Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[mcski]

Cheaper? Easier to shovel? A little more country than rock n roll?

[NBABUCKS1]

zzz bite the bullet and rent the ex. See if you can split it with a neighbor? THey really aren't that bad in my neck up the hoback. I think it was $1300 for the week delivered. If we had a 3/4 ton truck for pickup and dropoff it'd be $1000 for the week.

dig it deep, use spread bases and sono and you should be good. We went 6 feet on our house foundation and 4 feet on our deck (that isn't in yet)

[zion zig zag]

Why do people build decks near ground level rather than stone or brick on the ground?

You'll have to ask my wife. The clearest answer I've gotten is that she wants to be able to take her coffee directly outside and the step down is somehow offensive?

Edit: and I don't hate the aesthetic of a wood deck.

[zion zig zag]

zzz bite the bullet and rent the ex. See if you can split it with a neighbor? THey really aren't that bad in my neck up the hoback. I think it was $1300 for the week delivered. If we had a 3/4 ton truck for pickup and dropoff it'd be $1000 for the week.

dig it deep, use spread bases and sono and you should be good. We went 6 feet on our house foundation and 4 feet on our deck (that isn't in yet)

Like Foggy said earlier, it'd probably take a week for me to fumble with it, and maybe a pro could knock it out in a few hours. I'd have to do that math.

[::: :::]

Seems widely available? Just noticed the app calls for 1x6 for cedar at 16" oc.

i def wouldn't do 1x6 cedar at 16

bouncy & long term damage is guaranteed with exposure: cracking, thermal movement at the fasteners, finish differential btwn top/bot creating degradation, etc

[Djongo Unchained]

Hah, 1x6 cedar @16"oc is gonna be a bouncy mofo in short order.

Man, if it were me, I'd build it freestanding outta alaskan yellow cedar. Don't sweat the earth moving or the weather getting shitty. It'll outlast you and look good in gray.

And when you ding it up all winter from the shovel, it won't have to be restained in the spring.

[fatnslow]

I just ordered a 15' USB inspection camera and will attempt the retrieve the dropped bit with a long pole and magnet. One more attempt at a hole and WHEN I fail I have a another spot I can make a run. This spot make it so I have to wrap pvc around a chimney but that'll be better than having to cut/patch lathe and plaster. My plan is to insert 1" conduit about 2-3' as a guide for the bit. Probably being stupid......

Well that was an epic fail ! Shoved the camera in there to find the flex bit augered into a corner . Intersection of the brace I want to drill and the joist.
Anyone know if you can cut out a piece of plaster WITH the lathe in one piece and screw it back to a wood backer ? I'm 95% the plaster with end up in a 100 pieces when you start cutting the lathe slats but I gotta ask. Maybe I'm just being a bitch about nit wanting to make a mess cutting it out then have to make a large patch. I guess I'll most likely run through the empty cavity and wrap around the brick chimney with PVC and have a slightly longer run. Talked to a few contractor buds and they both laughed and told me " I guess your gonna cut and patch, BITCH "

[zion zig zag]

Hah, 1x6 cedar @16"oc is gonna be a bouncy mofo in short order.

Man, if it were me, I'd build it freestanding outta alaskan yellow cedar. Don't sweat the earth moving or the weather getting shitty. It'll outlast you and look good in gray.

And when you ding it up all winter from the shovel, it won't have to be restained in the spring.

Damn Strong-Tie leading me astray. Of course they want every fastener and stainless component available and then have me skimp on the decking!

[Rideski]

What are you gonna do to prevent the fox or coons from making a den below your deck?

[Lvovsky]

About recirculators: house came with the pump on WH and plastic valve under kitchen sink. The system never really worked well. Then the plastic thing leaked or pump died - don’t remember. Removed the valve, turned off the pump. With new WH I may try the same but new system and return it if it still sucks.

Need to investigate if we have brunched hot water and need more than one valve. House is on a slab. Pipes are in the slab.

[RootSkier]

Why do people build decks near ground level rather than stone or brick on the ground?

These are questions reason cannot answer.

Fuck a deck whenever possible.

[californiagrown]

These are questions reason cannot answer.

Fuck a deck whenever possible.

A paver patio is pretty simple (if not fairly brutal) to build, and pretty cheap. Even if you tier it, or want it raised up, just line the perimeter with retaining wall blocks and fill the middle with compacted crushed rock. I did a 500sf raised paver patio a couple summers ago in 7 days (including demo of existing and overex) for under $7k all told with dump fees, equipment rentals and materials delivered... i even got fancy pavers. It has a nice 3'x7' landing at the door threshold too so the wife doesnt spill her coffee stepping outside in the morning.

[dan_pdx]

Anyone know if you can cut out a piece of plaster WITH the lathe in one piece and screw it back to a wood backer ? I'm 95% the plaster with end up in a 100 pieces when you start cutting the lathe slats but I gotta ask. Maybe I'm just being a bitch about nit wanting to make a mess cutting it out then have to make a large patch. I guess I'll most likely run through the empty cavity and wrap around the brick chimney with PVC and have a slightly longer run. Talked to a few contractor buds and they both laughed and told me " I guess your gonna cut and patch, BITCH "

I cut out a small chunk of lath and plaster for an Ethernet/coax jack recently and it came out pretty intact. I was using an oscillating multi tool with I think a masonry blade running at high speed. You would just need to take a big enough chunk out to have several pieces of lath that are at least a few inches long. It seems like it's worth a shot. If you can't reattach your chunk of lath and plaster, you just have to patch, which you'd need to do anyway.

[Core Shot]

Cedar is too soft imho for decking. I know it’s done. I wouldn’t.
Fake mahogany or ipe are better.

[Djongo Unchained]

What are you gonna do to prevent the fox or coons from making a den below your deck?

At's a fair question...

Not many raccoons in these parts, but mebbe a few. Most of the aminals bigger than a vole, kinda keep their distance. Foxes are awesome to have in the hood but fkna, the kits yapping can be tiresome. Mostly, a family of foxes is gorgeous.

Lotsa better abodes than right next to a residence.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Damp crawl space?

I'll try my best to keep this brief. Recently moved into a townhouse pretty close to the river (but out of the flood plain). Water table is high and we knew this upon inspection. Previous owner had a nice sump pump installed. Crawl space is open/connected to neighbors crawl space. Inspector didn't see any evidence of mold and all wood structure underneath had been sprayed/covered with some type of protectant. Inspector said, "Yes, in spring you will have the sump running quite a bit......rest of year very dry down there." We first went into the crawl space in March aka still very much winter and it was very dry and the air smelled clean in there. April/May/June the sump is running constantly. We have had an incredibly wet spring.

There are two vent fans tied to a humidity switch. The switch will come on at 70% (according the dial on the switch) and it feels DAMP down there. There is no vapor barrier by the way. One of the fans will not kick on and I'm guessing it's motor is shot. The fans are on opposite walls and I can't easily tell if both fans exhaust or if the burned out one was meant to be an intake of fresh air.

Being in SWMT the outside humidity is almost always quite low. I would think having one intake fan and one exhaust fan would be a good idea? Only have them run at 50% humidity or higher. Right now is just FEELS too damp in there and I don't like it. One little exhaust fan doesn't seem to do anything.

[californiagrown]

Damp crawl space?

I'll try my best to keep this brief. Recently moved into a townhouse pretty close to the river (but out of the flood plain). Water table is high and we knew this upon inspection. Previous owner had a nice sump pump installed. Crawl space is open/connected to neighbors crawl space. Inspector didn't see any evidence of mold and all wood structure underneath had been sprayed/covered with some type of protectant. Inspector said, "Yes, in spring you will have the sump running quite a bit......rest of year very dry down there." We first went into the crawl space in March aka still very much winter and it was very dry and the air smelled clean in there. April/May/June the sump is running constantly. We have had an incredibly wet spring.

There are two vent fans tied to a humidity switch. The switch will come on at 70% (according the dial on the switch) and it feels DAMP down there. There is no vapor barrier by the way. One of the fans will not kick on and I'm guessing it's motor is shot. The fans are on opposite walls and I can't easily tell if both fans exhaust or if the burned out one was meant to be an intake of fresh air.

Being in SWMT the outside humidity is almost always quite low. I would think having one intake fan and one exhaust fan would be a good idea? Only have them run at 50% humidity or higher. Right now is just FEELS too damn in there and I don't like it. One little exhaust fan doesn't seem to do anything.

How much does it cost to replace the exhaust fan? Is it a small little guy you could source at HD for <$100? You are probably right that the burnt one is the intake- keeps nice dry air flowing into/across the crawlspace.

[anotherVTskibum]

Picked up a used cedar swingset, thinking I should apply stain before reassembling so I can get some of the spots that were retaining moisture. Anything in particular I should be looking for?

[AK47bp]

Picked up a used cedar swingset, thinking I should apply stain before reassembling so I can get some of the spots that were retaining moisture. Anything in particular I should be looking for?

Flood Wood Sealer.


I put it on my cedar swingset. Works well

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Damp crawl space?

I'll try my best to keep this brief. Recently moved into a townhouse pretty close to the river (but out of the flood plain). Water table is high and we knew this upon inspection. Previous owner had a nice sump pump installed. Crawl space is open/connected to neighbors crawl space. Inspector didn't see any evidence of mold and all wood structure underneath had been sprayed/covered with some type of protectant. Inspector said, "Yes, in spring you will have the sump running quite a bit......rest of year very dry down there." We first went into the crawl space in March aka still very much winter and it was very dry and the air smelled clean in there. April/May/June the sump is running constantly. We have had an incredibly wet spring.

There are two vent fans tied to a humidity switch. The switch will come on at 70% (according the dial on the switch) and it feels DAMP down there. There is no vapor barrier by the way. One of the fans will not kick on and I'm guessing it's motor is shot. The fans are on opposite walls and I can't easily tell if both fans exhaust or if the burned out one was meant to be an intake of fresh air.

Being in SWMT the outside humidity is almost always quite low. I would think having one intake fan and one exhaust fan would be a good idea? Only have them run at 50% humidity or higher. Right now is just FEELS too damp in there and I don't like it. One little exhaust fan doesn't seem to do anything.

You need a new inspector. Ask Bobby who he uses.

I don't know what a protective spray is.

Do you have foundation vents?
Insulation on the foundation walls?
Furnace and/or water heater in the crawlspace?
If you have a furnace down there, is it a condensing unit?

Mechanical ventilation needs to be continuously running, not on a humidistat. Fan will be blowing to the outside, and you need a transfer grill (open vent) into the living area to provide the makeup air into the crawlspace.

A vapor barrier is a must, and a sealed one is highly recommended. Did you get a radon test?

[teleee]

Flood Wood Sealer.


I put it on my cedar swingset. Works well

Huh, I always assumed you were to old for a swing set, guess you should never judge a persons age from their internet persona


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[AK47bp]

Huh, I always assumed you were to old for a swing set, guess you should never judge a persons age from their internet persona


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Still working on getting a 360 around the bar…..one of these days.

[teleee]

Still working on getting a 360 around the bar…..one of these days.

Video or it never happened


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[Vt-Freeheel]

AKs 360 attempt would be a great opening act at Stales chimp fight

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

You need a new inspector. Ask Bobby who he uses.

I don't know what a protective spray is.

Do you have foundation vents?
Insulation on the foundation walls?
Furnace and/or water heater in the crawlspace?
If you have a furnace down there, is it a condensing unit?

Mechanical ventilation needs to be continuously running, not on a humidistat. Fan will be blowing to the outside, and you need a transfer grill (open vent) into the living area to provide the makeup air into the crawlspace.

A vapor barrier is a must, and a sealed one is highly recommended. Did you get a radon test?

I just went back down there. Hadn't been in a week. Took a little humidity sensor and it said 55% down there. It's 55% outside/upstairs anyway. Mysteriously the second fan decided to start running in the past week so both fans are on and exhausting to the outside through foundation wall vents.

The foundation walls have insulation.

No furnaces or water heaters in the crawl space.

Even though on a humidistat controls the fan it has been on non stop for 6+ weeks. First just the one fan and now both fans.

There is vapor barrier down in places but not sealed.

Yellowstone Structural Systems installed the second sump pump in 2019.

Some of the insulation in the crawl space ceiling/under our living area floor looks kinda wet but it seems to all be from condensation. The pipes down there don't appear to have any leaks but have drops of water all over the outside of them.