Home-owners...What are your current projects? (3 Viewers)

[Senor Schmutzig]

Now that I have some time on my hands (got let go from my job of 13 years in mid-December and have run out of things on my wife's to-do list, I think I may work on my low-voltage landscape lighting around the perimeter of our yard. I had an outside outlet installed and ran a wire under the fake turf we had installed last year so I have electricity. Now I just need to pick out a system that I like.

To Amazon I go....

Yeah, the above hasn't happened yet....BUT....I have another project to work on...

I need to put up some shelving and cabinet in the garage but have been a little perplexed on how to make it happen.

The wall that I want to install the cabinets on is sheetrock attached to wood furring strips in front of the concrete block. Based on my expert googling skills, I think I am going to purchase a second-hand hammer drill so I can use Tapcon screws through the plywood-->furring strips-->concrete block.

Is that logic sound? I think it is....

Yes, you'll want to anchor into the block. Personally, I prefer drop in expanding anchors to tapcons. If you can use expanding anchors, consider it.

Even if it’s going through the drywall, furring strip AND the block? I have used them before when going directly into tile or block, but not this way,

 

[Fat Nick]

Looking for some advice on drainage. We have a very wet lot. We sit at the bottom of our cul-de-sac with a creek across the road. The grade brings water to the back yard and subsequently up to the foundation. The basement has a highly-functioning and very active sump pit. Almost always wet unless it's near-drought conditions. Pump works fantastically well thanks to a lot of work on my end. 2.5" PVC drains to a 4" main PVC drain with an air gap. Moves a TON of water through that 4" PVC. Here's my issue - The 4" ties into my gutters and picks up ~1/3 of my roof square footage, routes under my front walk way, and exits from a 4" PVC drain out into the yard about 15 feet off the driveway. From there, the water drains parallel to the driveway down to the sidewalk/street.

My challenge is this - Since I upgraded the sump drain to 4" PVC, the flow rate is such that the water comes out with such volume that it flows all the way down to the sidewalk. Several neighbors have commented. No Karens in this neighborhood - we all get along. Comments aren't negative, but it's enough that I want to address it. Additionally, I worry about settling of my driveway from the run-off impacting the underlying soil. I can't easily extend the drain down to the street because I'd have to go over/under the main power line for the street (buried), as well as a sidewalk.

I'm looking at installing a dry well . I have access to a small tractor with a back-hoe, so digging isn't too concerning. I'm seeing these 50 gallon plastic dry-well shells at Home Depot. I get how they work, etc...but my concern is that they'll literally just fill up in the first few minutes and then the overflow will put me right back where I started.

Some questions -
-Has anyone used one of these plastic dry wells? Can they handle a very significant flow of water - like from a sump pump running for 5-10 minutes? Or are they only for slower gutter run-off?
-Do you really need the plastic dry well or can you just dig a hole, line it with permeable fabric to keep sediment out, fill it with gravel, and then cover it back up?
-Any other options I'm missing?

 

[berndog]

Looking for some advice on drainage. We have a very wet lot. We sit at the bottom of our cul-de-sac with a creek across the road. The grade brings water to the back yard and subsequently up to the foundation. The basement has a highly-functioning and very active sump pit. Almost always wet unless it's near-drought conditions. Pump works fantastically well thanks to a lot of work on my end. 2.5" PVC drains to a 4" main PVC drain with an air gap. Moves a TON of water through that 4" PVC. Here's my issue - The 4" ties into my gutters and picks up ~1/3 of my roof square footage, routes under my front walk way, and exits from a 4" PVC drain out into the yard about 15 feet off the driveway. From there, the water drains parallel to the driveway down to the sidewalk/street.

My challenge is this - Since I upgraded the sump drain to 4" PVC, the flow rate is such that the water comes out with such volume that it flows all the way down to the sidewalk. Several neighbors have commented. No Karens in this neighborhood - we all get along. Comments aren't negative, but it's enough that I want to address it. Additionally, I worry about settling of my driveway from the run-off impacting the underlying soil. I can't easily extend the drain down to the street because I'd have to go over/under the main power line for the street (buried), as well as a sidewalk.

I'm looking at installing a dry well . I have access to a small tractor with a back-hoe, so digging isn't too concerning. I'm seeing these 50 gallon plastic dry-well shells at Home Depot. I get how they work, etc...but my concern is that they'll literally just fill up in the first few minutes and then the overflow will put me right back where I started.

Some questions -
-Has anyone used one of these plastic dry wells? Can they handle a very significant flow of water - like from a sump pump running for 5-10 minutes? Or are they only for slower gutter run-off?
-Do you really need the plastic dry well or can you just dig a hole, line it with permeable fabric to keep sediment out, fill it with gravel, and then cover it back up?
-Any other options I'm missing?

My first thought with the dry well is the water would slowly dissipate right back into your basement and also lead to a very green but potentially soggy front yard

Is there any way to utilize a flow meter to get a better understanding of the volume of water you are dealing with?

 

[Fat Nick]

My first thought with the dry well is the water would slowly dissipate right back into your basement and also lead to a very green but potentially soggy front yard

Is there any way to utilize a flow meter to get a better understanding of the volume of water you are dealing with?

So not worried about the water going back into the basement - the drywell would be ~20' away from the house, on the down-hill grade, so no way it ends up back in the basement.

Flow meter would help - but I have no clue how / where to get that. I wonder if I could do some math off timing how long my sump runs per cycle, and calculating the flow per minute. The pump should have those specs, and then I factor in the height of my pipe head to get a GPM flow rate, then time how long it runs from on to off...That might work. A pain to do as I have to wait till I get some rain and wait for it to trigger, but it might work to get an estimate.

 

[cosjobs]

Flooring, cabinets, counters, balcony, two-to-one bedroom conversion, fence, decking, grill station, ceiling fans, gravel side driveway and trailer pad. Storm/doggie door, entryway steps. Maybe 6mos, more likely a year.
More of a remodel than a project

 

[The Z Machine]

Flooring, cabinets, counters, balcony, two-to-one bedroom conversion, fence, decking, grill station, ceiling fans, gravel side driveway and trailer pad. Storm/doggie door, entryway steps. Maybe 6mos, more likely a year.
More of a remodel than a project

GLLLLLLLLLL

Buy yellow and black tools

 

[-OZ-]

Finishing our bathroom remodel - not DIY but we built shelves! Just under $40k.

I need to look into sealing our concrete deck.

Making a desk for our daughter. Wife will do much of the painting or staining, but we’ll build it together.

Gardening like every spring. This year I want to add composting.

We need to redo our fence on one side but that neighbor is currently renting and the owner is supposed to move in next year. Our drainage sucks so the land on his side is eroding (we’re on a hill), making me want to wait to redo the fence until the owner moves in. It’s our fence but he needs to fix the erosion.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

My first thought with the dry well is the water would slowly dissipate right back into your basement and also lead to a very green but potentially soggy front yard

Is there any way to utilize a flow meter to get a better understanding of the volume of water you are dealing with?

So not worried about the water going back into the basement - the drywell would be ~20' away from the house, on the down-hill grade, so no way it ends up back in the basement.

Flow meter would help - but I have no clue how / where to get that. I wonder if I could do some math off timing how long my sump runs per cycle, and calculating the flow per minute. The pump should have those specs, and then I factor in the height of my pipe head to get a GPM flow rate, then time how long it runs from on to off...That might work. A pain to do as I have to wait till I get some rain and wait for it to trigger, but it might work to get an estimate.

I’m interested in your project but would need to see pictures. I like your idea of the dry well 20’ away.

I’ve strongly considered opening up a company to do this type of work. It’s so easy and oddly, fun for me.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Finishing our bathroom remodel - not DIY but we built shelves! Just under $40k.

I need to look into sealing our concrete deck.

Making a desk for our daughter. Wife will do much of the painting or staining, but we’ll build it together.

Gardening like every spring. This year I want to add composting.

Have you considered refurbishing an old desk? It’s the same amount of work for both (you sand instead of build,) and you’ll end up with a nicer product.

I say this only because wood is no longer cheap as it once was.

 

[-OZ-]

Finishing our bathroom remodel - not DIY but we built shelves! Just under $40k.

I need to look into sealing our concrete deck.

Making a desk for our daughter. Wife will do much of the painting or staining, but we’ll build it together.

Gardening like every spring. This year I want to add composting.

Have you considered refurbishing an old desk? It’s the same amount of work for both (you sand instead of build,) and you’ll end up with a nicer product.

I say this only because wood is no longer cheap as it once was.

Good point. Wife is very specific about what she wants. So that’s part of the equation

 

[DocHolliday]

I am finishing about 550 SF of my basement and divided the area into two rooms. One room is going to be a gym and the other is a TV/home theater area. I used to finish basements as a side job and I have enjoyed much of the process after being away from it for a few years. Finishing the drywall was the worst part as expected but I think I want to do more of the basement finishing again. I forgot how satisfying construction can be.

Due to the past work I am friends with an electrician and painter and had them do that work to save me a good chunk of time. The electrician rewired the entire basement installing new lighting and more outlets everywhere. The painting happened today and I’m putting the floor down this weekend. I need to put up some lighting and do some other small tasks but the whole project only took a little over a month. I took 3 days off work and did most of the work on weekends and evenings when I was able to be home. The goal was to be finished before horse show season starts at the end of May and I’m in good shape.

 

[Instinctive]

I gotta do some photos, but just finished a huge retaining wall and fence replace + stain. Had to get profesh help for that one.

Next up is the outdoor grill station. It's gonna be amazing.

 

[berndog]

@Fat Nick
Totally agree the flow meter would be a pain in the *** but tossed it out there if it was in your wheel house. The goal was to get an idea of how big to build your dry well.

 

[glvsav37]

Some questions -
-Has anyone used one of these plastic dry wells? Can they handle a very significant flow of water - like from a sump pump running for 5-10 minutes? Or are they only for slower gutter run-off?
-Do you really need the plastic dry well or can you just dig a hole, line it with permeable fabric to keep sediment out, fill it with gravel, and then cover it back up?
-Any other options I'm missing?

How to Install a Dry Well | This Old House

Controlling rain run-off with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://b...

www.youtube.com

seems like you should use some section of pipe with holes in it to help start dissipating the water before it gets to the well. Then you want to add a valve on top of the well that would pop up if the well fills. Both of those should help minimize any real overflow issues.

the other thing you could do is add a second, smaller well a few feet past it. So if the 1st well were to fill, it would spill over to the backup well, giving the main well time to drain.

I think a big key is making sure any well is set lower, and pipes running downhill, then the exit point of the house. So if things do fill up, it won't run back into the main system

 

[Fat Nick]

Some questions -
-Has anyone used one of these plastic dry wells? Can they handle a very significant flow of water - like from a sump pump running for 5-10 minutes? Or are they only for slower gutter run-off?
-Do you really need the plastic dry well or can you just dig a hole, line it with permeable fabric to keep sediment out, fill it with gravel, and then cover it back up?
-Any other options I'm missing?

How to Install a Dry Well | This Old House

Controlling rain run-off with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://b...

www.youtube.com

seems like you should use some section of pipe with holes in it to help start dissipating the water before it gets to the well. Then you want to add a valve on top of the well that would pop up if the well fills. Both of those should help minimize any real overflow issues.

the other thing you could do is add a second, smaller well a few feet past it. So if the 1st well were to fill, it would spill over to the backup well, giving the main well time to drain.

I think a big key is making sure any well is set lower, and pipes running downhill, then the exit point of the house. So if things do fill up, it won't run back into the main system

I saw that same video you posted in my research - holes in the pipe before the well isn't an option, as my current pipe is already there, and runs under my landscaping and my walkway, so I'm not messing with that...but I am leaning towards doing a 2nd well, down-hill and a little past the 1st. I figure if I'm digging a hole for 1, I might as as well just make it bigger and put a 2nd one in for overflow. My ultimate goal is to not have much/any flow out of any overflow valve for the duration of a cycle of my sump...If I can get that with 2 wells, I'll be happy...I just need to see if 2 50 gallon wells have that kind of capacity or not given the perc rate of my soil.

 

[SWC]

Looking for some advice on drainage. We have a very wet lot. We sit at the bottom of our cul-de-sac with a creek across the road. The grade brings water to the back yard and subsequently up to the foundation. The basement has a highly-functioning and very active sump pit. Almost always wet unless it's near-drought conditions. Pump works fantastically well thanks to a lot of work on my end. 2.5" PVC drains to a 4" main PVC drain with an air gap. Moves a TON of water through that 4" PVC. Here's my issue - The 4" ties into my gutters and picks up ~1/3 of my roof square footage, routes under my front walk way, and exits from a 4" PVC drain out into the yard about 15 feet off the driveway. From there, the water drains parallel to the driveway down to the sidewalk/street.

My challenge is this - Since I upgraded the sump drain to 4" PVC, the flow rate is such that the water comes out with such volume that it flows all the way down to the sidewalk. Several neighbors have commented. No Karens in this neighborhood - we all get along. Comments aren't negative, but it's enough that I want to address it. Additionally, I worry about settling of my driveway from the run-off impacting the underlying soil. I can't easily extend the drain down to the street because I'd have to go over/under the main power line for the street (buried), as well as a sidewalk.

I'm looking at installing a dry well . I have access to a small tractor with a back-hoe, so digging isn't too concerning. I'm seeing these 50 gallon plastic dry-well shells at Home Depot. I get how they work, etc...but my concern is that they'll literally just fill up in the first few minutes and then the overflow will put me right back where I started.

Some questions -
-Has anyone used one of these plastic dry wells? Can they handle a very significant flow of water - like from a sump pump running for 5-10 minutes? Or are they only for slower gutter run-off?
-Do you really need the plastic dry well or can you just dig a hole, line it with permeable fabric to keep sediment out, fill it with gravel, and then cover it back up?
-Any other options I'm missing?

my sincere advice is get a contractor involved and get your sump drain connected to the storm at the street underground it may require going around over or whatever power lines etc but its the best solution and one that will last take that to the bank brohans

 

[SWC]

I am finishing about 550 SF of my basement and divided the area into two rooms. One room is going to be a gym and the other is a TV/home theater area. I used to finish basements as a side job and I have enjoyed much of the process after being away from it for a few years. Finishing the drywall was the worst part as expected but I think I want to do more of the basement finishing again. I forgot how satisfying construction can be.

Due to the past work I am friends with an electrician and painter and had them do that work to save me a good chunk of time. The electrician rewired the entire basement installing new lighting and more outlets everywhere. The painting happened today and I’m putting the floor down this weekend. I need to put up some lighting and do some other small tasks but the whole project only took a little over a month. I took 3 days off work and did most of the work on weekends and evenings when I was able to be home. The goal was to be finished before horse show season starts at the end of May and I’m in good shape.

what is your flooring going to be i really think the thicker vinyl plank does a great job in basements because it accepts sloped concrete and is impervious to moisture take that to the bank bromigos

 

[glvsav37]

Some questions -
-Has anyone used one of these plastic dry wells? Can they handle a very significant flow of water - like from a sump pump running for 5-10 minutes? Or are they only for slower gutter run-off?
-Do you really need the plastic dry well or can you just dig a hole, line it with permeable fabric to keep sediment out, fill it with gravel, and then cover it back up?
-Any other options I'm missing?

How to Install a Dry Well | This Old House

Controlling rain run-off with This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://b...

www.youtube.com

seems like you should use some section of pipe with holes in it to help start dissipating the water before it gets to the well. Then you want to add a valve on top of the well that would pop up if the well fills. Both of those should help minimize any real overflow issues.

the other thing you could do is add a second, smaller well a few feet past it. So if the 1st well were to fill, it would spill over to the backup well, giving the main well time to drain.

I think a big key is making sure any well is set lower, and pipes running downhill, then the exit point of the house. So if things do fill up, it won't run back into the main system

I saw that same video you posted in my research - holes in the pipe before the well isn't an option, as my current pipe is already there, and runs under my landscaping and my walkway, so I'm not messing with that...but I am leaning towards doing a 2nd well, down-hill and a little past the 1st. I figure if I'm digging a hole for 1, I might as as well just make it bigger and put a 2nd one in for overflow. My ultimate goal is to not have much/any flow out of any overflow valve for the duration of a cycle of my sump...If I can get that with 2 wells, I'll be happy...I just need to see if 2 50 gallon wells have that kind of capacity or not given the perc rate of my soil.

You're right, soil composition will be a huge factor in what ultimately gets out of the well. Here on Long Island, we are pretty much built on sand, so we drain water fairly well. I would think that if you have tough drainage soil you can combat that with a wider dig and adding drainage rocks. it will give you the space you need to relieve the well as well as keep the strength for the ground above it.

 

[mr. furley]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

 

[matttyl]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Have you looked into a heat pump tank unit instead? Not as expensive, qualifies for tax credit, less maintenance.

 

[mr. furley]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Have you looked into a heat pump tank unit instead? Not as expensive, qualifies for tax credit, less maintenance.

no. didn't know this was a thing. will research.

 

[matttyl]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Have you looked into a heat pump tank unit instead? Not as expensive, qualifies for tax credit, less maintenance.

no. didn't know this was a thing. will research.

Also extremely efficient.

 

[mr. furley]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Have you looked into a heat pump tank unit instead? Not as expensive, qualifies for tax credit, less maintenance.

no. didn't know this was a thing. will research.

Also extremely efficient.

looks like they do better in warm/hot environments. our basement should maintain at least 60 year round, but the quick looks i've done seem to indicate it would do best in a warm climate, inside a furnace closet.

got more reading to do.

 

[matttyl]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Have you looked into a heat pump tank unit instead? Not as expensive, qualifies for tax credit, less maintenance.

no. didn't know this was a thing. will research.

Also extremely efficient.

looks like they do better in warm/hot environments. our basement should maintain at least 60 year round, but the quick looks i've done seem to indicate it would do best in a warm climate, inside a furnace closet.

got more reading to do.

Yeah, they would do best in a warmer environment as it’s a heat pump that’s taking the heat from the air and using it to heat the water in the tank. Warmer and moister air would do this best and most efficiently. These also need at least 700 cubic feet of space to operate in, so a garage or unfinished basement would be best - not a closet unless ducted or the doors have louvers. My basement utility closet has all the ductwork for the main level, so I can connect the air in/out right to the ducts and it’s like having a small AC unit running all the time on the main level which should help my actual heat pumps a bit in the summer. Also these things will dehumidify the air, which will also help in the summer. In the winter, it won’t be nearly as efficient, and I’ll likely be using the electric heating elements a bit to keep up.

That said, my quick math shows that after 30% tax credit and with a buddy’s help to install - my up front cost should be under $2k, and I should save close to $500 a year in electricity over my older 80 gallon all electric water heater I have now - which I might be able to sell for $100-200.

 

[mr. furley]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Have you looked into a heat pump tank unit instead? Not as expensive, qualifies for tax credit, less maintenance.

no. didn't know this was a thing. will research.

Also extremely efficient.

looks like they do better in warm/hot environments. our basement should maintain at least 60 year round, but the quick looks i've done seem to indicate it would do best in a warm climate, inside a furnace closet.

got more reading to do.

Yeah, they would do best in a warmer environment as it’s a heat pump that’s taking the heat from the air and using it to heat the water in the tank. Warmer and moister air would do this best and most efficiently. These also need at least 700 cubic feet of space to operate in, so a garage or unfinished basement would be best - not a closet unless ducted or the doors have louvers. My basement utility closet has all the ductwork for the main level, so I can connect the air in/out right to the ducts and it’s like having a small AC unit running all the time on the main level which should help my actual heat pumps a bit in the summer. Also these things will dehumidify the air, which will also help in the summer. In the winter, it won’t be nearly as efficient, and I’ll likely be using the electric heating elements a bit to keep up.

That said, my quick math shows that after 30% tax credit and with a buddy’s help to install - my up front cost should be under $2k, and I should save close to $500 a year in electricity over my older 80 gallon all electric water heater I have now - which I might be able to sell for $100-200.

thanks for the info

my primary concern with this type of unit would be efficiency in winter and how much it would cool an already cool space.

 

[matttyl]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Have you looked into a heat pump tank unit instead? Not as expensive, qualifies for tax credit, less maintenance.

no. didn't know this was a thing. will research.

Also extremely efficient.

looks like they do better in warm/hot environments. our basement should maintain at least 60 year round, but the quick looks i've done seem to indicate it would do best in a warm climate, inside a furnace closet.

got more reading to do.

Yeah, they would do best in a warmer environment as it’s a heat pump that’s taking the heat from the air and using it to heat the water in the tank. Warmer and moister air would do this best and most efficiently. These also need at least 700 cubic feet of space to operate in, so a garage or unfinished basement would be best - not a closet unless ducted or the doors have louvers. My basement utility closet has all the ductwork for the main level, so I can connect the air in/out right to the ducts and it’s like having a small AC unit running all the time on the main level which should help my actual heat pumps a bit in the summer. Also these things will dehumidify the air, which will also help in the summer. In the winter, it won’t be nearly as efficient, and I’ll likely be using the electric heating elements a bit to keep up.

That said, my quick math shows that after 30% tax credit and with a buddy’s help to install - my up front cost should be under $2k, and I should save close to $500 a year in electricity over my older 80 gallon all electric water heater I have now - which I might be able to sell for $100-200.

thanks for the info

my primary concern with this type of unit would be efficiency in winter and how much it would cool an already cool space.

Can still be used as an electric only unit, if needed. Not efficient in cold, so for a few months I’ll likely use it in electric mode. Makes payback a few years longer, but my break even is like 4 years.

 

[Van Dyman]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Sorry for not getting back to you quicker. I don't check in here very often anymore.

The Navien tankless water heater is awesome. Everyone at my house is much happier now. Before we had a tank it frequently either ran out of hot water or had to do things at other times to avoid that. No more. We also got the circulator thing for the furthest bathroom from the heater. Not sure if that was necessary or useful.

 

[mr. furley]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Sorry for not getting back to you quicker. I don't check in here very often anymore.

The Navien tankless water heater is awesome. Everyone at my house is much happier now. Before we had a tank it frequently either ran out of hot water or had to do things at other times to avoid that. No more. We also got the circulator thing for the furthest bathroom from the heater. Not sure if that was necessary or useful.

this is helpful, thanks.

married with two daughters here. showers for the girls are 30-60 minutes. plus we have tons of laundry and the dishwasher. often 2 of those things are happening simultaneously with back to back to back showers.

endless hot water would be great. no more fighting about "you're taking too long!", etc.

 

[Van Dyman]

Just got a Navien tankless water heater installed. Did I overpay at $5100?

ETA: looks like it's a 210A2 if that's relevant.

bump

looking at this as a possible project this year.


how do you feel about tankless a year later? worth the cost? anything you wish you knew before jumping in?

Sorry for not getting back to you quicker. I don't check in here very often anymore.

The Navien tankless water heater is awesome. Everyone at my house is much happier now. Before we had a tank it frequently either ran out of hot water or had to do things at other times to avoid that. No more. We also got the circulator thing for the furthest bathroom from the heater. Not sure if that was necessary or useful.

this is helpful, thanks.

married with two daughters here. showers for the girls are 30-60 minutes. plus we have tons of laundry and the dishwasher. often 2 of those things are happening simultaneously with back to back to back showers.

endless hot water would be great. no more fighting about "you're taking too long!", etc.

Same here...married with 2 daughters but only one of them takes extremely long showers. So where this has really paid dividends is us no longer having to schedule what gets done when (showers, laundry, etc.). One additional factor here is that my in-laws stay with us for a few months whenever they visit from Brazil, so having to time everything so nobody runs out of hot water was a real PITA.

Having said that, I can't say if this specific unit (or gas-fired tankless heaters in general) are better than some other things people have posted about here. I do know it wasn't cheap, but I'd do it again with zero hesitation.

 

[Runkle]

Just out of curiosity...

I've got an old (1950) house, most of the light fixtures are just controlled with a simple switch on the line. No neutral wire, no ground wire, just a single hot coming up into the box, into a switch, and then a single wire up and out to the ceiling.

I've just discovered one of these switch boxes is not grounded at all, not only is there no ground wire in the box, but, the box itself isn't grounded to anything. Tested via multimeter connecting the bare hot to the metal box, and the needle didn't budge.

I do have an outlet fairly close to this switch, however, which does have ground. Could I, in theory, fish a ground wire down from the ungrounded box to this outlet and make a pigtail connection to that outlet's ground? I am guessing it's not according-to-Hoyle best practice, but, better than nothing, right?

 

[The Z Machine]

Just out of curiosity...

I've got an old (1950) house, most of the light fixtures are just controlled with a simple switch on the line. No neutral wire, no ground wire, just a single hot coming up into the box, into a switch, and then a single wire up and out to the ceiling.

I've just discovered one of these switch boxes is not grounded at all, not only is there no ground wire in the box, but, the box itself isn't grounded to anything. Tested via multimeter connecting the bare hot to the metal box, and the needle didn't budge.

I do have an outlet fairly close to this switch, however, which does have ground. Could I, in theory, fish a ground wire down from the ungrounded box to this outlet and make a pigtail connection to that outlet's ground? I am guessing it's not according-to-Hoyle best practice, but, better than nothing, right?

Can you re-do the whole circuit or at least this ungrounded section?

If you're gonna fish a ground wire, go and fish a 14/2 romex.

 

[Wingnut]

Wife decided recently that she wanted to "change some things' in our spare bathroom.

Fast forward a week and the vanity has been ripped out, the walls painted a new color, I've installed a pedestal sink, and a new mirror and light fixture will be here tomorrow for me to install.

All unnecessary changes. This is my life now.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I'm replacing the wooden decking with composite. It is a large deck - probably around 800 sq ft total. The large part on the back of the house just needed the decking replaced, but the piece that wraps around the side had the be demolished as it wasn't square, level, or plumb. Should be all done either today or tomorrow.

Next is replacing the siding, then I think I'm done. My concrete driveway & sidewalk are not great, but neither is my bank account after the other work.

 

[AAABatteries]

Finally replaced my basement sump pump - saved around $700 doing it myself.

Oldest kid bought me a Ryobi 2-in-1 aerator/dethatcher. Dethacthing worked great - aeration not really. I’ll go this season without aeration and just pay the guy to do it next time.

Redid all our flower beds putting new fabric down and about 80 bags of mulch. Looks great.

Need to finish painting some places on my back deck and fence but haven’t been motivated to do it.

Next big project is extending our under deck patio with some pavers - this project will require some landscaping and I’m not sure I’m qualified - may need to hire a professional for this one.

Need to start thinking about having the house painted but that’s probably a 2024/25 project.

 

[belljr]

Finally replaced my basement sump pump - saved around $700 doing it myself.

Oldest kid bought me a Ryobi 2-in-1 aerator/dethatcher. Dethacthing worked great - aeration not really. I’ll go this season without aeration and just pay the guy to do it next time.

Redid all our flower beds putting new fabric down and about 80 bags of mulch. Looks great.

Need to finish painting some places on my back deck and fence but haven’t been motivated to do it.

Next big project is extending our under deck patio with some pavers - this project will require some landscaping and I’m not sure I’m qualified - may need to hire a professional for this one.

Need to start thinking about having the house painted but that’s probably a 2024/25 project.

They want to charge $700 to plug in a sump pump and connect a pipe? Wow

 

[AAABatteries]

Finally replaced my basement sump pump - saved around $700 doing it myself.

Oldest kid bought me a Ryobi 2-in-1 aerator/dethatcher. Dethacthing worked great - aeration not really. I’ll go this season without aeration and just pay the guy to do it next time.

Redid all our flower beds putting new fabric down and about 80 bags of mulch. Looks great.

Need to finish painting some places on my back deck and fence but haven’t been motivated to do it.

Next big project is extending our under deck patio with some pavers - this project will require some landscaping and I’m not sure I’m qualified - may need to hire a professional for this one.

Need to start thinking about having the house painted but that’s probably a 2024/25 project.

They want to charge $700 to plug in a sump pump and connect a pipe? Wow

Well, at the time it was sitting full so it was to clean it out. Get the lid off (screws were kind of shot), pull the old sump pump out, replace it and reseal the lid and connect the pipe. Maybe he was replacing the check valve too (don't remember). Anyway, parts cost me around 600-650 and the guy was asking like 1,300. I didn't get it itemized so not sure how much cleaning the old one out was.

 

[belljr]

Finally replaced my basement sump pump - saved around $700 doing it myself.

Oldest kid bought me a Ryobi 2-in-1 aerator/dethatcher. Dethacthing worked great - aeration not really. I’ll go this season without aeration and just pay the guy to do it next time.

Redid all our flower beds putting new fabric down and about 80 bags of mulch. Looks great.

Need to finish painting some places on my back deck and fence but haven’t been motivated to do it.

Next big project is extending our under deck patio with some pavers - this project will require some landscaping and I’m not sure I’m qualified - may need to hire a professional for this one.

Need to start thinking about having the house painted but that’s probably a 2024/25 project.

They want to charge $700 to plug in a sump pump and connect a pipe? Wow

Well, at the time it was sitting full so it was to clean it out. Get the lid off (screws were kind of shot), pull the old sump pump out, replace it and reseal the lid and connect the pipe. Maybe he was replacing the check valve too (don't remember). Anyway, parts cost me around 600-650 and the guy was asking like 1,300. I didn't get it itemized so not sure how much cleaning the old one out was.

I guess it varies on sump pump but my lid is not sealed - I can just pull it off. No need for it to seal. My float is in my pump so Im sure this varies....

 

[AAABatteries]

Finally replaced my basement sump pump - saved around $700 doing it myself.

Oldest kid bought me a Ryobi 2-in-1 aerator/dethatcher. Dethacthing worked great - aeration not really. I’ll go this season without aeration and just pay the guy to do it next time.

Redid all our flower beds putting new fabric down and about 80 bags of mulch. Looks great.

Need to finish painting some places on my back deck and fence but haven’t been motivated to do it.

Next big project is extending our under deck patio with some pavers - this project will require some landscaping and I’m not sure I’m qualified - may need to hire a professional for this one.

Need to start thinking about having the house painted but that’s probably a 2024/25 project.

They want to charge $700 to plug in a sump pump and connect a pipe? Wow

Well, at the time it was sitting full so it was to clean it out. Get the lid off (screws were kind of shot), pull the old sump pump out, replace it and reseal the lid and connect the pipe. Maybe he was replacing the check valve too (don't remember). Anyway, parts cost me around 600-650 and the guy was asking like 1,300. I didn't get it itemized so not sure how much cleaning the old one out was.

I guess it varies on sump pump but my lid is not sealed - I can just pull it off. No need for it to seal. My float is in my pump so Im sure this varies....

Is yours used for a toilet? Can imagine not having it sealed as it would stink up the entire basement.

 

[belljr]

Finally replaced my basement sump pump - saved around $700 doing it myself.

Oldest kid bought me a Ryobi 2-in-1 aerator/dethatcher. Dethacthing worked great - aeration not really. I’ll go this season without aeration and just pay the guy to do it next time.

Redid all our flower beds putting new fabric down and about 80 bags of mulch. Looks great.

Need to finish painting some places on my back deck and fence but haven’t been motivated to do it.

Next big project is extending our under deck patio with some pavers - this project will require some landscaping and I’m not sure I’m qualified - may need to hire a professional for this one.

Need to start thinking about having the house painted but that’s probably a 2024/25 project.

They want to charge $700 to plug in a sump pump and connect a pipe? Wow

Well, at the time it was sitting full so it was to clean it out. Get the lid off (screws were kind of shot), pull the old sump pump out, replace it and reseal the lid and connect the pipe. Maybe he was replacing the check valve too (don't remember). Anyway, parts cost me around 600-650 and the guy was asking like 1,300. I didn't get it itemized so not sure how much cleaning the old one out was.

I guess it varies on sump pump but my lid is not sealed - I can just pull it off. No need for it to seal. My float is in my pump so Im sure this varies....

Is yours used for a toilet? Can imagine not having it sealed as it would stink up the entire basement.

No mine, just for groundwater

 

[matttyl]

So this past holiday extended weekend I decided to knock out a project t that I’d been delaying for over a year. I have an elevated deck off the main level of my house along with an identical size deck below it off the basement level. 6ish years ago I replaced the upper wooden deck with trex composite and at the same time installed trex “rain escape” (a waterproof membrane under the decking that would allow me to install a proper ceiling over the lower deck with lights, ceiling fans, speakers, and even a projector and screen.

The system worked great for 3-4 years then started cracking in spots. Trex was great on their warranty and sent me all the materials for a redo for free - but they can’t warranty the labor. I removed 500+ feet of decking. (With those hidden fasteners which are a pain the butt), ripped out the old waterproofing, installed new water proofing, and and currently 75% done on the reinstall of the decking. I marked every board as I removed them so I could reinstall in order. Had no idea it would take so long, as I’m now on day 6. Friday and Saturday was removal, Sunday and a bit of Monday was membrane install and since then has been the painstakingly long part of decking install. With no help. I was dumb to not hire out for the labor.

 

[TLEF316]

anyone had windows done lately?

I live in a townhouse that had ~20 year old windows. They had to be done and I had a couple that were in BAD shape(like snow on the inside kinda bad) . So I did 5 back in April and planned to do the rest this summer. I knew it would be a BIG number and the remaining windows (like 10 of various sizes) cost ABOUT what I expected.

The rep (who knows my dad, so I'm allegedly getting the 30% "Friends and Family" discount) just left. Again, the windows needed to be replaced and they cost what they cost. But he also gave me a price for my 3 sliding glass doors as well (1 regular one and 2 triples). They want TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND freaking dollars for 3 sliders from Anderson. I'm doing pretty well these days, but considering that a slider at Home Depot is like $1,200......no thanks.

Anyone else do this lately. How in the world is that possible? I mean.....is Taylor Swift taking time away from her tour to do the installation?

 

[BeTheMatch]

anyone had windows done lately?

I live in a townhouse that had ~20 year old windows. They had to be done and I had a couple that were in BAD shape(like snow on the inside kinda bad) . So I did 5 back in April and planned to do the rest this summer. I knew it would be a BIG number and the remaining windows (like 10 of various sizes) cost ABOUT what I expected.

The rep (who knows my dad, so I'm allegedly getting the 30% "Friends and Family" discount) just left. Again, the windows needed to be replaced and they cost what they cost. But he also gave me a price for my 3 sliding glass doors as well (1 regular one and 2 triples). They want TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND freaking dollars for 3 sliders from Anderson. I'm doing pretty well these days, but considering that a slider at Home Depot is like $1,200......no thanks.

Anyone else do this lately. How in the world is that possible? I mean.....is Taylor Swift taking time away from her tour to do the installation?

Anderson is very high quality, but, yeah, that's insane. It's all BS now. I hate the world. (Covid, logistics, shipping delays, egg prices, please leave a tip for self-service)

 

[thecatch]

anyone had windows done lately?

I live in a townhouse that had ~20 year old windows. They had to be done and I had a couple that were in BAD shape(like snow on the inside kinda bad) . So I did 5 back in April and planned to do the rest this summer. I knew it would be a BIG number and the remaining windows (like 10 of various sizes) cost ABOUT what I expected.

The rep (who knows my dad, so I'm allegedly getting the 30% "Friends and Family" discount) just left. Again, the windows needed to be replaced and they cost what they cost. But he also gave me a price for my 3 sliding glass doors as well (1 regular one and 2 triples). They want TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND freaking dollars for 3 sliders from Anderson. I'm doing pretty well these days, but considering that a slider at Home Depot is like $1,200......no thanks.

Anyone else do this lately. How in the world is that possible? I mean.....is Taylor Swift taking time away from her tour to do the installation?

A neighbor recently got quoted $10k to replace a sliding glass door, so yeah, they are expensive.

 

[TLEF316]

anyone had windows done lately?

I live in a townhouse that had ~20 year old windows. They had to be done and I had a couple that were in BAD shape(like snow on the inside kinda bad) . So I did 5 back in April and planned to do the rest this summer. I knew it would be a BIG number and the remaining windows (like 10 of various sizes) cost ABOUT what I expected.

The rep (who knows my dad, so I'm allegedly getting the 30% "Friends and Family" discount) just left. Again, the windows needed to be replaced and they cost what they cost. But he also gave me a price for my 3 sliding glass doors as well (1 regular one and 2 triples). They want TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND freaking dollars for 3 sliders from Anderson. I'm doing pretty well these days, but considering that a slider at Home Depot is like $1,200......no thanks.

Anyone else do this lately. How in the world is that possible? I mean.....is Taylor Swift taking time away from her tour to do the installation?

Anderson is very high quality, but, yeah, that's insane. It's all BS now. I hate the world. (Covid, logistics, shipping delays, egg prices, please leave a tip for self-service)

Yeah, I'm all for paying for quality (especially for something important like building materials) but I just cant justify it. As someone who works in insurance, I know building materials have gotten really expensive. But at some point you gotta draw the line.

 

[TLEF316]

anyone had windows done lately?

I live in a townhouse that had ~20 year old windows. They had to be done and I had a couple that were in BAD shape(like snow on the inside kinda bad) . So I did 5 back in April and planned to do the rest this summer. I knew it would be a BIG number and the remaining windows (like 10 of various sizes) cost ABOUT what I expected.

The rep (who knows my dad, so I'm allegedly getting the 30% "Friends and Family" discount) just left. Again, the windows needed to be replaced and they cost what they cost. But he also gave me a price for my 3 sliding glass doors as well (1 regular one and 2 triples). They want TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND freaking dollars for 3 sliders from Anderson. I'm doing pretty well these days, but considering that a slider at Home Depot is like $1,200......no thanks.

Anyone else do this lately. How in the world is that possible? I mean.....is Taylor Swift taking time away from her tour to do the installation?

A neighbor recently got quoted $10k to replace a sliding glass door, so yeah, they are expensive.

Ok, good to know I'm not the only one the world is trying to screw here.

 

[Osaurus]

anyone had windows done lately?

I live in a townhouse that had ~20 year old windows. They had to be done and I had a couple that were in BAD shape(like snow on the inside kinda bad) . So I did 5 back in April and planned to do the rest this summer. I knew it would be a BIG number and the remaining windows (like 10 of various sizes) cost ABOUT what I expected.

The rep (who knows my dad, so I'm allegedly getting the 30% "Friends and Family" discount) just left. Again, the windows needed to be replaced and they cost what they cost. But he also gave me a price for my 3 sliding glass doors as well (1 regular one and 2 triples). They want TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND freaking dollars for 3 sliders from Anderson. I'm doing pretty well these days, but considering that a slider at Home Depot is like $1,200......no thanks.

Anyone else do this lately. How in the world is that possible? I mean.....is Taylor Swift taking time away from her tour to do the installation?

Replaced all my windows a year and a half ago. Paid $11k for 175 mph impact resistant triple sliders from Window World. They weigh a ton and the framing is industrial.

 

[The Z Machine]

A neighbor recently got quoted $10k to replace a sliding glass door, so yeah, they are expensive.

I'll just wait for prices to come down.

 

[parasaurolophus]

Wtf has happened with contractor pricing? I can't believe how expensive some of these bids are.

I asked a pool service for a bid on monthly service. He tells me it is 120 a month based on Google maps photo. Sounds reasonable. He says he needs to come out and look to finalize the estimate.

I give him the combo to the gate. He then gives me an estimate to add all these fancy gadgets and can only service the pool if we install these things.

6800 bucks.

Lol. I don't need a 2000 dollar robot AND you. Pools have been around forever. They don't instantly turn green because you don't automate everything.

 

[Ron Swanson]

Wtf has happened with contractor pricing? I can't believe how expensive some of these bids are.

I asked a pool service for a bid on monthly service. He tells me it is 120 a month based on Google maps photo. Sounds reasonable. He says he needs to come out and look to finalize the estimate.

I give him the combo to the gate. He then gives me an estimate to add all these fancy gadgets and can only service the pool if we install these things.

6800 bucks.

Lol. I don't need a 2000 dollar robot AND you. Pools have been around forever. They don't instantly turn green because you don't automate everything.

Monthly service might be the disconnect. You need more frequent visits than that, especially (but probably still) if you aren't automated. Try asking for weekly service.

 

[mr. furley]

anyone had windows done lately?

I live in a townhouse that had ~20 year old windows. They had to be done and I had a couple that were in BAD shape(like snow on the inside kinda bad) . So I did 5 back in April and planned to do the rest this summer. I knew it would be a BIG number and the remaining windows (like 10 of various sizes) cost ABOUT what I expected.

The rep (who knows my dad, so I'm allegedly getting the 30% "Friends and Family" discount) just left. Again, the windows needed to be replaced and they cost what they cost. But he also gave me a price for my 3 sliding glass doors as well (1 regular one and 2 triples). They want TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND freaking dollars for 3 sliders from Anderson. I'm doing pretty well these days, but considering that a slider at Home Depot is like $1,200......no thanks.

Anyone else do this lately. How in the world is that possible? I mean.....is Taylor Swift taking time away from her tour to do the installation?

we had Anderson come in to quote window replacement

guy said "$27k for 6 windows". i almost punched him in the ****.