The Home Improvement Thread

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by fotze2

It’s not short term. I didn’t think about that. He needs out asap. So ####ing around figuring out.

Slap up some cubicle walls? That's gotta be cheap and easy.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Slap up some cubicle walls? That's gotta be cheap and easy.

Get creative with a tank of spray foam and some plywood forms. The basement fun foam room, with built in bed, lounger and that screwed up mound of foam over there in the corner that isn't really useful for anything but is also a bit structural.

[Hemi-Cuda]

So our basement bedroom flooded in the summer during one of those massive rainstorms, and I finally got a quote from the insurance company. The water came up from the floor in the corner of the bedroom, which leads me to believe there's some kind of issue with the foundation there, but per the adjuster the insurance will only cover fixing the actual damages, they don't do anything to remediate the cause. I am able to hire my own contractors and the insurance will pay them directly, so does anyone know of a restoration company that can actually diagnose and fix foundation issues? I don't mind paying more out of pocket than what the insurance will cover as long as the root cause is fixed and I don't have to worry about more flooding in the future

[photon]

Not sure if there's a company that could handle both (or do it well anyway) since one would be more focused on interior finishing and possibly mold remediation while the other would be on foundations.

AFAIK you can't make a basement waterproof. When this happened to me the fix was to put in a sump pump that would gather and pump away water that was under the slab before it could seep in. We sold that house not long after so can't say how effective it was long term but that's what I've been told.

They also checked other things like grading around the house (was fine in my case), downspouts that need to be extended so they don't drop water right at the foundation (I think we had some extensions added). I've heard of people needing to dig down and put more drainage under windows or weeping tile around the foundation etc..

Lots of variables like age of the house, grading, what's already there, etc.

Hopefully someone with more expertise can chime in but I would guess it'd probably be a different company you'd want to address any foundation issues.

[Fuzz]

Have the walls been pulled yet to see the foundation? I had a crack in mine that I think I successfully sealed from the inside with the Sickens kit. It would leak waterfalls in heavy rain. Not to say you need to DIY, but there might be something obvious and fixable behind the wall. An alternative fix would be excavating to the footing and repairing it externally.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

So our basement bedroom flooded in the summer during one of those massive rainstorms, and I finally got a quote from the insurance company. The water came up from the floor in the corner of the bedroom, which leads me to believe there's some kind of issue with the foundation there, but per the adjuster the insurance will only cover fixing the actual damages, they don't do anything to remediate the cause. I am able to hire my own contractors and the insurance will pay them directly, so does anyone know of a restoration company that can actually diagnose and fix foundation issues? I don't mind paying more out of pocket than what the insurance will cover as long as the root cause is fixed and I don't have to worry about more flooding in the future

What about that Doug Lacey's Basement Systems something something? I think they're called Groundworks now.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

So our basement bedroom flooded in the summer during one of those massive rainstorms, and I finally got a quote from the insurance company. The water came up from the floor in the corner of the bedroom, which leads me to believe there's some kind of issue with the foundation there, but per the adjuster the insurance will only cover fixing the actual damages, they don't do anything to remediate the cause. I am able to hire my own contractors and the insurance will pay them directly, so does anyone know of a restoration company that can actually diagnose and fix foundation issues? I don't mind paying more out of pocket than what the insurance will cover as long as the root cause is fixed and I don't have to worry about more flooding in the future

I had a buddy with an issue like this. Patching basic cracks in the foundation isn't too bad. I think it was $1-2K out of pocket for my buddy and he had cracking issues in two separate corners of his basement.

However, to save on costs, we did spend an afternoon cutting down and ripping out trees + roots right beside the problem spot though. When the dude showed up, he didn't have to work around plants to reach the problematic spot and the dirt was basically as soft as loam.

Another thing to do is to ensure your rainspouts pipe away from your home. I myself had water enter the basement in one corner on multiple occasions during periods of rain. Before I called someone to check the weeping tile, I investigated and discovered the rainspouts were draining right on the side of the foundation in an area dripping back towards the house. It would become a pond that occasionally would get to several inches deep. Once the two spouts were down/added piping to have the water drain a few feet towards the downward section of the lawn, no water entered my basement on subsequent rain storms. I also spent two evenings by myself and dug up several trees that were right beside the foundation that were probably amplifying the issue.


I do think I need to get someone to check for and potentially help with mold remediation before spring/summer starts, both from some type of pinhole leaks in the piping over the last few years.

[fotze2]

Is there a lazer that we can point at a disco ball? Just on permanently for a few hours. Not a pen.

[Fuzz]

Ah, the disco ball laser, like Russian roulette for your eyes.


You can rent party lasers from places like L&M.

[CroFlames]

Really makes you wonder what is actually going on in that basement with his wife, that hockey player, the construction of a dungeon wall and now a disco ball death laser.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Really makes you wonder what is actually going on in that basement with his wife, that hockey player, the construction of a dungeon wall and now a disco ball death laser.

Originally Posted by fotze2

It's cold in there. I wish it was hotter (to quote some doosh I've never met). I have super low blood pressure now so I am cold as fata all the time.

There it is

[Sr. Mints]

Bedrooms with no windows. Random guests. Disco ball laser shows. New smoke alarms, which are probably hidden cameras, Russian brides. The case is clear: Naked Twister. Elementary, my dear Watson.

[Bonded]

Had these pot lights installed in August, they are under a flatroof, and I am wondering if these rings are water damage or just something I didn't notice until now that just need to be painted over. They are around basically every light and before I call the electrician I wanted to see if anyone else had an experience with these. I haven't seen water on the lights or anything, so my concern is they messed with the vapour barrier/insulation or something during install.

Spoiler!

[Fuzz]

To me it just looks like a crappy paint matching job, and maybe you are seeing it now because of low sun angle?


I'd assume those lights just kinda pop down for access, do you have a box/manual/something saying the brand to see how to do it? If you can pull one down and it is moisture, you should see evidence in the drywall.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

To me it just looks like a crappy paint matching job, and maybe you are seeing it now because of low sun angle?


I'd assume those lights just kinda pop down for access, do you have a box/manual/something saying the brand to see how to do it? If you can pull one down and it is moisture, you should see evidence in the drywall.

Yeah, a better paint job is what I’m leaning towards but good idea on trying to get a look behind them

[topfiverecords]

Those are wafer lights and they're just held on by a couple of spring clips. They'll pull down easily and you can look deeper.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Had these pot lights installed in August, they are under a flatroof, and I am wondering if these rings are water damage or just something I didn't notice until now that just need to be painted over. They are around basically every light and before I call the electrician I wanted to see if anyone else had an experience with these. I haven't seen water on the lights or anything, so my concern is they messed with the vapour barrier/insulation or something during install.

Spoiler!

We have these same ones installed, with a slightly similar problem though not as pronounced, it’s was how they cut the holes and left some dusty debris behind that clung around the circumference. We just took a long handled broom and swept it all off. It wasn’t water though or anything, since it wouldn’t be a perfect circle like that.

[PaperBagger'14]

Doesn’t look like water damage, old water damage would likely be a more yellow / rusty colour, newer water damage would more likely have an uneven / bubbling look. Like topfiverecords said those lights are typically held in by spring clips and are easy to remove. Those clips have some good tension and I’ve had a couple of them snap down on my fingers before, it smarts lol.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

What about that Doug Lacey's Basement Systems something something? I think they're called Groundworks now.

My son just had a quote done by Groundworks for foundation repair on his house. Does this company have a good rep? The salesman pulled the old 10% discount if he accepted the quote within 24 hours. I recommended getting a couple more quotes, at least. Any anyone know of good quality foundation repair companies?

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by D as in David

My son just had a quote done by Groundworks for foundation repair on his house. Does this company have a good rep? The salesman pulled the old 10% discount if he accepted the quote within 24 hours. I recommended getting a couple more quotes, at least. Any anyone know of good quality foundation repair companies?

I used Abalon Foundation Repairs a few years back and was happy with the quality of the work and communication. I got a couple of quotes and I just remember them all being on the pricey side.