|
glynnenstein posted:Both of the hoops that dads put up in my neighborhood during my childhood did put concrete in the pole. One of them all the way to the top and the other just in the bottom 3 or 4 feet above the footer. Weirdly I have very clear memories of these projects; I have never liked basketball much. drat, I don't even know how they'd get it up the whole length. The bottom few feet is easy since the pole is in sections. But the whole length? Did they have a cement truck with a boom, or were they precariously carrying up shovelfuls up a ladder?
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2020 23:18
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 10, 2024 02:14 |
|
|
DrBouvenstein posted:Oh yeah, I was a dumbass. If you had access out of the back yard by some other exit you could turn your garage into a brew-thru.
|
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2020 23:37
|
|
|
I changed our kitchen faucet this week and it went pretty smoothly. Now we have a nice pull-down faucet that rotates smoothly instead of a 10-year-old pull-out faucet that stopped rotating unless you torqued the entire faucet housing around and also stopped retracting if you did that. All the online walkthroughs I saw said YOU NEED A drat BASIN WRENCH but I bought one and determined this to be a lie because it wouldn't fit up there with all the faucet lines in the way. Vise-grips and an adjustable wrench got the job done.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 15:50
|
|
|
The last faucet I installed had a two part construction that allowed it to be installed entirely from above the counter, no basin wrench or loving around behind the basin under the sink needed. Basically there's a base piece with winged/cammed nuts on it that clamp the underside of the counter when you tighten from above, much like an old work electrical box. Then the actual faucet assembly attaches to that. It was a fantastic surprise. https://www.kraususa.com/kitchen/kitchen-faucet-collections/oletto/kraus-kpf-2631ch-commercial-style-pull-down-kitchen-faucet-in-chrome.html
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 16:23
|
|
|
That's weird, seems like it would be unstable if you literally only do everything from the top. There must be a part under but perhaps you don't thread it from there?
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 16:28
|
|
|
falz posted:That's weird, seems like it would be unstable if you literally only do everything from the top. There must be a part under but perhaps you don't thread it from there? If you re-read his post it will make more sense. Personally I don't trust the relatively small contact points. For the multiyear lifespan of a faucet, I'll deal with reclining under the sink to get a proper fastener torqued on from beneath.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 16:45
|
|
|
Lots of brave souls in this thread. I will not be attempting any elective plumbing work until I can legally and safely make multiple trips to a hardware store during the same 4hr time span.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 17:03
|
|
|
The pain of kitchen faucet installation has mostly been solved by having that winged nut with integrated bolts. You can spin that on the faucet shank by feel, and then you only need to pop under there with a long phillips screwdriver to lock it down. Those also usually have long water supply hookups that extend far enough below the shank to connect the supply hoses easily. Now, 2 handle or 3-hole hookups that need a basin wrench for attaching and water supplies can go right to hell.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 18:24
|
|
|
If you're replacing an old faucet the biggest pain is going to be removing the old one, not installing a new one, the latter is one of the easiest things you can DIY and with a modern faucet just consists of hand threading a large nut then tightening a few screws. When it comes to removing the old faucetjust remember to ask yourself 2 questions. Do I actually care what happens to this thing? Do I own power tools? You can spend hours trying to get some gunked up old proprietary nut off while you play twister under a cabinet, running back and forth from the store to try different plumbing tools, or you can just sawzall(or grind) through the top piece in 10 seconds and watch all the guts and mounting hardware drop free leaving you an open hole to install the new kit. My first kitchen replacement, done in a hurry when the old one went bad, sucked and included at least 3 hardware store trips, the second one couldn't of been easier.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 18:56
|
|
|
I installed a new faucet in my bathroom when I replaced the vanity top, but when I replaced my countertop and kitchen sink I definitely had professionals do it. Besides getting the old one off when it still had the old kind of setup where getting the screws/bolts/whatever from underneath off was almost impossible, and the new faucet had some issues with the threading, so my plumber was swearing at it a lot. He had to use some pipe dope to finally get it to thread.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2020 19:26
|
|
|
This video is so inspiring I had to share it- it's about a couple who built an off-grid compound in a CA redwood forest 50 years ago. I'm trying to figure out how the parabolic roof was framed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qcsWajivnI
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2020 06:46
|
|
|
Steve French posted:I bought a house in December, and one thing that was noted during the inspection process was the deck railings: the space between the balusters is too large, and the sweep space between the deck surface and the bottom of the railings is too large as well. late on this, but I'd just do what Mortronic suggested, except affix them with carriage bolts on the inside and wing-nuts on the outside.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2020 14:27
|
|
|
Hubis posted:late on this, but I'd just do what Mortronic suggested, except affix them with carriage bolts on the inside and wing-nuts on the outside. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2020 17:08
|
|
|
socketwrencher posted:This video is so inspiring I had to share it- it's about a couple who built an off-grid compound in a CA redwood forest 50 years ago. Not framed at all he says. But how did they bend it in the wilderness with nothing? That’s a great house I don’t really buy all they stuff he’s saying about doing it all themselves. He walked back the “5 days” claim for the original hut. And for the main house: Yes I’m sure you installed massive pieces of glass that need a special vehicle to transport “on your own” in the wilderness... Yes I’m sure you had no money, but could afford to buy hundreds of acres and live there with no other income.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2020 20:17
|
|
|
If you want the real version of that, look up the videos about Richard Proenneke and his life in the middle of nowhere in Alaska. He basically packed in only the metal bits of his tools and then built himself a cabin and lived there for years.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2020 21:44
|
|
|
Whew, tough crowd or what!wooger posted:Not framed at all he says. But how did they bend it in the wilderness with nothing? That’s a great house Yeah he (Bello) said that no beams were used, but there's a shot of the roof that shows what looks like framing. Who knows, it's just fun to think about how it was built. I think you can bend wood without specialized equipment, especially when it's freshly-sawn, but I'm thinking it wasn't done that way, mainly because the boards on the ceiling were shorter pieces cobbled together- he said it's 4 layers of non-uniform redwood boards. And yeah, I'm sure he's exaggerating about doing everything themselves, as well as the cost and how long things took. I cut some slack when people do this, and I'd guess this particular 87 year old is exaggerating less than most. I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of that land was pretty cheap in 1968. A friend bought 60 acres that's 15 miles from the heart of Napa wine country a couple years back for $150k. Bello said they earned a living by selling 1600 Christmas trees a year, and who knows maybe their kids helped them out over the years too. mutata posted:If you want the real version of that, look up the videos about Richard Proenneke and his life in the middle of nowhere in Alaska. He basically packed in only the metal bits of his tools and then built himself a cabin and lived there for years. Right on, I'll look him up. Thanks.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2020 23:41
|
|
|
The SF Bay Area is restarting construction starting on May 4. So I scheduled my "essential and critical" building inspection tomorrow for drywall to dodge the line.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2020 23:54
|
|
|
So my bathroom exhaust fan died and I was wondering if there are any recommended brands/models. The bathroom is about 90-ish square feet and I must have a built in light. I remember hearing that Panasonic is good?
|
|
#
?
Apr 30, 2020 19:56
|
|
|
So I am shopping for wall ovens and I am thinking of a 27' GE model. Since stores around me aren't installing, or if they are it's the sort that I've heard terrible stuff about them cutting cabinets, I am hiring a handyman to do part of the installation. But I am looking at the installation manual for that model and I am confused: https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/98/98950b1a-82f4-4b1b-8818-cf236b6a35bb.pdf According to the salesperson, the width that matters is the cut out width, and we're good on the cutout width, cutout depth and once the handyman makes the cut, cut out height. But the installation manual mentions "Opening Between Inside Walls Must be at Least 28-1/2” (72.4 cm) Wide" (page 2A) This seems to contradict their specs elsewhere that cabinet width minimum is 27' or the part where it says "Clearance from cutout - side edges* 1 inch." None of the other wall ovens I've seen even mention something similar in terms of "opening between inside walls." I've tried contacting GE directly, but their online chat is not working and they haven't replied to emails. Anyone with any experience with wall ovens ever seen something like this? Or have a GE wall oven?
|
|
#
?
Apr 30, 2020 20:15
|
|
|
joepinetree posted:So I am shopping for wall ovens and I am thinking of a 27' GE model. Since stores around me aren't installing, or if they are it's the sort that I've heard terrible stuff about them cutting cabinets, I am hiring a handyman to do part of the installation. In general think of it like this: Here's a top view of a cabinet (black), oven (red) and door (gray). The cutout width is the opening that the oven can slide through in front. The specs want 1" clearance on the side edges, which basically means 1" between the sides of the oven and the interior cabinet walls behind the front cutout. The "opening between the inside walls" refers to the dimension between the interior side walls of the cabinet behind the front cutout. When you get the oven, measure it and the cabinet carefully before attempting to install it, don't just go by the oven dimensions stated in the manual. 
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 00:45
|
|
|
I understand that, what I don't understand are the inconsistencies. A cabinet can't have a width of 27 (as stated as the minimum requirement) while also having 28 1/2 inches space between the walls within it. An oven that requires a cutout that is 25 1/4 wide (max), with 1 inch clearance to each side, means that it needs 27 1/4 space inside the cabinet, which is also not consistent with needing 28 1/2 inches between the walls within it.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 01:09
|
|
|
joepinetree posted:I understand that, what I don't understand are the inconsistencies. A cabinet can't have a width of 27 (as stated as the minimum requirement) while also having 28 1/2 inches space between the walls within it. An oven that requires a cutout that is 25 1/4 wide (max), with 1 inch clearance to each side, means that it needs 27 1/4 space inside the cabinet, which is also not consistent with needing 28 1/2 inches between the walls within it. I wouldn't sweat it. Get the cutout width and the clearance correct and I think you'll be fine.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 01:11
|
|
|
MH Knights posted:So my bathroom exhaust fan died and I was wondering if there are any recommended brands/models. The bathroom is about 90-ish square feet and I must have a built in light. I remember hearing that Panasonic is good? Panasonic is the best, they are the quietest and have endless options/configurations.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 04:01
|
|
|
t
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 05:51
|
|
|
joepinetree posted:I understand that, what I don't understand are the inconsistencies. A cabinet can't have a width of 27 (as stated as the minimum requirement) while also having 28 1/2 inches space between the walls within it. An oven that requires a cutout that is 25 1/4 wide (max), with 1 inch clearance to each side, means that it needs 27 1/4 space inside the cabinet, which is also not consistent with needing 28 1/2 inches between the walls within it. So, from looking at the manual, what I think you're confusing is the dimensions of the box and the dimensions of the cutout. That said, those docs need updating I think.  What I'm thinking is that the hashed area pictured is 1" thick, and that's where the fascia butts up against. See here:  The fascia of the oven is larger than the body of it. So your cutout (the front-facing hole) is 25", plus 2" of border for the fascia, equals 27". The box *inside* of the cabinet can be larger still than both of those, so it could be 28.5", which would mean at least a 1.75" clearance between the metal outsides of the oven and the wooden insides of the cabinet. I do agree that the 28.5" number disagrees with the 27" of dimension A, and I wonder if that's there because the diagram is technically describing both 27" and 30" ovens and the cutout for the 30" oven is 28.5". If it were me I'd ignore the 28.5" and go by the dims in the table. If you're still concerned, see if you can talk to the manufacturer's pre-sales tech support (or general tech support if they don't have it). Don't talk to sales, they're incentivised to tell you whatever will get you to buy the thing. Jaded Burnout fucked around with this message at 10:44 on May 1, 2020 |
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 10:40
|
|
|
MH Knights posted:So my bathroom exhaust fan died and I was wondering if there are any recommended brands/models. The bathroom is about 90-ish square feet and I must have a built in light. I remember hearing that Panasonic is good? If you pop the cover off, check the part number on the blower and see if you can order a replacement. Should be maybe $30 for a new blower.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 10:57
|
|
|
Jaded Burnout posted:
I think this is key, because you have one concern of getting the oven through the hole and into the cabinet void, but you have another concern of meeting clearance requirements between the oven exterior shell and the cabinet interior. In other words, there's a minimum permanent spacing between those surfaces which has nothing to do with fitting it into the hole.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 15:10
|
|
|
Does anyone have experience with a heat pump water heater? My electric tank is probably on its last legs, but the two plumbers I've talked to about replacing the tank don't seem very familiar with heat pumps.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 15:30
|
|
|
Jaded Burnout posted:So, from looking at the manual, what I think you're confusing is the dimensions of the box and the dimensions of the cutout. That said, those docs need updating I think. Yeah, I am thinking that the issue is that the text in the diagram refers to 30' ovens. Even the diagram of installing side by side ovens makes it clear that 27 inches is the dimension of the cabinet. Still waiting for a response from GE, but I went ahead and ordered it. Since it won't be delivered until the 8th anyways, I figured that gives me time to cancel it if I have to while I wait for a definitive answer.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 15:40
|
|
|
Bubbacub posted:Does anyone have experience with a heat pump water heater? My electric tank is probably on its last legs, but the two plumbers I've talked to about replacing the tank don't seem very familiar with heat pumps. I have one. My air source heat pump does both the heating and hot water - I didn't get it installed, it came with the house. In general it's an awesome system and once I understood how to set it it's been completely interaction free through the winter. Almost unbelievably cheap to run, the electricity bill has been Fr150 a quarter through alpine winter (1 CHF = 1 USD).
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 16:04
|
|
|
I'm going to install some ceiling lighting into my otherwise lamp-filled house. Is there some kind of new hotness or are 6" pots still the way to go? Any benefit of going canless, and is it worth the inability to upgrade or change the light?
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 16:49
|
|
|
The new clip lights are just so, so easy... https://www.amazon.com/Ensenior-Ultra-Thin-Can-Killer-Downlight-Brightness/dp/B07WMFQNZ Not recommending this brand or anything--just an example. There are a crap ton of options. Every reason not to use them is disappearing. You can get them in just about any shape, in any temperature, in RGB, and with zigbee/z-wave. The #1 reason not to use them is failures. Sure you can buy six extra units now for when the power supplies fritz out. And the same problem happens with retrofitted LED lights in cans--often you'll need to replace a cluster or accept that one or two don't look exactly like the others. The only issue with the clip lights could be if the cutout keeps getting smaller/the new units want a smaller hole to clip into. I have not installed a recessed light can for several years--been using the clip ins and had no issues. (Beyond power supply failures/blinking.)
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 18:51
|
|
|
DkHelmet posted:I'm going to install some ceiling lighting into my otherwise lamp-filled house. Is there some kind of new hotness or are 6" pots still the way to go? Any benefit of going canless, and is it worth the inability to upgrade or change the light? The new all-in-one LED "can" style lights are significantly easier to install than separate cans and lights-- although I can see your concern about upgrading or changing the lights later. I think I've installed upwards of 50 can lights between my house, my brother's, and my fiance's parents' house. The older style cans that have a spring clip to clamp to the drywall will bruise the poo poo out of your fingers. There was a trick I figured out on getting them to install more easily but I can't remember now. There was a certain way to bend part of the spring I think. Anyway, that being said I still have about 2-3 more lights I need to install but I just never got around to it. There is a new style can I found that uses some screw actuated clamps that seem much easier to install for a remodel housing: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Halo-Remodel-IC-Recessed-Light-Housing-Common-6-Actual-6-25/1000372935 So if you want the option to replace just the LED light, this would be the way to go. I had to do it once when all of the lights I bought would flicker randomly. If you want ease of install, something like this maybe: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Halo-Integrated-LED-6-in-65-Watt-EQ-White-Round-Dimmable-Canless-Recessed-DownLight/1000810498 https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Integrated-LED-6-in-85-Watt-EQ-White-Round-Dimmable-Canless-Recessed-DownLight/1001767890
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 18:51
|
|
|
Bubbacub posted:Does anyone have experience with a heat pump water heater? My electric tank is probably on its last legs, but the two plumbers I've talked to about replacing the tank don't seem very familiar with heat pumps. I love mine (a Rheem 50g I installed myself.) There are definitely some caveats to keep in mind. They are going to need at least at least a 10'x10' area (or ducting/vents) that doesn't get below about 45 degrees or so. You also have to deal with condensate, so a gravity fed pipe to a drain or separate condensate pump might be needed. The unit also acts as an air conditioner & dehumidifier as it transfers the heat in the room to your water. In my case, installed in a basement, this is ideal for much of the year, because it helps dehumidify the space for free. It's not super loud, but I wouldn't want it to be near a living area. I save about $200/year with it over a comparable electric unit, and my utility was giving a $350 rebate, which means the unit pays for itself in about 4 years (the warranty is 10 years.)
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 18:55
|
|
|
B-Nasty posted:I love mine (a Rheem 50g I installed myself.) Sounds good. We already run a dehumidifier in the basement, so it seems kind of a no-brainer to have water heater doing the same thing. I'm having trouble finding a good plumber in my town, though. The first one I talked to didn't seem to understand the difference between the cubic air volume required for the heat pump and the square footage of the basement, which was kind of a red flag.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 21:57
|
|
|
I have some boob lights that I should replace with those clip led "cans". I wonder how many I can run off 1 boob light box...
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2020 22:11
|
|
|
My house has only one shower, and it's kind of weird. Here it is from two angles:   I guess it's a... triangle shape, kind of? Maybe it's technically an octagon, since there are five "sides" (four walls and the gap). And it has two big seats/shelves and these little cutouts in each of the side corners. I'd love for it to be more spacious in terms of standing room. I need to replace the tub because it's cracked (I patched it, but it looks awful), but the grout is also old and kind of lovely-looking, so I've been wondering whether I should just try to replace the whole thing, but I'm not sure what design is even possible with that shape. I'm also not sure the cost difference of hiring someone to replace the tub and fix the grouting vs. remodeling the whole thing. I'd appreciate any ideas or insight folks have on this topic, thank you! surf rock fucked around with this message at 16:10 on May 2, 2020 |
|
#
?
May 2, 2020 16:05
|
|
|
surf rock posted:I'm also not sure the cost difference of hiring someone to replace the tub and fix the grouting vs. remodeling the whole thing. Does the first thing on this list mean attempt to leave the tiles in and get a new tub under it? If so I'd imagine that would be a nightmare. They do make triangle shaped bathtubs, maybe one will fit. Those little half walls may not help with that though.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2020 17:01
|
|
|
I'm not sure if there's anyway to know what's concealed in those angles. It may have been built out from the normal 90 degree corner of the room strictly for aesthetics and style (someone liked it), or those void under the steps and the side walls could be concealing piping and other mechanicals that have no other place to go. Or which would be a huge job to relocate. I think stripping the space and installing a new tub and tiles would be just as easy as any other shower space, but beyond that you'd almost have to gut it to know what else is possible. If it were me, I'd be gutting it and recessing it back to the corner. The footprint of that contraption seems ridiculous to me. But then, I am not at all intimidated by the prospect of replacing piping, electrical, subfloor, partition walls and anything else involved.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2020 17:53
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 10, 2024 02:14 |
|
|
surf rock posted:I'm also not sure the cost difference of hiring someone to replace the tub and fix the grouting vs. remodeling the whole thing. I think it would be a big price difference, like 4 to 5 times as much or more to remodel the whole thing depending on what exactly is involved. If a full remodel is feasible, and you don't need a bathtub, a larger walk-in shower might be something to consider. They're so much more relaxing and enjoyable to spend time in than a narrow tub, plus you can do cool things with LED lights, multiple shower heads, and speakers if you're so inclined. It also future-proofs things for when you don't want to be stepping into and out of a tub which can be risky. On a similar note, I'd install grab bars even if you don't need them now if you do a full remodel.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2020 20:57
|
|