Home Improvement Thread

[Slateman]

Can I sue myself?

[Natsinpwc]

Can I sue myself?

I'm sure some lawyer would take that case.

[Slateman]

Ugh, so I can't fit the vent pipes through the hole in the ceiling in the kitchen unless I knock down the framing that the  washer and dryer are in, that currently holds the doors for the laundry closet.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Fortunately it's a long weekend

[Slateman]

Well, it took most of the day, but the duct work is in and the 240 line is strung near the box. I'll wait until the BiL comes over to inspect my work before finishing up the drywall and mudding.

[MarquisDeSade]

Rewired the entire garage and it is now ready for Rubberstamp Ron to marvel at my mad wiring and CAD skilz. 

[dracnal]

After MDS's suggestion I told my wife about GHTV.  She recently had tendon surgery and has been on sick leave from work with Doctor's orders to basically not do a thing with her arms. She blew threw a full season of Rehab Addict in a day and is now on to Flip or Flop.  She's decided to go with a pallet deck for the backyard.

Thanks for the great suggestions all. Happy wife with a project means down time for me to actually do something I enjoy.

[MarquisDeSade]

After MDS's suggestion I told my wife about GHTV.  She recently had tendon surgery and has been on sick leave from work with Doctor's orders to basically not do a thing with her arms. She blew threw a full season of Rehab Addict in a day and is now on to Flip or Flop.  She's decided to go with a pallet deck for the backyard.

Thanks for the great suggestions all. Happy wife with a project means down time for me to actually do something I enjoy.

Rehab Addict is really good but Renovation Realities is where it's at.  Check your PM.

[Slateman]

Drywall question


When doing drywall corner beads, where there is a bead on the edge of a frame and also along the top, do you have to cut 45 degree cuts to the very tip and line them up? Like this:





What is the advantage of that?

[varoadking]

Butt joints are more prone to cracking given load geometry.

[Slateman]

Got cited by the HOA for a "leaning fence"

No previous citations. freaking bullcrap.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

A friend's house is in a historic district where all (and I mean ALL) construction must be vetted by the preservation nazis. She needed to replace a small dormer subroof on the 3rd floor that is barely visible from the street and which has had asphalt shingle for at least 60 years...the board insisted that they use period tile from when it was built in the early 1900s, which would have cost an astronomical amount and not been very durable. The case was under appeal for like 2 years (with all attendant water damage from leaks, ice dams, etc).  And god help you if you want to replace the original windows in her neighbourhood. 

I love me some overbearing big government, but HOAs and preservation star chambers piss me off.

Got cited by the HOA for a "leaning fence"

No previous citations. freaking bullcrap.

[Mathguy]

Sounds like a personal problem ...

Butt joints are more prone to cracking given load geometry.

[HalfSmokes]

A friend's house is in a historic district where all (and I mean ALL) construction must be vetted by the preservation nazis. She needed to replace a small dormer subroof on the 3rd floor that is barely visible from the street and which has had asphalt shingle for at least 60 years...the board insisted that they use period tile from when it was built in the early 1900s, which would have cost an astronomical amount and not been very durable. The case was under appeal for like 2 years (with all attendant water damage from leaks, ice dams, etc).  And god help you if you want to replace the original windows in her neighbourhood. 

I love me some overbearing big government, but HOAs and preservation star chambers piss me off.

That's where the 12 foot high larouche for president banners come in

[MarquisDeSade]

Looks like we're going to have to have a new underground water line installed.  Better now when it's 80 degrees and the ground is soft than in January when it's 10 degrees and frozen.  Bring on those tax breaks baby!

[mitlen]

Looks like we're going to have to have a new underground water line installed.  Better now when it's 80 degrees and the ground is soft than in January when it's 10 degrees and frozen.  Bring on those tax breaks baby!

I did (needed) mine during a warm spell in February, 2012.    Do tell about the tax breaks.    Didn't know I could write it off in some way.   Is there a year limitation (3, 5 or 7 years)?     The line ran from the water meter to the house.

[MarquisDeSade]

I did (needed) mine during a warm spell in February, 2012.    Do tell about the tax breaks.    Didn't know I could write it off in some way.   Is there a year limitation (3, 5 or 7 years)?     The line ran from the water meter to the house.

Our house is from the early 1900s and the taps were the originals when they installed city water back in 1920.  The city is going to be the general contractor and pay for the replacement direct and we'll pay them back at like 3.5% interest over five years via our semi-annual taxes.  My understanding is that they often forget to flag "capital improvement" loan repayments as non-direct taxes so the amount often gets included in your total tax burden, hence a potential tax break.  Just glad we're doing it now instead of when the ground is frozen. 

[mitlen]

Our house is from the early 1900s and the taps were the originals when they installed city water back in 1920.  The city is going to be the general contractor and pay for the replacement direct and we'll pay them back at like 3.5% interest over five years via our semi-annual taxes.  My understanding is that they often forget to flag "capital improvement" loan repayments as non-direct taxes so the amount often gets included in your total tax burden, hence a potential tax break.  Just glad we're doing it now instead of when the ground is frozen. 

Thanks MDS.    I'll check with H & R Block. 

[HalfSmokes]

I'll check with H & R Block. 

[mitlen]

(Image removed from quote.)

I think they did my taxes in '12.

[mitlen]

I have a yellow jacket ground nest in my yard.    I need to get rid of it ....  I'm not quite ready to call a pest company at this point.    I bought a can of foaming aerosol and plan to spray it down the hole after dark/early morning (fully attired).    Anybody have any other remedies?    In Western PA, people pour gasoline down the whole.   Think I wanna stay away from that.        

[HalfSmokes]

we used to bury an M80, but now that they're banned, I think I'd just go with filling it with whatever pesticide

[dracnal]

Found this suggestion.  All things say find the nest entrances during day (often two or three), but wait until nighttime for the action. They've all gone home at that point and are the most sluggish.

"I just boil a pot of water on the stove then walk out and pour the whole thing into the hole. It cooks all of them and the eggs instantly. You can shove a funnel into the hole then pour the water in that way to get more into the hole. Also look for a 2nd or 3rd hole for the nest! I did the boiling water method twice this year so far and both times I found extra holes to the nest."

[mitlen]

Found this suggestion.  All things say find the nest entrances during day (often two or three), but wait until nighttime for the action. They've all gone home at that point and are the most sluggish.

"I just boil a pot of water on the stove then walk out and pour the whole thing into the hole. It cooks all of them and the eggs instantly. You can shove a funnel into the hole then pour the water in that way to get more into the hole. Also look for a 2nd or 3rd hole for the nest! I did the boiling water method twice this year so far and both times I found extra holes to the nest."

I looked through the yard for other/more holes but didn't see any.    There's a major entrance right next to my front sidewalk.   That's the one I'm going after.    The boiling water sounds like a good idea as well.    I'm going with "Spectracide" foaming aerosol for my first foray.

BTW HS, I have a few 'works in the basement from a trip to SC several years ago.    

[HalfSmokes]

it was pretty satisfying to bury a couple half way into a fire ant nest then light them (hair spray and a lighter worked too, didn't get the nest, but it was usually fun)