Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

It's nice to see a house with more fucked up framing than mine.

[::: :::]

Today on my shitty house...

Doing a minor renovation in a hallway. This portion of the house is ~45 years old. There's this exposed beam that I've been eyeing suspiciously for quite a while. Turns out the beam is only the width of the hallway, supported by a single 2x4 on either side. The 2x4's just sit on the floor, and there's no supporting wall or post beneath them. There's 2 joists that sit on the beam, although one of those joists is floating above the beam and not actually touching it. Both of those joists are (poorly) coupled ~3 feet past the beam. There's no other interior support for this portion of the joist; it runs from the exterior wall, across the beam, and then is coupled to the joist on the other side of the house (which is better supported).

There's another floor above this, but there's no noteworthy loads directly above these particular joists. Jumping on the floor upstairs doesn't yield any noteworthy flex or creaking.

So what's the call with this? Slap a bunch of drywall over it and act like I never saw it, since it isn't actually presenting any problems? Add more support for the beam and ignore the fact that supports are just sitting on the subfloor? Try to construct a more elaborate support system? I know the *best* answer is to hire an engineer, but I'd rather not go through that expense since this isn't actually problematic.

the beam looks oversized for just a doorway; is it larger than 9 1/4"?

it looks like you have space to replace the single non-PT jack stud with an appropriately larger member 4x or (2)2x on each side along with a PT sill plate of some kind, if its really just sitting on bare concrete. [edit] i see you said "just sitting on subfloor"...ideally there would be something transferring the load to a load pathway reaching below...not enough info to offer much further

you can glue the triangle brackets back on afterward to appease the gods for your precociousness questioning their benevolence over the last 45yrs

[toast2266]

it looks like you have space to replace the single non-PT jack stud with an appropriately larger member 4x or (2)2x on each side along with a PT sill plate of some kind, if its really just sitting on bare concrete
you can glue the triangle brackets on afterward to appease the gods for your precociousness questioning their benevolence

I could definitely replace the jack stud with something bigger, but it's not sitting on concrete, it's sitting on subfloor. This is the second floor of the house (basement below, and one more floor above). And the subfloor it's sitting on isn't directly supported by anything. Which makes me question the benefit of adding a bunch of support, since it's just transferring the load to 3/4" plywood that may or may not be directly above a joist.

[::: :::]

thought on the janky spliced joists:
if you can find a solid support line at the adjacent hallway walls, header off the shorties at the split and support the joists with joist hangers
put studs in the adjacent walls to bolster the existing framed walls at the spot of the new header

(looks like maybe that door jamb on the right might be just enough out of the way...can't see the left)

[toast2266]

thought on the janky spliced joists:
if you can find a solid support line at the adjacent hallway walls, header off the shorties at the split and support the joists with joist hangers
put studs in the adjacent walls to bolster the existing framed walls at the spot of the new header

(looks like maybe that door jamb on the right might be just enough out of the way...can't see the left)

That's a good thought that I hadn't considered. The janky splice does end up over doors (on both sides of the hallway), but I could theoretically add a bunch of wood to shore that up.

My current armchair engineering idea is to add a bunch of wood to the walls on either side and weld up a chunk of steel to replace the beam. Which would accomplish a secondary goal of getting the big stupid beam out of my hallway, and theoretically distribute the load onto the wall as a whole, rather than being more of a point load directly under the beam.

[406]

Any AC experts on the thread? My 21 yo unit compressor shorts on start up. Looking at replacements and have analysis paralysis.

Lennox slimline https://www.lennoxpros.com/vpc048h4m...N49?clear=true
Installed with new single stage furnace for $14k

vs

a traditional cube shape Bosch BOVA60HDN1M20G. Installed with new single stage furnace for $13.4k

No plan to use the heat pump option as don't have solar and don't need much heat in San Diego. So will continue with gas furnace. Also don't really run the AC much other than a couple months. Was leaning toward these models because electricity is crazy expensive, but also not sure if worth paying for more for higher CEER. Probably not getting solar anytime soon because electric company has made that cost prohibitive with crazy monthly fees...so waiting on grid disconnect options.

Also tempted to wait a couple months and see if install cost are lower in late fall post heat waves.

[spanky]

Any AC experts on the thread? My 21 yo unit compressor shorts on start up. Looking at replacements and have analysis paralysis.

Lennox slimline https://www.lennoxpros.com/vpc048h4m...N49?clear=true
Installed with new single stage furnace for $14k

vs

a traditional cube shape Bosch BOVA60HDN1M20G. Installed with new single stage furnace for $13.4k

No plan to use the heat pump option as don't have solar and don't need much heat in San Diego. So will continue with gas furnace. Also don't really run the AC much other than a couple months. Was leaning toward these models because electricity is crazy expensive, but also not sure if worth paying for more for higher CEER. Probably not getting solar anytime soon because electric company has made that cost prohibitive with crazy monthly fees...so waiting on grid disconnect options.

Also tempted to wait a couple months and see if install cost are lower in late fall post heat waves.

Not an A/C expert, but have you considered replacing your start capacitor? Dirt cheap and a relatively easy swap that it wouldn’t hurt to try. $13 vs $13k.

https://youtu.be/FQisFmMtAis

[406]

Yeah, I replaced start capacitor myself few years ago. Tried a hard start kit this time. It trips the breaker on start and unit smells like electric fire.

But that is always a good suggestion to check it first.

[Core Shot]

Toast.
Just go for it.
It’s not right. But as you said it’s only floor loads on top, it’s not much load. That header looks decorative.

The joist splices are sketchy af. Drive a half dozen timber locks in them and call it done.

Sometimes I do shit on my house and ask the question will I be here in 30 years when it becomes an issue?

[fatnslow]

Yeah, I replaced start capacitor myself few years ago. Tried a hard start kit this time. It trips the breaker on start and unit smells like electric fire.

But that is always a good suggestion to check it first.

You should take a look at the starter relay if it has one. They can start arcing pretty bad after years of use.

[stalefish3169]

GF's shower has some black mold forming that we desperately want to get rid of. Not sure what the shower material is though. Any ideas on the shower material, or how we can nuke the mold without wrecking the shower? The material extends beyond the shower and first picture shows a cross section.

Thanks!





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[Core Shot]

Looks like someone skim coated it with cement.

Hit it with tilex. Or any mold killer for showers. Clorox makes one as well.

First pic looks like it is painted. Either way. Tile bleach cleaner. And clean that tile grout as well. I’d wear flip flops on a shower like that.

[californiagrown]

I’d wear flip flops on a shower like that.

pussy. I bet you wash your hands after you piss.

Personally, id spray grout and tile cleaner, scrub-a-dub-dub, knife out all caulking and give another quick wipedown with bleach, recaulk and call it good. If more indepth remediation is needed, you might as well just rip it all out and replace as thats likely what is needed anyways.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Almost looks like old skool terrazzo (which can be used on walls).

Over the counter mold/mildew remover will do the trick getting rid of it.

Make sure you're running your fart fan while taking steaming showers (and dumps).

[toast2266]

A follow up on my janky framing / support beam from a couple weeks ago, for those that feel like ridiculing both my shitty house and my questionable craftsmanship.

Built a temporary support out of 4x4's and cut / ripped out the beam. Turns out it was basically just a handful of framing nails holding it in place. So on the upside, it was pretty easy to remove.

Somehow the joists it was "supporting" were more or less where they were supposed to be. One of them had sagged maybe 3/8". I leveraged it back up a little bit, but it seemed like it'd been in its current position for long enough that it was better to not fix what wasn't really broken.

Installed a 4 x 13 steel I-beam, supported by 4x6 wood posts. According to the online load calculator I used, this is adequate. Nevermind the fact that the load numbers that I fed into it were 100% pulled out of my ass.

This setup also doesn't solve the issue of support under the posts, but I decided to kinda gloss over that since the previous situation hadn't presented any noticeable problems, and there's not much load on the 2 joists that are supported by the beam. I'm hanging my hat on "the house has been fine for 45 years, and everything I did is (probably) stronger than what was there before, so fuck it."

Still need to do a little framing around the beam and close everything up. And then wade into the rest of the hallway, where I'm sure the current framing is expertly constructed and up to code.

Before:



After:

[Foggy_Goggles]

Looks good. I would do something to support the point load under the posts however. Overtime it will compress the floor a bit and fuck with your interior finish even if it isn't a big structural concern.

Is it a crawl space underneath? If you don't want to go to the effort of pouring a pad and posting down to it, just sister a double onto the the floor joist in falls between (maybe the posts fall on a joist) and then block and hanger between.

[toast2266]

Looks good. I would do something to support the point load under the posts however. Overtime it will compress the floor a bit and fuck with your interior finish even if it isn't a big structural concern.

Is it a crawl space underneath? If you don't want to go to the effort of pouring a pad and posting down to it, just sister a double onto the the floor joist in falls between (maybe the posts fall on a joist) and then block and hanger between.

That's a good thought. It's a semi-finished basement underneath, so no way to bring the post all the way down. But I could sister the joists and add some blocking in that vicinity. It'll require ripping out a finished ceiling, but it's do-able.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Subscribed. I'm in the process of negotiating on a place with a remodeled 1930s farmhouse, newer shop, various outbuildings, a large barn, etc. and bit of land. Might as well sell all my toys asap

Right off the bat I need to be talked out of buying a skid steer at auction for snow removal and all the cleanup/landscaping projects I have in store. But really what else is there?

[John_B]

Turn off all the breakers even when you think you've got the wiring figured out. And never assume that anything is plumb or a 90 degree angle.

[XXX-er]

Subscribed. I'm in the process of negotiating on a place with a remodeled 1930s farmhouse, newer shop, various outbuildings, a large barn, etc. and bit of land. Might as well sell all my toys asap

Right off the bat I need to be talked out of buying a skid steer at auction for snow removal and all the cleanup/landscaping projects I have in store. But really what else is there?

junior just bought 5 acres and a side by side for the snow removal/ hunting/ general yucks

[fatnslow]

Turn off all the breakers even when you think you've got the wiring figured out. And never assume that anything is plumb or a 90 degree angle.

That can be said for any new subdivision house as well.

[Core Shot]

Turn off all the breakers even when you think you've got the wiring figured out. And never assume that anything is plumb or a 90 degree angle.

Buy a tick tracer. Inductive voltage sensors can keep you from getting bit.

Old homes aren’t properly wired. Or labeled.

[snoboy]

Test-isolate-test to prove that you have the right circuit. Meaning: get a test that shows it live before you flip the breaker, then a test after to show that it has changed. Prevents the scenario where you didn't realize someone else had isolated your circuit with a different switch or breaker that then gets turned on while you are working....

Or you could follow the other advice and turn it all off.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

junior just bought 5 acres and a side by side for the snow removal/ hunting/ general yucks

Those texas wheelchairs are like 20k minimum. Wheeled skids can be bought around 7-10k in working order at auction. They have a bucket, hydraulics that can be used with all sorts of attachments and are strong as hell. I have an old 1998 Honda recon atv for just fucking around and moving bags of concrete and shit.

[stalefish3169]

Thanks for the tips all. We think it's some type of plaster. Anyway, a few rounds of CLR mold and mildew remover with some serious elbow grease got it looking great. GF was psyched!

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