The Home Improvement Thread

PSU Taco85

Well-Known Member
Sounds like you permitted yourself to do the work.

that’s right :cool:, if anyones ever snooping around on my property and starts asking questions I’m going to use the old Simpson’s line:
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Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
1 done, 5 to go. Got everything within 1/16" and that was fun for a pos 60yo track house. View attachment 33604

I gotta call the inspector and find out what inspections I need. I'd like to throw the window in now to get light back if I don't need any inspections. Will suck if I need to wait. Just realized if I need to wait every east window and 2/3 of my south windows will be plywood covered waiting for framing inspection. Already too freaking dark in here.
Off the top of my head based off Texas inspections:

1. Framing + Wall cover inspection- Typically the inspectors down here like to see it insulated as well. Exterior has to have the waterproof membrane on and taped up.
2. Energy code inspection- This might not apply to you (but we now have to get an energy code certification letter) that all insulation is up to current code. This applies for full renovations + new builds. But since this is more of a minor repair you probably don't need it.
3. Final inspection/occupancy permit- Once everything is covered up and painted, you'll get this permit.

That's all I can think of while I wait for my coffee to kick in lol

That is insane having to wait on a million inspections. No wonder construction can take forever.
It's insanely frustrating. It's not an inspection and more of a game with inspectors. Some inspectors are awesome guys who you can drink a beer with, some inspectors are literal power hungry cocksuckers who argue with stamped engineers and some inspectors are dangerously incompetent by either being lazy or having ZERO construction experience.

My last permitted job building out a coffee bar at work, the inspector didn't even go look at the job. He called me and told me to bring the drawings and permit out to his car. So I did just that and while he argued over the speakerphone with his side chick, he gave me a green tag and signed my permit and drove off.
 

Oswego

n00b
My inspector has been insanly patient. Gotta remember I got popped in Nov and had a week to comply. Then got an extension until end of 2020. Now its 2nd qtr 2021. The entire building dept has been great to work with so I feel pretty lucky. I just left a vm for the tech secretary asking what inspections I need and if I need to contact her or the inspector directly to set them up. Time will tell. If not for my procrastination and getting caught for not getting a demo permit the process could of taken a week.
 

Oswego

n00b
She just got back to me.

Inspections I'll need:
Framing (interior windows)
Insulation
Footing (stairs)
Framing (stairs)
HVAC (she finally caught I never closed that out in 2018 lol)
Final

I can group together:

1) Framing (interior windows) + footings

2) insulation + stair framing

3) HVAC + final

They also have no issues with me installing the windows as I go, but i must keep the stud cavities clear. I cant even air seal them w caulk.

Overal pretty much what i expected with the insulation being the only one I did not consider. For the $390 I've had to pay for the permits there is no way it's a money maker in my town like in some others.
 

AlienXtx

Nignog
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balakay

BabyMax
Put a new water heater in today as well. Been having weird smells from our hot water for a while now. Tried to replace the anode rod and could not get it to break loose even with a 1/2” impact running at 120psi. So I rage bought a new water heater and it's been sitting in the garage since Monday. Finally installed it today. Hopefully it solves the problem or I wasted a few hundred dollars that I could have wasted on something else. Still need to get some PVC for the overflow. the old one had it in the top so I wasn't able to re-use it. I'll hook it up this weekend.
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balakay

BabyMax
Still no hot water. Heater had a bad element from the factory. At least I think so. The top element is definitely bad. I let the water run for 20 minutes before I powered it up so surely it didn't dry fire. Either way, leaving work early today to go get a new element and replace it. I don't mind cold showers but Taylor was not happy last night. Told her I'd have hot water by the time she got home from work.
 

PSU Taco85

Well-Known Member
A few hundred dollars for a heater sounds cheap, did you buy it’s used? Could be the thermal is tripped, or a bad thermostat.
 

CowboyTaco

Well-Known Member
Still no hot water. Heater had a bad element from the factory. At least I think so. The top element is definitely bad. I let the water run for 20 minutes before I powered it up so surely it didn't dry fire. Either way, leaving work early today to go get a new element and replace it. I don't mind cold showers but Taylor was not happy last night. Told her I'd have hot water by the time she got home from work.

Is the unit not under warranty? They will usually send someone out pretty quickly to either remedy or replace.
 

balakay

BabyMax
Is the unit not under warranty? They will usually send someone out pretty quickly to either remedy or replace.

It is but I can buy a new element for $20 and be done with it. No hassle.

A few hundred dollars for a heater sounds cheap, did you buy it’s used? Could be the thermal is tripped, or a bad thermostat.

I bought it new at Lowe's. Just an electric 40 gal with dual 4500w elements. Nothing fancy. Was $386 I think and I had $75 worth of gift cards. The top element doesn't have continuity when checked with a multimeter.
 

Oswego

n00b
Got my shed pressure washed and fixed up. Just need to lay some beads of caulk then she's ready for paint. Also finished pressure washing my fence so that's finally all clean. Got some good weather coming up so hopefully I can get the fence all stained and shed painted this week.
 

balakay

BabyMax
Guess it did dry fire. Oops. Luckily the top element from my old unit still reads good and they're both 4500w 240v elements so I'm going to just swap it in.
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Oswego

n00b
TX freeze finally impacting us via paint supply storage from the chemical plants freezing up. Guy at Sherwin William's warned me but I did not listen. Hopefully they get their delivery tom. They are completely sold out of 5 gal stain.
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Ran about ~65' of 1/2" electrical PVC to install power for an automatic gate opener on my mom's house. I went ahead and took the extra time to put in a GFI outlet there as well so I'll have power on that side of the house. I'm not going to attach any pics as it shows too much of my mom's house.
 
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