The Home Improvement Thread
- Thread starter texasislandboy
- Start date
I've put in about 37 hours over the past 4.5 days working on my house.
Each one of these brackets takes about ~4 hours a piece to get in because of the tight spacing. Absolute PIA. I have two more of the these to put in. The longer all-thread rods are the first ones we put in to help suck all of the roof joists, beam and plates together. Then we install 9" all-thread rods and tighten them down. It's crazy how much the plates suck the wood together (for reference, until we suck the plates together, the 9" bolts aren't long enough to put a nut on). These are 5/8" bolts & all-thread.
I got this double 1.75"x7.25"x12'L LVL's in to replace an existing beam which will take up the weight of the truss overhead. This one was easy after all of the other ones I've put in
We also got the main beam middle connection on. This took about 20 mins to finish. It's amazing how much faster you can work when you have room
Each one of these brackets takes about ~4 hours a piece to get in because of the tight spacing. Absolute PIA. I have two more of the these to put in. The longer all-thread rods are the first ones we put in to help suck all of the roof joists, beam and plates together. Then we install 9" all-thread rods and tighten them down. It's crazy how much the plates suck the wood together (for reference, until we suck the plates together, the 9" bolts aren't long enough to put a nut on). These are 5/8" bolts & all-thread.
I got this double 1.75"x7.25"x12'L LVL's in to replace an existing beam which will take up the weight of the truss overhead. This one was easy after all of the other ones I've put in
We also got the main beam middle connection on. This took about 20 mins to finish. It's amazing how much faster you can work when you have room
Any estimate on how much money and time you are saving doing all of this yourself? I know my limits and am 99.9% sure I would never jump into a project like this.
CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
Yeah. I keep telling my wife that we need to say "screw the contractors" since yet another has not delivered an estimate when they said they would. My wife keeps reminding me how much "fun" we had renovating our last Texas house.
I know we can do it, but that it would be slow. She thinks it will be impossible with having 3 kids that now demand attention. I'm kind of to the point that I just want to go rent a mini excavator and dig out where the concrete needs to go. Then we'll have to finish
I know we can do it, but that it would be slow. She thinks it will be impossible with having 3 kids that now demand attention. I'm kind of to the point that I just want to go rent a mini excavator and dig out where the concrete needs to go. Then we'll have to finish
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Yeah. I keep telling my wife that we need to say "screw the contractors" since yet another has not delivered an estimate when they said they would. My wife keeps reminding me how much "fun" we had renovating our last Texas house.
I know we can do it, but that it would be slow. She thinks it will be impossible with having 3 kids that now demand attention. I'm kind of to the point that I just want to go rent a mini excavator and dig out where the concrete needs to go. Then we'll have to finish
You find it very difficult for a reputable contractor to pick up these small jobs, as there are plenty of larger jobs or more profitable jobs out there.
Oswego
n00b
X2 regarding the limits.
My guess on the saved cash is low 6 figures but that's a pure shot in the dark.
CowboyTaco
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I'm pretty much to the giving up on modifying this house outside of anything that is within my comfort level.
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
And if did find someone to hire, you will be pissed off knowing that its crap workmanship and you'd wish that you had the time to do it yourself the right way.
The house were buying, it looks like they let a 3rd grader paint some of trim, not trying to be disrespectful to a 3rd graded...but shit, I really think Stevie Wonder might have done a better job than the painters the home builder hired.
Oswego
n00b
My neihbor just called me over to his house. His sons friends mom was picking up her son and somehow my house came up in conversation. She told me her budget and I just walked the lot with her. I want more than she has but I told her I'd keep in touch. She said she would buy it now. Sadly 40k off my initial thoughts
Silverback
Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
She hot?
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Figure in that 6% real estate commission as well.
Oswego
n00b
Not bad for her age (same as me)
Def not my type though and I'd assume the same for her.
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Not bad for her age (same as me)
Def not my type though and I'd assume the same for her.
You let her buy it and stay living there for a win, win situation...
Oswego
n00b
I just told her we are far off but I'd give her the inside track once listed.
She said shes been looking for months and keeps getting blown away by cash offers.
Oswego
n00b
If I wanted a live in woman I'd stop paying them to leave
Taco Loco
Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Interview a few realtors get the avg. list price and lower that price by 2 maybe 3% and shoot off a number to her that's not negotiable, the title companies do all the work anyhow.
Oswego
n00b
Got 80% of my rim joists insulated today with insulation scraps and extra insulation left over from my walls.
Doubtful if I'll insulate the end joists. They are staggered with a 3" air gap between the outside joist to the interior joist....plus I'll have just enough for the rim and not looking to buy more. Yea.....pretty sure we shall skip them
Doubtful if I'll insulate the end joists. They are staggered with a 3" air gap between the outside joist to the interior joist....plus I'll have just enough for the rim and not looking to buy more. Yea.....pretty sure we shall skip them