Fuck Bob Vila... the Home Repair Thread

The office itself is just having the mounting plywood attached after the "stud discovery" tonight. At least I now know what is behind the drywall and wood panelling, and I won't drill/screw into a furnace duct or power line.

The plan is to screw the plywood to the studs in the office, then brad nail and glue the hardwood boards to the plywood. This means that ANY wall in the office will be able to have anything heavy screwed into it without problem; a monitor swivel mount, shelves, TV swing arm, doesn't matter... all the walls are thick hardwood... just screw shit into them, and it will hold.

 

I've already got the new hardwood flooring made out of some rough cut hickory. Basically just re-sawed it, jointed/planed/cut it to dimension, and then have the special "hardwood interlock" router bits that I used to treat the edges.

That will go in last, after I paint drywall not covered by the plywood.

Still to come: finish the plywood installation, paint the ceilings and exposed walls, install the hardwood on the walls, install the floors, then do custom hardwood (black walnut and mahogany) window casing, door frames, and trim.

The custom ceiling box I'm making has a ceiling fan, many Hue spot and light strips,with direct spot and indirect strip lighting, all remote controlled. It's meant to replace the ugly 8' of fluorescent lighting that's in there now.

Lots of work to go but lots of progress so far.

 

Just the vapour barrier that's been cut on the outside walls. It doesn't require new drywall to be installed.

 

Pretty basic question. Anyone have tips on removing hard water buildup that prevents turning a cold water shut off valve?

I've tried multiple applications of CLR, scrubbed with a stiff brush, turned the handle back and forth with a wrench to try to get some movement. It will wiggle but that's it. I made a paste with vinegar and washing soda, did multiple applications, scrubbed a bit. I'm letting it sit on there and will do a couple applications to give it time to work, if it will.

If that doesn't work, what can I try next?

My neighbor is finishing the downstairs floors and that toilet needs to come out.

 

If it’s one of those cute little chrome looking rotating valves it’ll be kinda fucked. Personally, I’d kill the water to the house, depressurize that line by flushing the toilet as many times as it takes, then just reef on it until it breaks or turns. Plan on it breaking. By that I’d be prepared to replace it; new pipe/hose, new valve, etc.

In the event that it actually works I would also take that time to put in a proper quarter turn ball valve.

 

Call your insurance company and ask who they use for flood recovery work.

 

Ugh. Yes that's the ype of valve in that spot. Ball valves are so much better and I have read recommendations by other people to replace the original turn off valve with the ball valves. Why the fuck aren't homes built with them to start ?

I really hope I can get it moving. Why does every small project turn into something bigger? Every. Time.

 

Yeah, I think unless you are building a custom home where you dictate all the details, or are buying way more high end, that's almost standard for builders.

I am told this was a nicer home when it was built in the 70s (I live in a rural area that has grown a bit recently, and there are tons of trailer homes around, so 'nice' is subjective), but builders still cheap out on basic stuff like this. Every owner has done a great job maintaining this place but has done little to upgrade it. It's a combo of making my house a home/increasing market value, but I am doing a few things to upgrade the home. The basement level of my split home had nothing more than occasional paint done to it. The carpets were foul, they didn't even remove fixtures and plates to paint so I am sanding paint lines and retexturing areas. The light fixtures were those original brass flush mount nipple looking jobbies. There was molding put down at some point, but they stopped halfway into the cubby under the stairs. Just shit like that.

To be fair, the new built homes they are building around here are waaaay cheaper built. We are fortunate to have a solidly built home, if a bit dated. The new ones we walked through were nice looking were more current styles but not built to last. And the neighborhoods were not kept up which I felt was really telling.

Anyhow. @Nettdata I also meant to ask, what do you mean by ''reef it''? Not familiar with that term.

 

To “reef on it” means to attach a long pry bar and then give’er shit.

 

Likewise. Every time I have to do plumbing I take that time to upgrade that part of the system with the proper type and locations for shut off valves. I think I finally have every water consuming fixture and device in the house on it’s own supply valve so I can isolate it separately without affecting the rest of the house.

 

Is this a job that requires soldering? I did a quick google and am tempted to call a plumber.

 

I think we have copper coming out of the wall and galvanized fittings. I can pull the pipe coming out of the wall a little to take a closer look at that if you want to see.

 

Looks like at some point they replaced it with this. They shopped hard at Ace so I am pretty confident this is what they bought

 

@Fiveslide thanks for the recommendation. Can you link me to the plastic fitting removal tool you mentioned? I'm not sure what that is.