Home improvement - where to start?

casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,209
17,640
113
Petak Island
Growing up pops did everything himself. A new project was an excuse to buy new tools and put me and my friends to work haha. It pains him now hes older and actually has to hire people for some stuff.

Seems that's a lost concept on a lot of adults these days or maybe we are cheap!

My dad does has pretty much always done the same. Downside is he's not a pro but knows what he's doing so he does the job right. Therefore the projects often take many months to complete.

Too much half ass / clueless contract work out there.

Too bad everyslurper is only lurking here these days.

He'd tell us how DIYers all suck and that we need to pay $30,000 for a bathroom remodel.
 

TheEl

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 31, 2010
1,377
1,353
113
Growing up pops did everything himself. A new project was an excuse to buy new tools and put me and my friends to work haha. It pains him now hes older and actually has to hire people for some stuff.

Seems that's a lost concept on a lot of adults these days or maybe we are cheap!
There are certain things Im willing to tackle, often having learned them from the University of YouTube. If there isn't a big loss in the process of me fucking up and trying over then thats alright. Then there are other things that Im more than willing to pay an expert to do. At least thats the way I've approached fixing up the place.
 
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PRCD

Tom Curren status
Feb 25, 2020
12,513
8,546
113
My dad does has pretty much always done the same. Downside is he's not a pro but knows what he's doing so he does the job right. Therefore the projects often take many months to complete.

Too much half ass / clueless contract work out there.

Too bad everyslurper is only lurking here these days.

He'd tell us how DIYers all suck and that we need to pay $30,000 for a bathroom remodel.
All the good guys are busy 6 months out.

Do not pay 30k for a bathroom. Measure existing cabinets then go to 405 Cabinets and buy new ones. Pay for them to assemble and install yerself. Quartz countertops and white paint are the rage now. Get Blum hardware. Do the demo yourself. Pay a guy to do tile or whatever. Make sure they use mortar and a liner to put in the tub.

A little elbow grease can save a lot.
 

JBerry

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 8, 2017
1,602
872
113
the bali blind cellulose style seem cool. easy to pull up or down, room darkening or lightening. kinda pricey. I'd go with ease of open and close along with style and look, not just price.

In all the homes I've worked in, the plantation style shutters or just the diy shutters from HD are pretty popular. If you like to open and close your blinds or curtains a lot, the diy style end up breaking faster, cords break, plastic breaks, they are heavy, and get dusty pretty fast, I wouldn't recommend them. The plantation shutters are much better, more expensive too. Look better as well.

FWIW we have plain white curtains from IKEA now which were really affordable, we open and close them every day/night. Wash and bleach them when dirty. You may want to check their options.
 

HarryLopez2

Legend (inyourownmind)
Sep 11, 2020
498
652
93
Growing up pops did everything himself. A new project was an excuse to buy new tools and put me and my friends to work haha. It pains him now hes older and actually has to hire people for some stuff.

Seems that's a lost concept on a lot of adults these days or maybe we are cheap!
Jealous, my dad could fix himself a coors light with ice at home, nothing else house related though.
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
113
Central Cal
My dad's place is a little farm house. Built in 1942. We pulled out a kitchen drawer one day and saw the christening writing on the back wall behind the drawer.

Three bedrooms. One and a half baths. Old School. Been in our family since 1959. My grandpa bought it as a wedding present for my mom and dad. 110 acres. $75000.00. We're still there.
 
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sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,266
113
San Diego
any of you gone down the path of updating existing recessed lighting with the retrofit kits to LED (dimmer circuits)?

ive gathered this is the path forward but when trying to figure out brands, models, etc. it seems the price variety is anywhere from $5/ea to $100/ea and most stuff is just mass produced no-name out of China.

anyone recently flip a room and either happy or hate the result? I’m at analysis paralysis and ready to grab the most average looking pack of 4 to do hunny bunny’s home office and just see what happens next. maybe I waste $50 or maybe she loves them and I move on to the rest of the house.
 

ringer

Tom Curren status
Aug 2, 2002
11,341
611
113
Huntington Beach, California
We are currently in the middle of a fairly major interior remodel of our house. Pretty much everything except the kitchen (3 bathrooms, all exterior and interior doors and windows, creating a walk in closet in the master and an extra bedroom and office, etc., etc.) No square feet added to the structure. Early 1970s tract home which is located a fairly short walk to the sand in HB. They don't make any more of those in SoCal. Our talented and licensed general contractor brother-in-law is doing the work. I hate spending the money, but it needs it. We got so lucky with the timing, because our family member is always very busy. He was booked for the next year with a ground-up house build in Carlsbad, but suddenly became available. His services make me realize that the contractor I was about to sign with was a rip-off. Be careful out there.
 

Random Guy

Duke status
Jan 16, 2002
32,005
6,133
113
We are currently in the middle of a fairly major interior remodel of our house. Pretty much everything except the kitchen (3 bathrooms, all exterior and interior doors and windows, creating a walk in closet in the master and an extra bedroom and office, etc., etc.) No square feet added to the structure. Early 1970s tract home which is located a fairly short walk to the sand in HB. They don't make any more of those in SoCal. Our talented and licensed general contractor brother-in-law is doing the work. I hate spending the money, but it needs it. We got so lucky with the timing, because our family member is always very busy. He was booked for the next year with a ground-up house build in Carlsbad, but suddenly became available. His services make me realize that the contractor I was about to sign with was a rip-off. Be careful out there.
Before and after pics?
great to have someone like that in the family!
 

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
2,565
2,383
113
We are currently in the middle of a fairly major interior remodel of our house. Pretty much everything except the kitchen (3 bathrooms, all exterior and interior doors and windows, creating a walk in closet in the master and an extra bedroom and office, etc., etc.) No square feet added to the structure. Early 1970s tract home which is located a fairly short walk to the sand in HB. They don't make any more of those in SoCal. Our talented and licensed general contractor brother-in-law is doing the work. I hate spending the money, but it needs it. We got so lucky with the timing, because our family member is always very busy. He was booked for the next year with a ground-up house build in Carlsbad, but suddenly became available. His services make me realize that the contractor I was about to sign with was a rip-off. Be careful out there.
Sounds like a pretty killer place.
 

Subway

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 31, 2008
13,497
10,107
113
LBNY
Our two bathroom remodels were about 40k all in. Brand new everything, restoration hardware level gear for the most part. Ain’t cheap. You can do it cheap but you get what you pay for

we used a lot of polished river stone too