My DIY projects

[zolotiyeruki]

(old topic, I just renamed it so I can keep all my home improvement projects in one thread rather than cluttering up the forum)

Ok, ok, it's the second-smallest room in the house.  But it's one that gets pretty heavy use, and its size made it an easy target.  When we moved in, it had a pair of bifold doors.  Those didn't last long--they just got in the way.  And then the wall wasn't serving any purpose.  Here's what I did:
--remove wall, coat hooks, and wire shelving
--move wiring/light switches (with freakin' METAL CONDUIT) to new locations.  Seriously, if that part of our local building code isn't a sop to the UBEW, I dunno what is.
--patch/mud/tape drywall (my first time doing it for real)
--remove old vinyl and trim
--scrape subfloor smooth
--patch/smooth subfloor where the wall used to be (first time for me)
--new vinyl (first time for me), new trim in places (many pieces were re-used)
--paint
--hang cabinets (first time for me) and move all the internet equipment elsewhere, and reinstall coat rack.

Total cost (estimated):
cabinets (93" worth, 36" high)--$225 at Habitat for Humanity ReStore
vinyl - $90
paint - $50.  Woulda been $25 had we picked the right color the first time.
a bunch of misc stuff--$50?  I didn't really keep track.

Down the road we plan to add cubbies above the coat rack, for holding winter hats, gloves, and misc stuff like that.  I got to learn a bunch of new skills and materials, which I may or may not use some time in the future...

[pbkmaine]

Looks good! You might want to put cubbies on the floor, or a long bench on the floor, to tuck shoes under and to have a place to sit while putting boots on.


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[Dicey]

Niiiiice job! I hope those lovely, lovely cabinets are securely anchored to studs. Next, look for something like this on Craigslist:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/95983035781926056/

I am no Ikea fan, but I believe this is style was called an Expedit, which may be discontinued. The style is so practical that you should have no trouble finding something similar. Keep the height low so that nobody cracks their noggin on the lovely cabinets after doffing their shoes.

[soccerluvof4]

yes i agree, very nice job but some benches/cubicles you can sit on and lift the tops to store things in will keep the clutter way down. Mud rooms are a must these days with kids!! great for resale.

[zolotiyeruki]

You're all correct--a boot bench is also in the plans, with cubbies underneath for shoes, etc.  Sorry I forgot to mention that.  Diane C, we actually have one of those Expedit units in another room as a window seat.

[Roots&Wings]

Good job! What type/brand of vinyl did you use on the floor? I'm trying to find something similar for my utility room.

[zolotiyeruki]

Good job! What type/brand of vinyl did you use on the floor? I'm trying to find something similar for my utility room.

Uh...(runs and looks at menards.com) it looks like Tarket Eclipse or Tarket Essence.  It was $0.99/sq ft.

[Roots&Wings]

Good job! What type/brand of vinyl did you use on the floor? I'm trying to find something similar for my utility room.

Uh...(runs and looks at menards.com) it looks like Tarket Eclipse or Tarket Essence.  It was $0.99/sq ft.

Great, thanks so much for sharing, and glad the vinyl installation went smoothly for you as a first timer. That will be me as well.

[zolotiyeruki]

Good job! What type/brand of vinyl did you use on the floor? I'm trying to find something similar for my utility room.

Uh...(runs and looks at menards.com) it looks like Tarket Eclipse or Tarket Essence.  It was $0.99/sq ft.

Great, thanks so much for sharing, and glad the vinyl installation went smoothly for you as a first timer. That will be me as well.

Yeah, it wasn't bad at all.  You *really* have to be nitpicky about any bumps in the surface of the floor.  Make sure you get every speck of dirt, sawdust, or glue off the floor.

[Dicey]

You're all correct--a boot bench is also in the plans, with cubbies underneath for shoes, etc.  Sorry I forgot to mention that.  Diane C, we actually have one of those Expedit units in another room as a window seat.

HaHa, great mustachian minds...

[paddedhat]

LOL, Yes the conduit scam is limited to very few areas, and I would guess that you are in the Chicago area. Yes, it is part of a very old, good ole' boy arrangement between the IBEW and local municipal authorities. It has nothing to do with reality, but often when it comes up, online, some dope from the Cook county area will jump on and proclaim that it's safer (bullshit) and it's easier to add additional circuits to (non-issue).

I am a card carrying IBEW member, and have no issues with how they do business in 95% of North America. They place well educated tradesmen in the field, and they can be highly productive and competitive in most areas, outside of a few big cities, where they tend to be quite the opposite.  Spending my career located a few hours from, and equidistant to NYC and Philly, I could go on for hours about some of the entertaining shit those locals have done over the years.

If you are a relative newbee in the DIY world, and managed to install conduit in an existing space, without needing to spend big bucks on an electrician, I am impressed. Good luck with the project. 

[HappierAtHome]

Aussie here. What IS a mudroom?

Your remodel looks cool.

[zolotiyeruki]

LOL, Yes the conduit scam is limited to very few areas, and I would guess that you are in the Chicago area. Yes, it is part of a very old, good ole' boy arrangement between the IBEW and local municipal authorities. It has nothing to do with reality, but often when it comes up, online, some dope from the Cook county area will jump on and proclaim that it's safer (bullshit) and it's easier to add additional circuits to (non-issue).

I am a card carrying IBEW member, and have no issues with how they do business in 95% of North America. They place well educated tradesmen in the field, and they can be highly productive and competitive in most areas, outside of a few big cities, where they tend to be quite the opposite.  Spending my career located a few hours from, and equidistant to NYC and Philly, I could go on for hours about some of the entertaining shit those locals have done over the years.

If you are a relative newbee in the DIY world, and managed to install conduit in an existing space, without needing to spend big bucks on an electrician, I am impressed. Good luck with the project.

Yup, outer chicago suburbs, in what is otherwise a pretty conservative area.  Conduit isn't that bad, it's just time consuming for the DIYer.  Incidentally, PEX is also disallowed--it has to be 100% copper.  And we can't penetrate joists at all. Period.

Aussie here. What IS a mudroom?

Your remodel looks cool.

A mudroom is a small room between the garage and the rest of the house.  More common in areas that get more rain or especially snow.  When you come in from the garage, you leave your shoes/boots and coats in the mudroom, so you don't track mud through the rest of the house.

[zolotiyeruki]

Resurrecting my own thread, so I can keep my projects in a single place rather than cluttering up the forums.

(Mid-March) Our house was a foreclosure.  Original builder didn't put in ceiling boxes in any of the rooms in the house.  Seriously.  The bank sort of fixed up the house--our bedroom got a $5 2-bulb flush-mount fixture.  I picked up a really nice ceiling fan off bookoo and installed some scavenged recessed lights, conduit, and wire.  Other than the ceiling fan, the project cost me almost nothing. (see pic)

(May 16) Last weekend, I finished my DIY water softener install.  Our city water is hard--13 grains/gallon, or whatever the measurement is.  Water softener was purchased used for probably 80% off retail.  The valve motor was seized after sitting in my garage for a year, but I took it apart and got it un-seized.  I also took the opportunity to replumb the outside spigots, so I won't waste softened water on the lawn (not that I water it).  I swear I spent twice as much just on the copper pipe and fittings than I did on the water softener and salt...

[zolotiyeruki]

A win, and a fail:  much to my delight, the dryer stopped working yesterday.  I tore it to bits, diagnosed a sticky blower motor bearing, got it lubricated, and put it back together.  Win: motor runs great.  Fail:  I broke the flame sensor while reassembling the dryer.  $14 part will arrive tomorrow, after which we'll be back on track with laundry.