Author Topic: Things I've learned about houses/remodeling  (Read 1758 times)

ober

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Things I've learned about houses/remodeling
« on: June 09, 2016, 08:59:27 AM »
Just thought I'd share some things I've learned over the years so people don't repeat my mistakes (or learn what works):

1) Marble countertops suck.  They look nice but they get water spots easily and I have yet to find a way to remove them.

2) Laminate flooring in a kitchen is probably not a wise investment.  I would suggest avoiding it (even if it is rated for a wet area).  I know Knuck will disagree with me on this.

3) Always use backerboard (concrete board) under tile.  Also, porcelain > ceramic.

4) Fuck wax rings for toilets.  They make silicone ones now that are much easier to install and can be reused.  You also don't have to worry about height issues with them.

5) Don't stain a deck with a roller/brush.  Spend the money to get a decent sprayer.  You'll save time and the finished result will be much better!

6) Don't build a wood deck!  Replace that shit with composite materials!  Wood is hard to maintain!

7) Water sucks and will destroy your life.  Get sensors.  Put them everywhere to detect leaks.  They're cheap in comparison to what water can do if left unchecked.

8) Watch contractors like a hawk and make them fix shit that you find the first time.  Having to deal with them over and over is not fun and they will try to cut corners.

9) Dishwashers can sometimes be more of a headache than they're worth.  Ours broke over a month ago and we have realized (since we haven't bought another yet) that we spent so much time loading and unloading the dishwasher in comparison to just washing them ourselves.  We also cut down on how many dishes we use and we try to reuse cups and stuff more often.


I'm sure I can think of more, but those are my initial thoughts.  Add yours!

KnuckleBuckett

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Re: Things I've learned about houses/remodeling
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2016, 10:26:44 PM »
I already had a thread kind of like this but it was roundly ignored.  Ya fucks.

2  Da hell.  We soaked ours for a WORKDAY and it came back fine and has remained so for 13 years....  Yup disagree so far.  I will say though ours is well rated for water resistance.

4 Damn sho

6 told ya

7 and 8 See 4

9 Disagree.  No way they get as clean by hand and I will always have something better to do with my time than wash dishes.  Cleaning and loading are so much easier.


I got a few for houses....of course.

1 Ceiling fans in every room except the bathrooms.  At least 52" with 4 or 5 light kits and LED lights.  Yes the garage also.  I have two in the garage and love em.  Hunter 5 minute install fans really are 5 minute installs.

2 Whole house water filters.  First one to catch chunks and the second one to wipe out chlorine, bio-particles, and other micro-yuck.  The big 3' ones.  Cartridges last about a year plus.  They protect everything that gets water - appliances, people, and all the stuff water is used for inside and out.

3 Roof fans.  If you have an attic they rock.  In the summer they exhaust heat and extend the life of the roof, unload your AC, and decrease upstairs/downstairs temp differential.  In winter they will exhaust excess humidity to reduce risk of molds.  Note if your garage does not share attic space ya need two. 

4 Latex mattress.  By PureBliss.  OMG - Life changing event.

5 If you are building copper run it everywhere x 2 fuck wireless.  Also all electrical wiring should be at LEAST 10AWG or larger.

6 Motion / light sensing lights.  Great in those dark areas, cupboards, and stairways.  Guests love ya for them.

7 TVs and computers.  Keep them out of the bedroom.  Utilize alternate forms of entertainment.

8 Cardboard.  Use it in sheds and tool closets so that your tools and machinery don't rust.  A couple layers on the floors.  They suck up spills too.

9 Furnace/AC filters and smoke detector batteries.  Use good ones and replace both at least 2x per year.  We find that our furnace filters need to be replaced nearly monthly.

10 Whole house surge suppression at the box.  They are inexpensive and easily installed.  Save you tons of cash over the years.

11 Water heater expansion tanks.  Kind of like 11 but for water pressure spikes generated by anything that dispenses water.

12 Guest bed mattress.  If you have a guest room it should have a bed you would be willing to sleep on.  If not pat yourself on the face really hard.  Then fix this. Fast.

13 Did I mention.  Latex mattress.  By PureBliss.  OMG - Life changing event.

 :D

jkim

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Re: Things I've learned about houses/remodeling
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2016, 06:11:03 PM »
6 Motion / light sensing lights.  Great in those dark areas, cupboards, and stairways.  Guests love ya for them.
:thumbsup: Heck, we love overselves for having motion lights at the entry so we don't have to find the switch carrying groceries in.

KnuckleBuckett

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ober

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Re: Things I've learned about houses/remodeling
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2016, 10:33:36 AM »
Sorry it took me so long to respond.

On the floor, I know you had some crazy luck there.  And maybe if it had just been a day it would have been fine.  Our dishwasher leaked for several weeks before we found out the issue.

On the dishwasher, while the dishwasher may get some stuff cleaner, I still had random shit that wouldn't get clean in the dishwasher.  And honestly, we're a couple months in without having one and I don't miss the damn thing.

On your list:

1, 3, 5, 9 Agreed

On the others, I generally agree but just haven't gotten around to some.

And we just bought a mattress about a year ago and it's memory-foam-ish.  We enjoy the hell out of it (and also the upgrade to a king size).