Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

**babybear** · 11-16-2021, 09:47 AM

Good info about the windows gang. We need to replace ours too and I’ve felt tempted by those Renewal by Andersen commercials- “we love our new windows”
even though I knew they would be subpar the jingle started to get me
https://youtu.be/c9oyVVTO9uo

**Iowagriz** · 11-16-2021, 09:54 AM

Believe my pops got a quote from Windows by Anderson. It was very high, and he loves negotiating. He then priced the same windows locally for substantially less. The Windows by Anderson guy kept trying to say they weren't the same windows and they had access to better models (even though the model #s were the same). I think he got the price down to reasonable and gave the guy the business.

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**::: :::** · 11-16-2021, 09:55 AM

The whole benefit is one-stop shopping in what used to be the “confusing” world of getting windows through a contractor/installer/designer.
The down side is maybe having a Home Depot quality install in your home & paying for the privilege.
The traditional path is still the better path from a quality standpoint.

**RootSkier** · 11-16-2021, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

I've been doing quite a few window replacement jobs lately. Insurance has been paying for entire new window packs due to the East Troublesome Fire. If one seal is blown, it seems that because the new windows won't match, gotta go all new.

Matching is a big deal and I have seen people get all new windows/siding (basically a new exterior) when just one part of the house is damaged, but this is often helped along by savvy contractors.

Why did the fire lead to coverage for broken window seals, though?

**::: :::** · 11-16-2021, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

Why did the fire lead to coverage for broken window seals, though?

Same question here…
Provoked pressure differential?

**babybear** · 11-16-2021, 10:21 AM

A question for the experts.

I have a fenced in and tiled patio between my house and garage where I like to do workouts, etc but the roof shingles continue to shed a ton of pebbles anytime there’s any sort of wind.
We replaced the roof 2 summers ago and went from cedar shake to asphalt shingles.
Will this pebble shedding ever diminish? I thought it would have petered out by now.

*the pebbles are like putting your hand down on a mini lego piece when doing burpees, etc

**Timberridge** · 11-16-2021, 11:47 AM

It could be hereditary babybear. Was the mother's side of your roof's family similarly prone?

**::: :::** · 11-16-2021, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by babybear

A question for the experts.

I have a fenced in and tiled patio between my house and garage where I like to do workouts, etc but the roof shingles continue to shed a ton of pebbles anytime there’s any sort of wind.
We replaced the roof 2 summers ago and went from cedar shake to asphalt shingles.
Will this pebble shedding ever diminish? I thought it would have petered out by now.

*the pebbles are like putting your hand down on a mini lego piece when doing burpees, etc

i don't know how old my roof is & every time i clean the gutters there's a small deposit of these grains
it's a kind of sacrificial wear layer

The thing that does eventually stop is finding loose/never-installed roofing nails.
I've been amazed at the nails found years after an install

**Ted Striker** · 11-16-2021, 01:13 PM

The grit/pebbles stop right around the time you need a new roof.

**alpinevibes** · 11-16-2021, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

I don't know if your buddy is out of the Steamboat Area (Western Slope means different thinks to different people...like upstate...to me it is West of Rifle, South of 40, North of Mont-rose...so not Craig (that's NW CO) and not Ridgeway (That's The San Juans))...but yeah, I know that guy. His crews seem like they do pretty good.

Yeah it's Erik out of Glenwood

Originally Posted by Iowagriz

Believe my pops got a quote from Windows by Anderson. It was very high, and he loves negotiating. He then priced the same windows locally for substantially less. The Windows by Anderson guy kept trying to say they weren't the same windows and they had access to better models (even though the model #s were the same). I think he got the price down to reasonable and gave the guy the business.

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Sounds about right. Anderson guy gave me $21k for 7 windows today; said he "could do" 20% off, but still $17k... As I mentioned above, our neighbors (with the same window layout) paid $10k to do 11 windows with a local contractor. That is still my plan/assumption

**Vt-Freeheel** · 11-16-2021, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by alpinevibes

Yeah it's Erik out of Glenwood

Sounds about right. Anderson guy gave me $21k for 7 windows today; said he "could do" 20% off, but still $17k... As I mentioned above, our neighbors (with the same window layout) paid $10k to do 11 windows with a local contractor. That is still my plan/assumption

Such bullshit. It's $21k but I can take 20% off right now saving you $4k! Ya love to save money, right?

There is so much bloat in the Anderson "system" so many hands all wanting a piece of the pie.

**dcpnz** · 11-16-2021, 07:01 PM

Re Anderson: They came door knocking once asking to give us a proposal, then insisted that both my wife and I be present when they came to measure. Smelled like scammy high pressure tactics and overpriced windows so told them where to go.

**Beaver** · 11-16-2021, 08:53 PM

I have a 300sf space, kitchen/dining/living room. I just put in a new kitchen and am looking at the floor. Subfloor is 2x6, 2x8, 2x whatever they had available i suspect with 1/4 plywood overtop. The floor is not level and not flat. Im going to use some self leveler to take out some of the wavyness but I'll end up with a hump in the room regardless of I do short of a filling the room with gallons of self leveler.

The room will see high traffic in summer especially if I airbnb the place (sleeps 10-12) in the summer so real wood might not be a good idea. I considered tile but not all that keen.

Does the collective have suggestions for flooring that will play nice on such a surface? No carpet, no linoleum. Was thinking some kinda vinyl planks but wondering if they'll bust at the click together if there is slight wave in the floor.

**babybear** · 11-16-2021, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by ::: :::

i don't know how old my roof is & every time i clean the gutters there's a small deposit of these grains
it's a kind of sacrificial wear layer

The thing that does eventually stop is finding loose/never-installed roofing nails.
I've been amazed at the nails found years after an install

Originally Posted by Ted Striker

The grit/pebbles stop right around the time you need a new roof.

Ha! Makes sense actually. thanks for the answers
I know I never could have convinced my husband to keep the cedar shakes due to fire hazard (which obviously never had this issue for my beloved workout space) so I will just deal and have been keeping a broom out there and or roll out a fresh yoga mat

**climberevan** · 11-16-2021, 09:03 PM

Definitely do your self leveling mix in a garbage can. You can certainly do 10 bags at once and then just tip it over.

**tgapp** · 11-16-2021, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by climberevan

Definitely do your self leveling mix in a garbage can. You can certainly do 10 bags at once and then just tip it over.

hey now hey now

i've moved on to a diy scree 2x4 plan, with one person manning the scree, one person marking, and two pouring and leveling.

barring that I'll just pay a professional to do it.

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**lifelinksplit** · 11-16-2021, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by climberevan

Definitely do your self leveling mix in a garbage can. You can certainly do 10 bags at once and then just tip it over.

This. Plus if it really is 1/4 in ply this will add some nice structural integrity

What you really don't want to hear is you should cut out existing subflooring and re-level by sistering correct 2x per span with proper attachment.

Or just shim the fuck outta it and cover with LVP. Seems to be the preferred method lately.

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**::: :::** · 11-16-2021, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Beaver

I have a 300sf space, kitchen/dining/living room. I just put in a new kitchen and am looking at the floor. Subfloor is 2x6, 2x8, 2x whatever they had available i suspect with 1/4 plywood overtop. The floor is not level and not flat. Im going to use some self leveler to take out some of the wavyness but I'll end up with a hump in the room regardless of I do short of a filling the room with gallons of self leveler.

The room will see high traffic in summer especially if I airbnb the place (sleeps 10-12) in the summer so real wood might not be a good idea. I considered tile but not all that keen.

Does the collective have suggestions for flooring that will play nice on such a surface? No carpet, no linoleum. Was thinking some kinda vinyl planks but wondering if they'll bust at the click together if there is slight wave in the floor.

If I’m understanding correctly AND this weird layup is limited to this room, I’d pull the weird 2x shit & install a 1” floor sheathing, shimming as needed to get it closer to flat. Then go to town with LVP for rental beatings.

You sure it’s not 1x?
That is at least more traditional for old construction

**snoqpass** · 11-16-2021, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by alpinevibes

Yeah it's Erik out of Glenwood

Sounds about right. Anderson guy gave me $21k for 7 windows today; said he "could do" 20% off, but still $17k... As I mentioned above, our neighbors (with the same window layout) paid $10k to do 11 windows with a local contractor. That is still my plan/assumption

The salesman tried to tell us that we could get a discount if we ordered them that day…we were both like “this clown needs to leave “ I’ll do it myself and not fuck it up and save $30,000

**bagtagley** · 11-16-2021, 11:26 PM

Seems like they’re always able to find some excuse for a sale to be ending. “I can offer you a big discount, but our Rosh Hashana sale ends tonight”.

**Meathelmet** · 11-17-2021, 02:11 AM

How to drill quartz countertop?

Due to several issues (change in plans, provider etc) would need a hole in a quartz countertop to reroute an electric cable for a corner socket box.
Basically drill a 8-10mm hole in the countertop near the back corner. Sooo...doable as DIY or better to hire some geezer with diamond drill bit?

**Vt-Freeheel** · 11-17-2021, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by Meathelmet

How to drill quartz countertop?

Due to several issues (change in plans, provider etc) would need a hole in a quartz countertop to reroute an electric cable for a corner socket box.
Basically drill a 8-10mm hole in the countertop near the back corner. Sooo...doable as DIY or better to hire some geezer with diamond drill bit?

If you can't use a holesaw to drill through the cabinet back/backsplash and fish a wire drilling it is. You can buy a diamond Hole-Saw and do it yourself fairly easy. Have a water bottle to keep water on it for dust and heat control. Start at an angle to get a notch to keep the bit from wandering then stand the drill up and go. Biggest issue is how far out you might have to start to get through the countertop since the drill will hit the backsplash possibly changing the angle to a point that you don't end up with a hole you can use.

**Foggy_Goggles** · 11-17-2021, 08:27 AM

VTF is on in, I'm just use the high dollar pro hole saw on a grinder...but since your talk mm's...I'd go geezer.

**climberevan** · 11-17-2021, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by lifelinksplit

What you really don't want to hear is you should cut out existing subflooring and re-level by sistering correct 2x per span with proper attachment.

]

Yep.

But if the garbage can self leveling method wins the day, please share a video of how that goes. Tgapp has really let us down on that front.

Re: costs for window replacement. I swapped 16 windows and 2 SGDs in a condo recently for a nice lady near Tahoe. The replacement windows were Milgard, a nicer vinyl than the base box store ones. She paid about $6k for the package. Labor (billed T&M at my usual rates, so no extra markup) was $11k. We were able to reuse the exterior trim (whole building needs new siding so why redo it in 2 years) and the interior was all 70s Tahoe wood so we just ripped the jambs down a bit and replaced them. The client is really happy with the result, and it worked with her budget.

**BC13** · 11-17-2021, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by Beaver

I have a 300sf space, kitchen/dining/living room. I just put in a new kitchen and am looking at the floor. Subfloor is 2x6, 2x8, 2x whatever they had available i suspect with 1/4 plywood overtop. The floor is not level and not flat. Im going to use some self leveler to take out some of the wavyness but I'll end up with a hump in the room regardless of I do short of a filling the room with gallons of self leveler.

The room will see high traffic in summer especially if I airbnb the place (sleeps 10-12) in the summer so real wood might not be a good idea. I considered tile but not all that keen.

Does the collective have suggestions for flooring that will play nice on such a surface? No carpet, no linoleum. Was thinking some kinda vinyl planks but wondering if they'll bust at the click together if there is slight wave in the floor.

We put a cork floor in the kitchen 1.5 years ago and are thrilled with it. If you can get 90% of the dips out the floating floors do a good job masking the rest.

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