|
nwin posted:I got up on the roof but didn’t feel at all safe getting down low enough to scoop the stuff out. If I had a solid foundation about 6’ high I could put the ladder on top of that, but that screams “OSHA” thread to me and it’s definitely not a great idea. You get on the roof and then lie spread eagled on your stomach and slowly inch your way down to the gutter and scoop up the leaves and throw them at your wife who is below you on the ground shouting about how you look like a loving moron and are going to kill yourself.
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 17:17
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 17:20 |
|
|
bird with big dick posted:You get on the roof and then lie spread eagled on your stomach and slowly inch your way down to the gutter and scoop up the leaves and throw them at your wife who is below you on the ground shouting about how you look like a loving moron and are going to kill yourself.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 17:22
|
|
|
bird with big dick posted:You get on the roof and then lie spread eagled on your stomach and slowly inch your way down to the gutter and scoop up the leaves and throw them at your wife who is below you on the ground shouting about how you look like a loving moron and are going to kill yourself. If you're going to spy on me at least have the common courtesy to come over and introduce yourself.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 17:23
|
|
|
Previous owner's dog had a knack for chewing on the baseboards that I've been slowly trying to replace. Any recommendations on how to fix this trim at the top of the stairs? Its just the top of one solid piece spanning about 10 stairs so ideally not replacing the whole thing
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 19:20
|
|
|
I cleaned out one of my gutters this weekend that was idk like 14’ up and it felt sketchy and was a pain in the rear end. I’d definitely pay some other poor sucker to do anything higher.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 19:33
|
|
|
You have reminded me to look at my gutters. I believe I will be getting this because I used to use it all the time when I installed windows and I can't live without it anymore. https://www.amazon.com/Werner-AC78-Quickclick-Stabilizer/dp/B00004RKD1/
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 19:40
|
|
|
Quaint Quail Quilt posted:You have reminded me to look at my gutters. I picked up this exact item when I had to get up about 25' to paint one side of my house, it helped everything feel much more stable while I was up there. A++ would recommend
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 19:44
|
|
|
BigHead posted:You could throw a rope over the house and put on rock climbing gear. We do that when we go up there and it's super helpful. We're pretty good climbers though so we're familiar with the equipment. We did this when we bought our house so I could install a permanent anchor point on the ridge line, cut some older climbing rope to size and now have roof kit for when I need it. I am sure the neighbors enjoyed watching us trying to toss a 10mm climbing rope over the roof over and over. Trevorrrrrrrrrrrrr posted:Previous owner's dog had a knack for chewing on the baseboards that I've been slowly trying to replace. Any recommendations on how to fix this trim at the top of the stairs? Its just the top of one solid piece spanning about 10 stairs so ideally not replacing the whole thing I am no expert but maybe cut away the burs/debris and build out a new corner with a filler of some sort, sand and stain/paint to match. Get a small artist brush and paint some grain on there and use an aerosol wood finish. Looks like oak, should be pretty simple to match close enough that you wouldn't notice it while standing.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 20:02
|
|
|
I have some tool that is like a 24 foot telescoping stick with a Claw on the end, and you stand on the ground, dip the claw in the gutter, and pull on an attached rope to close the claw and pull out the gunk It's like a fun little arcade game and I don't have to almost die
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 20:08
|
|
|
Re: stairs, Maybe start with minwax wood putty and see if you can get it to a state where you don't notice it any more using sandpaper and some stain. Otherwise you're gonna have to cut out a chunk and replace it, then sand and stain.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 20:12
|
|
|
Trevorrrrrrrrrrrrr posted:Previous owner's dog had a knack for chewing on the baseboards that I've been slowly trying to replace. Any recommendations on how to fix this trim at the top of the stairs? Its just the top of one solid piece spanning about 10 stairs so ideally not replacing the whole thing Could depend on how good you want the fix to look. The simplest option to me would be to sand stuff, maybe see if you want to add any filler, and hope to god you can come close to matching the stain (not always fun). Since that transition kind of doesn't match anyway, you could also go the route of moving the rosette (plinth?) forward to replace all the damaged pieces, and fix the trim to the right.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2022 20:18
|
|
|
I'm too old & fat to get up there to see if the gutters need cleaning. https://i.imgur.com/wTxrjGp.mp4 This was early fall, no wind, 2017. They ain't full; the gutters have the foam blocks in them. A fair breeze will blow most of these off (the prop-wash blows some, but you have to get close, & the Mavic's not real great about sensing the roof deck & will prop-strike), but some will get stuck up there, so I get up there & clean em off every few years.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 02:25
|
|
|
I pay a company around $220 once a year to clean my gutters and skylights (2 story house). This is the price in a high CoL area. Absolutely worth it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 15:40
|
|
|
Hawkeye posted:I pay a company around $220 once a year to clean my gutters and skylights (2 story house). This is the price in a high CoL area. Absolutely worth it. I had this scheduled at this price and they couldn't get ahold of the contractor so they canceled. Very annoying.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 16:45
|
|
|
Hawkeye posted:I pay a company around $220 once a year to clean my gutters and skylights (2 story house). This is the price in a high CoL area. Absolutely worth it. Is this company in the bay area, by any chance? I'm looking for someone to do windows on a three-floor condo (lovely builder-grade stuff that don't open in a way that can be cleaned from the inside), and even double that would beat my best quote so far. 
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 17:28
|
|
|
Welp, home energy audit is done. No need for windows or insulation-only recommendation was to install an exterior door at the base of the stairs in the basement by the bilco door. They measured my oil furnace at 80% efficiency which is shocking since it’s so old, but I just had it serviced so maybe that’s it. So hey, just saved myself a ton of cash for now!
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 18:15
|
|
|
I had a 1.5-story house, and tried the leaf-blower attachment things, spray things, etc. What ended up working the best for me was just getting a bunch of shop-vac extensions. One person held the stack of tubes upright from the ground, person on the ladder just used the second hose on the far side of the extension tube stack to suck all the garbage out of the gutters. No mess at all, only issue is that we had to empty the vac every so often. I know you said you're not comfortable on a ladder at that height, but maybe there is some sort of method available to you to reach into the gutters from the top? (I think they might make 45 and 90 shop vac tube parts)
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 20:15
|
|
|
Do gutters need replaced? One company won’t install gutter guards unless you buy gutters from them. The other company said my gutters are 25 years old and they are the type that nail into the house and a few nails have popped out so he doesn’t recommend installing guards on the existing gutters, but he will do it. Somehow he estimated I have 5 years of life left on the gutters which I think is impossible to tell.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 20:40
|
|
|
Trevorrrrrrrrrrrrr posted:Previous owner's dog had a knack for chewing on the baseboards that I've been slowly trying to replace. Any recommendations on how to fix this trim at the top of the stairs? Its just the top of one solid piece spanning about 10 stairs so ideally not replacing the whole thing  This is making my eye twitch. The baseboard along the stairs looks correct if a bit short (dog damage aside), but everything else is wrong. Why is there a rosette head/corner block along the floor? Why is the rest of the baseboard not actually baseboard?I mean, I know why they put the rosette there - as a clumsy transition between baseboard and not-baseboard. Typically you'd use the same baseboard throughout and handle transition to stairs with angled cuts, not superfluous plinth blocks. Still don't know why they used window trim as baseboard. It's more decorative than the plain board, I guess, but you can dress up the plain board by adding some beading/trim pieces along top. But I digress. Fixing the dog damage should be pretty easy, like others have said. Honestly I think you could get away with sanding off snags/rough parts, filling in deep gouges with oak-colored wood filler, and staining/painting/colored penciling to match. No one's going to be looking at your baseboard except you when you're bumping it with the vacuum, so as long as the damage is color-matched, I doubt anyone would notice. Re: gutters and gutter cleaning: My gutters are over 25' up, my roof is steep enough to require harnesses and ropes poo poo, and even if I wanted to keep a huge extension ladder around, the neighboring houses are too close to be able to use it. We went with gutter guards, which seem to be working out pretty well in terms of keeping crap out of the gutters and negating the need to go up there or hire someone to go up there.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 20:50
|
|
|
Trevorrrrrrrrrrrrr posted:Previous owner's dog had a knack for chewing on the baseboards that I've been slowly trying to replace. Any recommendations on how to fix this trim at the top of the stairs? Its just the top of one solid piece spanning about 10 stairs so ideally not replacing the whole thing Is this actually wood? The more I look at it, the more it looks like laminated particle board rather than a solid piece of wood. Which, if it's a shelf that someone cut up and stuck there rather than trim quality wood, that's gonna change how you repair it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 20:56
|
|
|
Queen Victorian posted:
Rosettes everywhere. I'm assuming they were supposed to be the same height as the trim but for whatever reason they are smaller? And probably up against the wall, not on top of the trim?  FISHMANPET posted:Is this actually wood? The more I look at it, the more it looks like laminated particle board rather than a solid piece of wood. Which, if it's a shelf that someone cut up and stuck there rather than trim quality wood, that's gonna change how you repair it. I had only been doing the outside corner block molding that was chewed on which was oak. Looking closer at this stair trim though It looks like laminate glued on other wood? Forgive all the dog hair 
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 22:18
|
|
|
that is definitely door/window casing a baseboards
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 22:43
|
|
|
Trevorrrrrrrrrrrrr posted:Rosettes everywhere. I'm assuming they were supposed to be the same height as the trim but for whatever reason they are smaller? And probably up against the wall, not on top of the trim?  oh my godYou assumed right. Plinth blocks are supposed to be as tall or taller than the baseboard. And placed alongside and not on top of the baseboard/trim. Here's a real plinth block (catte butt for scale):  Note how much more substantial the baseboard is than the door trim and how the bottom several inches are just plain board, ideal for knocking with your vacuum/mop/broom. And here is where the rosettes are actually supposed to go:  It's hard to tell what went so wrong - was it a DIY project by a clueless PO? Inept/lazy contractor and PO too clueless to call bullshit? A bungled order where they were sent double the window trim and rosettes but no baseboard or plinth blocks and decided to save themselves the hassle of fixing the order and just installed what they had? Just.... why? Bonus: some baseboard transitions around stairs:  loving PO painted it, but it shows a nicely mitered transition with correct use of plinth block at the base of a cased opening.  Mitered cuts around corner and down the stairs and a corner bead.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 23:17
|
|
|
Just wanted to say thanks to all the regulars here (and in the Home Zone thread - lots of overlap). I'm now in month two of my first home ownership, and I can't believe how many things I've fixed myself. I went from literally never having used a drill before to removing my door hinge, adjusting the tension, filling the loose screw holes with dowels+wood glue, drilling new pilot holes, and screwing the hinge back on. I know this probably rates as a 1/10 on the overall difficulty scale, but it was pretty intimidating for me, a computer toucher. I've really appreciated all the advice, and just reading the stories of all the interesting projects people are getting up to. This thread is great!
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 23:38
|
|
|
Interestingly enough on the first floor the rosettes seem to be done properly, they look kind of nice: Then the second floor none of the doors/windows have rosettes on top but they are just everywhere on the floor trim. I guess I never gave too much thought to it, but now I'm delving into the rabbit hole of what to do with the trim. Here's the full pic of the top of the stairs if you want more gore pics  Harriet Carker posted:Just wanted to say thanks to all the regulars here. I'm now in month two of my first home ownership, and I can't believe how many things I've fixed myself. I went from literally never having used a drill before to removing my door hinge, adjusting the tension, filling the loose screw holes with dowels+wood glue, drilling new pilot holes, and screwing the hinge back on. I know this probably rates as a 1/10 on the overall difficulty scale, but it was pretty intimidating for me, a computer toucher. Pretty much same here, not handy at all and I just closed early in the year. Surprisingly its not too bad between this thread and YouTube guides once you just do it. Was probably most nervous to flush the water heater but it turned it p good Trevorrrrrrrrrrrrr fucked around with this message at 23:43 on Jul 7, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2022 23:38
|
|
|
It's so great to see people take on projects they haven't done before! I am currently a computer toucher but spent my 20's working construction and I grew up helping my parents fix up a big property with half dozen cabins for rent which was was is poor shape when they bought it. I find useful things on SA all the time, goons are kinda awesome. In the time since we got our keys (a little over 2 months ago) we have: -Removed 3-5 layers of wallpaper in almost every room. -Scrapped flaking paint off all the ceilings -3 skim coats on the ceilings, 1 on all the walls. -2 coats of primer in 80% of the interior house walls/ceilings. -Pulled the wall to wall carpet and refinished the hardwood floors underneath. -Ran almost 300 feet of all new water supply lines, installed a pex manifold for a home run system. I added a hot water tap to the hose bibb which is one of my favorite additions so far. -Gutted the bathroom and installed a new toilet, tub, tiled the floor and shower walls (still in progress) and installed an exhaust fan (needs roof vent still). -Mostly gutted the the kitchen and it's still that way, gotta finish the bathroom before I move onto the kitchen. -Started clearing the overgrowth in the backyard. Things we have to get done for us to occupy the rest of the house: -Chalk shower, install glass wall. -Install vanity (floating shelf with bowl sink). -New baseboard and some trim in the bathroom. -Skim coat, sand and paint the walls/ceilings in the kitchen and dining room. -Install floating floor in kitchen/dining room -Install baseboards -Install exhaust vent -Paint cabinets and install new laminate for the countertop -Install new sink. -Clean up utility room enough that we can get the new washer and dyer hooked up. Down the road: -New breaker box (maybe a new service too). -Re-wire house and run a sub-panel to the detached garage. -Paint the exterior. -New fence. -A ton of lawn killing. -Sewer line service or replace. -Insulate the crawlspace. -Pour new driveway. I guess it's a good thing I love working on houses... raggedphoto fucked around with this message at 01:14 on Jul 8, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2022 00:41
|
|
|
So for my basement door, here’s what I’m looking at: On each side of the concrete stairs, there were 2x4’s installed. The measurement from edge to edge is 40” and the height to the top Is 83” (from the top of the bottom step). On the top of it is a 2x6 but it doesn’t meet up perfectly with the 2x4 on the side. Here’s a picture on the upper right of the opening:  So…what are my options for getting a door in here? My first thought was a pre hung steel exterior door with a left hand inswing like this, in 36x80: https://www.homedepot.com/p/36-in-x-80-in-Flush-Primed-Steel-Prehung-Left-Hand-Inswing-Front-Door-710584/202036367 But the actual unit size is 37 7/16” x 81 3/4”. If I’m reading correctly, that means I have a space on the sides of 2 9/16” and about 1 1/4” on the top. I’m not sure how I’d fill those voids to get the door in there. It’d be great if I could find something that would just need me to slap a 2x4 on the top and maybe a 2x6 on the bottom, but I dunno if that would even work. I’m also concerned with how the sides are partially concrete and then wood. In reality, it doesn’t need to look great and just provide effective insulation vice a bilco door. The bilco door will rarely be used except when I need to eventually get some large items out of it. Any ideas or suggestions? All the holes I see in the wood makes me think they had something in there previously.
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2022 00:55
|
|
|
Harriet Carker posted:I know this probably rates as a 1/10 on the overall difficulty scale, but it was pretty intimidating for me, a computer toucher. Doesn't matter about the relative difficulty - the hard part is you got started. You know you can do this, you know where to figure out HOW to do it, etc. Good for you. Another thread success story.
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2022 00:57
|
|
|
Every new job is daunting & difficult until afterwards. It’s getting started.
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2022 03:32
|
|
|
I did my first re caulking project on the bottom sill of my amazing mega window that’s the width of 3 standard windows. Used half a tube of caulk and wiped off 65% of what went on, but I managed to get it looking okay. Getting the old caulk off and everything smoothed down was a PITA, though. I’ve also found 2 small tennis balls clogging my gutters. I think the PO’s kids were messing with the dogs.
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2022 05:17
|
|
|
Democratic Pirate posted:I did my first re caulking project on the bottom sill of my amazing mega window that’s the width of 3 standard windows. Used half a tube of caulk and wiped off 65% of what went on, but I managed to get it looking okay. Getting the old caulk off and everything smoothed down was a PITA, though. That reminds me, I need to find someone with a tall ladder to get a ball stuck in one of our gutters... It was me. I was messing with the dog.
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2022 17:48
|
|
|
I've got a hill house, which is ground floor at the front when you walk in, and 1 storey up at the back. The basement at the back is ground level. There's a raised deck at the back on the main floor of the house, made of wood. It's about 20 years old and really showing age. Part of the deck is covered with a shingled roof and part is uncovered. The uncovered part of the deck is showing its age a LOT worse. I want to extend its life for as long as possible. The whole thing is just unvarnished wood. Should I just paint it with something or other? Laquer? 'deck treatment paint'? I bought this house and have never even seen a house with a deck before this one. I have no idea what to do here! There are 2 support beams at the part of the deck furthest from the house, that go down into concrete blocks in the ground. They're both fine at the part where they support the actual deck, but one of those beams is splitting a bit, above the deck where it supports the deck roof. We don't have money for large improvements right now so I want to just extend the life of this deck!
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2022 19:36
|
|
|
Was replacing the baskets in the kitchen because that sounded easy, but now the new basket sits down too deep and I can't fit it back in. What's my recourse here?  Edit: nm, I think I got it figured, just had a crying baby in my arms and hit send. zenguitarman fucked around with this message at 20:07 on Jul 9, 2022 |
|
#
?
Jul 9, 2022 19:51
|
|
|
I'm mulling the idea of paying somebody licensed and qualified to put in a really crude greywater system: out of the washing machine drain (valve, separate pipe), under the deck, out to the side of the property line where I'll have fruit trees and nothing edible that touches the ground. (A) Have any of you done this? Were you glad you had, or was it a nuisance? (B) Any reliable sources, either paper or online? I fear running into the sort of person who is so invested in greywater that they slide over the difficulties.
|
|
#
?
Jul 9, 2022 20:29
|
|
|
Anyone have an idea of what this orange light outside my garage could be for? It’s not linked to the flood lights…googling did nothing. I’m on oil heat so maybe an alarm for that?
|
|
#
?
Jul 9, 2022 21:19
|
|
|
zenguitarman posted:Was replacing the baskets in the kitchen because that sounded easy, but now the new basket sits down too deep and I can't fit it back in. What's my recourse here? You did the "thing" that people do when others search forums for answers and find a solved thread from 2006 with no stated resolution. What was the resolution?
|
|
#
?
Jul 9, 2022 21:25
|
|
|
nwin posted:Anyone have an idea of what this orange light outside my garage could be for? It’s not linked to the flood lights…googling did nothing. It appears to be a simple amber strobe. Most likely as part of a potentially no longer existing alarm system. It's so the fire department/ambulance/police can easily identify which house has its alarm going off when they're dispatched.
|
|
#
?
Jul 9, 2022 21:26
|
|
|
I think if you check the hatch in the eve to the right there, you'll find a descending disco ball
|
|
#
?
Jul 10, 2022 02:33
|
|
|
That only drops when the hidden switch in the kitchen activates the Budweiser coke-cutting mirror & straw dispenser
|
|
#
?
Jul 10, 2022 02:41
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 9, 2024 17:20 |
|
|
nwin posted:Anyone have an idea of what this orange light outside my garage could be for? It’s not linked to the flood lights…googling did nothing. Do you have just a holding tank without drain field for septic? My sisters last house had a light like that that was tied to the holding tank and would let them know it was pumping time.
|
|
#
?
Jul 10, 2022 19:37
|
|
