The Home Improvement Thread

PSU Taco85

Well-Known Member
Finally getting these little brick walls torn down today after wanting to do it for the last two years. Removed the lights from them this morning. They just ran Romex underground and then up through the concrete at the ends of the walls. Going to have the excavator flip them over and cut the wire underneath and then cap it until we figure out if we're going back with a metal fence here or not. They're tearing down the back fence today as well and setting the new galvanized posts. Then they'll be back tomorrow or Monday to put up the wood on the fence. Taking out the brick mailbox as well while they've got the mini-excavator here. So I'll need to replace that tomorrow as well I suppose. View attachment 63057

that’s the most fun part of the job, two sticks or five? I’m a fan of a 2 stick JD, make sure you call for a mark out
:machinegun:
 

balakay

BabyMax
We're having to reschedule. Truck broke down (it's a Ford) so they're coming this week (for a discount of course). Figure we've been putting it off for a year, we can put it off for another couple days. Just need it done by Saturday since we're having like 20 people over then.
 

Taco Loco

Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Last months electric bill for the house $120.40!!

Last months electric bill $111.66
Totally worth it to spend the extra cash and get the metal roof.

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tx_shooter

It is not a war crime the first time.
Staff member
My next house will have better overhanging porches, metal roof, and better positioning for setting sun and winter weather. But that is a lot of stuff that I was not aware of when I built the house at 25 years old.
 

balakay

BabyMax
They didn't bring the excavator but brought a mini skid steer instead of. Worked better for my needs. Knocked out the dirt work I needed real quick. Peep the OSHA approved shorts and flip flops as well.
 

balakay

BabyMax
We were supposed to be having a "Friendsgiving" tomorrow with all of the people from my wife's old job (besides the ones that were the reason she quit obviously). But she came home from work today with a 101.2 fever so that got canceled. Anyway before I knew she was sick I came home from work today and hung up some lights in the yard in prep for having 20+ people over tomorrow. They light up a hell of a lot more than I thought they would. They're not bright enough to annoy the neighbors or to be overbearing when trying to relax but plenty enough for hanging out and playing cornhole after dark. Really happy with the results for $95. As is Addie. It makes hunting squirrels and opossums easier.
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Silverback

Lima Gulf Bravo Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
I have similar around the pool.
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
We were supposed to be having a "Friendsgiving" tomorrow with all of the people from my wife's old job (besides the ones that were the reason she quit obviously). But she came home from work today with a 101.2 fever so that got canceled. Anyway before I knew she was sick I came home from work today and hung up some lights in the yard in prep for having 20+ people over tomorrow. They light up a hell of a lot more than I thought they would. They're not bright enough to annoy the neighbors or to be overbearing when trying to relax but plenty enough for hanging out and playing cornhole after dark. Really happy with the results for $95. As is Addie. It makes hunting squirrels and opossums easier.
View attachment 63174
Looks good!
 

balakay

BabyMax
Finally had long enough without rain that I was able to get our new mailbox put up after having the brick one torn down last week. Really happy with the outcome. Ignore my almost non existent grass. Refused to put any money (including water) into it this year as we're having our yard torn up this coming spring to have a huge tree and it's root system removed as well as having our sewage line replaced from the house to the curb. Then we'll install new sod because fuck this St Augustine.
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Taco Loco

Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
My panel is completely full and most have been changed out to split breakers to even fit the current circuits in the box. It just needs upgraded in general. Just putting off doing anything electrical until I can replace the panel. I'll add a generator connection and a 220v for the garage at the same time.
I was at Mccoys pricing 200amp panels, one of salesman was telling about this program.

*Need to wait for approved contractors is made available.

Electric panel or circuit upgrades for new electric equipment*N/A30% of cost, up to $600


Anyways, I'm not sure I would qualify, cause I'm needing to change out 3 secondary poles with all new meter boxes and panel$. 2 water wells and the other is a pole that feeds power over to the Redneck Trailer Trash House. The current setups do not have main breakers to cut power, I have done a bit work already, but I HIGHLY PREFER NOT TO WORK ON HOT BUSSBARS. lol
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Worked all day Saturday in the misty rain into the night.
I got this first section done. Only 23 more sections to go lol
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This 16"L 3/4" bolt took me 5 minutes to get in. It's got red loctite on it and I peened over the threads to keep the nut from loosening.
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This bastard took an hour to replace. lol I got a pneumatic air chisel now with a blunt end to help me get the rest of the bolts out (hopefully it works).
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And I got this section framed out before calling it a day. I still need to put the blocking in as well.
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Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Friday night I raised this swingset up to make it higher for girls. That was a PIA to do by myself but I got it done.
Saturday morning I drilled out two holes, set 10' 4"x4"s in and concreted them in place to help take out the side-to-side play the swingset has since it's taller.
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This Dewalt hog drill plus the auger attachment worked awesome! Worked way better than I expected it too!
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Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Wore out after working all weekend on my mom's house and properties.
I have a waterproofer (that's works on my buildings at work) come out and sand down the hurricane shutter boxes on my mom's house and re-paint them with aluminum paint. He also resealed a bunch of stuff around her house.

I installed a handrail in my mom's house, replaced a couple of flood lights, fixed the door threshold at my aunt's house and did a bunch of misc. work to one of my mom's rent houses.
This fucking light took 4 hours to replace. The old electrical box had a leak which let water into it and it rusted out everything & blew out the light. So it was an absolute joy to take off 20' up on a ladder and then come back to install everything. The light, light mount and electrical box cover have to be installed at the same time which SUCKS.
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balakay

BabyMax
Just about talked my wife into a 10x12 shed. She wants to go a bit smaller (8x8 or 8x10) but my goal is to get enough crap out of the garage I can start parking on my side since I have a truck that will actually fit now. So my plan is a 10x12 barn style shed with 7' walls and two 4x10 lofts. I'd like to do a 6x6 roll up shop door rather than a double swing door but not sure if it's worth the extra $1000. Then I'll move everything we need from the garage to the shed (mower, lawn tools, toolbox, work bench, generator etc) after that, everything else is getting sold/trashed. I'm sick of having so much shit I have no need for just because I needed it one time 12 years ago and might need it again in another 12 years. All I want in the garage is the chest freezer, cars, air compressor, floor jack/jack stands/ramps, and one shelving unit for coolers, folding chairs, etc. Found a couple pretty good deals on pre built shed but no way to get it in my yard so I'll have to do something that's built on site which is about an extra $1500. So still weighing options.
 

PSU Taco85

Well-Known Member
Picked up these green hinge spring loaded hinges for my garage door that's attached to the house. Installed them last night, so far they seem to help keep the door closer to the weather seal and the door operation is much quieter. I also replaced the rollers with these dura lift nylon rollers with sealed ball bearings while I was at it


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balakay

BabyMax
Went to a few garage sales Saturday morning and found this table. We had been half ass looking for a bigger dining room table to replace the one @fsbrain03 built for us back in 2018/2019 at our old house. It's been a great piece of furniture but it's a bit small for the new house. We're gifting it to my wife's friend and her soon to be husband for their new house. Found this table that was custom made with all real wood. No veneers, laminates, OSB, or whatever else junk they build furniture with these days. It's about 18" longer and 8" wider than our current table and it is solid as a rock and heavy. Not a huge difference to cramp the dining room but enough that we'll be able to fit 6 chairs instead of 4. Knocked the finishing off of it this afternoon with some 150grit. Probably do one more pass with 150 then fill a couple of spots and smooth it out with some 220 before refinishing it a darker color. Wife is still deciding if she wants to leave the legs white or paint them black. Trying to get it done before we host family for Thanksgiving. Pic after the first sanding with 150grit this afternoon.
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Ignore the messy garage. In the process of cleaning, selling, and rearranging stuff.
 

balakay

BabyMax
Went this morning and looked at my parents new lot. They're downsizing to a one acre lot and knocking about 700sq ft off of their current house size. It's a nice location and theres 5 other acre lots for sale around it. Trying to convince my wife we should purchase one before we dump anymore money into our house. Her only hesitance really is it will leave her with an hour commute for work and she doesn't want to change jobs again. Hopefully she'll come around once she sees my parents get their lot fixed up and coming together.
 
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