The Home Improvement Thread

[Ducay]

Does it turn by hand? I assume by buzzing you mean it doesn't move but makes a sound?

Only issue I've seen with garburators is one siezing itself from not being used (think it was rusted). Motor couldn't generate the torque needed to free it up, but once I got it out and loosened, went back to working like normal.

[Fuzz]

Ya, it doesn't turn with the motor. I took a last ditch effort last night and hooked a drill up to it through the hex bolt and gave it a good spin both directions. As soon as I took the drill off it stopped spinning pretty quickly, so I think the motor is shot. It's at least 10 years old. Amazon had a "used" one for $100 less than the new one. The description makes it look like it was never installed, just an open box. So it's on its way! I got the same model to ensure it would fit, as space is constrained.

[Fuzz]

Wow, I'll be looking at Amazon's "used" discounts more often. This is basically an open box, never installed for $150 instead of $250. Good deal!

[jwslam]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I'm house shopping and found one that needs updating but the tiny , cramped kitchen is my main concern. I have no home-renovation knowledge and wanted to know if it's conceivable to rip out the kitchen wall and expand the kitchen into the dining/living room area for an open concept/great room kind of thing. Maybe knock out the wall at the top of the stairs too?

Even then, what would something like that roughly cost to have done?

Spoiler!

http://www.century21.ca/dave.dinh/Pr..._KENWILL_DRIVE

From the photos, I highly doubt the wall is load bearing.

Things to keep in mind regarding cost:
-lost wall = lost cabinetry; replace with a large island to compensate.
-Think about your fridge/stove/sink triangle; moving water/elec = money
-Do you want new stainless appliances while you're doing this?
-Is there attic access for lighting work?
-How will the floors match the rest of the open-concept?
-Will a new fridge need a water line?

Suggested design/usability elements to add (some are cheap upfront, some can be added after):
-French doors onto the back deck
-Replace back closet with food pantry
-OR Expensive, but rid both closets and replace with 1/2 bath; shouldn't be too bad for plumbing with laundry room right under.
-Under cabinet lighting
-Pot filler spout over the range
-base drawers instead of cabinets; otherwise cabinets with drawer inserts - full extension
-consider the placement of sink for watching TV while doing dishes
-consider one vs two sinks? garburator? instant hot water spout? undermount soap dispenser? R/O water spout?

The reno looks about $40k to do the kitchen and tear down the wall, another $10k to match the entire open concept portion with flooring and similar finishings

[Slava]

I don't know if this is the right thread, but I want to put sidewalk blocks down beside my house where it is currently pea gravel. Theoretically, could I just get some "stone dust" or whatever they call that stuff, rake it into the gravel, soak it and tamp it (rinse and repeat at number of times) and then just lay the pavers?

Ideally I want to put concrete, but I have a feeling it will cost me a fortune because the stone would have to be removed and all that, correct?

[Zarley]

I'm about to embark on a small (and hopefully cheap) bathroom renovation and I'm hoping I can tap into the CP's collective knowledge a little bit. I haven't done anything of this scale before, but I'm pretty comfortable with doing most of it myself - I will be bringing in a plumber and electrician for the more intricate pieces. The scope will involve:

- Removing the existing tile and drywall around the bathtub enclosure, replacing with cementboard, and re-tiling the enclosure. There is some existing damage at the corner where the tub meets the wall where tiles have come off and water has soaked into the drywall.
- New shower-head and bathtub faucet
- New sink and vanity
- New tile on floor
- Replace broken bath fan

Some of the major questions/issues I'm having are:

- This is an older condo and there is no water shutoff to individual units, so I will need to shutoff water to the building in order to swap our the bath fixtures. How do I sequence this in order to avoid multiple shutoffs? Can I get the plumbing work done immediately after I demo the bathtub enclosure and just put up cementboard and tile around that?
- Do you think I should get a plumber to come in and do a consultation before proceeding? I think this might be valuable as the plumbing portion is the part I have the least understanding of. I just don't want to pay an exorbitant amount to have a plumber out multiple times.
- Can anyone recommend a trustworthy plumber? Unfortunately I don't have any buddies in the trades that can help with this.

Any other general advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Fuzz]

I did mine a few years ago.

Use diamond board, not cement board. It's much lighter and easier to work with, but with the same benefits and is the same thickness as drywall, which is better for matching what is there. Make absolutely certain the studs are even and flat. Shim now. Any unevenness will propagate through the layers. Use powdered thinset, not premixed stuff. Mix it yourself. If it is an outside wall, be prepared to replace insulation while you are at it, and install vapour barrier.

For the plumbing, you could install shutoffs for the sink. Do you have an access panel for the shower/tub?

Spoiler!

[Simon96Taco]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I'm about to embark on a small (and hopefully cheap) bathroom renovation and I'm hoping I can tap into the CP's collective knowledge a little bit. I haven't done anything of this scale before, but I'm pretty comfortable with doing most of it myself - I will be bringing in a plumber and electrician for the more intricate pieces. The scope will involve:

- Removing the existing tile and drywall around the bathtub enclosure, replacing with cementboard, and re-tiling the enclosure. There is some existing damage at the corner where the tub meets the wall where tiles have come off and water has soaked into the drywall.
- New shower-head and bathtub faucet
- New sink and vanity
- New tile on floor
- Replace broken bath fan

Some of the major questions/issues I'm having are:

- This is an older condo and there is no water shutoff to individual units, so I will need to shutoff water to the building in order to swap our the bath fixtures. How do I sequence this in order to avoid multiple shutoffs? Can I get the plumbing work done immediately after I demo the bathtub enclosure and just put up cementboard and tile around that?
- Do you think I should get a plumber to come in and do a consultation before proceeding? I think this might be valuable as the plumbing portion is the part I have the least understanding of. I just don't want to pay an exorbitant amount to have a plumber out multiple times.
- Can anyone recommend a trustworthy plumber? Unfortunately I don't have any buddies in the trades that can help with this.

Any other general advice would be greatly appreciated!

I have no info to provide, other than I am considering the same sort of reno in my basement bathroom. Rip out everything existing (in the case of the tub/shower area, down to the studs) and replacing.

Do you have an estimated budget? I'm curious what this might cost.

[Ducay]

Just did master bath

1) Rip it all out at once, floor, walls, etc
2) Shut water off and redo plumbing and add shutoffs where appliable (under sink, potentially one for shower lines if you have access to back side of shower wall). PLumb in new shower fixture/mixer. You shouldn't need a plumbing consultation as long as you know your plans and what needs to go where (location, heights, etc).
3) Replace drywall and cement board
4) WATERPROOF - cement board is not waterproofing. Either paint on redguard, or apply Kerdi membrane.
5) Tile shower walls
6) Ditra (or similar membrane) on floor, bonus points for in floor heating
7) Reinstall vanity, etc.

[V]

Originally Posted by Simon96Taco

I have no info to provide, other than I am considering the same sort of reno in my basement bathroom. Rip out everything existing (in the case of the tub/shower area, down to the studs) and replacing.

Do you have an estimated budget? I'm curious what this might cost.

I gutted my en-suite bath to the studs and rebuilt it for $2500 which included a couple new tools. Our cheapest quote was $10k.

[Zarley]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Originally Posted by Fuzz

For the plumbing, you could install shutoffs for the sink. Do you have an access panel for the shower/tub?

Spoiler!

That looks great, Fuzz.

Luckily the sink already has H/C shutoffs so that part is easy. No access panel for the tub/shower, perhaps I could get one installed? I imagine it depends on the location of the water line.

Originally Posted by Simon96Taco

Do you have an estimated budget? I'm curious what this might cost.

I'm in the process of budgeting right now, I'll let you know what it comes out at.

[Fuzz]

Ya, mine was around $2500 as well, but I built my vanity from scratch and did the plumbing myself.

[Simon96Taco]

Originally Posted by V

I gutted my en-suite bath to the studs and rebuilt it for $2500 which included a couple new tools. Our cheapest quote was $10k.

How long do you figure it took you to do it?

[V]

Originally Posted by Simon96Taco

How long do you figure it took you to do it?

2 years, haha. I was getting my MBA at a full time student schedule while working at the same time. And it was an en-suite with two other working bathrooms in the house, so for a while I just shut the door and forgot about t.

[Fuzz]

Mine was 1 year total, but I did the tub/tile part over about 1 week of evening and weekend, then the next year did the floor and vanity over 3 or 4 days. Well, building the vanity took a lot longer, that was just the install.

[Cube Inmate]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Mine was 1 year total, but I did the tub/tile part over about 1 week of evening and weekend, then the next year did the floor and vanity over 3 or 4 days. Well, building the vanity took a lot longer, that was just the install.

Did you install that window, or was that there previously? I'm thinking of doing that, but really don't know how to separate the good from the bad advice on the old internets....

[Fuzz]

I put that in the first month I moved in. The previous "window" was 4 panes of glass with no trim in 2 wooden grooves. I have no idea how the previous owner lived with that. It was not sealed at all. So at the time I did the best I could to re-trim it. For the reno it was nice to be starting from scratch and I found that nice brushed aluminum trim at Home Depot. I cut it to fit(the width was perfect) and it came out really nice.

So if you are asking if I cut the opening form scratch? No. But I don't think it would be beyond the realm of DIY if you have the wall open.

[Fuzz]

Spoiler!

Check out the size of that header! Overkill, I think.

[CarlLester]

nm

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about a local company called David's Blinds? I was looking at them to do my house, and the price is reasonable enough (not cheap, but not much more expensive than ordering online and having someone professionally install).

The blinds they're suggesting are this layered "zebra" kind I wasn't previously aware of, so if anyone has any views on that I'd be interested as well.

Spoiler!