Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[Supermoon]

Ok, maybe the collective can help me out here. We have some string lights we want to hang in our backyard, and have them switched on the same switch that our existing exterior patio light is on. Do they make some sort of box that we can put in the existing light box on the house that has an outlet on it, and still attach a light to the same spot? Everything is LED so I"m not too worried about the draw.

A Google search didn't bring up anything, but I may not be looking for the right terms.

Edit:

Something like this, but where we can use an existing fixture

[adrenalated]

Rewire the switch box with a combo switch/receptacle?



Edit: if the switch is outside, I guess.

[Supermoon]

Oh, good call, but the switch is inside unfortunately

[adrenalated]

OK, if it has to be on the fixture, I don't believe anything exists that will just allow you add a receptacle to your existing fixture. Your best bet would probably be to replace the fixture with one like the picture you posted. Which is still pretty easy and inexpensive.

[Hopeless Sinner]

The real way to do it is add an exterior receptacle hopefully in the same bay as the switch and have one of the outlets wired to the switch and the other 1 fully live.

[::: :::]

Add another outlet in series off that exterior light j-box
Locate where convenient.

[alembical]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...-00W/100184555

[Supermoon]

Add another outlet in series off that exterior light j-box
Locate where convenient.

This will be what we end up doing I think, but was hoping maybe something easier existed. Looks like maybe not.

[Core Shot]

Hotwire the led rope to the fixture. Let it hang from the bottom of the box. Not code.

The box is best bet.

Otherwise get a box extender, which will look like shit. Have the led wire go through a Romex clamp. Try to hide the ugliness with a trim wood buildout.

What’s your siding? It’s not too hard to demo some siding with a fein tool, install a flush mount old work box right next to the light fixture. Or ideally further up high near the soffit. That would be best imho

[Touring_Sedan]

Ok, maybe the collective can help me out here. We have some string lights we want to hang in our backyard, and have them switched on the same switch that our existing exterior patio light is on. Do they make some sort of box that we can put in the existing light box on the house that has an outlet on it, and still attach a light to the same spot? Everything is LED so I"m not too worried about the draw.

A Google search didn't bring up anything, but I may not be looking for the right terms.

Edit:

Something like this, but where we can use an existing fixture

Have you considered a smart plug off a nearby outlet? We did this with ours and it's nice to be able to set an automatic off schedule in case we're too drunk or tired to remember to hit the switch.

[BeardedClam]

does anyone have experience with fire damage restoration? our place needs to get torn down to the studs, possibly abrasion blasted(?), and then shellac seal to seal the smell.

[J. Barron DeJong]

Have you considered a smart plug off a nearby outlet? We did this with ours and it's nice to be able to set an automatic off schedule in case we're too drunk or tired to remember to hit the switch.

This was our solution. We also changed the switch for the outdoor lights to a smart one. All outdoor lights (house and strings) are in an Alexa group, so we just ask Alexa to turn on/off the Outdoor Lights and everything turns on/off at once.

[Supermoon]

Yeah, that’s a good option too. If we can find a way to route an extension cord that doesn’t look too bad that is definitely easier than rewiring.

Otherwise, the box shouldn’t be too bad. We have aluminum siding and the light is underneath a covered patio so it shouldn’t be too hard to get an outlet into the ceiling there.

[Core Shot]

Yeah, that’s a good option too. If we can find a way to route an extension cord that doesn’t look too bad that is definitely easier than rewiring.

Otherwise, the box shouldn’t be too bad. We have aluminum siding and the light is underneath a covered patio so it shouldn’t be too hard to get an outlet into the ceiling there.

Going up into a ceiling is painful. If it were wood siding you could do an electrician notch with a nailing plate and wood and putty to hide it.
Alu siding is harder to r&r than vinyl.

I hadn’t thought about wiremold until you said it is under a porch.

https://m.platt.com/Products.aspx?pid=169704

Buy one of those. It moves your light out an inch or so. Then buy regular wiremold to go over to a surface mount box. You could even go up and across the porch ceiling if you want.
Done.
Not pretty if you stare at it. But most people don’t notice shit like that. Paint the wiremold raceways to match the siding. Blends in.

[Core Shot]

does anyone have experience with fire damage restoration? our place needs to get torn down to the studs, possibly abrasion blasted(?), and then shellac seal to seal the smell.

In a prior life I owned a resto company.

Yes. That is the way. It’s called encapsulation.

Is it a full gut or just a few rooms?

A good company should kill all smell.

Ozone generators help in other rooms. Also a smoke generator gets nooks and crannies. It’s a crazy device. Basically a flame thrower filled with scented shit.

[PeachesNCream]

Looks for some advice on adding bedrooms a what price point.

Bought my house a year ago for $250k, zillow says its worth $290k now. It's a 1 bed/1bath old home (1912), 1100 sf, small detached garage, in town, decent sized lawn, nice neighborhood. The house is in good condition but could use some help, I'm currently remodeling the kitchen. I'm thinking of hiring someone to add 2 bedrooms to the front of the house and I would add a bathroom. The addition would also give the from of the house a facelift which it could use. Obviously adding 2 bedrooms and a bath will significantly increase the value but with the way things are costing right now I'll be curious if I can get someone to do it for a price that makes it worth it. I'm totally lost on what that number would be. So my question is, at what price do you think adding the bedrooms would make it worth it? Long term plan is to probably rent, maybe sell (not a forever home).

[fatnslow]

Looks for some advice on adding bedrooms a what price point.

Bought my house a year ago for $250k, zillow says its worth $290k now. It's a 1 bed/1bath old home (1912), 1100 sf, small detached garage, in town, decent sized lawn, nice neighborhood. The house is in good condition but could use some help, I'm currently remodeling the kitchen. I'm thinking of hiring someone to add 2 bedrooms to the front of the house and I would add a bathroom. The addition would also give the from of the house a facelift which it could use. Obviously adding 2 bedrooms and a bath will significantly increase the value but with the way things are costing right now I'll be curious if I can get someone to do it for a price that makes it worth it. I'm totally lost on what that number would be. So my question is, at what price do you think adding the bedrooms would make it worth it? Long term plan is to probably rent, maybe sell (not a forever home).

Good starting point is figure out the value of the house IF it was completed with your wish list then work backwards with current construction costs. You might call around to a few local contractors and ask for rough cost per square foot for an addition. This should give you a ballpark cost basis VS. market value of finished product.

[nickwm21]

The question you are asking is super location dependent, super project specific. Additions could cost $100/sf to $400+/sf.

Pick up the telephone. Call contractors. Ask for a /sf ROM on a simple addition. Ask how much backlog they have.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[::: :::]

The question you are asking is super location dependent, super project specific. Additions could cost $100/sf to $400+/sf.

Pick up the telephone. Call contractors. Ask for a /sf ROM on a simple addition. Ask how much backlog they have.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

+1
test your local market for the current vibe
but aint no $100/sf projects around anymore

[climberevan]

I did a bath addition last year. It was like 200sf. Cost was about $120 k all in. Bedrooms should be significantly less expensive.

Clients only had it for like 2y. It just sold in a couple of days for over asking, so i assume they broke even, at least. Shit remains cray here, though, so YMMV.

[PeachesNCream]

I talked to a contractor and they gave me a $60k quote for 1 bedroom but that included a much more difficult roofline and wall to match, and more demo, plus it wouldn't be a clean match so I think he quoted me pretty high because he didn't want to do it, maybe. What I was hoping for was for someone to say, well if it's worth $290k, adding 2 bedrooms and 1 bath will make it worth roughly $400k so you should should try and get the remodel done for under $80k or something along those lines. I was wondering if people had a feel for home much value adding 2 bed and a bath would add, but good point that it's highly area/circumstance dependent. I've got a couple realtor friends in the area that I'll call.

[ötzi]

Well just go on Zillow and look at the sold properties in your area that would match your renovated house most closely and that should give you a ballpark on the value if completed as desired. It's not so much the value of the new rooms but the value of the new house when all is aid and done that's relevant.

Then do the math with estimates in hand. If it's gonna cost you $150K to do the work but houses that fit those criteria only sell for $100K more than what you already have in the place that tells you one thing. If it costs $150K but houses like that sell for $300K more than you have in the place already that tells you another thing.

[PeachesNCream]

Well just go on Zillow and look at the sold properties in your area that would match your renovated house most closely and that should give you a ballpark on the value if completed as desired. It's not so much the value of the new rooms but the value of the new house when all is aid and done that's relevant.

Then do the math with estimates in hand. If it's gonna cost you $150K to do the work but houses that fit those criteria only sell for $100K more than what you already have in the place that tells you one thing. If it costs $150K but houses like that sell for $300K more than you have in the place already that tells you another thing.

Right, looks like I'm making it more complicated than i need to. I just need to get some real numbers and it should be pretty obvious after that.

[skaredshtles]

I talked to a contractor and they gave me a $60k quote for 1 bedroom but that included a much more difficult roofline and wall to match, and more demo, plus it wouldn't be a clean match so I think he quoted me pretty high because he didn't want to do it, maybe. What I was hoping for was for someone to say, well if it's worth $290k, adding 2 bedrooms and 1 bath will make it worth roughly $400k so you should should try and get the remodel done for under $80k or something along those lines. I was wondering if people had a feel for home much value adding 2 bed and a bath would add, but good point that it's highly area/circumstance dependent. I've got a couple realtor friends in the area that I'll call.

I mean... conventional wisdom says you will *not* get anywhere near 100% return for remodeling work. But I guess in today's market, perhaps that conventional wisdom doesn't hold...

2018 article on remodel payback:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/here...the%20magazine.

[sirbumpsalot]

I mean... conventional wisdom says you will *not* get anywhere near 100% return for remodeling work. But I guess in today's market, perhaps that conventional wisdom doesn't hold...

2018 article on remodel payback:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/here...the%20magazine.

Are you trying to say that people won't pay me $20K more for my house if I stick in a $5000 stove with giant red knobs on it?