Home Improvement Advice

AuntieWOW · January 13th, 2001, 01:36 AM

Are you remodeling your house; either yourself or hiring contracters? Questions and Tips both welcome here!

tupi · February 21st, 2001, 08:49 PM

My best source for home improvement advice is HGTV.

JuneCleaver · March 2nd, 2001, 10:34 AM

My best advice is to wear your heels and pearls. You never know when the minister might stop by. A lady will always look her best, greet her adoring husband at the door, and always keep the house is perfect order.

CerealMom · March 2nd, 2001, 11:11 AM

And please, no white heels after Labor Day.

tupi · March 2nd, 2001, 11:36 AM

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

March 14th, 2001, 01:52 AM

Time Life books make a nice little series of books that are helpful for minor repairs. We put in a new toliet and replaced some piping with help from the book!

Tammy · March 14th, 2001, 12:16 PM

Christopher Lowell

MommaD · March 14th, 2001, 02:55 PM

I'm thinking putting in a toilet and replacing piping aren't "minor" repairs. I'm thinking a minor repair is patching over the hole in the dry wall or replacing the cover plate on the light switch. Beyond that, it's time for me to get help.

March 15th, 2001, 03:27 PM

zylphan replace a light switch last weekend also. {{MommaD}} Actually the hardest time about replacing the toliet we had to replace was that we had no room to work in. Replacing pipe is just as easy as patching it really. Know tearing the wall out to replace piping is a big job!

shergo · May 21st, 2001, 09:35 PM

C'mon ladies! I am restoring a 90+-year-old house! I'm doing it mostly by myself. WE CAN DO IT! If you want to see my website, it's sherryf.tripod.com/index2.html . Right now I need to update. I have decided not to sell. Instead, I'm turning the front yard into a garden. :-)

Clara · August 9th, 2001, 03:33 AM

Please be advised--that if you are renting--usually the landlord takes care of these issues! Can be a great help! Hubby and I just got thru a big home improvement issue on our own though---without calling the landlord.

We figured out how to take the cover off the bathtub drain and pick the hair out of it. (the long hair must have been his) Snicker.

Clara

tupi · August 11th, 2001, 04:59 PM

Well, I think I'll drag you guys through my rehabilitation of my 1970's kitchen. The particle board cabinets are going to be history...as is the strange linoleum flooring. I'm talking to the kitchen designer at Home Depot on Monday and will be ordering my cabinets soon thereafter. I've decided against Pergo type flooring as it's just prohibitivly expensive for this house. So, my plan is to just post updates of what is going on...at the rate we're going that should keep this folder going for a good long time.

In the meantime, I really need a new saw. I have my eye on a battery powered 4 inch circular saw by Makita. I really want that saw....

Clara · August 12th, 2001, 01:06 AM

Tupi,

I don't envy the revamp of your kitchen in terms of the work load you will have ahead of you, but I am sure I will envy the end result.

Linolium--(opps ahead of time for the spelling) is back in again! Did you know that? LOL I about died when I saw it on a hip little show I was watching one day.

I think my favorite idea for cost saving methods on a kitchen floor would be this--- the cement look with a finish to it. I saw this cool two colored rag finish--where you wipe stain into the cement in a circular fashion-- and it looks really hip! Of course this is not something that would work in ever house--but I thought it was a cool idea--and depending on what house we buy--I am going to consider this!

Tupi--- are you going with new appliances as well??

Clara

October 26th, 2001, 09:12 PM

Hi everybody! I have been gone a while. I work in construction and think that everyone has a right to get the story straight on home improvement so I started an advice column of sorts here. It is really great to see other women doing it themselves. More power to us! I've got a victorian home that I am renovating (slowly) so I can relate to what you all are talking about. I am a believer in reclycling housing materials. My neighbors throw out fantastic woodwork and put in new stuff and I think that is just crazy. They are removing the character and unique quality of their home for the ease of new construction. Just last weekend I found 60 linear feet of beautiful oak baseboard intricately milled 1 foot high, enough for my main attic room. Then someone threw out a stack of 1 by 4's, 6's, 8's, and 10's; perfectly straight, no nails and painted red, gray, black, off white, and magenta on one side. My kitchen has had only a subfloor since I lived in it and was going to do what my friend's 1797 house is like in MA. Her floors are made of pine, all different widths, all 1" thick, sanded with a bit of paint showing and clear coated. So I layed the floor using heavy duty 3" screw nails with the different colors showing on some of them. Then I am going to sand it down to show just the right amount of color for my taste, and give it several coats of poly, no stain. This method is easier than tongue and grove oak and more forgiving, because of the distressed look. Pine is soft to walk on and a warm insulator and not as pricy as oak. I have enough for the office and hall and start the livingroom upstairs. I just wanted to share that because I am so happy for the find. Next I am going to put in new cabinets and cupboards to replace my '50s kitchen. It is entirely found and was fun while it lasted; but it's time for a modernization.
Jean Wilson

mickey · November 5th, 2001, 11:18 AM

Just be careful when you use recycled painted wood. If it's really old it might have lead-based paint on it and you need a lot of ventilation and you're best bet is using those liquid strippers because then you don't have led particles floating around in the air.

February 21st, 2001, 08:49 PM	#2
tupi Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 144	HGTV My best source for home improvement advice is HGTV.

March 2nd, 2001, 11:11 AM	#4
CerealMom Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 4	Proper Dress And please, no white heels after Labor Day.

March 15th, 2001, 03:27 PM	#9
MagnusPI Guest Posts: n/a	clap zylphan replace a light switch last weekend also. {{MommaD}} Actually the hardest time about replacing the toliet we had to replace was that we had no room to work in. Replacing pipe is just as easy as patching it really. Know tearing the wall out to replace piping is a big job!

May 21st, 2001, 09:35 PM	#10
shergo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Danville, VA Posts: 46	C'mon ladies! I am restoring a 90+-year-old house! I'm doing it mostly by myself. WE CAN DO IT! If you want to see my website, it's sherryf.tripod.com/index2.html . Right now I need to update. I have decided not to sell. Instead, I'm turning the front yard into a garden. :-) __________________ shergo

August 9th, 2001, 03:33 AM	#11
Clara Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Mesa, Arizona- origionally from Oregon Posts: 29	Please be advised--that if you are renting--usually the landlord takes care of these issues! Can be a great help! Hubby and I just got thru a big home improvement issue on our own though---without calling the landlord. We figured out how to take the cover off the bathtub drain and pick the hair out of it. (the long hair must have been his) Snicker. Clara __________________ Don't forget to "belly laugh" today! A smile a day keeps the doctor away!

January 13th, 2001, 01:36 AM	#1
AuntieWOW Guest Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 64	Are you remodeling your house; either yourself or hiring contracters? Questions and Tips both welcome here!

March 2nd, 2001, 10:34 AM	#3
JuneCleaver Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2	My best advice is to wear your heels and pearls. You never know when the minister might stop by. A lady will always look her best, greet her adoring husband at the door, and always keep the house is perfect order.

March 2nd, 2001, 11:36 AM	#5
tupi Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 144	AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

March 14th, 2001, 01:52 AM	#6
MagnusPI Guest Posts: n/a	Time Life books make a nice little series of books that are helpful for minor repairs. We put in a new toliet and replaced some piping with help from the book!

March 14th, 2001, 12:16 PM	#7
Tammy Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 143	Christopher Lowell

March 14th, 2001, 02:55 PM	#8
MommaD Registered User Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 57	I'm thinking putting in a toilet and replacing piping aren't "minor" repairs. I'm thinking a minor repair is patching over the hole in the dry wall or replacing the cover plate on the light switch. Beyond that, it's time for me to get help.

August 11th, 2001, 04:59 PM	#12
tupi Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 144	Well, I think I'll drag you guys through my rehabilitation of my 1970's kitchen. The particle board cabinets are going to be history...as is the strange linoleum flooring. I'm talking to the kitchen designer at Home Depot on Monday and will be ordering my cabinets soon thereafter. I've decided against Pergo type flooring as it's just prohibitivly expensive for this house. So, my plan is to just post updates of what is going on...at the rate we're going that should keep this folder going for a good long time. In the meantime, I really need a new saw. I have my eye on a battery powered 4 inch circular saw by Makita. I really want that saw....

August 12th, 2001, 01:06 AM	#13
Clara Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Mesa, Arizona- origionally from Oregon Posts: 29	Tupi, I don't envy the revamp of your kitchen in terms of the work load you will have ahead of you, but I am sure I will envy the end result. Linolium--(opps ahead of time for the spelling) is back in again! Did you know that? LOL I about died when I saw it on a hip little show I was watching one day. I think my favorite idea for cost saving methods on a kitchen floor would be this--- the cement look with a finish to it. I saw this cool two colored rag finish--where you wipe stain into the cement in a circular fashion-- and it looks really hip! Of course this is not something that would work in ever house--but I thought it was a cool idea--and depending on what house we buy--I am going to consider this! Tupi--- are you going with new appliances as well?? Clara __________________ Don't forget to "belly laugh" today! A smile a day keeps the doctor away!

October 26th, 2001, 09:12 PM	#14
jeanofarc Guest Posts: n/a	Hi everybody! I have been gone a while. I work in construction and think that everyone has a right to get the story straight on home improvement so I started an advice column of sorts here. It is really great to see other women doing it themselves. More power to us! I've got a victorian home that I am renovating (slowly) so I can relate to what you all are talking about. I am a believer in reclycling housing materials. My neighbors throw out fantastic woodwork and put in new stuff and I think that is just crazy. They are removing the character and unique quality of their home for the ease of new construction. Just last weekend I found 60 linear feet of beautiful oak baseboard intricately milled 1 foot high, enough for my main attic room. Then someone threw out a stack of 1 by 4's, 6's, 8's, and 10's; perfectly straight, no nails and painted red, gray, black, off white, and magenta on one side. My kitchen has had only a subfloor since I lived in it and was going to do what my friend's 1797 house is like in MA. Her floors are made of pine, all different widths, all 1" thick, sanded with a bit of paint showing and clear coated. So I layed the floor using heavy duty 3" screw nails with the different colors showing on some of them. Then I am going to sand it down to show just the right amount of color for my taste, and give it several coats of poly, no stain. This method is easier than tongue and grove oak and more forgiving, because of the distressed look. Pine is soft to walk on and a warm insulator and not as pricy as oak. I have enough for the office and hall and start the livingroom upstairs. I just wanted to share that because I am so happy for the find. Next I am going to put in new cabinets and cupboards to replace my '50s kitchen. It is entirely found and was fun while it lasted; but it's time for a modernization. Jean Wilson

November 5th, 2001, 11:18 AM	#15
mickey Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 26	Just be careful when you use recycled painted wood. If it's really old it might have lead-based paint on it and you need a lot of ventilation and you're best bet is using those liquid strippers because then you don't have led particles floating around in the air.