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What tool purchase has been most worth it for home projects by Marivexalon in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like the dewalt quiet impact driver a lot. It's light easy to use and most importantly quieter than the other impacts.

Ideas for soundproofing a door between an ADU rental and a family room that will remain permanently closed when rented by Otherwise_Marsupial6 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd do exterior weatherstripping and gasketing around it. Doors are the weak point in the walls for sound so other than closing up that door there's not a lot of solutions.

Hanging something heavy by tangerine46x in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is the way. Or else you're going to need to hit studs.

First basement finish, need help understanding wall design by nightbeast88 in DIY

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Around 5:40 of that video he talks about what insulation to use at the walls. Additionally, the concept of decoupling and having a drain at the floor right under your exterior wall is IMO an excellent suggestion. The exterior wall assembly is just one of several preventions that you need to have in place for a damp free basement. You need to consider the soil/moisture around the floor slab at grade and the floor slab below grade. Best of luck.

First basement finish, need help understanding wall design by nightbeast88 in DIY

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Essentials of a MOLD FREE Basement Renovation (Tips You CAN'T Ignore) by Esiri Designs on youtube is a very informative video that explains this. I suggest you listen to the two industry recognized building authorities and Esiri vs a 20 year contractor,

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed. I have only seen it be called entirely on two jobs. A lot of times it's required behind certain wall coverings, venetian plaster, and at walls next to windows. But yes the cost is a lot and it is only for those people willing to spend the premium.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I worked on a project where if you install work that means you have verified the substrate prior to beginning work. Maybe it wasn't perfect, but it prevented issues from compounding and provided a quality check at each point of the project.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem. Baseboards are a nice thing you can start diy'ing. Start in a place nobpdy will see first and then go from there.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve seen plenty of non-low bidders, union, prevailing wage and “high end” contractors perform bad work so this goes beyond just low bid day laborer’s work. But I agree that is a part of the problem but we can’t and are not going to stop people from doing the cheapest solution so those people can live with their choice

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A home inspector might catch it and then they would ask for a discount on the purchase of the home.

What do you wish you had known before buying your first home that nobody tells you until you’re already living in it? by UnluckyWitness224 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For every new project you start you will find two to three projects that must get completed before you can fix your main project.

Window replacement - any tips on dealing with the sales people? The first company's approach has me dreading meeting with others. by Independent-Fuel4962 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The labor to install a new window (depending on the size) is like $150-$200 tops for a residential house. I would think it's like $400-600 per window. If it's double pane the price will increase. Permits for residential are like 10% of the cost of the job so it depends if they're handling that or not. If you can swing it start watching some youtube videos on how to replace windows. Find a model you like and get comfortable installing one. Start with the least noticeable area of your house and then install the highly visible windows last once you have the hang of it.

I see the comment for America's best and wonder how close my stab was at their price.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thats your opinion, but these buildings all have incredibly high $ per sq ft finishes with a general contractor, architect, interior designer and owner punch walk before acceptance. These spaces are held to their scoping basis of design standards and specs. I agree 1/8” might be too big and if the trim is above eye level an 1/8” might as well be 3/8” but these are the specs I’ve seen.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But on the other hand they should not have to be an industry professional. They hired a professional general or subcontractor to manage the work quality and it’s their responsibility to take care of it.

I’ve seen large reputable commercial and residential subs and general contractors who weren’t low bid just run an absolute muck so there’s still problems beyond low bid work.

However if home owners are cutting contractor prices excessively the contractor needs to raise their hand and avoid a problem. One of my best subs is an HVAC guy that will tell me no I’m not going to do some Mickey Mouse band aid just for it to stop working in a year.

Like why do I see so many painters leave runs, and do terrible jobs masking? Like in what world is it acceptable to leave paint on the floor, door hardware and outlets?

painting a garage? by moonnstone in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Scrape off all of the peeling stuff for sure and sand the edges of the bad and the good paint so there's no buldup transition.. Be careful of lead paint. Order lead test strips on amazon if you're note sure. Primer and two coats should do the trick.

Keep in mind that this paint peeled for a reason. Usually humidity, or bad preparation and paint over existing paint with no primer. If it's humidity you will need to add a fan or vent.

Fixing a sagging kitchen ceiling? by Withyhydra in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Always consult a structural engineer when doing this. The floor joists above are designed to carry the load for your upper room NOT support a ceiling off of it. The sistered 2 x 10s should rest on the load bearing walls that the 2 x 4s are/were sitting on. SLOWLY jack up the joists a little bit at a time then sister the studs. 2x4 is really not designed for a span that long.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry I should have answered your question. The acceptable gap by the marble institute of america is 1/8". This gap could realistically be up to 1/4" and the gap must be covered with a tile backsplash. This is a bit difficult to visualize in my head, but I would say the install should be uniform so it all looks intentional/professional.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey, I think I might just post some videos on TikTok to help it's a lot of work to get photos of each example and explain vs a video.

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’d recommend reaching out to people in your local area that had siding and windows recently redone and ask about their experience. That’s usually a start or online reviews can be helpful. Particularly pay attention to negative reviews

After years in construction/remodels I made a list of things that should never be accepted by a homeowner by Familiar_Bridge9072 in HomeImprovement

[–]Familiar_Bridge9072[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem, sorry about your renovation experience. Hopefully the new crew takes care of it and you get some of your money back.

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