2021 Home Improvement Projects

[airtime143]

TBF that does sound like rather typical chicken behavior.

I live in the middle of the city but in an older neighborhood where people have chickens and things like that. I think that we can have goats and up to two horses etc on my property, not that I ever would.

A guy down the street has some chickens somewhere in his back area, and occasionally he will let them out in a front area that he has double fenced. I was walking the dog past one day and those fuckers were going full hog on the landscaping, scratching it out of the fence all over the sidewalk just tearing shit up. They were having the time of their life.

My work buddy said when he mows his lawn, his chickens love the clippings... he dumps them and they scratch at it for hours.

They are little clowns.

 

[Tater]

The stairs look nice.

 

[JesusHalasChrist]

I got a puppy a few weeks ago. Spent some time looking over the fences in my yard and blocking with rocks etc anywhere the puppy could escape.

So what happened tonight as I took the puppy and my 5 year old dog (both Schnauzers) out before bed?

The five year old caught and killed a rabbit who was running around the yard trying to escape via the spots I had blocked off.

 

[airtime143]

Had a hitch this past weekend that put off finishing the steps.
So since I didnt want to waste a nice weekend, and since there is always something to do, I resurfaced one of my back decks.
was about as easy as could be.
Started sunday at about 10, finished up the by that night. All that is left is taking a router to the edge of the boards by the stair, but have to wait for amazon to ship me the bit.

Before


After

 

[Urblock]

Looks good buddy.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Volunteered with Habitat for Humanity yesterday. Straight grunt work all day. Roof decking, fascia, siding, windows and doors. Had a good crew of guys, me and 3 co-workers who were handy. We plowed thru tasks most of the day. 4 total houses going up in a pretty run down area of town. Will definitely have to do it again.

 

[airtime143]

Volunteered with Habitat for Humanity yesterday. Straight grunt work all day. Roof decking, fascia, siding, windows and doors. Had a good crew of guys, me and 3 co-workers who were handy. We plowed thru tasks most of the day. 4 total houses going up in a pretty run down area of town. Will definitely have to do it again.

Great job!
All my rentals were redone with shit from their store.

We have a whole row of habitat for humanity houses in Crystal lake now.

 

[knoxville7]

Just bought a house, and the primary bath needs an overhaul. Anyone replaced entire showers before? Is HD or Lowe’s a good option? Or should I get a contractor to do it?

 

[Scoot26]

Just bought a house, and the primary bath needs an overhaul. Anyone replaced entire showers before? Is HD or Lowe’s a good option? Or should I get a contractor to do it?

We just paid a contractor to redo our bathroom. But, I also didn't wanna fuck around with any of that stuff, having dabbled in a minor remodel of my bathroom in my townhouse years prior.

 

[knoxville7]

We just paid a contractor to redo our bathroom. But, I also didn't wanna fuck around with any of that stuff, having dabbled in a minor remodel of my bathroom in my townhouse years prior.

yeah, I mean I’m somewhat handy(I installed our new dishwasher yesterday), but I’m not like real real handy.

surprisingly, the part that scares me the most to do…is the demo of the shower. I’m worried I’ll fuck up a wall or pipe around it

 

[Scoot26]

yeah, I mean I’m somewhat handy(I installed our new dishwasher yesterday), but I’m not like real real handy.

surprisingly, the part that scares me the most to do…is the demo of the shower. I’m worried I’ll fuck up a wall or pipe around it

In my townhouse, all I did was re-grout the tile, I didn't demo it. I have some fear of fighting gravity with tiling. I did demo the floor and tile the floor, put in a new toilet.. I paid someone to install a new shower door though.

Generally though, you can guess where pipes will run (they'll line up with the shower head).

In the end, do what will ever give you peace of mind.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

yeah, I mean I’m somewhat handy(I installed our new dishwasher yesterday), but I’m not like real real handy.

surprisingly, the part that scares me the most to do…is the demo of the shower. I’m worried I’ll fuck up a wall or pipe around it

What kind of shower? Look up videos on Youtube and if you're comfortable doing that, go for it.

My house has one of those big ass plastic ones that we want to rip out. It's next on my to do list (maybe over the winter). Basically take a sawzall and cut 10 inches above the shower and tear out the drywall on all sides. Careful not to cut into the studs or pipes. But make sure you turn off your water first just in case lol. Remove the nails holding the shower in and then sawzall the shower down into 3 pieces so you can remove it.

My dad recently re-did a bathroom in his house. He went with one of those 3 piece shower kit deals, it looks nice, but he had a heck of a time finding a shower base. Didn't come with the kit and supply chain issues.

 

[airtime143]

yeah, I mean I’m somewhat handy(I installed our new dishwasher yesterday), but I’m not like real real handy.

surprisingly, the part that scares me the most to do…is the demo of the shower. I’m worried I’ll fuck up a wall or pipe around it

No matter what you do demo wise, you will be replacing the cement board and re-running the pipes- dont worry about breaking what you arent going to be using!!!

I kid you not, tile is an easier and much nicer option and remarkably less expensive than those fiberglass inserts.

I didnt know shit about tile before I did mine, and it wound up being cake.

* in hindsight- I absolutely would have gone pex over copper. I may even retroactively change it. I am absolutely going pex upstairs.

 

[airtime143]

What kind of shower? Look up videos on Youtube and if you're comfortable doing that, go for it.

My house has one of those big ass plastic ones that we want to rip out. It's next on my to do list (maybe over the winter). Basically take a sawzall and cut 10 inches above the shower and tear out the drywall on all sides. Careful not to cut into the studs or pipes. But make sure you turn off your water first just in case lol. Remove the nails holding the shower in and then sawzall the shower down into 3 pieces so you can remove it.

My dad recently re-did a bathroom in his house. He went with one of those 3 piece shower kit deals, it looks nice, but he had a heck of a time finding a shower base. Didn't come with the kit and supply chain issues.

Tile will save you that. Pour a base if you dont have one (20-30 bucks) attach a drain pipe (15-20 bucks) and tile away.
Arent those bases several hundred?

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Tile will save you that. Pour a base if you dont have one (20-30 bucks) attach a drain pipe (15-20 bucks) and tile away.
Arent those bases several hundred?

I believe so. I know they aren't cheap!

 

[airtime143]

I believe so. I know they aren't cheap!

I encourage you too look at tiling.... it is so simple as long as you have an iota of DIY in you. Far easier than I would have thought.

 

[airtime143]

Here is the end result- framed the base with 2x6, installed the drain which was 2 piece- setting the base where i wanted and then th top piece (actual drain) screws in.
Pour concrete(cheap as dirt) and smooth it, sloping towards the drain.
Glue down flexible pvc water barrier, lay the tile and grout.
Easy as pie.


As for the tile itself, easy as can be with a cheap tile cutter and a tile bit (each in the 20-30 dollar range)

I did mine exactly like the lady in the lowes video showed me.

 

[knoxville7]

Here is the end result- framed the base with 2x6, installed the drain which was 2 piece- setting the base where i wanted and then th top piece (actual drain) screws in.
Pour concrete(cheap as dirt) and smooth it, sloping towards the drain.
Glue down flexible pvc water barrier, lay the tile and grout.
Easy as pie.
View attachment 15176

As for the tile itself, easy as can be with a cheap tile cutter and a tile bit (each in the 20-30 dollar range)

I did mine exactly like the lady in the lowes video showed me.

View attachment 15178

have you tiled a ceiling before? If so, does gravity make it more challenging? Or does it stick pretty quickly? I’m thinking of tiling it completely up the wall and on the ceiling to prevent water spots/mold from ever happening

 

[wonky73]

My excuses ran out and I had to finally seal the driveway last week in between the rain. Looks nice

 

[airtime143]

have you tiled a ceiling before? If so, does gravity make it more challenging? Or does it stick pretty quickly? I’m thinking of tiling it completely up the wall and on the ceiling to prevent water spots/mold from ever happening

I have not, but that tile adhesive is strong- setting one and then pulling it off is surprisingly difficult.
If you use a notched applicator, and have thorough coverage, the minute you fully press it in to place it is locked in- you would have to pry it to pull it off.

However- using a paint on waterproof seal on the walls and ceiling over concrete board will eliminate the liklihood of water spots or mold if that is your only concern.

This is the stuff I used-easy as shit and can actually be used on the floor instead of the flexible pvc liner.

Custom Building Products RedGard Ready to Use Pink Waterproofing and Crack Prevention 1 gal - Ace Hardware

A ready-to-use elastomeric waterproofing membrane for both commercial and residential tile and stone application. Suited for interior and exterior substrates, RedGard® creates a continuous waterproof membrane barrier with outstanding adhesion and reduces crack transmission in tile and stone...

www.acehardware.com