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peanut posted:hell yeah friend So yeah 5 hours later the city guy just showed up and turned off my water, and it's going to be off until ???????? I've been told I will be "compensated" for my "inconvenience". Honestly I'm only annoyed by the project manager of this foundation repair company because he met with me before construction began and I expressed my concerns about them hitting my water line and that I wanted to wait until after it gets replaced in the spring to do this work. He was a complete dick to me about it ("are you an engineer??" We do thousands of these a year and we've only broken a water line 4 or 5 times!") in addition to missing our first appointment and then being late to the second. He assured me it would be fine and that they have a master plumber on staff who would repair things if needed. Welp! The crew here doing the actual work has been great though.
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Jan 9, 2020 03:01
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Sirotan posted:I've been told I will be "compensated" for my "inconvenience". Honestly I'm only annoyed by the project manager of this foundation repair company because he met with me before construction began and I expressed my concerns about them hitting my water line and that I wanted to wait until after it gets replaced in the spring to do this work. He was a complete dick to me about it ("are you an engineer??" We do thousands of these a year and we've only broken a water line 4 or 5 times!") in addition to missing our first appointment and then being late to the second. He assured me it would be fine and that they have a master plumber on staff who would repair things if needed. Welp! This is sort of the person I legitimately hate the most, because I am an engineer, and one of the most important things that engineers learn is how easy it is to gently caress up things and how everything will go wrong ever. I would never hire somebody with this sort of personality.
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Jan 9, 2020 07:56
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Sirotan posted:("are you an engineer??" We do thousands of these a year and we've only broken a water line 4 or 5 times!") Per job? Per week?
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Jan 9, 2020 15:30
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Sirotan posted:He was a complete dick to me about it ("are you an engineer??" We do thousands of these a year and we've only broken a water line 4 or 5 times!") in addition to missing our first appointment and then being late to the second. gently caress this company. No show I presume no call is a huge black mark against your whole outfit. Late to the second one? You're fired. The a condescending/dismissive dick on top of it? You're double fired. Are you not allowed to turn off your own water? Any time I've had a contractor out for work where they needed to turn off the water they just went and did it at the city demarc (before I repiped.)
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Jan 9, 2020 15:51
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The plumber tried to turn it off himself but didn't have the correct key, apparently. And yeah, I was less than thrilled with having to continue working with this company after their PM stopped by but the sellers paid for 100% of the costs all upfront so they've got me by the balls here. Anyway, things are continuing to go great. My electrical panel is grounded to the water line, and while the plumber was cutting out the damaged section of pipe this morning he found the pipe started arcing across the cut sections.  Consequently, I'm now sitting here in my house that has no water or power.At least they finally finished with the jackhammering!! 
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Jan 9, 2020 16:19
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Sirotan posted:And yeah, I was less than thrilled with having to continue working with this company after their PM stopped by but the sellers paid for 100% of the costs all upfront so they've got me by the balls here. Contact the seller's agent. Some or all of that money might still be sitting in escrow. Let them know what a lovely job the contractor has been doing and that you are concerned they will further damage the property or charge the sellers extra to cover for their own mistakes.
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Jan 9, 2020 16:26
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It wasn't in escrow, it was all cut to me in a check at closing that I hand delivered to this company. This is the company both sides agreed with as well. :[ Edit: ok I've at least got power back on now
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Jan 9, 2020 16:32
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B-Nasty posted:Luckily, you don't have to do your own calculations, the number used to figure this out is the 99% Heating Design temp, which can be found here: https://www.energystar.gov/sites/de...Homes_Rev10.pdf Yup, it's pretty rare to get that cold here. I'm in VT, not in the mountains, either. Technically my 99% temp is -11, according to that chart, but that's close enough that a -10 model would work with my existing baseboard to supplement H110Hawk posted:Plus once you are at the set point temperature, assuming you designed your system correctly, they are shockingly quiet compared to forced air. Try not to futz with the setpoints all drat day, they work best when left alone at a comfortable temperature. Ooh, that's nice. One thing I hated about my last home was how loving loud the forced air was, and it was a newer system (installed around 2007.) It was a constant game of "turn up TV when blower kicks on, turn it down when it's off."
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Jan 9, 2020 16:35
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DrBouvenstein posted:Yup, it's pretty rare to get that cold here. I'm in VT, not in the mountains, either. Technically my 99% temp is -11, according to that chart, but that's close enough that a -10 model would work with my existing baseboard to supplement That could be lovely ductwork  Remember this also assumes that your home holds the heat in and can maintain the temperature. If it's well insulated then it will quiet down and just sort of hum along forever, but if it has to fight to maintain the set point it's going to be just as loud or louder than your forced air. If you have lovely drafty windows& doors, uninsulated walls, and a leaky floor (think: raised foundation) then nothing is going to save you. They really are magic. Mine definitely has raised my electric bill during this cold winter (days, plural, as low as 40!) in my office, but it's nearly nothing compared to a space heater.
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Jan 9, 2020 16:50
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Sorry the quality is poo poo because dude couldn't figure out how to send this to me any way but via MMS: https://i.imgur.com/0MYChVK.mp4 
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Jan 9, 2020 16:52
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I’m investigating putting new floors in parts of my house and trying to see if prefinished solid hardwood would get me the look I want instead of unfinished. Are the ‘microbevels’ most stuff has now really pretty micro and unnoticeable? My house is older (1920s) and so I’d like to keep as traditional a look as I can. Is there prefinished stuff available in longer lengths (not super long long, I just don’t want a bunch of 1’ shorts) and specialty cuts like rift or quartersawn? What I’m finding seems to mostly be in wider widths and shorter lengths-I’d rather have 2 1/4”w x 3’-7’ or something, but maybe I’m not looking in the right places.
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Jan 9, 2020 16:55
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Sirotan posted:Sorry the quality is poo poo because dude couldn't figure out how to send this to me any way but via MMS: You might want to cross post that to the wiring thread. You might have a short in your washer or something that's energizing your pipes.
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Jan 9, 2020 17:05
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Sirotan posted:Sorry the quality is poo poo because dude couldn't figure out how to send this to me any way but via MMS: Your contractors are idiots. This is an entirely predictable thing that would have taken one walk out to their truck and 10 minutes to prevent. Nevets posted:You might want to cross post that to the wiring thread. You might have a short in your washer or something that's energizing your pipes. They cut his ground path. They should have bonded from where it's bonded to the panel upstream to PAST where they needed to cut to make the repair to keep the ground path during the work.
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Jan 9, 2020 17:06
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When they first saw the arcing, I heard one of them down there say "I'm a plumber, not an electrician!" Anyway power and water are finally back on, hail satan. The entire electrical panel needs to be replaced (and properly grounded to not the water line) and was something I was going to get started on after the basement work was completed. Guess I'll be doing that ASAP now. The plumber offered to get me in touch with their company's electrician but lol, no.
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Jan 9, 2020 17:15
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Sirotan posted:When they first saw the arcing, I heard one of them down there say "I'm a plumber, not an electrician!" The water pipe is/was proper grounding, and any plumber in an area where that's a thing should know it. Why would the entire panel need to be replaced as a result of this? If the plumber can't be arsed to fix the ground/used PEX so you no longer have a proper ground path all you need is a ground rod. If there is no longer a proper path to ground the power shouldn't be on.
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Jan 9, 2020 17:40
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Sirotan posted:Sorry the quality is poo poo because dude couldn't figure out how to send this to me any way but via MMS: This is some good poo poo right here
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Jan 9, 2020 17:48
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It's old and full and I want to upgrade to a 150 amp panel. It being replaced has nothing to do with the work going on in my basement, it was something I planned to do when I moved in 2 months ago and just planned to wait to have it done after all the foundation shenanigans were completed. The water line is being replaced in the spring and probably will be PEX so grounding would need to be changed even if I wasn't planning to replace the panel.
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Jan 9, 2020 17:49
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Sirotan posted:Sorry the quality is poo poo because dude couldn't figure out how to send this to me any way but via MMS: who knew "self-welding pipes" was a thing?
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Jan 9, 2020 18:56
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Sirotan posted:When they first saw the arcing, I heard one of them down there say "I'm a plumber, not an electrician!" This is the curse of the tree you removed. The house knows you removed it and is punishing you for your sins. What you need here is a priest.
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Jan 9, 2020 22:36
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H110Hawk posted:This is the curse of the tree you removed. The house knows you removed it and is punishing you for your sins. What you need here is a priest. I think the stump was a benign guardian, keeping the water pipe safe beneath it, fending off attempts to destroy it with axes and concrete. Poor stump.
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Jan 9, 2020 23:13
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slammin original content, hail satan
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Jan 9, 2020 23:23
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Jaded Burnout posted:I think the stump was a benign guardian, keeping the water pipe safe beneath it, fending off attempts to destroy it with axes and concrete. Either that or it was imprisoning a poltergeist. The previous owners had done everything they could to keep it intact, even reinforcing the tree with concrete when it began to weaken. Now you're going to have to contend with rearranged furniture, wifi deadspots, portals to hell, etc.
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Jan 10, 2020 00:07
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Is it possible to train a poltergeist? I've got a buttload of painting that needs to get done, it would be great to have some extra hands/claws/tentacles/etc available.
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Jan 10, 2020 00:11
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Sirotan posted:Is it possible to train a poltergeist? I've got a buttload of painting that needs to get done, it would be great to have some extra hands/claws/tentacles/etc available. Yeah, see that film How To Train Your Poltergeist, they're famed for doing tricks, usually kitchen-based. Do you have some chairs that need precariously stacking very quickly or cupboards need opening? They must all be very shy though, they never do it when the camera is looking.
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Jan 10, 2020 01:49
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Little known fact, but Bob Villa is actually half poltergeist.
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Jan 10, 2020 14:32
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lmao so we are on day 3 of the basement work and the crew has been standing around in my driveway for an hour and a half because they can't continue until the building inspector shows up. He finally arrives and is in and out of the basement in under 90 seconds. Sweet fuckin' gig.
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Jan 10, 2020 17:26
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all done* yaaaaaaaaaaay     (I have already moved the bucket) Waiting for it to set a bit and then I am totally writing my name in the cement. *a final building inspection has to be done sometime next week, and they'll be back to move my concrete laundry sink back to its original location once the cement cures. The sink has some cracks and leaks, and the stand for it is super rusted, this was going to be a project for some day way way down the line but now that theres not a 300+lb sink on top of it, I'm going to try to sand and repaint the stand this weekend and maybe get the sink cracks filled too, or at least refurbish the drain now that I don't have to lay on the floor to get to it.
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Jan 10, 2020 21:58
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Sirotan posted:all done* yaaaaaaaaaaay Wait! Before you put anything back down there... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=489D-C79Gt0
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Jan 10, 2020 22:10
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Sadly the basement is not empty and there are a million things just out of view all stacked on each other. I would love to do an epoxy floor though, someday.
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Jan 10, 2020 22:54
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I just moved into a new place and I'm pretty 🤔🤔🤔 about this basement window, looking for some opinions / thoughts. You can check out what I'm about to describe here: https://imgur.com/a/4bgEtb3 And one additional pic of me pushing at the pane here: https://imgur.com/Ve5e2Jf Basically, there's this clouded/frosted glass pane that's sorta screwed onto the window frame and held in place I think by another four movable tabs. I think it kinda sucks because [a] it blocks out the sun, which is very lame, and [b] it seems like an extremely serious security concern. Like, is there anything stopping anyone from just taking off the tabs / screws and climbing down to the basement? Anyway, at the very least I'd like to get rid of the frosted glass and replace it with a regular transparent pane so that I can see outside whenever I'm there, but the measurements on that pane seem ad hoc. It's like 19.5" tall x 29.5" wide, and the screw holes seem to be maybe just drilled in by hand. Is this a size anyone's ever seen or heard of before? Google basically gives me nothing. Or is the frosted part the least of my concerns and I should be telling the landlord to replace this poo poo ASAP so I don't get my life stolen?
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Jan 11, 2020 00:51
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You are renting. Talk to your land lord. Do not make modifications or "improvements" without explicit permission to some else's property.
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Jan 11, 2020 01:06
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Yeah I'm trying to get a feel for how big this project is before I ask
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Jan 11, 2020 01:09
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Soap Scum posted:Yeah I'm trying to get a feel for how big this project is before I ask It's a badly attached piece of plexiglass. Replacing it with a clear one is a trip to the hardware store and $20.
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Jan 11, 2020 01:21
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I would still go for a frosted panel or get a peel and stick laminate to frost it if you don't want whatever is in there to be visible to the casual passer by
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Jan 11, 2020 01:23
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Hm, yeah, I might request a change to clear plexiglass, an interior cage with key for security and egress, and a curtain in front for privacy. Thanks!
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Jan 11, 2020 02:21
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Soap Scum posted:Hm, yeah, I might request a change to clear plexiglass, an interior cage with key for security and egress, and a curtain in front for privacy. Thanks! Silly question, but did you happen to turn those tabs and try to remove the plex? I can't quite tell from the photos. It's just so odd for the plex to be affixed from the outside that I'm wondering if the plex was added for privacy and there's already a regular pane of glass underneath it.
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Jan 11, 2020 02:46
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TofuDiva posted:Silly question, but did you happen to turn those tabs and try to remove the plex? I can't quite tell from the photos. It's just so odd for the plex to be affixed from the outside that I'm wondering if the plex was added for privacy and there's already a regular pane of glass underneath it. There's another sheet of plexiglass drywall screwed to the inside. The one on the outside is a badly spraypainted sheet of plexiglass. As far as security goes, the drywall screwed in sheet on the inside is way more secure than glass. Just ugly and janky.
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Jan 11, 2020 03:23
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TofuDiva posted:Silly question, but did you happen to turn those tabs and try to remove the plex? I can't quite tell from the photos. It's just so odd for the plex to be affixed from the outside that I'm wondering if the plex was added for privacy and there's already a regular pane of glass underneath it. I didn't want to gently caress with it more than just inspecting and poking at it a tiny bit before having a plan and making sure it was okay, so I hadn't done anything with the screws or tabs that might allow for removal (they looked very rusted to me and I didn't want to take chances on not getting them back in). The second link I posted shows a profile view of the whole thing when I'm pushing it up a tiny bit with my finger, and I thought that showed that it's just one piece of painted or frosted glass 🤔
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Jan 11, 2020 17:57
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Can anyone link me to the sperg’s guide to sump pumps? I’ve never had one in my life before and today, for some reason, it’s raining.
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Jan 11, 2020 18:46
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What’s the general consensus on gutter guards? I have a 2 story house with an extra steep pitched roof and given the variety of trees around ( huge fir, honey locust, oak, aspen, ash... ) the gutters fill up at multiple times per year. I have to have a crew come out at least 3-4 times per year which adds up pretty quickly. Are any of them worth their cost? The last gutter crew I had tried to sell me on foam inserts which surprisingly weren’t too expensive but I can’t find conclusive info as to whether they’re any good. I’m in Colorado so lots of snow with melt through the year if that matters.
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Jan 11, 2020 23:39
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