The Home Improvement Thread

[doug rr]

our kitchen reno last summer was just over 20k more than we thought

[ghost]

Starting to get estimates on our basement remodel. How much will a kidney go for these days?

It'll probably take more than a kidney. My eyes about popped out of my head when I started looking into the cost of finishing a basement.

Considering it will almost double the amount of livable space in our house, it will be worth it. But man alive.

Roll some thin carpet over the concrete, slap up some paneling and call it good.

[Monkey_Driven]

Starting to get estimates on our basement remodel. How much will a kidney go for these days?

It'll probably take more than a kidney. My eyes about popped out of my head when I started looking into the cost of finishing a basement.

Considering it will almost double the amount of livable space in our house, it will be worth it. But man alive.

Roll some thin carpet over the concrete, slap up some paneling and call it good.

The wiring needs to be completely redone and we need to install a bathroom. Not sure paneling is going to cut it!

[JuanHamm]

MD, you're a healthy young guy right? Why not do some of the work yourself? A lot of it really isn't that hard, you just need YouTube tutorials and patience.

[Monkey_Driven]

MD, you're a healthy young guy right? Why not do some of the work yourself? A lot of it really isn't that hard, you just need YouTube tutorials and patience.

I have a child and I would like to have some sort of spare time in the next two years.

[ghost]

Anyone ever tried actually using a Home Warranty before?

[Strat]

Get a professional to do it. As an appraiser, we can always tell and we call it "done by owner".

Unless you are naturally handy and have done similar stuff before, just get a professional to do it.

Or hire Ruddo to come over.

[B]

Anyone ever tried actually using a Home Warranty before?

We had one for 2 years at our current house.

We made great use of it and it paid for itself easy, but everyone that does the work is the lowest bidder. I haven't found the work to be shoddy, but the service is for total shit. They just don't give a shit b/c the home warranty company is paying them so little for the work.

After 2 years the warranty company dropped us because we had the audacity to use the warranty.

[ghost]

Anyone ever tried actually using a Home Warranty before?

We had one for 2 years at our current house.

We made great use of it and it paid for itself easy, but everyone that does the work is the lowest bidder. I haven't found the work to be shoddy, but the service is for total shit. They just don't give a shit b/c the home warranty company is paying them so little for the work.

After 2 years the warranty company dropped us because we had the audacity to use the warranty.

That's what I figured. We've got a small leak in the basement that looks like it would be more complicated than your average service call, and I want to make sure it gets fixed the right way.

[B]

Get some of that super, sticks to anything tape.

[Strat]

Hot Water heater = BYE!

$2,000 all in on a new one. Delivery, warranty, taxes, removal, installation.

OH, the joys.

[96583UP]

was it leaking?

that sounds high

[lennytheweedwhacker]

was it leaking?

that sounds high

vail prices, bro

[96583UP]

hope its energy star at least

[Strat]

was it leaking?

that sounds high

No leaking yet but it is 16 years old. Low hot water pressure for a few months, and yesterday it was struggling to get me luke warm water.

I called a couple of plumbers and they are booked solid for a couple of weeks so i went through home depot. Perhaps im paying a little bit more but it will be taken care of soon and im pretty covered all in with delivery, installation, removal, yada yada.

[ghost]

I'm going to attempt to replace two sections of fascia board myself this weekend. God help me.

[doug rr]

i think a few of us here can relate to this..

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/opin ... ement.html

[E.H. Ruddock]

For the past six months yup

[lennytheweedwhacker]

I'm going to attempt to replace two sections of fascia board myself this weekend. God help me.

oh boy...that has to be difficult

[96583UP]

i think a few of us here can relate to this..

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/opin ... ement.html

'My emotions around the pandemic became so tightly tied up in these plants.”

when my gardenias were failing, there was definitely an apex breaking point one afternoon involving me aggressively digging up, replacing soil, and adding epsom salt

as though my life depended on it

if anyone has any advice on small evergreen shrubs that can survive a cold winter, i am all ears

not boxwoods though, those are too bleh