Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[Supermoon]

For bracing the half wall, typically a built up stud post runs through the subfloor and bolts to blocking attached to the floor system below.

Yeah after talking to my FIL who’s an engineer I think I have a decent plan. Going to run a 2x8 or 2x10 between the joists and lag bolt a 4x4 to the end as opposed to doubling up 2x4s.

[ntblanks]

hey ntblanks I don't read this thread much cause it reminds me of work and I hate my job a few people have chimed in and tried to set you on the right path, here is a quick break down, fyi my process will not be warrentied by any of the companies because they hate each other and big companies do everything they can to not warranty work and products

1) Level the floor first, as mentioned use levelquick rs by custom building products, I just buy a pallet at a time of this stuff, use the the custom building products primer before pouring

2) Install the ditra, if you can buy it in a roll vs the sheets you used, it's better that way, some places will sell it by the LF, again I just buy rolls of that shit at a time, install the ditra using custom building products verabond, I usually skip primer on this because my leveler is only a few days old, if your serious use the crack membrane between sheets, it needs to go wall to wall, edge to edge not just where you want to put the heat wire

3) Install your wiring heat kit, always install 2 sensors, if your boared install three, they go bad, out of thirty or forty heated floors I've only had one go bad, tests the ohms per instructions and shit write it down, don't install wire too close to the toilet or under a vanity

4) Install tile, I use schlueter "all set" for my tile setting mud, do not use any other mud than this, seriously, we have debates as to scratch coating first before installing tile that way the wires are all protected during install, we go both ways

5) grout and caulk using custom buildling products grout and caulk

6) Turn the heat up and bang your wife on the warm tile floor

Thank you sir (and to the rest of you guys, esp VT-freeheel for explaining decoupling). So glad I posted that pic of how not to lay Ditra.

Though I like your idea of getting laid on ditra.

Mine will be a non-traditional implementation.

The positives:

Added a second sensor.

Added some easier-to-find non-wire ditra to achieve wall-to-wall, creating a functional (if ugly af) decoupling layer.

Filled panel gaps with caulk and edges with backer rod + caulk.

>> I'm confident that no SLC from above will connect meaningfully with the thinset below the ditra.

But...

Def not warrantable the way I did it (was never a goal).

Doing the SLC over the ditra, not under. Manual for both suntouch and ditra say this is normal for laying things other than tile (eg. laminate) so I know it's not totally out of bounds. But I expect wire heat efficiency may be reduced.

Main reason was to save 1/4 - 1/2" in added height if I did SLC and then ditra on top.

It's a small, narrow space (~35 sq ft) so I'm not extremely worried. If it implodes down tbe road I'll redo it.

[Foggy_Goggles]

For the deck repair, if you take your time and do it right, it will be worth every penny. If you hack at any stage, you are wasting your time and money.

a. for that ledger/flashing detail, you can kerf the top of the joist so you can get a vertical leg there. You can also finish cut your siding +/- 6" up and put in a 2x6 there with Z flashing on top to make that the sacrificial piece.

b. deck post need to be bomber. of all the things I've built over the the last 25 years, post and railing seems to be the only one that isn't lasting. The typical way of attaching the newel post to the rim/joist doesn't stand up. The Simpson Bracket (expensive) seems to be the way.

[glademaster]

This is timely. I'm in the process of buying a place that is going to need the ~800 square foot deck replaced. The lack of positive/mechanical connections between the post bases and the footings as it stands now make me nervous (among other things). It's definitely going to require structural engineering for the update/replacement.

[Foggy_Goggles]

This is timely. I'm in the process of buying a place that is going to need the ~800 square foot deck replaced. The lack of positive/mechanical connections between the post bases and the footings as it stands now make me nervous (among other things). It's definitely going to require structural engineering for the update/replacement.

That's easy. I don't say this much, but browse the Simpson Catalog. They really have through of some pretty cool fixed for decks. For example, they make a remodel stand off plate for what you are talking about.

It is super easy as a contractor to say, "fire bomb that shit and start over" but with materials and labor being so expensive these days, it is worth trying to figure out how you can avoid that.

[glademaster]

Thanks, I appreciate the info, I'll check those out. The posts are rough sawn logs, not dimensional, which I have to assume is going to complicate retrofitting hardware a bit.

Anything to salvage as much of the existing structure as possible would be good, as just replacing the decking and railing won't exactly be cheap with that much square footage.

[Skidog]

Thanks, I appreciate the info, I'll check those out. The posts are rough sawn logs, not dimensional, which I have to assume is going to complicate retrofitting hardware a bit.

Anything to salvage as much of the existing structure as possible would be good, as just replacing the decking and railing won't exactly be cheap with that much square footage.

So glad we did our 1300sq ft deck a couple years ago. Lumber prices are insane right now. Like $7 for a warped, wet 2x4? Fuck that

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using TGR Forums mobile app

[Foggy_Goggles]

If you pay attention to how the commercial architectural logs guys (TJs etc.) do it, they put flats on all their connections and treat it like dimensional. Alternately, you can draw up your own piece of hardware and have your local fab shop make it for you.

Performing engineered repairs for HOAs has become a pretty big part of my business (along with custom home trim...weird combo). If I ever wanted to operate a larger company again, which I don't, Deck and HOA restoration would be the way. Super profitable and satisfying it that you are actual saving people money and extending the life span of properties. Versus custom homes which are the true definition of opulent consumerism. I laugh when the "value proposition" and "negotiation" comes up when someone is building a $2MM second. "Oh, you want to save money, don't build the fucking house. Who cares if I charge you $40K or $50K to trim it?".

In the recession, I wondered what would happen to all the 70s and 80s condos in disrepair. We'll boom 2.0 came around, they had massive assessments, and how they are selling for stupid prices.

[glademaster]

Damn, sounds like you're exactly who I need to talk to, but two counties over.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Damn, sounds like you're exactly who I need to talk to, but two counties over.

I'll save you the $5K engineering report. It's pretty easy.

[::: :::]

a. [snip]You can also finish cut your siding +/- 6" up and put in a 2x6 there with Z flashing on top to make that the sacrificial piece.

Even better

[Timberridge]

Glade, I thought you were a building inspector?

[californiagrown]

In the recession, I wondered what would happen to all the 70s and 80s condos in disrepair. We'll boom 2.0 came around, they had massive assessments, and how they are selling for stupid prices.

My individual condo has a 70k-80k assessment due this spring (numbers are still being finalized). Its needed as the complex hasnt been touched since '88. I just bought another house as my family is expanding and my pregnant wife was muttering death threats to the loud upstairs neighbors daily. The condo is in a killer location and im really hoping to cash out with a big profit after all the assessment work is done in 2-3 years just like you are saying. Fingers crossed.

[char_]

If you pay attention to how the commercial architectural logs guys (TJs etc.) do it, they put flats on all their connections and treat it like dimensional. Alternately, you can draw up your own piece of hardware and have your local fab shop make it for you.

Performing engineered repairs for HOAs has become a pretty big part of my business (along with custom home trim...weird combo). If I ever wanted to operate a larger company again, which I don't, Deck and HOA restoration would be the way. Super profitable and satisfying it that you are actual saving people money and extending the life span of properties. Versus custom homes which are the true definition of opulent consumerism. I laugh when the "value proposition" and "negotiation" comes up when someone is building a $2MM second. "Oh, you want to save money, don't build the fucking house. Who cares if I charge you $40K or $50K to trim it?".

In the recession, I wondered what would happen to all the 70s and 80s condos in disrepair. We'll boom 2.0 came around, they had massive assessments, and how they are selling for stupid prices.

What are the chances there is a piece of rebar embedded in the concrete that extends into the middle of the log?

I’m guessing one of the keys with the Simpson retrofit is using an epoxy anchor not a wedge anchor so as to not blow the side of the pier out.

[RootSkier]

Even better

This definitely strikes me as the right way to do it. Plus you can get rid of the rotted siding.

[neufox47]

Thanks, I appreciate the info, I'll check those out. The posts are rough sawn logs, not dimensional, which I have to assume is going to complicate retrofitting hardware a bit.

Anything to salvage as much of the existing structure as possible would be good, as just replacing the decking and railing won't exactly be cheap with that much square footage.

https://www.fastenersplus.com/produc...xoCjOgQAvD_BwE

Seems like an easy solution for the mechanical connection.

Question for the collective. I want to pour a 10x15’ slab in my crawl space and build a wine cellar on top of it. Problem is access. It is about 60’ down a stairwell through the interior of the house and over 100’ to go round the outside. Seems like even if I skimped on thickness it would be 4-5 yards of concrete. Hauling and mixing 150 bags of concrete doesn’t sound fun or economic.

Better to just frame the floor with 2x6’s and some concrete piers?

[knumbskull]

My wife and I remodeled a 1981 house that hadn't been touched since it was built and made tons of mistakes, but it turned out pretty good. I thought it would be fun to share some before and after pictures. My wife LOVES demo.

[Supermoon]

Nice dude! Those beams are great.

[dan_pdx]

Looks great! Hard to believe that we ever thought it was a good idea to wall in the kitchen like that.

[char_]

https://www.fastenersplus.com/produc...xoCjOgQAvD_BwE

Seems like an easy solution for the mechanical connection.

Question for the collective. I want to pour a 10x15’ slab in my crawl space and build a wine cellar on top of it. Problem is access. It is about 60’ down a stairwell through the interior of the house and over 100’ to go round the outside. Seems like even if I skimped on thickness it would be 4-5 yards of concrete. Hauling and mixing 150 bags of concrete doesn’t sound fun or economic.

Better to just frame the floor with 2x6’s and some concrete piers?

Hire someone to place the concrete with a line pump.

[knumbskull]

Thanks guys! The non-ceiling height wall around the kitchen was truly baffling. We love the beams too, even if they are purely decorative. We struggle at how to address the gap in the decorative beam where the kitchen wall tied in. Eventually we decided to lean in to is and come up with a creative patch.



Here is the bathroom we redid. The bathroom carpet was truly disgusting as you could imagine.

[::: :::]

i was just measuring/shooting photos of a beachfront mansion (for lack of a better word; it's 11k sf but not a high style luxe looking thing) that we'll be updating for a client...60s NW style, really quite handsome in many regards, good lines that flowed with the landscape, right on the coast...all custom everything, carved front door, ridiculous audio & intercom throughout...

EVERY ONE of the eight bathrooms plus the kitchen still had shag carpet: avocado green & tomato orange (not mixed, just the individual colors)


oof

[XXX-er]

Looks great! Hard to believe that we ever thought it was a good idea to wall in the kitchen like that.

I agree ^^ the last owner of my 40-50 yr old 1100sqft house remodeled the top floor, took out the non-loadbearing wall between the small kitchen/ small front room/ small dining room and slapped a bar on top of the old wall to make a really nice big open concept room in an older house.

So what can happen to a guy who builds his ultimate "Man Cave" is his new wife doesn't like it, he sells it to me moves in with her, 12 yrs later they are estranged/ divorced

[toast2266]

Quick question: building a shed for firewood. Necessary to sink sono tubes below the frost line? Or would some concrete piers dug in ~10" suffice?

I get that the piers would probably heave and settle a little bit with frost, but I'm unclear on how much that really matters for a free standing firewood shed.

Sono tubes will get into a bunch of roots of nice big trees that are close to the house (and rocky soil), so it'd be nice if I could skip that hassle.

[EWG]

What kind of soil do you have? Sandy, clay, gravel etc. does it drain well?

If the soil is not clay, and it's doesn't drain horribly slowly, I'd just dig it in 18" or so.