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Think having grocery bags in your hand and need to unlock the door. Going with option #2 lets you get inside without lots of hassle. Swapping hinges on an inside/existing door could be more work than you'd want to do. To mitigate the bugs--maybe add a brighter light farther away? Or lay waste to the area. I use 1.5oz of SuspendSC to a gallon of water in a dedicated sprayer every 30 to 45 days depending on the rain to keep bugs and spiders away from our outdoor living spaces. Spray the area--webs and all, wait a few days, then sweep away the webs/bug debris, apply one more time, and in a month or so when webs start to show up--bust out the sprayer. Motronic is the guy whose advice on bugs is going to be way better than mine. My sample size is pretty small.  Our area has leeches and ticks---I'll take a few dozen leeches on me over a tick. Hate ticks. For fleas and ticks and ants I use diatomaceous earth and good ol' 20 Mule Team Borax spread around the yard and perimeter of the house. On the inside we use Borax in the rugs, dog beds, and sometimes on the animals themselves. And when the sugar ants show up in the warmer months--Terro ant bait, which is basically borax and corn syrup. We live in a wicked area for ticks. Dogs without treatment that run through the woods for an afternoon will come back with thousands of deer ticks. (Like you treat them and can sweep up enough pin head sized dead ticks to hold in two hands!)
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Apr 1, 2020 19:13
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HycoCam posted:Think having grocery bags in your hand and need to unlock the door. Going with option #2 lets you get inside without lots of hassle. Swapping hinges on an inside/existing door could be more work than you'd want to do. Where in the USA is this? I think that’d make me consider moving to somewhere good and cold. Bless the glorious dampness of the UK.
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Apr 1, 2020 23:03
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wooger posted:Where in the USA is this? I think that’d make me consider moving to somewhere good and cold.
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Apr 2, 2020 06:57
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HycoCam posted:Think having grocery bags in your hand and need to unlock the door. Going with option #2 lets you get inside without lots of hassle. Swapping hinges on an inside/existing door could be more work than you'd want to do. Thanks for the input. This is on a back porch, so I will almost never have to do something like carrying groceries inside, and rarely enter the house from the back yard, without having already gone out through that same door. That being said, I went ahead and purchase the 2nd option in my picture: the left-hand outswing.
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Apr 2, 2020 09:10
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Back on smoke detector chat: We have hard-wired detectors, and they're way overdue to be replaced. Can't remember if they're interconnected or not, but I want to replace them with a battery-operated dual smoke/CO unit that connects to smart home stuff (FirstAlert ZCOMBO is what I'm thinking). There are a couple issues I'm trying to puzzle out. First, the placement upstairs is... odd. House was built in 99 so placement isn't modern at all. There aren't any units in bedrooms... instead, there's 1 outside the master (which is coincidentally at the top of the stairs), and then maybe 15' away around the corner is the other (which is adjacent to the other 2 bedrooms). There's also something in between that I can only guess is a CO detector. My desire is to put 1 unit IN each bedroom, and then maybe replace 1 of the existing hallway units (maybe add 1 in the bonus room as well). That would update them and get placement to be a bit more current. Then the other issue is that if we replace these that way, I'll end up with at least 2 unused units (1 smoke and 1 CO). I feel like getting rid of them is the right thing to do, but in any case we'd end up with holes and wires hanging around in the walls. No clue what circuit they're on, but I would guess not dedicated. I don't expect wire nuts are acceptable to dead-end these? Or would I be better off just buying hard-wired replacements for these existing units and maybe throwing some extra units in bedrooms?
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Apr 2, 2020 18:37
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You can use these: https://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-Hardwired-Photoelectric-SA521CN-3ST/dp/B000EVO9D4 for hardwired and the battery powered version for the areas you don't have wiring if your goal is to just have them all interconnected (so that they all go off at the same time). They should be on a dedicated circuit.
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Apr 2, 2020 18:47
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Motronic posted:You can use these: https://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-Hardwired-Photoelectric-SA521CN-3ST/dp/B000EVO9D4 for hardwired and the battery powered version for the areas you don't have wiring if your goal is to just have them all interconnected (so that they all go off at the same time). So in short, the ideal goal is to have them all the same units connected to a (future) smart alarm system, and also modernize the placement to have them in bedrooms as well. Since I don't have anything set in stone yet, I'd like to plan it out ahead of time so it's streamlined rather than try to hack a few different things together. It's not really a big deal, but I didn't see anything that really stood out as being easy so I thought I was missing something. I guess the cost doesn't bother me, but it seems weird having 3 smoke/CO detectors within 15' of each other, which are also right outside the bedrooms... so it'd be basically 6 units to protect 3 bedrooms that share an L-shaped hallway. Here's a picture:  I guess maybe it's not a big deal but it just seems strange being so close to each other.
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Apr 2, 2020 19:13
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I think my area's code is Detector within 10 ft of bedrooms.. so that's why you need 2 since you've got that layout it might be required to be closer to that orphan room.
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Apr 2, 2020 19:44
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The ZCombos are not NEC code compliant, fyi. They lack the interconnectivity and the ability to be hardwired. The ability to be hardwired isn't triggering inspectors like it used to around our parts--but they 100% want to see interconnect. When one goes off--they all go off. You can setup rules to get the ZCombo and ZSmokes to trigger stand alone sirens on every floor as a work around. (https://www.smartthings.com/products/aeotec-siren) As for placement--if you want to meet code in the USA, you are required to have a smoke detector in any room where someone could possibly sleep. You are also required to have at least one smoke detector and one CO detector on every floor of your house--including unfinished spaces. The Smoke & CO can be a combined device. (I think I got the code right...)
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Apr 2, 2020 20:12
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Yeah that's the other aspect I didn't really bring up. So NEC requires hard-wiring regardless? I would assume that this would only apply to my existing detectors, and any additional detectors can be battery-powered since they never existed in the first place? I have attic access to hard-wire new detectors in the bedrooms, but I'd rather not since that technically requires a permit in my state. Does anyone offer a code compliant smoke/CO detector that seamlessly ties in to any given smart alarm system? Looks like Abode has a "smoke/CO detector detector" that just listens for the beep. Simplisafe seems to offer their own smoke and CO detectors, but I'd have to buy in to their whole system. I feel like I'm missing something, or is this just not something that's in demand? I swear this should be easier...
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Apr 2, 2020 20:35
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Does this thread have any recommendations for overhead LED light bars for garage lighting? Should I just go grab whatever fits from my local Home Depot, or are there some good models I can buy online? I will probably wire them in to an existing switched circuit. Current lighting in my garage is a single overhead light bulb adjacent to the garage door opener, and it's awful.
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Apr 3, 2020 01:29
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MetaJew posted:Does this thread have any recommendations for overhead LED light bars for garage lighting? Should I just go grab whatever fits from my local Home Depot, or are there some good models I can buy online? I will probably wire them in to an existing switched circuit. I'm looking for something like this too, but I'd probably prefer ones that daisy-chain that I can plug into a wall outlet.
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Apr 3, 2020 01:34
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Search amazon for 'T5 linkable LED' and take a gamble on a brand you've never heard of! I'm super happy with mine, but the company (AntLux) doesn't sell this style anymore.
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Apr 3, 2020 01:58
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I got mine at Costco. It’s called “Feit Electric 4' Linkable LED Shop Light”
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Apr 3, 2020 03:37
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So in general, how high should my credit score be when I'm trying to get pre-approval for a mortgage? Mine goes from 680s-710 depending on where I look.
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Apr 3, 2020 07:45
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Your credit score should be "on a planet not infected with COVID". Seriously - there is nothing normal or predictable about the mortgage market right now. It's a complete poo poo show. You could be fine now, and end up denied in underwriting because the general sentiment of the secondary market changed again and if your originator has no way to sell your loan off they're not gonna write it. If you need a jumbo just forget about it. If your income is based on anything that could conceivably end up with you losing your job because of this forget about it.
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Apr 3, 2020 13:05
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Goobish posted:So in general, how high should my credit score be when I'm trying to get pre-approval for a mortgage? Mine goes from 680s-710 depending on where I look. To expand on Motronic's post - if you are buying a house right now nothing matters. Pre-approval's are worth the paper they're printed on in normal times and last I checked recycling plants are all closed. Nothing you're going to do in the next 60 days is going to have a material impact on your score unless you are 59 days away from some derogatory mark aging out (7 years). There is a home buying thread which focuses on the stupidity of the home buying process, including mortgages, if you are serious about doing it right now.
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Apr 3, 2020 16:15
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caveat: some sellers request a pre-approval with bid submission. It's not unreasonable to ask, especially if you've been burned in the past by a sale falling through due to financing issues. That said, they're very very rare, though, at least in my market when we were buying a few years ago. Unless a seller is requiring it, the only reason you need a pre-approval is if you have sketchy credit and want some confirmation that you COULD be approved before you spend a bunch of money on inspections/earnest/whatever. But to be sure: a pre-approval is only based on a very cursory examination of your credit worthiness. The devil is in the details, and just because you're pre-approved for a certain amount doesn't mean they'll ultimately give you a loan.
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Apr 3, 2020 16:34
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What's the best way to keep rabbits/quail/squirrels and other assorted animals out from under things? My wife wants me to do something about the deck, not for animals as much as the kids keep losing balls under there, and I've got a couple of storage sheds. Both are just on top of dirt, the deck is supported by pier blocks and the sheds have treated 4x4s running the lengths, with some leftover pavers keeping them out of the dirt (old homeowner's DIY, but they are pretty solid). Vinyl lattice, down to the dirt?
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Apr 3, 2020 16:42
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Hardware cloth that extends a few inches into the dirt, then lattice over that because hardware cloth is ugly. It's much, much more effective and sturdy than just lattice.
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Apr 4, 2020 13:32
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I am putting a climbing wall in my house, but I hit a roadblock on my second look at the ceiling joists above the room I was planning to use. They were buried under insulation and I figured they would match the rafters (rough sawn 2x6), but turns out they are 2x4s and span around 12 feet with a wall in the center. I know the answer might be "get an engineer," but can I reasonably trust those joists to hold up the wall? The wall as designed (pictured) is 12 feet wide, so the top plate should be hitting about 10 joists. My best guess is that the wall is going to be coming in at around 400 lbs, with a 150-200 lb person climbing on it and loading the thing in all kinds of weird ways. 
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Apr 6, 2020 15:50
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Baronash posted:I am putting a climbing wall in my house, but I hit a roadblock on my second look at the ceiling joists above the room I was planning to use. They were buried under insulation and I figured they would match the rafters (rough sawn 2x6), but turns out they are 2x4s and span around 12 feet with a wall in the center. I am not an engineer, but I think it would be fine. Maybe sister a 2x6 onto a couple of the joists if you can, and/or run a few strongbacks perpendicular to the joists to tie them together and distribute the load. Tying the the climbing wall back up into the corner where the rafter meets the ceiling joist/wall would probably help too. A lot of the load is pulling down on the ceiling joists, but a lot is also going down into the wall at the bottom of the climbing wall.
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Apr 6, 2020 16:08
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Does anyone have thoughts on garden fencing? The main goal is to be fairly tall and opaque, but other than that I'm open to ideas. The obvious choices are generic wood panels or hedges.Baronash posted:I am putting a climbing wall in my house, but I hit a roadblock on my second look at the ceiling joists above the room I was planning to use. They were buried under insulation and I figured they would match the rafters (rough sawn 2x6), but turns out they are 2x4s and span around 12 feet with a wall in the center. My gut feeling is yes, given some beefy fixings, but if you're worried (and there's good reason to be) then "get an engineer" is a good call. An engineer is much cheaper than a new ribcage.
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Apr 6, 2020 16:10
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Jaded Burnout posted:Does anyone have thoughts on garden fencing? The main goal is to be fairly tall and opaque, but other than that I'm open to ideas. The obvious choices are generic wood panels or hedges. Hedges look nice but they need a lot more active maintenance, depending on what the hedge is if you slack on cutting it back you either have an overgrown hedge or cut it back and have to deal with it possibly not growing back from the old growth. Hedge will also make work for your neighbor. For tall wood panels just make sure they are properly set in postcrete unlike whoever erected the 6 foot fence in my garden.
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Apr 6, 2020 19:23
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Jaded Burnout posted:Does anyone have thoughts on garden fencing? The main goal is to be fairly tall and opaque, but other than that I'm open to ideas. The obvious choices are generic wood panels or hedges. I like beech hedges a lot, and they grow slowly enough that they don’t take constant maintenance. But take a while to get to the height you want. Keeping the brown leaves all winter is nice. For evergreens, Laurel or Box or similar is a much quicker growing hedge for privacy, but will be massive quickly (0.5m/year). Yew is also really nice, but a bit slower to grow. Imo slower growing is better if you plan to live there for the long term, and from following your build thread I’m sure you do. By far the cheapest and easiest way of buying lots of (deciduous) hedge plants is to get them with bare roots in winter when they’re dormant. They’re much easier to transport and so laughably cheaper - like a couple of quid each, but need to be ordered far in advance. This is a decent place to buy, and has lots of information on each hedge type, planting etc. https://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/hedging/beech-hedge-plants For fences, the concrete posts with a slot are clearly the best from all practical points of view, if a bit ugly. The fence panels I like are the slightly modern looking double slatted style, in pressure treated *something*. Or if you’re rich, the cedar version looks even better. Don’t go too high until you see how sexy your neighbours are JB. p.s. Also, good luck negotiating with the neighbours of you want the same fence on both sides.
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Apr 6, 2020 19:56
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This is all super useful information which I will squirrel away for later, but what I meant to imply (and did a poor job of) is that generic fence panels and hedges are the obvious choice and as such I'm interested in whether anyone has any classier or novel solutions. Hedges do look nice but as Ebola Dog says are a bunch of maintenance and potentially annoying for neighbours. This is for a front garden / yard (yarden?) so there won't be a huge amount of it, nor a lot of shared fence issues. The back garden I'll likely do with boring 6ft+ panels, but keeping some kerb appeal out front is worth some investment.
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Apr 6, 2020 20:07
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Jaded Burnout posted:classier or novel solutions. Well, a nice brick wall. Or even a stone wall if you have a stonemason somewhere nearby. Even more avant garde option: a gabion wall comprised of a metal cage filled with loose stone.  Looks different, modern and is very cost effective and easy to DIY. I’m looking for some excuse to use one in my place, but waiting a little before I get to landscaping.
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Apr 6, 2020 21:42
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wooger posted:Well, a nice brick wall. Or even a stone wall if you have a stonemason somewhere nearby. Hm. Always felt that sort of thing was more of a "temporary sea defences" kinda look. And/or looks like the builders' merchant has just dropped a bunch of stone off and you've not unloaded it yet.
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Apr 6, 2020 21:59
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Jaded Burnout posted:Hm. Always felt that sort of thing was more of a "temporary sea defences" kinda look. And/or looks like the builders' merchant has just dropped a bunch of stone off and you've not unloaded it yet. I associate it strongly with transit oriented developments aimed at yuppies.
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Apr 6, 2020 23:11
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Reminds me of cheap rail station landscaping, not sure I would ever call it modern.
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Apr 6, 2020 23:41
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The Dave posted:Reminds me of cheap rail station landscaping, not sure I would ever call it modern. Yeah, it’s been used for retaining walls for ages. Can look awful with the wrong stones, but can look good with the right ones, in the right setting. It’s more modern than bricks and mortar at least.
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Apr 6, 2020 23:44
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Maybe I'll pile up sandbags for some apocalypse chic.
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Apr 7, 2020 00:17
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Even more avant garde option: a gabion wall comprised of a metal cage filled with broken statuary body parts.
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Apr 7, 2020 00:34
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Pigsfeet on Rye posted:Even more avant garde option: a gabion wall comprised of a metal cage filled with broken statuary body parts. 
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Apr 7, 2020 00:50
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I need to replace my rotten 29 year old privacy fence and I live in a flood plain. How does one build a fence that still allows rain water to drain down hill/out of my property?
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Apr 7, 2020 02:31
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MetaJew posted:I need to replace my rotten 29 year old privacy fence and I live in a flood plain. I have to ask what kind of fences you have seen in your life experiences, because drainage through one has never been a consideration I've had.
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Apr 7, 2020 03:06
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Motronic posted:I have to ask what kind of fences you have seen in your life experiences, because drainage through one has never been a consideration I've had. I too am curious, I can only think that perhaps he has some cinder block fence? I thought those were primarily in dry places like az and South West.
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Apr 7, 2020 03:10
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falz posted:I too am curious, I can only think that perhaps he has some cinder block fence? I, for one, would call that a wall.
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Apr 7, 2020 03:29
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falz posted:I too am curious, I can only think that perhaps he has some cinder block fence? I thought those were primarily in dry places like az and South West. Motronic posted:I have to ask what kind of fences you have seen in your life experiences, because drainage through one has never been a consideration I've had. I just have a rotten cedar privacy fence that is maybe 6' tall. I ask, trying to plan ahead if flash flooding gets worse. I suppose digging a trench along the fence line and running a french drain or something downhill might allow some of the water to drain away from my property? Also, that Gabion wall looks permeable to water, although fairly ugly, would be totally out of place, and also seems way more expensive than another cedar privacy fence. I think I am envisioning something like having a typical vertical or horizontal cedar picket fence, that then has some of these square wire panels at the base that might allow water to flow under the fence more easily, and also keep dogs in their respective yards. Not that I've ever seen anything like that before, which is why I ask. 
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Apr 7, 2020 06:34
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MetaJew posted:I just have a rotten cedar privacy fence that is maybe 6' tall. I ask, trying to plan ahead if flash flooding gets worse. I suppose digging a trench along the fence line and running a french drain or something downhill might allow some of the water to drain away from my property? Yes I suppose if you're talking about more serious flooding, worth doing some thinking now. Perhaps regular panels fixed 6" off the ground with chicken wire below? I think Motronic's point was that most fence panels are a fairly rough affair and often have trouble keeping foxes on one side of them, let alone running water. Honestly if you're expecting really serious flooding, maybe proper drains and culverts are a worthwhile investment.
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Apr 7, 2020 11:30
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