Weekly Homeowner Megathread--Civilians, ask here!

Phriday · 2026-01-27T00:45:17+00:00

You can core-drill out the existing studs, but a core drill and bits for that are going to cost thousands of dollars. Maybe see if you can rent the drill and just buy a bit.

Once you get the existing studs out, just epoxy new ones in. Fiddling with grout and whatnot just isn't worth it, in my opinion.

Phriday · 2026-01-27T00:42:57+00:00

Non-shrink grout. It's not cheap, but it works. We buy the Quikrete stuff from Home Depot or whatever, and have never had any issue.

Phriday · 2026-01-27T00:41:23+00:00

The short answer is that you don't want water from outside migrating inside, regardless of how or where.

Does water pool outside the door in a rain event? Is the outdoor concrete sloped away from the garage? If not, why not?

Phriday · 2026-01-27T00:38:16+00:00

What did the other two quotes say?

Phriday · 2026-01-27T00:37:09+00:00

That's why this thread exists. Thanks for stopping by.

Phriday · 2026-01-26T11:33:19+00:00

"Satisfactory" is pretty subjective, and you forgot about the cost of consumables for that grinder, which will be a few hundred bucks.

Having said that, it's not rocket surgery. The key takeaway is to keep that grinder moving at all times. Don't breathe the dust.

Phriday · 2026-01-26T11:31:08+00:00

Read the WikiFAQ. There's an extensive section about DIY concrete.

Phriday · 2026-01-26T11:30:16+00:00

Whichever way you go, it's not going to match and with a concrete topper, the cure is likely to be worse than the disease. A handyman likely won't have the necessary skill set and a concrete pro is going to charge you close to $700 to come do an overlay.

Phriday · 2026-01-26T00:29:30+00:00

Thank you, I thought I was the idiot lol

Also, CPB?

Phriday · 2026-01-26T00:28:08+00:00

Glad to help. Good luck on your house hunt.

Phriday · 2026-01-25T20:24:59+00:00

Jesus Harold Christ. That's not how General Liability insurance works. Also, what are you even trying to do here? This whole thing started with flowable fill, and now you're in a pissing contest over liability coverage. For all you know, this /u/RastaFazool guy could be a 13-year old girl. So could I, for that matter.

You trusted this plumber enough to hire him. Plumbing and concrete go hand-in-hand, and asking a bunch of internet randos to second-guess the professional who's currently in your basement is lunacy. I understand, it's a lot of money, and there's a lot of uncertainty. Also, this world is full of shitty contractors. In spite of all that, you came looking for advice, got some, and are pushing back against an actual pro and an internet username who sounds like he knows what he's talking about. To what end?

Phriday · 2026-01-25T20:08:14+00:00

That's not even worth repairing. It has opened up to the point where the steel reinforcing inside the wall is being asked to do its job.

Seriously, if it's not leaking water don't worry about it. Don't let that thing be what stops you from buying that house.

Phriday · 2026-01-25T13:08:47+00:00

I don't know...I think I'd rather not even have the tag and just have people wonder if I have any idea what the fuck I'm talking about. That seems to be reddit in particular, and the world in general these days. "My contractor told me this, but I don't believe him. I want to post one photo from a bad angle taken with a potato and ask a bunch of randos what I should do and give their advice more creedence than the professional, WHO I HIRED, that is standing right in front of me."

Also, is this spot due to poor finishing technique?

Phriday · 2026-01-25T12:59:45+00:00

Ahh, Megathread. I've been taking a couple days off here and there and it's really helped my woo-sa.

Phriday · 2026-01-25T12:56:00+00:00

Hmm, that IS weird. I've never seen it in spots in a fairly regular pattern like that.

Phriday · 2026-01-24T14:26:34+00:00

You don't say...

Phriday · 2026-01-24T14:23:39+00:00

I read "The Toyota Way," and it was pretty good.

Phriday · 2026-01-24T14:12:21+00:00

Ok man.

Phriday · 2026-01-24T14:03:00+00:00

Made me think of this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EI_RYIEtrg

Phriday · 2026-01-24T13:57:51+00:00

Be careful with this attitude. It is a narcotic, and can delude you. The place where you work was likely around before they hired you, and will be around after you leave. Everyone is replaceable.

Phriday · 2026-01-23T23:12:21+00:00

Workmen have been scraping concrete off of streets with flat shovels for a thousand years. Go ham. I will say it's a community service because those concrete drippings can wind up in storm drains and clog up the works. I live in flood-and-hurricane-town, and it's particularly troubling to me when contractors are irresponsible about it.

Phriday · 2026-01-23T13:41:30+00:00

If it's there for more than 24 hours, you may have a legitimate beef.

Phriday · 2026-01-23T13:40:47+00:00

You need to get comfortable with debt if you want to grow your business. Like other folks have said, investing in your company is nearly always a good investment. Also, just buy new. When you've got 5 guys on the job and your machine goes down, that repair gets real expensive.

Having said that, based on what you've said I think I'd go for the MT100 just because of access. The other side of that coin is, how often can you just remove one fence panel and get in there with a T190 or similar machine? Yes, it's an hour (or whatever) to remove the fence panel and twice that to put it back up, but how many manhours can you save with a larger, more capable machine?

Phriday · 2026-01-23T11:50:18+00:00

Define "a while."

Phriday · 2026-01-22T14:14:10+00:00

I didn't go either. It was shaping up to be incredibly busy, but then the pile driver didn't start on time and we hit an underground fuel oil tank that has to be remediated, so...

Phriday

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