moot fucking point if I can't find a door to purchase!

Go find a new realtor. If your house doesn't sell in this market something is seriously wrong beyond a old front door.

For reasons I cannot go into, that isn't an option. Regardless, he certainly never told us "your house won't sell if you don't replace the door". We all know the house will sell. But we are hoping that our house can hit a certain niche, being one of the lower end pricewise (still crazy $ but lowish for this town) yet nicely updated and a higher class of house than exists at this pricepoint/class of house. So it's not about whether we can sell or not, it's about maximizing the sale price.

[old goat]

I swear I saw this discussed somewhere already (best tool thread?), but what’s the best tool/battery family to buy into these days? Need to buy some tools (and will probably replace/add some others) and trying to limit mix and match. Currently have Milwaukee drills (like), makita saw (don’t like), ridgid disc sander (not bad) and ridgid angle grinder (really not used enough to form an opinion).

Any specific tools still worth going corded or are the newer batteries that much better?


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Any tool that is going to be used only at one location is worth going corded. Tools that are going to be used continuously for a long period of time where the hassle of running a cord is a minor part of the overall effort and battery changes and recharging can be expected. Sanding for example.
I took down a grapefruit tree with a battery recip saw--went through 5 batteries and had to recharge each at least once. (I own better tools for that job but I didn't have them with me.)

[Rideski]

Hard to see but there's a little concrete nubbin from the form sticking out. Going to make me have the stones forward of the siding if I don't remove. Tempted to hammer drill it off?

[John_B]

Hard to see but there's a little concrete nubbin from the form sticking out. Going to make me have the stones forward of the siding if I don't remove. Tempted to hammer drill it off?

I'd be careful Rideski. That looks structural.

:Sarcasm

[dan_pdx]

Is that on the side of a paver? Are you doing to have to do this on all the pavers? Seems like a drag, I would try a brick chisel and hammer. If that doesn't work, maybe an oscillating tool or sawzall with a masonry blade.

[Percy Rideout]

realtor (tm?) seemed to think it would.

dont listen to the dirt pimp.

They are trying to make themselves useful in a market where homes are selling themselves...

[Danno]

dont listen to the dirt pimp.

They are trying to make themselves useful in a market where homes are selling themselves...

Again, I know the home will sell. That isn't the issue. And I don't just blindly trust the dirt pimp. But what I do know about the local market is that homes that are nicely updated are selling at a premium over those that aren't. Stated another way, take 2 identical homes, one with a remodel that costs $100k and the other not having been updated in a long time, the home with the remodel will sell for more than $100k over the other home. So getting your home into that niche, of a nicely updated home yet still in the reasonable price band of this town (nothing in this town is reasonable but still), is a good thing. Not to make it sell, because again, everything here will sell right now, but to make it sell for that premium.

So if the dirt pimp thinks a door will help do that, it's a worthwhile expense.

But still, who has modern doors in stock in the front range? Foggy, fred, you guys have any go-to sources?

[Percy Rideout]

Hard to see but there's a little concrete nubbin from the form sticking out. Going to make me have the stones forward of the siding if I don't remove. Tempted to hammer drill it off?

Meh, i wouldnt start chipping at your foundation wall unless your homeowner expressively states that its ok. the wall will be fine unless you expose some rebar. If you expose the bar, just non-shrink grout that bitch up so water can't get in an rust your bar.

I'd approach the homeowner and explain the situation. Bet she's okay with a 1/4" reveal where the pavers meet the foundation wall.

[claresdad]

another opinion....

I'm a recovered real estate broker...I found the "front door is critical" thing wasn't worth the effort unless it's obviously a problem such as peeling paint, graffiti or broken glass. You don't want your place to be significantly better or significantly worse than the competition -- that gets the best mix of offers from which you choose the one that will have the highest likelihood to close with the best price you can get. Sweet spot is being in the middle without having to spend any money to be there. Sounds like you have a nice place...without even seeing it I would suggest clean/paint/fix the door if it's wobbly etc. and list the house before people run out of access to cheap money. ;-)

Prehung door will open a can of worms...it's a ton of work unless new construction. Slabs require some skill for sure....I've done several for my houses and each time I thought it would be easier than the last and each time I was dead wrong.

Whatever happens...good luck on the sale!