Home Improvement buffs

[Amputate Your Head]

How do you attack your home improvements?

I've been on a home improvement frenzy all this long weekend, (since the weather was shitty), and I've almost got everything laid to paper as to what I want to accomplish.... from repairs, to improvements, to just flat out new stuff, organized by room, but I'm not sure how to start going about it.

Do you attack one room at a time and go to completion, or do you piecemeal it throughout the house as the needs arise? I mean, obviously some things need to be addressed more than others, and clearly this will take years to complete, but I kind of like the idea of finishing a room and being done with it before moving on to the next. But then, if I piecemeal it instead, I'll see little improvements all over the whole house all the time....

tough call.... what do you guys do?

[Spunky]

Hire some guys to do it,and make more sites.

[The Truth Hurts]

Originally posted by spunky1
Hire some guys to do it,and make more sites.

[Kanoealoha]

One room at a time...

Just seems a more sane approach to home improvement

[Amputate Your Head]

I'm also having a hard time finding some of the things I want.... I spent nearly all day at Lowes and Home Depot yesterday, and neither one had fuck all for what I was looking for.....

it's a constant pain in the ass trying to find some of this shit.

[MattO]

Don't try to do too many multiple things or you'll end up with a half finished mess.

I've seen too many people start projects, then get interrupted by work or something, and by the time they get back to the project, things just seem so out of control and they can't get the groove back and it sits forever.

A single plan is easy to jump back into if you have to break from it, especially if it's really thought out from the beginning.

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by MattO
Don't try to do too many multiple things or you'll end up with a half finished mess.

I've seen too many people start projects, then get interrupted by work or something, and by the time they get back to the project, things just seem so out of control and they can't get the groove back and it sits forever.

A single plan is easy to jump back into if you have to break from it, especially if it's really though out from the beginning.

good advice..... that's kinda my fear too... I tend to get too many things going at once and it ends up being impossible to finish any of them.

think I'll stick with the room at a time plan.

[iroc409]

you'd probably want to start with the kitchen, and get a new fucking refridgerator

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by iroc409
you'd probably want to start with the kitchen, and get a new fucking refridgerator

nah, I fixed the fridge.... my first actual attempt at manual labor and it was a success! I do want a new fridge though.... one of those big ass bad fuckin' stainless SubZero fridges.....

but not yet.

[iroc409]

you should get one of those bigass deep freezers, throw 3-4 realdolls in it. then when company comes over and wants ice for their drinks, tell them to just get it out of the deep freeze

[Kanoealoha]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head
I'm also having a hard time finding some of the things I want.... I spent nearly all day at Lowes and Home Depot yesterday, and neither one had fuck all for what I was looking for.....

it's a constant pain in the ass trying to find some of this shit.

And its worse since you're on an Island...

Crap, I remember that, if they didn't have it, it wasn't on the island...

[bauhaus]

DAmn I wished I asked this a while ago..lol

110 yr old Victorian Row House

Gutted all the electrical, plumbing, 2 kitchens, 3 bathrooms, old hot water heating/rads, living room , dining room to the floor joists...rebuilt the stairs
Lowered the entire house foundation by 18inches (increase basement height) dug out the entire front of the house to incoporate a better setup

Basically everything but 3 rooms..... Got into a frenzy like you just described and went FULLTILT...... 10 days in (had crews etc hired..plus did a ton of work myself) the city killed me with stop work orders for extra permits needed and other stupid shit...

What should of taken 6 weeks and a good whack of cash....has taken (to date) 11months and a bigger whack of cash

Moral of the story.... do one room at a time.... or plan for unexpected fuckups like your neighbors calling the city 4 times a day to make the noise stop....

Lots of decent advice online as well.... or get contractors to come in and ask them what they are going to do (take notes ask lots of questions) and then throw out their quotes when you get them.. at least you are more informed for the next batch or work you do.

Good Luck

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by bauhaus
DAmn I wished I asked this a while ago..lol

110 yr old Victorian Row House

Gutted all the electrical, plumbing, 2 kitchens, 3 bathrooms, old hot water heating/rads, living room , dining room to the floor joists...rebuilt the stairs
Lowered the entire house foundation by 18inches (increase basement height) dug out the entire front of the house to incoporate a better setup

Basically everything but 3 rooms..... Got into a frenzy like you just described and went FULLTILT...... 10 days in (had crews etc hired..plus did a ton of work myself) the city killed me with stop work orders for extra permits needed and other stupid shit...

What should of taken 6 weeks and a good whack of cash....has taken (to date) 11months and a bigger whack of cash

Moral of the story.... do one room at a time.... or plan for unexpected fuckups like your neighbors calling the city 4 times a day to make the noise stop....

Lots of decent advice online as well.... or get contractors to come in and ask them what they are going to do (take notes ask lots of questions) and then throw out their quotes when you get them.. at least you are more informed for the next batch or work you do.

Good Luck

oh hell yeah..... I got 2 HOAs to deal with here.... everything I do has to be by the fucking book or they'll be all over me. Not an option.... hehehe....

[BrettJ]

yeh. what i find that works.

is 1 project at a time. rotating through rooms.

I hate the idea of completing 1 room - before starting on any other.

by rotating rooms - after each project is finished - you get a change of scenery - plus it gives you time to acquire those pieces that are gonna be perfect in that room - with out settling for something and sacrificing quality - just to get it done -

anyway my 2 cents

[Peter Romero]

I can rebuild an engine, am a master gardener, a great carpenter, I can do roofing, foundations, drafting, finish carpentry, cement, closets, hang doors, and a good painter... but why waste my time on medial tasks when I can delegate authority with the people who specialize in those things - so that I can profit better from the skills that I am more versed in.

In other words - I am good at finding hot sluts for everyone to look at naked. So, I'll go do that - and you get to work designing now that I know that you arent a programer... beyatch!

[iroc409]

Originally posted by POV Porn guy
I can rebuild an engine, am a master gardener, a great carpenter, I can do roofing, foundations, drafting, finish carpentry, cement, closets, hang doors, and a good painter... but why waste my time on medial tasks when I can delegate authority with the people who specialize in those things - so that I can profit better from the skills that I am more versed in.

In other words - I am good at finding hot sluts for everyone to look at naked. So, I'll go do that - and you get to work designing now that I know that you arent a programer... beyatch!

wanna build some custom flamed interior panels for my truck, help me give it a removable top and a custom flat aluminum tonneau?

[nosey]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head

think I'll stick with the room at a time plan.

One room at a time is enough to handle. I been doing some house improvements this week, damn thought i'd get done faster, but thinking of the improvements is alot diff. then actually doing them

[chowda]

watch trading spaces

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by chowda
watch trading spaces

that show is fucking gay.

[Sharky]

I've remodeled 2 of the 3 bathrooms in my house myself. The largest undertaking is my master bath. it has been gutted for over a year.. I dread starting on it as everything needs to be redone.. wallboard, plumbing, etc.

We've remodeled each room in our house slowly.. one room at a time. we've painted every room in the house at least 4 times since we bought the place just less than 3 years ago.

Most recently, we actually hired someone to do work around the house. we tore down our screened porch (or bird cage as some call it) from around our pool. we added on about 1000sq/ft of screen room, put french doors from our master bedroom into the new screened area that we are using as a game/lounge area. I have my hammock, TV & basketball goal there now. There will be a spa and a pool table there before the end of the year.

We've installed an outdoor kitchen last year, and added onto it this year with more counter space, a bar, a sink, a pass-thru to the kitchen, etc.

The only thing left to do is our kitchen, master bath and crown molding. I did the base boards and chair rails myself last month.

Ah.. we need to paint the outside of the house as well.

It's a never ending story with houses. We go to Famous Tate to buy a new washing machine.. and come back with all new GE Profile kitchen appliances (stove, fridge, hood w/microwave & dishwasher) not to mention the washer & dryer.

I can't win! lol.

But at least it's all mine! I rented for too many years!

[chowda]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head

that show is fucking gay.

watch home again with bob villa

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally posted by chowda


watch home again with bob villa

even more gay.

[Spunky]

Either way it's going to be time consuming and expensive.Hire a contractor,and focus on your talent and make more sites to pay for the work.A lot less stress

[chowda]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head


even more gay.

watch stupid human tricks on fox

[Peter Romero]

Originally posted by iroc409


wanna build some custom flamed interior panels for my truck, help me give it a removable top and a custom flat aluminum tonneau?

Sorry... no can do... I'm too busy livin in a van, down by the river.

[Kimmykim]

Hahaha, the deconstruction phase can be very calming when you've had a bad day.

That was always my problem, Id start tearing shit out when I felt the need to hit something with a sledgehammer and then damned if it didnt sit there for a month before I got around to fixing it...

[Rictor]

I thought this thread was going to be about Tim Allen.

[Gemini]

1) Go to the contractors desk in your HD and get the free CD-Rom catalog and estimator disk.... install and peruse. The TOC is kind of rough on the catalog but if you use your head, you can find what you need or want. It has many items that the store doesn't normally stock that you can get (usually for no extra ship in fees)

2)Go about the work like a house is built. At least when you are dealing with the utility side (that also sets it up for ONE permit for each of those areas.

If you need any other questions answered, you know where I be. ;-) My old man might be a retired contractor but he hasn't lost his mind... totally anywho. lol

http://www.bobvilla.com has a VERY good section with boards, chock full of good questions - advice and answeres from contractors as well.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com has alot of info too and I believe you used to be able to get answers there. They also did a house in HI which should be on the site somewhere that you can sccess (being as there are special things to deal with in the Islands) You can also order that series of videos on the project if you need to visualize more.

[XxXotic]

Originally posted by Amputate Your Head

that show is fucking gay.

my old roomate watched that show religiously. drove me up a fucking wall. what an idiot idea for a show hey neighbor, come fuck up my house and let me fuck yours up too!