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Post by nowimnothing on Jan 1, 2018 14:16:42 GMT -5
Well a quick switch out of the noisy bathroom fan turned into a two day ordeal. It was mostly my own fault. Rather than replacing it with the same cheap fan, I figured we should upgrade to one with a light and heater. Of course that meant rewiring and adding more switches, cutting a bigger hole in the ceiling and running a bigger duct to the outside. But it is done and I was able to clean up the mess of wires in the attic that the previous owner had wired incorrectly and did not put inside junction boxes. Now if I can get all this insulation off me.
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 8, 2018 10:13:34 GMT -5
Ok talk me down please. Has anyone had their floors replaced while staying in the house? How does that even work? What do they do with your stuff? I mean, I know I need to empty bookshelves dressers blah blah all that (and "all that" is already giving me anxiety), but where does your furniture go while they're putting down the floors?
I'm already inclined towards anxiety just having strangers in my house (not worried about the safety, just introverted) and knowing how much dust is going to be all over and how much of a wreck my house is going to be for three weeks; someone give me some details so I can tell myself I'm being a dumbass omg I have to pack up EVERYTHING even the CLOSETS *cries* I hate packing
They're starting in the kitchen tomorrow, so stayed tuned for more OMG I CAN'T FIND MY SHOES/MICROWAVE/CAT/SINK drama
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Post by Dr. Rumak on Jan 8, 2018 15:22:30 GMT -5
Ok talk me down please. Has anyone had their floors replaced while staying in the house? How does that even work? What do they do with your stuff? I mean, I know I need to empty bookshelves dressers blah blah all that (and "all that" is already giving me anxiety), but where does your furniture go while they're putting down the floors? I'm already inclined towards anxiety just having strangers in my house (not worried about the safety, just introverted) and knowing how much dust is going to be all over and how much of a wreck my house is going to be for three weeks; someone give me some details so I can tell myself I'm being a dumbass omg I have to pack up EVERYTHING even the CLOSETS *cries* I hate packing They're starting in the kitchen tomorrow, so stayed tuned for more OMG I CAN'T FIND MY SHOES/MICROWAVE/CAT/SINK drama For us, they did not do it all in one day. So stuff would get moved to one side while they did the other side. |
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Post by Powerthirteen on Jan 8, 2018 15:31:18 GMT -5
Ok talk me down please. Has anyone had their floors replaced while staying in the house? How does that even work? What do they do with your stuff? I mean, I know I need to empty bookshelves dressers blah blah all that (and "all that" is already giving me anxiety), but where does your furniture go while they're putting down the floors? I'm already inclined towards anxiety just having strangers in my house (not worried about the safety, just introverted) and knowing how much dust is going to be all over and how much of a wreck my house is going to be for three weeks; someone give me some details so I can tell myself I'm being a dumbass omg I have to pack up EVERYTHING even the CLOSETS *cries* I hate packing They're starting in the kitchen tomorrow, so stayed tuned for more OMG I CAN'T FIND MY SHOES/MICROWAVE/CAT/SINK drama My parents replaced an entire floor of their house's flooring while we were living there about a decade ago. It was a pain in the ass. But doing a residential tear-out and install shouldn't take three weeks, unless your house is gigantic. How many square feet are you having done? My dad owns a flooring store, so this is moderately up my alley. |
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 8, 2018 15:53:23 GMT -5
Ok talk me down please. Has anyone had their floors replaced while staying in the house? How does that even work? What do they do with your stuff? I mean, I know I need to empty bookshelves dressers blah blah all that (and "all that" is already giving me anxiety), but where does your furniture go while they're putting down the floors? I'm already inclined towards anxiety just having strangers in my house (not worried about the safety, just introverted) and knowing how much dust is going to be all over and how much of a wreck my house is going to be for three weeks; someone give me some details so I can tell myself I'm being a dumbass omg I have to pack up EVERYTHING even the CLOSETS *cries* I hate packing They're starting in the kitchen tomorrow, so stayed tuned for more OMG I CAN'T FIND MY SHOES/MICROWAVE/CAT/SINK drama My parents replaced an entire floor of their house's flooring while we were living there about a decade ago. It was a pain in the ass. But doing a residential tear-out and install shouldn't take three weeks, unless your house is gigantic. How many square feet are you having done? My dad owns a flooring store, so this is moderately up my alley. Close to 800 sqft, but, there's stuff other than floors getting done -plumbing and porch painting and I think a couple of storm doors - it's just the floors stressing me out, because they're the most disruptive to my structure-loving self. They said 2-3 weeks, but I am assuming they'll hit the high end. |
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 8, 2018 15:54:22 GMT -5
Ok talk me down please. Has anyone had their floors replaced while staying in the house? How does that even work? What do they do with your stuff? I mean, I know I need to empty bookshelves dressers blah blah all that (and "all that" is already giving me anxiety), but where does your furniture go while they're putting down the floors? I'm already inclined towards anxiety just having strangers in my house (not worried about the safety, just introverted) and knowing how much dust is going to be all over and how much of a wreck my house is going to be for three weeks; someone give me some details so I can tell myself I'm being a dumbass omg I have to pack up EVERYTHING even the CLOSETS *cries* I hate packing They're starting in the kitchen tomorrow, so stayed tuned for more OMG I CAN'T FIND MY SHOES/MICROWAVE/CAT/SINK drama For us, they did not do it all in one day. So stuff would get moved to one side while they did the other side. Ok, that would make sense. I was thinking you couldn't walk or have stuff on newly-installed floors for 24 hours or something. |
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Post by Powerthirteen on Jan 8, 2018 16:23:48 GMT -5
My parents replaced an entire floor of their house's flooring while we were living there about a decade ago. It was a pain in the ass. But doing a residential tear-out and install shouldn't take three weeks, unless your house is gigantic. How many square feet are you having done? My dad owns a flooring store, so this is moderately up my alley. Close to 800 sqft, but, there's stuff other than floors getting done -plumbing and porch painting and I think a couple of storm doors - it's just the floors stressing me out, because they're the most disruptive to my structure-loving self. They said 2-3 weeks, but I am assuming they'll hit the high end. Aha, that makes more sense. Good luck. |
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 10, 2018 17:24:50 GMT -5
Ok opinions please!
I had been wanting engineered hardwood, but the contractor is trying to get me to consider laminate flooring. He's going to bring me some samples, but my biggest issue is that I have a real cognitive dissonance between the laminate looking like wood, but not feeling or sounding like wood. It just makes me super-twitchy & I kinda hate it.
I have actual hardwood now, but it was hidden under (the worst) carpet (in the world) for nigh on 60 years, isn't in the best of shape, and I don't really want to go through the trauma of having it refinished, if it even could be,which is far from certain. Also there's a giant hole where the floor furnace used to be.
SO
Anyone know any laminates that actually have the tactile qualities of hardwood? Or has anyone gone with cork? Other options (that are not tile- or carpet- related)?
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Post by ganews on Jan 10, 2018 19:01:21 GMT -5
Ok opinions please! I had been wanting engineered hardwood, but the contractor is trying to get me to consider laminate flooring. He's going to bring me some samples, but my biggest issue is that I have a real cognitive dissonance between the laminate looking like wood, but not feeling or sounding like wood. It just makes me super-twitchy & I kinda hate it. I have actual hardwood now, but it was hidden under (the worst) carpet (in the world) for nigh on 60 years, isn't in the best of shape, and I don't really want to go through the trauma of having it refinished, if it even could be,which is far from certain. Also there's a giant hole where the floor furnace used to be. SO Anyone know any laminates that actually have the tactile qualities of hardwood? Or has anyone gone with cork? Other options (that are not tile- or carpet- related)? My great uncle bought a house with the following system already in place: all tile floor downstairs, with resistive heating underneath that is powered by solar panels on the roof. What a dream! Sadly it is mostly wasted on him as he likes the house at 65 year-round, though at least it gives him low heat bills in the winter where he can get to that temperature from the heated floor and ambient sunlight. |
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Post by Floyd Dinnertime Barber on Jan 10, 2018 19:51:04 GMT -5
Ok opinions please! I had been wanting engineered hardwood, but the contractor is trying to get me to consider laminate flooring. He's going to bring me some samples, but my biggest issue is that I have a real cognitive dissonance between the laminate looking like wood, but not feeling or sounding like wood. It just makes me super-twitchy & I kinda hate it. I have actual hardwood now, but it was hidden under (the worst) carpet (in the world) for nigh on 60 years, isn't in the best of shape, and I don't really want to go through the trauma of having it refinished, if it even could be,which is far from certain. Also there's a giant hole where the floor furnace used to be. SO Anyone know any laminates that actually have the tactile qualities of hardwood? Or has anyone gone with cork? Other options (that are not tile- or carpet- related)? The farmhouse I inherited from my folks has hardwood in the 3 bedrooms. For reasons I cannot understand, they decided to cover this beautiful hardwood with shitty, shitty carpet. I protested long and loud enough that they left my bedroom (I was still living at home when they did it) with the hardwood showing. I'm planning to remove the carpet from the other bedrooms and see how the wood looks underneath. They never put hardwood in the living room. More terrible carpet over plywood or whatever.. My old house/office/warehouse had gorgeous hardwood in the kitchen/living room area, and I loved it. Unfortunately, it got ruined when the roof leaked. We had laminate flooring in part of that building, and while it looked OK, I never really liked it. I always thought that area (entryway, high traffic) would have been better with tile. A friend of mine has the sweetest flooring I've ever seen. He was able to buy a bunch of the lanes from an old bowling alley they were tearing down. We are still thinking about which building we want to renovate to live in long term, so I don't know what floor coverings we will end up going with. I really like that idea of heated tile. That sounds positively decadent.* *I am in my basement looking up at the floor decking above me. It is made of unfinished hardwood planks. It looks like tongue and groove. This is not the hardwood flooring showing in the bedrooms, but it has some really nice grain in the wood. I know a lot of the beams in this house were rough cut from oak trees on the property. This stuff is obviously factory made, but this floor decking looks a lot nicer than plywood or particle board. I wonder if it could be sanded and sealed and used as a floor surface. It might look really rustic and cool. Once we start remodeling, and get the carpets pulled up, (which may not be for a year or two) I'm going to look into this. |
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 10, 2018 20:07:47 GMT -5
Ok opinions please! I had been wanting engineered hardwood, but the contractor is trying to get me to consider laminate flooring. He's going to bring me some samples, but my biggest issue is that I have a real cognitive dissonance between the laminate looking like wood, but not feeling or sounding like wood. It just makes me super-twitchy & I kinda hate it. I have actual hardwood now, but it was hidden under (the worst) carpet (in the world) for nigh on 60 years, isn't in the best of shape, and I don't really want to go through the trauma of having it refinished, if it even could be,which is far from certain. Also there's a giant hole where the floor furnace used to be. SO Anyone know any laminates that actually have the tactile qualities of hardwood? Or has anyone gone with cork? Other options (that are not tile- or carpet- related)? I say nay to laminate wood. If you want faux wood, they have tile which is more durable and not plastic. For my basement, I was considering cork over the cement, since it's antimicrobial, but so is tile and linoleum. I'm actually leaning toward linoleum now because it's as durable as vinyl but old school and environmentally friendly. Cork is a risk in the basement, but I love the texture, sound-deadening, and anti-microbial properties. So for your purposes, I'd recommend cork - unless it's a really heavy traffic area, in which case I say tile or linoleum (NOT vinyl or laminate). |
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 11, 2018 9:25:04 GMT -5
Ok opinions please! I had been wanting engineered hardwood, but the contractor is trying to get me to consider laminate flooring. He's going to bring me some samples, but my biggest issue is that I have a real cognitive dissonance between the laminate looking like wood, but not feeling or sounding like wood. It just makes me super-twitchy & I kinda hate it. I have actual hardwood now, but it was hidden under (the worst) carpet (in the world) for nigh on 60 years, isn't in the best of shape, and I don't really want to go through the trauma of having it refinished, if it even could be,which is far from certain. Also there's a giant hole where the floor furnace used to be. SO Anyone know any laminates that actually have the tactile qualities of hardwood? Or has anyone gone with cork? Other options (that are not tile- or carpet- related)? My great uncle bought a house with the following system already in place: all tile floor downstairs, with resistive heating underneath that is powered by solar panels on the roof. What a dream! Sadly it is mostly wasted on him as he likes the house at 65 year-round, though at least it gives him low heat bills in the winter where he can get to that temperature from the heated floor and ambient sunlight. omg that sounds AMAZING! I am jealous. |
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Post by Dr. Rumak on Jan 11, 2018 16:04:47 GMT -5
Personally, I like laminate flooring, and plan to replace the carpet (which I hate) in the basement of the NC house and in the extra room in the FL house with it. It's definitely not for everywhere (the rest of the Florida house has tile now, and if I redid the floors on the main level in the NC house, I would consider hardwood), but I prefer it to linoleum. And, of course, there are different kinds and styles of laminate, and some look much better than others.
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Jan 12, 2018 9:41:47 GMT -5
Does anyone have good, bad or ugly experiences with Swiffer WetJet and that ilk? My current mopping system is not cutting it, I’d like to be able to easily wet mop the kitchen and entry more often.
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LazBro
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Post by LazBro on Jan 12, 2018 9:49:04 GMT -5
Does anyone have good, bad or ugly experiences with Swiffer WetJet and that ilk? My current mopping system is not cutting it, I’d like to be able to easily wet mop the kitchen and entry more often. I've never used the WetJet, but I like just the regular (wet) swiffer. That's my go-to for mop jobs. Have you tried those, found them lacking, and are looking for something stronger? |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Jan 12, 2018 9:57:44 GMT -5
Does anyone have good, bad or ugly experiences with Swiffer WetJet and that ilk? My current mopping system is not cutting it, I’d like to be able to easily wet mop the kitchen and entry more often. I've never used the WetJet, but I like just the regular (wet) swiffer. That's my go-to for mop jobs. Have you tried those, found them lacking, and are looking for something stronger? Haven’t tried them (used the dry ones ages ago), but the commercials make me think they might be good for our cruddy floors. Certainly willing to try the regular ones first. We currently have a Magic Eraser mop that is good at scrubbing but totally non absorbent and has to be used with a bucket. So I just end up moving dirt around. |
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GumTurkeyles
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$10 down, $10 a month, don't you be a turkey
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Jan 12, 2018 12:58:51 GMT -5
I've never used the WetJet, but I like just the regular (wet) swiffer. That's my go-to for mop jobs. Have you tried those, found them lacking, and are looking for something stronger? Haven’t tried them (used the dry ones ages ago), but the commercials make me think they might be good for our cruddy floors. Certainly willing to try the regular ones first. We currently have a Magic Eraser mop that is good at scrubbing but totally non absorbent and has to be used with a bucket. So I just end up moving dirt around. The handle of these always feel too weak for me. I feel like they're going to snap when I'm trying to do some deep cleaning somewhere. I guess the point being don't let it get to that point in the first place. But as the replacement pads are X amount per pack, I end up adding a dollar figure to the pads and end up using one when I should have used two, and as such push just as much dirt around as I would with a regular mop and bucket. So I'd say they're no better than the current stuff, but they're a lot quicker, and are good for areas that don't need a lot of deep cleaning. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Jan 12, 2018 13:53:46 GMT -5
Haven’t tried them (used the dry ones ages ago), but the commercials make me think they might be good for our cruddy floors. Certainly willing to try the regular ones first. We currently have a Magic Eraser mop that is good at scrubbing but totally non absorbent and has to be used with a bucket. So I just end up moving dirt around. The handle of these always feel too weak for me. I feel like they're going to snap when I'm trying to do some deep cleaning somewhere. I guess the point being don't let it get to that point in the first place. But as the replacement pads are X amount per pack, I end up adding a dollar figure to the pads and end up using one when I should have used two, and as such push just as much dirt around as I would with a regular mop and bucket. So I'd say they're no better than the current stuff, but they're a lot quicker, and are good for areas that don't need a lot of deep cleaning. I did end up buying a starter pack, maybe after a deep clean they’ll help keep it clean, if they’re easier to use more regularly. update: I swept with a broom, then the dry cloth, then two wet (largeish, dirty area). It looks a lot better though they are clearly not meant for really deep cleaning, and the handle isn’t the most comfortable. Still, easier and better than the mop, bucket, crappy magic eraser. |
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Post by Floyd Dinnertime Barber on Jan 12, 2018 18:27:45 GMT -5
Does anyone have good, bad or ugly experiences with Swiffer WetJet and that ilk? My current mopping system is not cutting it, I’d like to be able to easily wet mop the kitchen and entry more often. "I saw something on Facebook" warning that some version of swifter used a chemical that could be toxic to some pets. I have no idea if it's true or just random internet alarmist bullshit. We don't use swifter, so I have no idea if they are any good, but it might be worth checking out about the poison thing, if you have pets and are thinking about using one.* *Took 10 seconds and looked it up, and it's random internet alarmist bullshit. Swifter is considered safe to use around pets. Carry on. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Jan 12, 2018 18:38:47 GMT -5
Does anyone have good, bad or ugly experiences with Swiffer WetJet and that ilk? My current mopping system is not cutting it, I’d like to be able to easily wet mop the kitchen and entry more often. "I saw something on Facebook" warning that some version of swifter used a chemical that could be toxic to some pets. I have no idea if it's true or just random internet alarmist bullshit. We don't use swifter, so I have no idea if they are any good, but it might be worth checking out about the poison thing, if you have pets and are thinking about using one.* *Took 10 seconds and looked it up, and it's random internet alarmist bullshit. Swifter is considered safe to use around pets. Carry on. Yeah, I actually saw that and the rebuttal when I was looking up reviews. But thanks  |
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Post by Floyd Dinnertime Barber on Jan 12, 2018 23:02:18 GMT -5
I was home today, so I did a bunch of dishes and did some cleaning on the kitchen. I also cleaned the gas stove top and repaired two burners, and didn't blow anything up. One burner wasn't lighting because the tube that runs from the igniter to the burner was rusted shut and crumbly, so I cleaned it out, and fashioned a tube extension from some aluminum I cut out of a pop can. The other burner wouldn't turn on, so I turned off the gas, took the valve apart, cleaned the gunk out of it and lubed it. We now have four working burners again.
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 13, 2018 11:30:34 GMT -5
oh god must paint the bedroom today before they do the floors also finish boxing up the living room just want to hide under warm blankies today nooooooo
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 14, 2018 0:07:19 GMT -5
i might hate this paint color
it’s a little...celery
but the first colour i got was not a green tinge at ALL it was just so white & i spent a literal HOUR of the paint lady’s time trying to find something i liked i am not usually allowed to make colour decisions on my own for a reason
i might be ok with it once the trim is done & my shit is back in place & it’s not 11pm & i’ve eaten and slept
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Post by Dr. Rumak on Jan 14, 2018 7:52:50 GMT -5
Got the bill for the mold removal in the NC house. Well within the expected range, cost wise. Now, though, comes fixing the foundation and waterproofing to keep the mold from coming back.
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Post by Not a real doctor on Jan 16, 2018 22:02:34 GMT -5
Ok opinions please! I had been wanting engineered hardwood, but the contractor is trying to get me to consider laminate flooring. He's going to bring me some samples, but my biggest issue is that I have a real cognitive dissonance between the laminate looking like wood, but not feeling or sounding like wood. It just makes me super-twitchy & I kinda hate it. I have actual hardwood now, but it was hidden under (the worst) carpet (in the world) for nigh on 60 years, isn't in the best of shape, and I don't really want to go through the trauma of having it refinished, if it even could be,which is far from certain. Also there's a giant hole where the floor furnace used to be. SO Anyone know any laminates that actually have the tactile qualities of hardwood? Or has anyone gone with cork? Other options (that are not tile- or carpet- related)? Late to the party but I've never dealt with a laminate that felt like wood, I can always spot that platicky look and feel immediately. Unless water us a constant threat (i.e., a basement or a bathroom), I'd definitely go with an engineered wood. That stuff's great: Super stable because of its layering, sandable because it's "real wood" on top, and the pre-applied factory finishes are way more durable than anything you could put on hardwoof plank flooring. If I were wanting something in a "wood look but it gets wet" I'd go with a "luxury" vinyl plank. |
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 18, 2018 8:05:48 GMT -5
LITERALLY WHERE IS ARE ALL THE SHOES I THINK THEY’RE UNDER EVERYTHING I DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET AT THEM *cries*
we have hit maximum trashed house oh god so twitchy
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Post by ganews on Jan 18, 2018 11:23:09 GMT -5
The electric bill is in, and this past month set a new record. Gonna get that pellet stove. Also going to look into laying pink fiberglass insulation on top of the blow-in junk in our attic.
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Post by haysoos on Jan 18, 2018 13:07:52 GMT -5
The electric bill is in, and this past month set a new record. Gonna get that pellet stove. Also going to look into laying pink fiberglass insulation on top of the blow-in junk in our attic.  |
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Post by Not a real doctor on Jan 18, 2018 13:18:32 GMT -5
The electric bill is in, and this past month set a new record. Gonna get that pellet stove. Also going to look into laying pink fiberglass insulation on top of the blow-in junk in our attic. I ordered this earlier this morning as work on sealing up my drafty old shack continues. I discovered some fun spaces around the basement egress window where cold air just rushes in, so that's nice. I get to tear out more drywall to get to those... I bought one of these the other week to seal up the rim joists, I need to finish tearing out all the old basement ceiling drywall before I can do it, though. I won't get it done this weekend, but I'm hoping I can get to it next weekend. The attic is (thankfully) pretty well insulated but I'll probably blow some losse-fill cellulose into all the corners and weird anglespots that fiberglass batts don't cover too well some time when I can wrangle a helper. All this responsible stuff is really getting in the way of doing fun stuff like crown molding and picture rails. |
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Post by WKRP Jimmy Drop on Jan 20, 2018 1:07:04 GMT -5
the plumber is still here
i have no idea when he got here
i mean it’s great that he’s not fucking off & leaving me with no water & i admire his work ethic (while wondering how his wife feels about it )
but it’s midnight, I got home from a 14 hour day 90 minutes ago, & i’d super like to go to sleep
also i really have to pee & he’s working in the bathroom
update: 1.44 a.m.
he says he got here about 7
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