Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[EWG]

Yeah, if there's only one service line, then someone plumbed in a loop.

Some jurisdictions will allow a branch line before the meter for things like fire suppression sprinklers and/or irrigation etc.

Opening up the box would solve that part of the mystery.

Yer right. I should do that. Damn. Wanted to avoid it.

[tgapp]

Just started our first remodel and we're tearing a ton of shit out. A few questions for the collective:

1. The basement is comprised of two separate concrete pads, and one of them had settled by around a 1/4" (key inserted into the gap for scale). We're planning on floating a floor in the basement, what's the best way to level this gap? Should we just grind down the high part or try to level it somehow?
2. The previous owner installed some shitty tile directly on concrete foundation (it's in a corner of the room intended for a wood burning stove). After a failed attempt to remove the tile with a hammer and chisel I started rethinking my life's choices and my humanities degree. Can I just tile over this tile?
3. There are some small hairline cracks in the concrete floor. I figure we should seal them up before proceeding on, what's the best way to do that?

And yes, it should go without saying, I'm in way over my head. Thanks all.

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[Rideski]

Some old tile has asbestos. I used an ice scraper like for your sidewalk.

[tgapp]

Some old tile has asbestos. I used an ice scraper like for your sidewalk.

This one is a newer slate tile, hard as hell and definitely stuck on there

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[krp8128]

This one is a newer slate tile, hard as hell and definitely stuck on there

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Hammer and a cold chisel. Please tell me you didn't use a wood chisel.....

You've got to attack it from the edges, it will suck, and make a mess. Then you have to grind the mortar off.

As for the 1/4" lip, your going to have to pour a self leveling compound or grind the high spot. Laminate will want a certain flatness in so many feet, so it's going to be a lot more grinding then just the 1 high spot.

Might be worth re-considering tile. Easier to hid the old mortar and uneven surfaces....

[tuco]

Some old tile has asbestos. I used an ice scraper like for your sidewalk.

Depends on how well tile is bonded.
On the tile I'm currently removing, this doesn't cut it..
Hand sledge and 3" cold chisel to remove tile. My floor needs to be clean, removing the fuckin thinset is the real treat!

[liv2ski]

When the guys removed our old tile set into a concrete and metal screen base they used an impact hammer with a chisel. Load as fuck but it went much faster than I thought possible. Laminate needs a flat floor, so I would consider using a wood look tile.

[tgapp]

What about the possibility of just tiling over that tile? Shit's harder than hell to remove, even with a cold chisel. Should I get a bigger sledge for it?

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[skifishbum]

come see me
and ill lend ya whatcha need to remove and jiff set flat, wonder board and retile and some garden goodies
while its possible to bury bullshit
it usually ends up nicer lookin if ya do er right
with the right tools

[GiBo]

What the hell is this? Is it dual water entry pipes? Both with shut offs?


Attachment 379249

I have no idea what I'm talking about, but that looks an awful lot like my dad's config and it's for recirculating hot water. His hot water heater is a long way from the master bedroom so they had it put in.

[Supermoon]

When the guys removed our old tile set into a concrete and metal screen base they used an impact hammer with a chisel. Load as fuck but it went much faster than I thought possible. Laminate needs a flat floor, so I would consider using a wood look tile.

Used one of those to break up a shower pan and I’ll never go back.

[Rideski]

This one is a newer slate tile, hard as hell and definitely stuck on there

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Oh, with the state of the remodel I figured you were talking vinyl squares.
Impact hammer as per above sounds cheap and easy but I’ve never tried it on that application.

[Rideski]

Was supposed to go on a "once in a lifetime" father-son fishing trip with my father to haida gwai last week but the border is closed, so i still took the time off and built a ~500sf raised paver patio in my backyard instead. Fuh-king brutal work. Really happy i design this shit for a living instead of build it. 9 straight 12-16 hr days to demo, over-ex, fill, set walls, level and lay/cut pavers. I got an industry discount on all materials through a work connection so i got expensive pavers that look great... but are 4 fucking inches thick. Anyways, i finished cutting and setting the last pavers last night and im pretty happy with how it turned out. There are a few trouble spots i want to pull 3-5 pavers and raise up the sand/base, and i also want to mix in some different color pavers in strategic locations. Just need to sand, compact, and then seal it. Ignore the yard, planning to install turf at the end of August.
Attachment 379256

This is the exact color scheme i copied, I just have yet to mix in the sandalwood/yellow pavers as my supplier was out of stock until this week.
Attachment 379257

The paver extractors i can find (Bon Tool) are all $200, and nowhere i know rents them. These pavers are HEAVY, and being 4" thick makes pulling them manually a real PITA and my hands are shredded right now... wifey is 7.5 months preggers and has taken up the supervisory only role with (annoyingly unhelpful) glee. No sand has been swept in, and i want to iron out all trouble spots and swap in the colored pavers prior to polymeric sand and running the compactor next weekend. Does anyone have any suggestions for paver extractors on the cheap that wont ruin the extracted pavers?

Just spitballing since no other answers.
What does a real extractor look like?

In lieu of a mechanical substitute, can you just use some bent coat hangers to fish down under and give you something to pull with?

[californiagrown]

Just spitballing since no other answers.
What does a real extractor look like?

In lieu of a mechanical substitute, can you just use some bent coat hangers to fish down under and give you something to pull with?

Bent coat hangers wont budge these 20-30lb pavers. Im gonna mcguiver a shorter version of this brick tong for my application with a grinder and drill. Its really a very simple machanism, and i dont understand why they dont exist for what seems like a common application: https://www.lowes.com/pd/QLT-by-Mars...E&gclsrc=aw.ds


A "real" paver extractor is this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bon-Tool...s&locale=en-US

[wendigo]

bathroom was on the future todo list, a leak in the shower in an exterior wall accelerated the need to reno.

the culprite


the rather retro rest of the room - there aren't enough baby blue toilets around these days


tore everything out and found a large section of rotten subfloor


always something weird in an old house


took out the shower wall to replace the subfloor for half the room. rebuilt the wall and ran the plumbing through the new wall


will never drywall again, well at least mud and tape. pretty much wanted to off myself during all that.

a few things to finish up but serviceable now




added an outlet behind the toilet for heated seat, all new plumbing to all fixtures, drywall, paint, trim

[EWG]

What about the possibility of just tiling over that tile? Shit's harder than hell to remove, even with a cold chisel. Should I get a bigger sledge for it?

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Yes, you should get a bigger sledge. You can also tile over it, but then the tile is a half inch high.

[RootSkier]

I might start a new thread about this, but does anyone have experience with jetted cedar hot tubs? A place we were at last week had two and I am sort of in love. We were always planning on a space for a "regular" hot tub with an upcoming remodel but the cedar tub just hits different. A small one is fine, the ones we were using were around 50" in diameter and plenty big for four people. I don't want or need a six-person tub.

It seems like this might be the place, they appear to be around $6500 all-in for a 4-person with 4 jets, heater, ionizer, etc. https://www.cedartubs.com/hot-tubs.html

[skaredshtles]

I might start a new thread about this, but does anyone have experience with jetted cedar hot tubs? A place we were at last week had two and I am sort of in love. We were always planning on a space for a "regular" hot tub with an upcoming remodel but the cedar tub just hits different. A small one is fine, the ones we were using were around 50" in diameter and plenty big for four people. I don't want or need a six-person tub.

It seems like this might be the place, they appear to be around $6500 all-in for a 4-person with 4 jets, heater, ionizer, etc. https://www.cedartubs.com/hot-tubs.html

Aren't wooden hot tubs a lot like wooden boats?

NTTAWWT.

[nickwm21]

Bent coat hangers wont budge these 20-30lb pavers. Im gonna mcguiver a shorter version of this brick tong for my application with a grinder and drill. Its really a very simple machanism, and i dont understand why they dont exist for what seems like a common application: https://www.lowes.com/pd/QLT-by-Mars...E&gclsrc=aw.ds


A "real" paver extractor is this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bon-Tool...s&locale=en-US

If you have a hammer drill you could drill a hole in the paver and use a drop in anchor, tapcon, or molly to pull the paver out and just cut it off and flip the paver over for reinstall.

[riser4]

If you want a confusing water supply system, you should see my father in law's farmhouse. Multiple wells and springs. My wife asked him once how any of it worked. So he drew a diagram and instructions with numbered valves. My wife aSked if the actual valves were numbered. "No." And we couldnt match any of the valves to what's there. Fortunately due to some unfortunate events, most of it has been ripped out by an actual plumber and simplified. There's also no longer a big basin in the attic that will overflow and cause rain in the dining room if valves 4 and 10 aren't closed when you open valve 6.

[mattig]

Tgapp, I used one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B089KW34NB

in one of these https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/bos...16evs-26682-p/

And it worked very well for the tile. The bigger issue (by FAR) is dealing with the leftover grout underneath. If it's on top of concrete, I'd guess that scraper would work perfectly. Mine was on wood and the scraper was too eager to dig in when used at any worthwhile angle.

FWIW, if I had the demo hammer to buy again I'd probably step down to a rotary combo hammer for the versatility. Very useful tool either way and has more than offset rental fees in 3-4 years.

[californiagrown]

If you have a hammer drill you could drill a hole in the paver and use a drop in anchor, tapcon, or molly to pull the paver out and just cut it off and flip the paver over for reinstall.

Pavers are not double sided unfortunately, otherwise this would be option #1.

What im planning to mcguiver out of a $20 think from Lowes literally sells for $200: https://pavetool.com/products/quick-...hoCBwIQAvD_BwE

da fuq?

[fastfred]

https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/bos...21evs-34779-p/

I have a couple of these get one using a chisel and sledge sounds miserable

primer self leveler with anti fracture membrane for tile on concrete

[Vt-Freeheel]

People suggesting tiling over tile only covering a small portion of a slab should stick to dentistry. Seriously.

[fatnslow]

If you don't want go spend $500 for a quality roto hammer they sell cheap Chinese ones at Harbor freight. Might be enough for your job.