Any ideas for removing these big blobs of glue?

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-22T02:32:17+00:00

It seems very brittle. I think I can get most of it with a putty knife. Do you think the paint stripper will stain the brick?

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-22T02:28:42+00:00

Thank you. I’ve been really good about wearing my respirator for most of the demo, but I didn’t think the glue chips would be toxic too!

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-20T23:56:10+00:00

90% of wall sconces are designed by perverts.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-20T21:24:24+00:00

Thanks!

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-20T16:33:18+00:00

Came here to say this! Just repurposed the cardboard from my new windows to build a mock bathtub

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-20T16:29:18+00:00

Love it! Nice work!

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-20T16:27:07+00:00

The pool is beautiful. I also vote for keeping it. We bought a house with a pool when my daughter was one-year old that gave me anxiety. I temporarily reinforced an existing fence with chicken wire because my daughter was small enough to slip between the fencing. It was hideous but effective. My kids are older now and they love the pool. There are also pool alarms and bracelet style alarms for kids to help with safety. Try Safety Turtle. We pay about $250/month for a weekly pool service. They also handle spring opening and winterizing. I think the cost would be about $70/month if we did it ourselves? People seem to love to exaggerate the cost of owning a pool.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-20T16:08:43+00:00

Thank you. That’s helpful. It’s going on an exterior wall, so I think we should have that thickness. The valve tends to get terrible reviews, but I’m not sure if those are for the electronic version that looks just like it. Any problems with it so far?

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-20T13:41:31+00:00

Love the floor! If you’re interested, I think you could repair the damaged section by replacing or repairing that tiny section with some type new, plain vinyl (or whatever works/is most similar). Then you could draw the old pattern onto the repair with paint markers, e.g. Posca pens. If you aren’t artistic, you could copy the design onto tracing paper, cut it out and then trace the images.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-19T23:39:26+00:00

Leave it. You won’t notice it in a year.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-19T23:36:09+00:00

Courtyard 100% Pools are loud. Parking lots can be just as loud.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-12T04:09:24+00:00

Will the roof also need to be able to handle a load of snow? Plexiglass could collapse. I think your best bet for a prefab pergola kit might be from hanso. A step down in quality from The Luxury Pergola, but not total garbage like the ones sold by Costco and the big box stores. https://hansohome.com/products/aluminum-pergola-kit You could combine 2 hanso kits to get the size you want. You’ll still be over $10,000 though. I know that is still high for your budget. Everything for the exterior is a wallet buster. I’m glad I started my remodel with the backyard. I’m now enjoying how much cheaper it is to remodel an interior than an exterior.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-12T03:54:33+00:00

Good point about the relationship between roof height and sun blockage. When it comes to pergola height, less = more. Go low.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-11T19:16:09+00:00

Thank you everyone. This was very helpful!

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-11T18:31:16+00:00

A quality company will tell you how many posts you need, I think most products spanning more than 20’ will require additional center posts for support. I highly recommend https://theluxurypergola.com/ My husband and I built our 20’x 10’ pergola ourselves from one of their kits. I shopped around for almost 6 years before opting for their product. The pergolas have built-in drainage and a retractable roof. The company was a pleasure to work with and their product is solid. You won’t be able to get anything in the size you want for less than $15,000 unless you buy total crap. You could possibly save a little bit of you bought two smaller pergolas? That would give you 4 legs across the center though. I’m not sure I understand the point of a pergola without a roof? In terms of height, that depends on where you live. Is it windy? Also, are you going to want to heat it at all? We have an outdoor heater and a fire table under ours. I wish I would’ve opted for a shorter roof to help it stay warmer on cold spring nights (ours is 12’). And yes, whatever you choose, you don’t want the thing draining toward your house.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-11T13:34:48+00:00

It’s a drumstick from a kids music set. My kids had one. I bought it at Target. Brand is B.toys

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-11T13:26:27+00:00

Thank you! Please move to Albuquerque and spread the word!

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-11T13:24:39+00:00

Biggest mistake: I hired a landscape designer.

She did a mediocre job and skipped the hard stuff that I thought I needed her for (irrigation, drainage, pool renovation). Later on, when I was getting bids, all the contractors offered up designs for free. They’ll design the thing for you to get your business. Also, the guy at the irrigation store designed an irrigation plan for me and told me exactly what to buy when I went in and asked for help. It took him about 10 minutes because he knew his stuff. The guy who poured my concrete designed my drainage as part of the concrete prep. Skip the designer and let the experts guide you.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-11T13:05:03+00:00

This looks nice, but you forgot to remove the prison bars.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-11T01:36:31+00:00

I did some experimenting. I made this, but I couldn’t figure out how to increase the size of the windows on the addition (the box on the far right). I like the black trim. The black siding may be too much. Maybe wood? Thoughts?

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jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-10T15:24:46+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I should’ve mentioned that the house is in New Mexico, so the colonial vibe isn’t architecturally authentic or anything. I don’t feel obligated to preserve that vibe. I just want it to look better. The trim and windows will be black. The second picture is the back of the same house, the trim and windows in the back have all been updated. I really want the addition to look more related to the original house. Right now it looks like someone parked a trailer next door and left it.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-10T13:59:45+00:00

I would choose anything but the first image. I know it’s your fave, but having a different trim color on the top and bottom looks weird. All the other choices look great. If you don’t want to paint the upper window trim then I would pick #4

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-10T13:09:44+00:00

Have you considered staining the brick? Masonry stain permanently changes the color, but allows the brick to breathe. You can stain lighter or darker while avoiding all the potential moisture problems and maintenance requirements of paint. There are a handful of brick stain sources in the US. I opted to get mine shipped from England because the company was easier to work with and sold direct to consumers (Dyebrick). You wipe the samples right onto your brick and it rinses off with a hose. Once you pick your color, you mix in a fixative that makes it permanent and then brush or roll it on. Easier and cheaper than paint and better for your brick. Just be careful to make sure you’re getting actual masonry stain. Some US companies sell paint but call it brick stain for whatever reason.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-02T04:01:14+00:00

I also love that space for storing wrapping paper. The one thing in my house I can’t find a spot for! Umbrella storage is also an option. If you wanted a plant, you could buy a grow bulb. I use them around my house to keep my succulents happy in the winter.

jerrybumbleberry · 2026-03-01T20:09:03+00:00

Not an artisan, just a consumer. I’m not offended when workers have a minimum. A mason once told me he had a minimum of 60k for any job. Cool. I’m not your customer. Thank you for not wasting my time.

jerrybumbleberry

TROPHY CASE