Home Improvement Thread

[NTP66]

We have a tuff N dri coating in our new foundation and a water proofing warranty for 30 years. A perk of building new, I suppose.

I want to slowly finish our basement as well. Maybe I'll start this winter.

And that's exactly what I'd have done if I built my house, as well.

[Nuge]

I've really enjoyed finishing it a little at a time which makes this even more frustrating. It was dry yesterday after steady rain all day. I noticed the water after a particularly hard downpour the other day. The timing of this makes it worse since I have like 10 other projects going on during this quarantine and take care of my 1 year old all day.

[Dickie Dunn]

We have a tuff N dri coating in our new foundation and a water proofing warranty for 30 years. A perk of building new, I suppose.

I want to slowly finish our basement as well. Maybe I'll start this winter.

Our builder used mar-flex geo foundation mats. Same concept just different stuff I guess. Last summer when there was like a god damn monsoon in the area we had some water come in where things (a/c line) weren’t properly sealed but other than that everything has been fine. We had some warranty work done last year to pump epoxy into a couple spots on the foundation and the dude who came out says he tells everyone he deals with to wait at least three years before finishing your basement, as that is usually enough time to have any issues crop up and be dealt with. Otherwise, you never really know what’s going on behind those walls.

[NTP66]

Source of the post We had some warranty work done last year to pump epoxy into a couple spots on the foundation

I'm heading there in the next few years to seal up a few minor foundation cracks, though it won't be warranty work.

[mac5155]

We have a tuff N dri coating in our new foundation and a water proofing warranty for 30 years. A perk of building new, I suppose.

I want to slowly finish our basement as well. Maybe I'll start this winter.

Our builder used mar-flex geo foundation mats. Same concept just different stuff I guess. Last summer when there was like a god damn monsoon in the area we had some water come in where things (a/c line) weren’t properly sealed but other than that everything has been fine. We had some warranty work done last year to pump epoxy into a couple spots on the foundation and the dude who came out says he tells everyone he deals with to wait at least three years before finishing your basement, as that is usually enough time to have any issues crop up and be dealt with. Otherwise, you never really know what’s going on behind those walls.

That;s what I've heard as well. I get some dampness on the walls but no pooling water or anything yet. We did have some settlement cracks in the mortar and my builder sent his mason out to repoint the block.

[mac5155]

I've really enjoyed finishing it a little at a time which makes this even more frustrating. It was dry yesterday after steady rain all day. I noticed the water after a particularly hard downpour the other day. The timing of this makes it worse since I have like 10 other projects going on during this quarantine and take care of my 1 year old all day.

What's the approach you're taking? I want to section off about 1/4 of the basement for storage, and then finish the rest. Do I frame the whole thing in? Or just run 1-bys across the block walls and 2x4s on the interior walls? Did you insulate inside?

[Nuge]

I've really enjoyed finishing it a little at a time which makes this even more frustrating. It was dry yesterday after steady rain all day. I noticed the water after a particularly hard downpour the other day. The timing of this makes it worse since I have like 10 other projects going on during this quarantine and take care of my 1 year old all day.

What's the approach you're taking? I want to section off about 1/4 of the basement for storage, and then finish the rest. Do I frame the whole thing in? Or just run 1-bys across the block walls and 2x4s on the interior walls? Did you insulate inside?

I painted the exterior walls with drylock and then glued foam board insulation to them. I framed 2x4 walls everywhere, leaving a little space behind the exteriors and used batt insulation in between the studs. My layout is pretty much what you're looking at. About a quarter of it I left unfinished for storage and utilities (that's where my furnace and hot water heater are). I also framed two closets, one around my sump pump and the other around my electrical panel.

[mac5155]

Thanks for the info.

I want to do a full bath, and then bar/lounge area. I have it roughed in plumbing wise but I'm sure I'll end up moving stuff and cutting concrete.

Did you to 2x4s all around for insulation purposes or?

[Nuge]

Yeah, insulation, wiring, etc. It just seemed easier to do it that way. I didn't do any plumbing down there since there were no rough ins and we have a powder room literally right at the top of the stairs. I would've liked to put in a half bath, but ended up not spending the money on it.

[Troy Loney]

If one were to go about buying a washer and dryer in this environment, how would you suggest doing so?

I am trying to get a hold of someone at home depot, but have been on hold for about an hour. My primary concern is the installation. The washer slot has no restrictions, but the dryer slot is 60 in, which seems like no issue for the 7.5 cu ft machine, but the laundry room floor has a big dip, so I'm concerned that whatever they use to level the machine would cause the space to be too low.

[skullman80]

Dont most washers and dryers these days have self leveling feet things to help them level out?

[NTP66]

Dont most washers and dryers these days have self leveling feet things to help them level out?

Yes, but if his floor is that far out of level, it may not do much good. However, they do make plastic leveling feet for when those come up short. I've never used them, so I'm not sure how well they work.

[Troy Loney]

Eventually someone answered the phone. The rep seemed to imply, upon my description of the floor, that the built in leveling will be adequate. It was just a matter of getting someone on the phone, I felt uncomfortable making that purchase from the website without having some of the concerns I had addressed.

[RonnieFranchise]

I always try to recognize good customer service- 10 year old faucet in the shower is leaking and I was trying to buy a replacement valve. Couldn't tell what model I have so I sent a pic to Price-Pfister. Their response was - it's this model and I'm sending you a new one at no charge.

I'm under orders not to touch it until quarantine's over, though.....

[NTP66]

That's awesome of them.

[meow]

Buy the cartridge puller.

[mac5155]

My new water booster pump came today. Going to install it and hopefully take a shower that doesn't feel like it's coming oit of a camp shower bag

[NTP66]

Buy the cartridge puller.

This.

[robbiestoupe]

Buy the cartridge puller.

This.

Thirded

[meow]

It's one of those tools. I'm standing in Lowe's thinking, "I'm not paying $25 for this thing. But I heard it was worth it. How can it be worth it? I'll try it, I guess."

Then I used it a decided I would have paid $250 for it.

[count2infinity]

There's a portion of the living room and a portion of the master bedroom that needs to have a baseboard replaced. Of course they're not the same cut. Close, but not quite the same. I'm tempted to just put the living room cut in the master... no one will ever know except me.

[NTP66]

Source of the post Then I used it a decided I would have paid $250 for it.

Yep. I struggled mightily on the cartridge in the shower of my wife's old condo before going to Lowe's and grabbing the puller. **** thing had it out in 10 seconds with minimal effort, and I felt like a god damn king. Easily one of the best possible single use tools ever created.

After the new cartridge was installed, my wife nearly tore the handle off the first time she used it because she was used to having to pull it like you were wrestling a bear for his food.

[dodint]

I bought the cartridge puller and ended up scoring the valve anyway. I really suck at home improvement.

[nocera]

Anyone have experience using ant baits? I killed maybe about 20 ants in my bathroom over the course of a few days. I sealed some areas where it seemed like they were coming in and it looked like it worked. Just today I killed 5 ants in my office, which is adjacent to my bathroom. I think it's time to look into baiting and killing these bastards. It's not a huge infestation and I don't believe they are carpenter ants. Any suggestions?

[mac5155]

I usually get an ant infestation in my mailbox (of all places lol) every year. the Terro disks work well. THey have little holes in the sides, ants usually crawl in and I think they die inside of it, at least I never had to clean any dead ones out.