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Deviant posted:i don't have a CR membership, could you throw some model numbers at me? check your library's digital magazine section. They might have access for cardholders.
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Feb 3, 2021 07:08
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:Not all of us can just reach outside and grab all the ice we could ever want for 8 month of the year What I do is I fill a bowl with ice and put it in the chest freezer. Then I take that out and murder it with an ice pick and I have plenty of ice.
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Feb 3, 2021 07:44
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El Mero Mero posted:check your library's digital magazine section. They might have access for cardholders. My library system provides straight up access to the website, not just copies of the magazine. It’s worth checking out.
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Feb 3, 2021 11:49
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It's bittersweet - I paid an engineer $500 to tell me how to deal with a beam I need an extra inch under, and his answer "just cut it." Im happy to get it all done officially, but wish it didn't cost that much to find out I don't need to do anything fancy. Still, worth it, and actually is great news.
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Feb 3, 2021 22:31
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Jenkl posted:It's bittersweet - I paid an engineer $500 to tell me how to deal with a beam I need an extra inch under, and his answer "just cut it." Im happy to get it all done officially, but wish it didn't cost that much to find out I don't need to do anything fancy.  Did they write that down anywhere?
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Feb 3, 2021 22:45
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H110Hawk posted:
Yeah, this is the part you pay for. Their stamp/liability insurance.
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Feb 3, 2021 22:46
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H110Hawk posted:
I get the stamped drawings Sunday he said, and won't be touching anything until it arrives. I'm quite excited! This has been a real detour for the project.
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Feb 3, 2021 23:17
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What's your backup plan when the inspector inevitably says nah and then you have to replace it Idk how much engineered wood beams are but probably that?
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Feb 4, 2021 00:21
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falz posted:What's your backup plan when the inspector inevitably says nah and then you have to replace it The inspector can say that, but is unlikely to. The only reason an inspector has to challenge an engineer's opinion is if they can find a calculation error. Building codes are largely prescriptive - they tell you what to do and how to do it and with what materials. You can build an entire building without an engineer, just by following the rules. However, there are sections of the code that have prescriptive as well as performance compliance paths. These areas can be satisfied by following the rules of the code (prescriptive) but they can also be satisfied by calculating that the proposed building method meets or exceeds (depending on how the section is written) the results met by following the rules (performance). An area of the code that is inflexible and has limited performance compliance options? Egress. An area of the code that is flexible and has extensive performance compliance options? Structural Engineering. So in this case, where we have two intersecting code requirements, the 'building stands up' requirement will be met by performance-based compliance and the 'exit paths must meet certain dimensions' requirement will be met by prescriptive-based compliance.
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Feb 4, 2021 00:58
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I hate refridgerators. If the word hate was etched on every nanoangstrom of my being, it would not equal one-billionth of the hate I feel at this micro-instant for refridgerators. the loving drain was frozen over
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Feb 4, 2021 01:41
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falz posted:What's your backup plan when the inspector inevitably says nah and then you have to replace it If the inspector bitches about it then you have an extremely strong case to get a variance or skuttle the house with them inside it. But seriously if an engineer stamps it and the inspector rejects it you should talk to your city council because that's the kind of power tripping that makes people avoid inspections. (Barring some error on the engineers part, or a specific articulated technical reason such as "our city laws say you cannot do x my hands are tied I am so sorry." in which case you still show up at the next city council meeting.)
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Feb 4, 2021 02:45
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My engineer couldn't figure out why this didn't fit under pre-existing building exemptions (section 11, I'm in Ontario), there may already be a degree of tripping going on. The good news is im ok'd to close up regardless. He was pretty clear that he cares about finished clearance. Unless it's a trap...
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Feb 4, 2021 03:41
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I don’t know how engineering licensure works up there but down in the states (my states, at least) the AHJ better have a good freaking (documented) reason to try to override my stamp.
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Feb 4, 2021 04:16
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Hed posted:I don’t know how engineering licensure works up there but down in the states (my states, at least) the AHJ better have a good freaking (documented) reason to try to override my stamp. Ya, I've never seen a stamped drawing not accepted - I figure it must be possible for them to get rejected, but I've never seen it. I did some remedial work on a house where the original owner/builder (an architect) had specifically passed the energy code requirement using the performance criteria. He put better than code insulation in the entire building, which mean that when he didn't insulate one section at all (literally just stacked concrete block walls without finishing on either side) it still passed the performance review. What was in this uninsulated section? Two bathrooms. In Wisconsin. The inspector accepted the performance calculation, the architect built it, and then sold it to the person who hired us to fix it. Oh, it also just had agricultural translucent corrugated plastic 4x8 panels for a roof, open to the interior to 'let light in'. Because there were no windows. The house was fine otherwise, just a huge misstep on the bathrooms.
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Feb 4, 2021 16:07
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Tezer posted:Oh, it also just had agricultural translucent corrugated plastic 4x8 panels for a roof, open to the interior to 'let light in'. Because there were no windows. I... uh... wow. I have no words for this one. Did they have malaria? Is this the result of a very high fever?
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Feb 4, 2021 16:40
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you have built the letter of a house, if not the spirit, and for that i salute you
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Feb 4, 2021 17:13
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Jenkl posted:I... uh... wow. I have no words for this one. Did they have malaria? Is this the result of a very high fever? The rest of the house was designed to resemble a traditional midwestern farmhouse, and the wing with the bathrooms was designed to resemble traditional agricultural outbuildings (you know, barns and storage buildings). The result was a building that had 'deep agricultural character'. It's an idea that might get a good grade in a studio presentation, but should have never made it into the real world. When an architect builds their own house though, there really isn't a feedback mechanism available to squash bad ideas before they become reality. There were also some older plan drafts I found that had more reasonable concepts for the bathroom roof, so I think it was a bit of 'running out of money' as well.
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Feb 4, 2021 18:14
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I was going to joke about wanting the outhouse experience, but welp.
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Feb 4, 2021 18:35
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My wife and I just signed a contract on our first house, we close in three weeks Oh god there are like a fractal number of choices help how I find contractor (Looking forward to mining this thread for helpful tips, hell of a journey I've started!)
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Feb 4, 2021 19:43
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shirts and skins posted:My wife and I just signed a contract on our first house, we close in three weeks Welcome! 
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Feb 4, 2021 19:59
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shirts and skins posted:My wife and I just signed a contract on our first house, we close in three weeks Check licenses. Check years in business. Get multiple customer referrals that you talk to. Angie's list is free now. Still can always get hosed.
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Feb 4, 2021 20:38
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shirts and skins posted:My wife and I just signed a contract on our first house, we close in three weeks If you're going to work with an architect, they will also usually know some good contractors.
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Feb 5, 2021 01:06
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I'm looking at houses in a historic area, they're beauties from the 1910s-1930s. How much of a total idiot and glutton for punishment am I being as I seriously consider purchasing in this area? Anyone have resources or horror stories to link that will sober me up to reality?
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Feb 5, 2021 01:18
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Tezer posted:Ya, I've never seen a stamped drawing not accepted - I figure it must be possible for them to get rejected, but I've never seen it. They do get redlined/rejected quite often over here. Usually, another engineer within the city's building dept or who has been contracted out for plan review double checks.
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Feb 5, 2021 01:22
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gay_crimes posted:I'm looking at houses in a historic area, they're beauties from the 1910s-1930s. How much of a total idiot and glutton for punishment am I being as I seriously consider purchasing in this area? Anyone have resources or horror stories to link that will sober me up to reality? Make sure you get a good inspector, do the walk-through with them.
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Feb 5, 2021 01:30
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gay_crimes posted:I'm looking at houses in a historic area, they're beauties from the 1910s-1930s. How much of a total idiot and glutton for punishment am I being as I seriously consider purchasing in this area? Anyone have resources or horror stories to link that will sober me up to reality? What’s your restoration budget? Are they listed historic properties? As for horror stories: my thread, Load-Bearing Macaroni, is a good primer on what can happen if you buy the wrong house.
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Feb 5, 2021 01:42
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gay_crimes posted:I'm looking at houses in a historic area, they're beauties from the 1910s-1930s. How much of a total idiot and glutton for punishment am I being as I seriously consider purchasing in this area? Anyone have resources or horror stories to link that will sober me up to reality? Expect to have to replace basically all pipe-based connections if they haven’t been updated in the past 15-20 years. Water line, sewer, gas, etc. Ditto any heating appliances except past 5-10 years. Chimneys/brickwork in general are another weak point where people don’t do proper maintenance/restoration. If you’re in an area with basements, make sure you know what you’re getting into - concrete vs rubble, potential dirt floor, etc. A good and thorough inspection is very useful, and if a seller tells you that something is okay and for whatever reason the inspector can’t get to it (sewer scope-type stuff, typically), get it in writing so you can nail them to the loving wall when it costs you $20k a year and a half later.
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Feb 5, 2021 02:04
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Toebone posted:Make sure you get a good inspector, do the walk-through with them. What's the definition of a "good" inspector, and how do you goons go about finding them? corgski posted:What’s your restoration budget? Are they listed historic properties? Thanks, I'll check it out. I'm not sure how to answer the restoration budget question, I figure that would be part of the overall expense of purchasing a house. I guess I'd estimate up to $30k in the first year, though that number is pure conjecture and just what I imagine without having the experience. I imagine houses requiring more work would be less expensive but require more restoration budget vs a more recently restored/modernized house. Nothing I'm looking at is a total fixer upper, though some lack HVAC in Texas and use window units (I would strongly consider central a/c installation in such cases with the caveat that I don't know what the hell I'm talking about or if it's feasible). The area I'm looking at is in and around Monte Vista in San Antonio for reference, primarily houses under ~2-2.5k sqft. I've looked at listings for the past couple of years and visited a good amount of them but have never moved beyond the window shopping, down payment accruing and day dreaming phase. stabbington posted:Expect to have to replace basically all pipe-based connections if they haven’t been updated in the past 15-20 years. Water line, sewer, gas, etc. Ditto any heating appliances except past 5-10 years. Chimneys/brickwork in general are another weak point where people don’t do proper maintenance/restoration. If you’re in an area with basements, make sure you know what you’re getting into - concrete vs rubble, potential dirt floor, etc. A good and thorough inspection is very useful, and if a seller tells you that something is okay and for whatever reason the inspector can’t get to it (sewer scope-type stuff, typically), get it in writing so you can nail them to the loving wall when it costs you $20k a year and a half later. Thanks, this is good stuff. My biggest fear are potential health hazards with pipes, asbestos, etc. Or buying something structurally ruined by flippers, though I have no interest in the poor old houses that were converted from beauties into HGTV open concept disasters.
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Feb 5, 2021 02:31
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gay_crimes posted:What's the definition of a "good" inspector, and how do you goons go about finding them? Read reviews, talk to any friends/family that have bought recently. Try to find an older solo dude that's been doing this forever, instead of a company that'll send out whichever guy is available. He'll cost more but could save you thousands down the road, mine surely did. Do the termite/WDO inspection too. Consider if you need an oil tank sweep. Toebone fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Feb 5, 2021 |
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Feb 5, 2021 04:12
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gay_crimes posted:Thanks, I'll check it out. I'm not sure how to answer the restoration budget question, I figure that would be part of the overall expense of purchasing a house. I guess I'd estimate up to $30k in the first year, though that number is pure conjecture and just what I imagine without having the experience. So for an idea, our house (a late teens arts and crafts foursquare) cost $22k just to address the worst of the emergent issues before we moved in (sewer lateral, drains, water supply plumbing, roof damage, exterior repointing.) We’re looking at another $40k in structural work over the next five years plus a complete rewire, and all the necessary finish work. Most historic houses where I am that haven’t been flipped still have lots of knob and tube (or if you’re lucky BX wiring) that will need to be replaced at a cost of around $10-15k per story if you’re paying an electrical contractor. In our case we’re acting as the GC on this project which saves some money, and I’m an electrician so I’m doing the rewire myself, but historic houses are a money pit if they haven’t been perfectly and proactively maintained, but if they have been they’re hideously expensive. $30k/yr is on the low end but possible if you’re going to interface directly with the trades and can learn to do some of the work the house is going to need yourself (especially plaster, plaster is hellishly expensive to have done well in the US.) corgski fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Feb 5, 2021 |
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Feb 5, 2021 06:10
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My garage is still plaster and the next time I have to maintain it I'm totally just going to take it down and put up drywall.
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Feb 5, 2021 08:11
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Everywhere I’m taking down large quantities of plaster and lathe here I’m going to be putting up blueboard and skimcoating it. All the look of original plaster with only a third of the hassle.
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Feb 5, 2021 09:15
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mcgreenvegtables posted:Its hard to tell but that looks like it could be old subfloor rather than old floorboards. How bouncy is your floor? Can you see up from the basement to see if that is the subfloor or if you have another set of boards perpendicular to it? Floor isn't bouncy at all. Here's the view from underneath:  Looks like 2x8s or 2x10s, running same direction as the boards upstairs (can't say if they are one in the same, at least not without pulling up the laminate for a closer look). There are nails poking through fairly regularly. I'm stopping by home depot tomorrow morning to take a look at the lifeproof vinyl stuff and maybe grab some samples. Toebone fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Feb 5, 2021 |
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Feb 5, 2021 18:30
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corgski posted:Everywhere I’m taking down large quantities of plaster and lathe here I’m going to be putting up blueboard and skimcoating it. All the look of original plaster with only a third of the hassle. Some places used asbestos in their plaster instead of horsehair or whatever but maybe ignorance is bliss.
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Feb 5, 2021 18:35
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My bigger asbestos concern comes from the tiles we unearthed on the kitchen floor that date back to a renovation from the early 50s.
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Feb 5, 2021 19:24
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corgski posted:My bigger asbestos concern comes from the tiles we unearthed on the kitchen floor that date back to a renovation from the early 50s. That's such a non-issue compared to asbestos in the plaster. It's 1.) not friable 2.) easily remediated by encapsulation (i.e., cover it with something else)
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Feb 5, 2021 19:29
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I should clarify, the entire kitchen subfloor is coming out and being replaced due to severe water damage so covering it up is absolutely not a possibility and the original plaster in this house is horsehair. The only place we’d find asbestos plaster would be in repairs. And judging from the horrible state of the walls, this house hasn’t seen any plaster “repair” attempts beyond a slumlord with a pail of joint compound in the 90s.
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Feb 5, 2021 19:47
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Those old asbestos tiles tend to come up in solid pieces--the hard floor and siding asbestos does not have the dangers associated with it that things like the old ceiling/stuff that explodes into a dust cloud when you try to remove.
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Feb 5, 2021 19:57
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HycoCam posted:...the old ceiling/stuff that explodes into a dust cloud when you try to remove. Tell me about it, when we were house shopping we looked at a midcentury ranch that was a gorgeous time capsule right down to all the original appliances, but between basically the entire house needing asbestos remediation and the electrical being fuses and BX we declined to make an offer. It also doesn’t help that the estate selling it was asking for a “needs paint” price and not an “environmental hazard” price.
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Feb 5, 2021 20:06
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Motronic posted:That's such a non-issue compared to asbestos in the plaster. It's 1.) not friable 2.) easily remediated by encapsulation (i.e., cover it with something else) I still had all of mine fully removed to not have the issue and to deal with once and for all.   
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Feb 5, 2021 20:31
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