Home Improvement Thread

mac5155
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Home Improvement Thread

Postby mac5155 » Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:47 am

This is a really general question with a ton of variables not supplied but I'm trying to see what kind of ballpark I'm in.

The house is a ranch, 65ft long. What we want to do is extend the entire thing back about 25ft for the length of the house. No new bathrooms/plumbing or kitchens, just making the rooms on the back of the house bigger. The catch is the house is on a hill, so the existing rooms would become 'lofts' that overlook the new sunken portion of the rooms. It would basically be a split level as the addition would be about a half story above (and behind) the existing unfinished basement. Each room would have a small half staircase in it.

Not sure how the roof would be handled, but a good friend of mine is a roofer so I'll probably just ask him.

Anyway, given those few details does this project seem doable, in Westmoreland County, for less than $80,000? Or am I way off?

Is the basement more than 1k square feet? Because I believe code now requires that anything above that have two exits.


If so, would they have to move the exit from the basement to do this addition?
My basement is 1600 square feet, and has one exit. Unless up the stairs to the inside is considered an exit also.

grunthy
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Postby grunthy » Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:52 am

This is a really general question with a ton of variables not supplied but I'm trying to see what kind of ballpark I'm in.

The house is a ranch, 65ft long. What we want to do is extend the entire thing back about 25ft for the length of the house. No new bathrooms/plumbing or kitchens, just making the rooms on the back of the house bigger. The catch is the house is on a hill, so the existing rooms would become 'lofts' that overlook the new sunken portion of the rooms. It would basically be a split level as the addition would be about a half story above (and behind) the existing unfinished basement. Each room would have a small half staircase in it.

Not sure how the roof would be handled, but a good friend of mine is a roofer so I'll probably just ask him.

Anyway, given those few details does this project seem doable, in Westmoreland County, for less than $80,000? Or am I way off?

Is the basement more than 1k square feet? Because I believe code now requires that anything above that have two exits.


If so, would they have to move the exit from the basement to do this addition?
My basement is 1600 square feet, and has one exit. Unless up the stairs to the inside is considered an exit also.
It is.

mac5155
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Home Improvement Thread

Postby mac5155 » Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:54 am

If you want my opinion that sounds like a lot of money to sink into a project. Is moving not an option?

dodint
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Postby dodint » Wed Oct 03, 2018 11:59 am

We're gathering data on scenarios for us selling the house in Allegheny County and moving to this house. It's my wife's childhood home so there are considerations at play that are not strictly financial.

If the outcome here is that I can get rid of my $1500/mo mortgage and replace it with a $700/mo construction loan/mortgage; while doubling the size of her home and building myself a 4+ car garage in the process I think it might be worth it even before all the other intangibles are considered.

mac5155
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Postby mac5155 » Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:04 pm

I feel we've had this conversation before. :pop:

dodint
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Postby dodint » Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:19 pm

Yeah. Well, she wants to jump in and mortgage that house now and move in when it's done. I would rather sell the AP house first. She doesn't have a job so her influence is diminished.

nocera
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Postby nocera » Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:38 pm

I have one of those old metal soap holders in my bathtub that's come loose from the tile. There is a single screw in the middle that looks like it isn't doing much at all anymore. Is there a special waterproof adhesive I could use to reattach?

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Wed Oct 03, 2018 5:11 pm

You could try JB WaterWeld.

meow
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Postby meow » Wed Oct 03, 2018 5:39 pm

I think liquid nails makes a bathroom adhesive. I’d try that then caulk around the edge

Silentom
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Postby Silentom » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:10 am

Liquid Nails is a safe bet. That stuff is damn useful.

Viva la Ben
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Postby Viva la Ben » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:13 am

Phil Swift would recommend flex glue

Freddy Rumsen
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Postby Freddy Rumsen » Sat Oct 06, 2018 8:23 am

This Old House should be renamed "This Million Dollar Renovation".

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sat Oct 06, 2018 1:53 pm

True for some of the newer seasons, but I still love the show and watch it religiously.

And yes, Kevin is a better host than Steve and Bob.

tifosi77
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Postby tifosi77 » Sat Oct 06, 2018 2:17 pm

Re electronic entry doors

We just installed a Schlage earlier this year and love it. You kind of have to be careful about shielding the keypad as you enter your code if you live in a neighborhood where there's clear line-of-sight to your door, but overall it's pretty neat.

tifosi77
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Postby tifosi77 » Sat Oct 06, 2018 2:18 pm

True for some of the newer seasons, but I still love the show and watch it religiously.

And yes, Kevin is a better host than Steve and Bob.
You bite your tongue.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sat Oct 06, 2018 2:50 pm

Bob was a tool.

Freddy Rumsen
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Postby Freddy Rumsen » Sat Oct 06, 2018 3:27 pm

True for some of the newer seasons, but I still love the show and watch it religiously.

And yes, Kevin is a better host than Steve and Bob.
The one this morning was especially bad. They were gutting a 2500 sq ft house, making it carbon neutral, and building a 1000 addition on the back with a pool.

I like Kevin.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sat Oct 06, 2018 3:37 pm

That sounds like the season 17 opener, which I’ll be watching tomorrow.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sun Oct 07, 2018 11:34 am

Of course my water heater starts leaking and now needs to be replaced. And of course it is a power vent model that costs double what a traditional water heater costs. I guess I won't be epoxying my garage until 2020 now...

meow
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Postby meow » Sun Oct 07, 2018 11:43 am

Bob was a tool.
This is a compliment to a home improvement guy, no?

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sun Oct 07, 2018 12:15 pm

Bob was a tool.
This is a compliment to a home improvement guy, no?
In this case, it was not.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:05 pm

I bit the bullet and paid for the 10-year parts and labor full warranty on my new water heater. I’m still pissed about having to blow $2400 on a replacement unit after only 8 years, but that’s apparently the standard these days.

Freddy Rumsen
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Postby Freddy Rumsen » Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:17 pm

Getting a new A/C unit installed this week.

Replacing a 26 year old one.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:18 pm

26 years is damn solid. The unit at my parents’ house is closing in on 30, but needs to be replaced in the spring.

mac5155
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Postby mac5155 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:11 am

I bit the bullet and paid for the 10-year parts and labor full warranty on my new water heater. I’m still pissed about having to blow $2400 on a replacement unit after only 8 years, but that’s apparently the standard these days.
woof........ $2400? My old man just bought one for $650.

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