Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house?

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mimico_polak

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I'm done thinking about COVID. Time to think of what to do in all this free time! Since I'm stuck out here unfortunately....boo...I've got too much time to think.

The few things I plan on doing this spring/summer at the house are:

1. Install an 11x13' gazebo.
2. Finally install the drywall in the garage. Just found a nice drywall lift (I never knew these things existed) which will let me do the work on my own.
3. Install those Barina (?) lights that I got thanks to GTAMs run on Amazon a few months ago.
4. Maybe get a door cut into the cinder block b/w the garage and hallway in the house.
5. Build a small deck behind the house as I hate the stairs from the living room going down to the yard.
6. Finally go on test drives...but in today's climate...may not be the best idea to go find my toy car.

What are you guys planning on doing? I (kinda) almost wish I was sent home so I could do it but I know the repercussions of this.
 
mimico_polak said:
3. Install those Barina (?) lights that I got thanks to GTAMs run on Amazon a few months ago.
Click to expand...

Have you seen the failure rate on here?

Cleaning out basement and possibly reworking the work bench in the garage. Also getting rid of crap I don't need in there as well.
 
oioioi said:
Have you seen the failure rate on here?

Cleaning out basement and possibly reworking the work bench in the garage. Also getting rid of crap I don't need in there as well.
Click to expand...
Haven't paid attention...that bad? Dammit. I have them in the garage in the box. Might move them over to the shed then.
 
mimico_polak said:
Haven't paid attention...that bad? Dammit. I have them in the garage in the box. Might move them over to the shed then
Click to expand...

I would moved them over to "back to amazon"
 
Tear the front porch off the house. The last owners installed stone over a leak into a cold room. I wasn't that concerned, but the cold room is a common slab with the basement so a wet coldroom can affect the living space. Damn. Need to lift the stone, bust up the concrete, take out the concrete door sill, likely remove all supporting wood (cold room ceiling and rim joist under door), reframe, create new door sill, repour slightly sloped slab, install flat roof membrane, reinstall stone. Should look almost the same as now I have just spent a ton of time and money. I contemplated installing a porch roof over the door but that will be for a future time. I'll make sure there are transfer points where I can put columns.

Theoretically a pergola in the back yard, but that will probably be a future year too. Having the kids home really puts a hurting on available billable hours.
 
@GreyGhost Sounds like a pain in the ass type of job. We considered a pergola but we want to use the space even if it's raining. We are considering the Yardistry 11x13' model from HD. Looks sturdy, and if I was to buy the material myself I think my dad spent close to 4k in just material.
 
The window of return has probably passed but it is still worth a try to either call them or chat.

"
  • SUPER BRIGHT - More than 2200 lumens output, 20w low power consumption, Save 65% on your electricity bill (EACH LIGHT)
  • LINKABLE - Extendable design, could connect up to 6 tube lights together with seamless connectors or connector cords
  • EASY INSTALLATION - Plug-and-play. Just use the included snap joints to hang it up and insert the plug to light it on
  • WIDE APPLICATION - Perfect for garage, storage area, workbench, basement, home, under cabinet, office general lighting
  • QUALITY ASSURANCE - 3-year unlimited warranty, easy and fast replacement is offered if any quality issue
"

Failure rate is too high, you simply don't want a replacement. An amazon credit will do if a full refund is not offered.
 
mimico_polak said:
@GreyGhost Sounds like a pain in the ass type of job. We considered a pergola but we want to use the space even if it's raining. We are considering the Yardistry 11x13' model from HD. Looks sturdy, and if I was to buy the material myself I think my dad spent close to 4k in just material.
Click to expand...
This is just to keep an outdoor couch from roasting your ass. We didn't want light cushions as they would get dirty. Apparently navy blue cushions turn into lava in the sun. The concept is a pergola with retractable coolaroo panels (likely roof and south wall). I've contemplated extending it with a solid roof to the house for a few reasons, but I'm not sure about that part. It would be starting to get pretty big (~10x20'), material costs would be getting high and I would want proper footings for the solid roof for uplift. Previous owners put stone there too.

EDIT:
That gazebo looks nice. You're right, it would probably cost more to build it from scratch. Make sure you put uplights/rope light/strip light/strings of edison lamps or similar. It will make it a much nicer space. Figure out how to hide the supply wire. For something like that I normally dado out a 2x2 and attach it to a leg with stainless finishing nails.

From experience, don't expect much rain protection. It is too high and/or not large enough. If you care about rain, you want the rim as low as possible as rain normally falls at an angle and probably hits one to two feet inside the drip line in every direction. That gives you a ~7x9' space that's dry. Your table uses up much of that space.
 
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mimico_polak said:
@GreyGhost Sounds like a pain in the ass type of job. We considered a pergola but we want to use the space even if it's raining. We are considering the Yardistry 11x13' model from HD. Looks sturdy, and if I was to buy the material myself I think my dad spent close to 4k in just material.
Click to expand...


Costco has a decent gazebo made out of aluminum and the roof is galvanized steel.
The in store version is 10 X 12 (90% sure) and its $1199.99.

This is the one we have been eyeing for the last two seasons. Wife wants a wooden one and I want aluminum as I think it will last longer. Hence why we still haven't bought one.

1585194215576.png
 
@oioioi That's definitely a nice gazebo, but after looking at the Yardistry and reading reviews I think it's a good bet either way. The wood is treated already, and I think as long as we are on it yearly it should be good.

@GreyGhost Good call on the rain. We are going to be buying the mesh that's available which will cut down the rain, and my parents actually installed temporary glass walls on theirs which allows it to be used from early Spring to late Fall...really works well. Good idea with the lights! I've got a concrete pad outside which will not help running the cable. But I think I can run something along/on the fence from the shed.
 
mimico_polak said:
@oioioi That's definitely a nice gazebo, but after looking at the Yardistry and reading reviews I think it's a good bet either way. The wood is treated already, and I think as long as we are on it yearly it should be good.

@GreyGhost Good call on the rain. We are going to be buying the mesh that's available which will cut down the rain, and my parents actually installed temporary glass walls on theirs which allows it to be used from early Spring to late Fall...really works well. Good idea with the lights! I've got a concrete pad outside which will not help running the cable. But I think I can run something along/on the fence from the shed.
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Here's the BBQ roof/deck at the old house. The lights make the space magically better. It was stick built with 8' under the beam. If I build another, I will go 6.5 or 7' under the beam.

N4717071_24.jpg

N4717071_23.jpg
 
mimico_polak said:
@GreyGhost Wow that looks fantastic. Great job. How did you wire the whole thing? Did it yourself?
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My wife helped me lift the rim beam for the roof, her brother helped me lift the rafters, everything else was just me.

There are two 120v circuits in conduit. One runs motion sensing flood lights (one on the sail post into the back yard, on on the bbq roof along the side of the house, the other is a 20A circuit on gfci breaker to two double outlets under the bbq house. Under there are three waterproof led drivers to power everything and a junction box to allow reconfiguration/repair if required. Low voltage wiring from junction box to all the lights. All of the LEDs are controlled by a master switch by the back door, the bbq lights have a separate switch in the bbq house so you can have just the railing lights if you want.

I loved that deck, but it was not very cost-effective. Things like the sail, bbq roof, angled boards and railing lights took a lot of time and material that could have been left out of a conventional deck.
 
IMG_20200319_101500.jpg

Been working from home. Half Life: Alyx came out so I finally have a use for my Rift. Honestly shat myself a few times because loud noises, jump scares, and face hugging crabs coming at you in VR isn't pleasant.

Also bought a race seat and hooked my old G29 to it. I'm now a pretend 2019 F1 driver on the Williams team and second last place every race lol DIRT Rally 2.0 in VR with race seat is also extremely fun.....except when I clip a rock and flip the car.

Everyone at work's been sharing their WFH setups...and they're honestly sad/pathetic. I'm not sharing my setup though because the PS4, Switch, and RGB everywhere confuses the boomer generation (aka upper management thinks it's impossible to work when things are so pretty and gamified.)
 
Firewood cutting time starts right after Maple syrup season and at the same time riding season starts. Very soon time to fell some big trees, split cords of hardwood and ride at least one hour a day for exercise.
 
mimico_polak said:
2. Finally install the drywall in the garage. Just found a nice drywall lift (I never knew these things existed) which will let me do the work on my own.
Click to expand...
Oh.. tell me more about this, link, reference, photo? I want to do some work on the ceiling, will this help?

I've just small stuff to do around the house. Already started on yard cleanup, grass prep etc.
Replace some drywall
Do some plumbing, adding some venting - anyone know about venting?
If I can figure out how to rebuild some basement stairs (5 steps) I might do it.
Organize garage more (does this ever end)
Would like to add some more lighting to garage.
Would like to setup a outdoor office space, to sit outside with laptop.
 
油井緋色 said:
Been working from home. Half Life: Alyx came out so I finally have a use for my Rift. Honestly shat myself a few times because loud noises, jump scares, and face hugging crabs coming at you in VR isn't pleasant.

Also bought a race seat and hooked my old G29 to it. I'm now a pretend 2019 F1 driver on the Williams team and second last place every race lol DIRT Rally 2.0 in VR with race seat is also extremely fun.....except when I clip a rock and flip the car.

Everyone at work's been sharing their WFH setups...and they're honestly sad/pathetic. I'm not sharing my setup though because the PS4, Switch, and RGB everywhere confuses the boomer generation (aka upper management thinks it's impossible to work when things are so pretty and gamified.)
Click to expand...
Cool setup!
Interesting speaker stands.
Is that grey thing on the PS4 a clock?
 
sburns said:
Oh.. tell me more about this, link, reference, photo? I want to do some work on the ceiling, will this help?

I've just small stuff to do around the house. Already started on yard cleanup, grass prep etc.
Replace some drywall
Do some plumbing, adding some venting - anyone know about venting?
If I can figure out how to rebuild some basement stairs (5 steps) I might do it.
Organize garage more (does this ever end)
Would like to add some more lighting to garage.
Would like to setup a outdoor office space, to sit outside with laptop.
Click to expand...
Putting drywall on a ceiling without one is a 2 person job, that's the difference, if you are working solo the lift will quickly pay for itself, otherwise with some help there are work-arounds.
 
sburns said:
Oh.. tell me more about this, link, reference, photo? I want to do some work on the ceiling, will this help?

I've just small stuff to do around the house. Already started on yard cleanup, grass prep etc.
Replace some drywall
Do some plumbing, adding some venting - anyone know about venting?
If I can figure out how to rebuild some basement stairs (5 steps) I might do it.
Organize garage more (does this ever end)
Would like to add some more lighting to garage.
Would like to setup a outdoor office space, to sit outside with laptop.
Click to expand...
Drywall lifts. IIRC PA sells them, HD rents them so you can just give it back after the project.
troy-drywall-lifts-dph11-64_1000.jpg


What do you want to know about venting? Don't do the ghetto vent that terminates inside the wall.

Basement stairs should be pretty easy. What's the problem with the existing stairs?

I thought about working outside and tried it a couple times. Complete fail for me. I need more screen real estate to function efficiently and laptop screens on a sunny day are not great.
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