Another "Just gonna do this minor thing"

[Sneakers]

...which turned into a major project.

Been wanting to replace the large picture window in the family room. I've patched the dryrot a couple of times, had to re-caulk every two years, it leaks air, glass is not "E"-glass and doesn't even really get clean anymore (from 1970). Got a few estimates to replace the window, working on a contract now. In order to get proper measurements, had to pull the paneling off. Pretty much what I expected to see.... All these houses in Town Creek were built the same way.... cement block walls, furring strips and paneling. Notice I did not say 'insulation'. None. When they put in outlets they punched a hole in the cement block and inserted a metal box with cement nails. To run wires, they punched a hole in the cement block and pushed the wire thru. The wall is more holes than cement. There was obvious old termite damage to a lot of the furring strips, and water intrusion from an outdoor outlet which, again, was poorly put in by blowing a huge hole thru the block from the outside. Weep holes in the foundation that let water in instead of out. Pretty much nothing I hadn't seen before when I re-did a bedroom and the basement. But the surprise was the window... Almost 12' wide supported by 1" on the outside edge of the brick window sill, and 3 little pieces of furring strip jammed under inside edge of the window to hold it all up.

SOOOOoooooo..... ripped it all out. Patched and filled the holes, put in a waterproof outlet box outside, DryLoc'd the walls and floor, installed a 2x6" wall and frame, sill plate under the window with bolts cement anchored into the brick for a new window support, ran all new electrics. Now it's ready for the final measurements for the window. Unfortunately, the window is 6 weeks for delivery, so it will stay this way for a while.


Dontcha just love runaway projects?

 

[my-thyme]

No, no, I do not.

Family coming next month, so bought one bed frame to complete what I needed. (Local) GrandD said, oh, I love it, can you put it in the room I usually stay in?

So, moving beds this am. Strip screw heads. Can't find more screws, but find enough carriage bolts. And washers. And nuts.

Now have to drill holes for the carriage bolts. My 1 hr job is now minimum 4. Probably more.

Good thing my only other plan for today was to sit on my arse and read. May not get to that, because, you know, making dinner.

 

[ontheriver]

...which turned into a major project.

Been wanting to replace the large picture window in the family room. I've patched the dryrot a couple of times, had to re-caulk every two years, it leaks air, glass is not "E"-glass and doesn't even really get clean anymore (from 1970). Got a few estimates to replace the window, working on a contract now. In order to get proper measurements, had to pull the paneling off. Pretty much what I expected to see.... All these houses in Town Creek were built the same way.... cement block walls, furring strips and paneling. Notice I did not say 'insulation'. None. When they put in outlets they punched a hole in the cement block and inserted a metal box with cement nails. To run wires, they punched a hole in the cement block and pushed the wire thru. The wall is more holes than cement. There was obvious old termite damage to a lot of the furring strips, and water intrusion from an outdoor outlet which, again, was poorly put in by blowing a huge hole thru the block from the outside. Weep holes in the foundation that let water in instead of out. Pretty much nothing I hadn't seen before when I re-did a bedroom and the basement. But the surprise was the window... Almost 12' wide supported by 1" on the outside edge of the brick window sill, and 3 little pieces of furring strip jammed under inside edge of the window to hold it all up.
View attachment 170821
SOOOOoooooo..... ripped it all out. Patched and filled the holes, put in a waterproof outlet box outside, DryLoc'd the walls and floor, installed a 2x6" wall and frame, sill plate under the window with bolts cement anchored into the brick for a new window support, ran all new electrics. Now it's ready for the final measurements for the window. Unfortunately, the window is 6 weeks for delivery, so it will stay this way for a while.
View attachment 170822

Dontcha just love runaway projects?

Lucky for you that you can fix it. I'd be really screwed, or get a sub par job that I'd pay dearly for. Go you!

 

[Sneakers]

New window installed, insulated. The infrared pics are very telling. Still have the reverse walls to strip of the 1970s paneling and clean it up before getting the sheetrock guys in.


Before insulation

After 1st layer of insulation

 

[ontheriver]

It looks really good.

 

[lucky_bee]

My husband's mulling around the idea of replacing all the windows around our whole house himself, with probably the exception of 2 XXXL windows. It really would save us a ton, but I am not looking forward to the demo zones for weeks on end or inevitably the problems we'll find in the walls.

He's been chomping at the bit to re-do/update our "Front Room", I've been needing a partial office space in there. It's a definitely snowball project. I want built-ins around my desk, which require ripping out some carpet...which truly needs replacing anyways but also this room is attached to the dining room via cased opening and both those rooms have the same roll of carpet...and obviously we've known we need to rip out the carpet in the dining room (bc wtf...yuck!) but the other side of the dining room is open to the kitchen and that TOO has flooring we need to replace and since it's cheap shitty faux tile stuff, that's going to require a jackhammer to remove...AND THEN...that room is fully open and connected to the living room and that carpet has GOT to go too! So to give myself built-ins, we basically have to plan out all our flooring for the rest of downstairs before we even think about a damn bookcase.

 

[Sneakers]

I usually do it the other way round. I start a project, and as I'm working on it I think..."well, I could do this here" or "as long as I've got this ripped out". After thoughts. Like on this family room window thing. I knew the paneling had to go, but as I'm putting in the new wall in the TV corner, I realize how nice it would be to have real A/V cabinets to hide all the wires, LED ambiance lights and a 2-zone drink cooler. So even before the new window was in, I was builing that in my head, thinking of options, what kind of cabinets..... Already ran in the new 20amp circuit for it. Requires major change to the handrail up to the kitchen.

And one of these days I'll get back the kitchen/living room, paint and finish the trim...

 

[lucky_bee]

I usually do it the other way round. I start a project, and as I'm working on it I think..."well, I could do this here" or "as long as I've got this ripped out". After thoughts. Like on this family room window thing. I knew the paneling had to go, but as I'm putting in the new wall in the TV corner, I realize how nice it would be to have real A/V cabinets to hide all the wires, LED ambiance lights and a 2-zone drink cooler. So even before the new window was in, I was builing that in my head, thinking of options, what kind of cabinets..... Already ran in the new 20amp circuit for it. Requires major change to the handrail up to the kitchen.

And one of these days I'll get back the kitchen/living room, paint and finish the trim...

see I'm a planner. I have a mental list of all those things for every single room already. (Our house was built 22 years ago so just the typical stuff needs updating, nothing too drastic yet) Nothing is CRUCIAL, just lots of outdated. My husband's the type to start a weekend project on a Sunday afternoon, so I often have to talk him out of the bigger stuff and actually wait to plan and budget so we can do it all the way we'd like vs compromising for budget etc. I did get a whole new master bath out of his spontaneous renovation, since he'd originally only planned to repaint

 

[Sneakers]

So it continues. I've been ready for sheetrock for 2 weeks, but the installer had a medical issues, so not until the end of next week. In the meantime, I pulled up the old rug in prep for a new floor, and found 50 year old glued tiles. Butt ugly. Spent the past couple of days ripping up the tiles and getting estimates for a laminate floor. The old glue and cement floor stinks, but the new floor won't go in until the sheetrock is up and painted. I'm getting to know the guys at the transfer station pretty well....

I've always hated the style of the stairs with the wood dowel poles, so ripped them all out too. Sawzall is the best tool ever. Going to replace them with a regular handrail. I was hoping the stairs would be recoverable, but there are holes from the poles and a million nail and staple holes, so easier to replace the treads.

 

[my-thyme]

Wow, lots of work.

 

[rio]

Stairs already look better just by getting rid of the tall spindles!

 

[Clem72]

So it continues. I've been ready for sheetrock for 2 weeks, but the installer had a medical issues, so not until the end of next week. In the meantime, I pulled up the old rug in prep for a new floor, and found 50 year old glued tiles. Butt ugly. Spent the past couple of days ripping up the tiles and getting estimates for a laminate floor. The old glue and cement floor stinks, but the new floor won't go in until the sheetrock is up and painted. I'm getting to know the guys at the transfer station pretty well....

I've always hated the style of the stairs with the wood dowel poles, so ripped them all out too. Sawzall is the best tool ever. Going to replace them with a regular handrail. I was hoping the stairs would be recoverable, but there are holes from the poles and a million nail and staple holes, so easier to replace the treads.

View attachment 172331 View attachment 172332 View attachment 172333

Were the back of those tiles black? If so, don't worry too much it takes at least 15 years (and usually much longer) to kill you.

 

[Sneakers]

Wow, lots of work.

A little at a time...

Stairs already look better just by getting rid of the tall spindles!

Yes, very obvious when going down the stairs and being able to see into the room with no obstructions.

Were the back of those tiles black? If so, don't worry too much it takes at least 15 years (and usually much longer) to kill you.

No black backing. I figger to be dead by then anyway.

 

[Gilligan]

The first-floor apartment in our apartment building was a 2-bay garage when originally built in the 1960s. We're getting ready to replace, in its entirety, all the wall panels on the garage door side; windows, framing, siding... everything... The old jalousie windows across the entire mess leak and are all single pane anyway, so every one of those holes is currently stuffed with 1" foam board panels and the window panels all taped closed. Not looking forward to the job...I'm sure we'll find some interesting stuff...

 

[Gilligan]

No black backing. I figger to be dead by then anyway.

You did make sure that list of your stuff that I want to inherit is attached to yr will....right?

 

[Sneakers]

The first-floor apartment in our apartment building was a 2-bay garage when originally built in the 1960s. We're getting ready to replace, in its entirety, all the wall panels on the garage door side; windows, framing, siding... everything... The old jalousie windows across the entire mess leak and are all single pane anyway, so every one of those holes is currently stuffed with 1" foam board panels and the window panels all taped closed. Not looking forward to the job...I'm sure we'll find some interesting stuff...

There's something very satisfying about ripping it down to the sticks and getting rid of the crap, and imagining the new end.

You did make sure that list of your stuff that I want to inherit is attached to yr will....right?

Aw hell....not again....

 

[my-thyme]

Sneakers, appoint me executor of your will. I'll make sure Gilligan gets everything you promised him.

Except maybe that Slingshot. Red IS my color ya know.

 

[Sneakers]

Sneakers, appoint me executor of your will. I'll make sure Gilligan gets everything you promised him.

Except maybe that Slingshot. Red IS my color ya know.

Hmm. The Sling is the only thing on Gill's list. Maybe I'll hold a drawing. Or an auction.

 

[SandieGarry]

Hmm. The Sling is the only thing on Gill's list. Maybe I'll hold a drawing. Or an auction.

Hmmm, I bid fiddy cent on the red slingshot!!

 

[Sneakers]

Never ends!!

Pulled up the old stair treads. Found they didn't do a very good job of installing them. Nothing holding the stringers in place except a couple of nails into the top of the stringer, and the treads themselves. Decided to just remove it all and start from scratch. After I got everything removed, found a bunch of old termite damage. Recurring theme in this house... The sill plate for a supporting wall was pretty much just powder. Ripped it out, cleaned everything up and put in a new sill plate. put the stairs back together temporarily so I can get up into the kitchen. They have to be out when the sheetrock gets done, then I can start to make it permanent. Have a couple of feelers out for poplar wood to make new treads and risers.