The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[xrapidx]

Yeah, I also have the Kalahari.. I also had a Kalahari that I put up at my parents place, which was also holding up without fail through all the south easters..

Installed tension probably also a factor.. if it's tensioned all the way when installed, I can imagine that the wind blowing through would "over tension" the sail putting a lot of stress on the seams.. while mine is not slack by any means, I don't think I have it tensioned all the way..

What was the installed tension on yours like..?

Quite tight, but there's still a bit of play. Because its connected with cable, I don't think it'll be possible to tension it too tight.

 

[ToxicBunny]

I considered getting one of those sails from TakeAlot (or Builders who also sell a similar brand), but my folks had a custom one put up on the granny flat at my property and honestly the price was not that much more than the store bought version and the quality is infinitely better.

I have a few large projects to fund and get through but will eventually put up a custom sail at my place as well to "extend" my existing awning.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

So someone asked me if I could just give his house a lick of paint at a “good price”. No prep just paint.

I pointed out that the house needs a lot of prep and the owner never agreed saying he only needs 2 coats of paint as is. I saw a huge bubble and asked if I could pop it to show him why the prep work is needed. Just a touch with the spackle and the paint was off the wall. Now the owner says he didn’t want me to remove paint and now he is forced to have the wall properly prepped which he cannot afford and it’s my fault ‍♂️

So now I’m prepping at no cost with only my paint work being the cost at his place. People are sly!!

 

[ToxicBunny]

So someone asked me if I could just give his house a lick of paint at a “good price”. No prep just paint.

I pointed out that the house needs a lot of prep and the owner never agreed saying he only needs 2 coats of paint as is. I saw a huge bubble and asked if I could pop it to show him why the prep work is needed. Just a touch with the spackle and the paint was off the wall. Now the owner says he didn’t want me to remove paint and now he is forced to have the wall properly prepped which he cannot afford and it’s my fault ‍♂️

So now I’m prepping at no cost with only my paint work being the cost at his place. People are sly!!

I know you can't respond appropriately because of the way word of mouth works, but that sort of behaviour from a client really deserves a straight up "GFY".

As much as we all need a database of dodgy contractors, you guys also need a database of dodgy clients.

**EDIT** I think just so there is clarity from further on in the thread, this client turned out not to be dodgy but a pensioner who honestly couldn't afford all the work and smokey, being the absolute gentleman and scholar that he is is helping out how he can.

 

[WAslayer]

So someone asked me if I could just give his house a lick of paint at a “good price”. No prep just paint.

I pointed out that the house needs a lot of prep and the owner never agreed saying he only needs 2 coats of paint as is. I saw a huge bubble and asked if I could pop it to show him why the prep work is needed. Just a touch with the spackle and the paint was off the wall. Now the owner says he didn’t want me to remove paint and now he is forced to have the wall properly prepped which he cannot afford and it’s my fault ‍

So now I’m prepping at no cost with only my paint work being the cost at his place. People are sly!!

Wait, didn't you also pop a few bubbles on my walls last you were here..??

..

 

[WAslayer]

Quite tight, but there's still a bit of play. Because its connected with cable, I don't think it'll be possible to tension it too tight.

I installed mine with some rope on one end and 20mm ratchet straps on the other, so I can easily remove the sail or add tension or slacken if needed.. the rope and ratchet straps have some give in them, when the wind blows..

 

[Smokey mcpot]

I know you can't respond appropriately because of the way word of mouth works, but that sort of behaviour from a client really deserves a straight up "GFY".

As much as we all need a database of dodgy contractors, you guys also need a database of dodgy clients.

If it weren’t for the surrounding houses I would probably have told him to jump in a lake. I did agree that I would only prep the one wall though and then paint the rest as per his instructions... knowing me though I’d probably still do a proper job so that it can be my marketing in the road.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Wait, didn't you also pop a few bubbles on my walls last you were here..??

..

Is that what you wanna call what we did... sure then I “popped a few bubbles” when I was there

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Just to clear up the size of the bubble which didn’t need prep...

 

[ToxicBunny]

That looks suspiciously like a rising damp problem?

 

[xrapidx]

I installed mine with some rope on one end and 20mm ratchet straps on the other, so I can easily remove the sail or add tension or slacken if needed.. the rope and ratchet straps have some give in them, when the wind blows..

I had mine on initially with rope - but with the wind it looked like it was going to take the house with it... changed to the cable. it was well tension'd - but could have been tensioned tighter if necessary. Didn't move as much - but still moved.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

That looks suspiciously like a rising damp problem?

Not a rising damp issue... but a damp issue.
So besides the gutter which seems to look like it has a leak right above this spot (one contributing factor), there is also a pipe inside this wall which he confirmed had a leak and was fixed. There is a kitchen behind the wall and not many damp spots like this elsewhere.
Below the stairs is also a store room which is suspended from the ground, so definitely not rising damp. Their gutters are terrible though and I suspect a lot of water is running down the damages paint at the top and staying between the coat of paint and the wall.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Not a rising damp issue... but a damp issue.
So besides the gutter which seems to look like it has a leak right above this spot (one contributing factor), there is also a pipe inside this wall which he confirmed had a leak and was fixed. There is a kitchen behind the wall and not many damp spots like this elsewhere.
Below the stairs is also a store room which is suspended from the ground, so definitely not rising damp. Their gutters are terrible though and I suspect a lot of water is running down the damages paint at the top and staying between the coat of paint and the wall.

Ahhh, well I was half right based off the photos then, I'm not too piss poor at this then

But yeah, guttering and getting water away from the house is so damned important. I have a good amount of work to do on the front with my house as well still, but its just one of the many projects to tackle

**EDIT** as a side note to this one, and something I've learnt over the last year... another maintenance task that has to be undertaken every year, at least, is to clean out the valleys of your roof as well as the gutters.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Ahhh, well I was half right based off the photos then, I'm not too piss poor at this then

But yeah, guttering and getting water away from the house is so damned important. I have a good amount of work to do on the front with my house as well still, but its just one of the many projects to tackle

Water/damp is by far the worst. I’m not always keen on doing the repairs unless I can find the cause. Some people just want it covered up and then call me back when the problem comes back and blame me.

 

[xrapidx]

I considered getting one of those sails from TakeAlot (or Builders who also sell a similar brand), but my folks had a custom one put up on the granny flat at my property and honestly the price was not that much more than the store bought version and the quality is infinitely better.

I have a few large projects to fund and get through but will eventually put up a custom sail at my place as well to "extend" my existing awning.

That's actually not a bad idea - previously I got quotes and they wanted almost 3x the price, but that was with them installing all the fittings - will probably be cheaper now that all the fittings are in place.

 

[ElixirCoder]

So someone asked me if I could just give his house a lick of paint at a “good price”. No prep just paint.

I pointed out that the house needs a lot of prep and the owner never agreed saying he only needs 2 coats of paint as is. I saw a huge bubble and asked if I could pop it to show him why the prep work is needed. Just a touch with the spackle and the paint was off the wall. Now the owner says he didn’t want me to remove paint and now he is forced to have the wall properly prepped which he cannot afford and it’s my fault ‍♂️

So now I’m prepping at no cost with only my paint work being the cost at his place. People are sly!!

Sounds like his prepping for a sale. If so, what a douche as the next owners are going to sit with the actual problem.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Sounds like his prepping for a sale. If so, what a douche as the next owners are going to sit with the actual problem.

Old people so not too sure what the motive is. The house does need some paintwork though... actually needs a lot more.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

So an update on the job.
We started out prep work immediately and luckily I’ve got some left over materials like primer, permobond etc so the work won’t cost me too much in “marketing fees”.

old man came to see us hard at work and looked shocked that we’re not doing a half job due to the circumstances.

anyway he asked me what I would have charged for the job had I quoted him for everything. I told him and he looked like he was about to have a heart attack lol. He offered to pay me a portion of it as it’s all he can afford. Seems he isn’t so dodgy after all. Turns out they are 3 pensioners in the house. So I’m taking half of what he offered me and will give it our all.

 

[ToxicBunny]

So an update on the job.
We started out prep work immediately and luckily I’ve got some left over materials like primer, permobond etc so the work won’t cost me too much in “marketing fees”.

old man came to see us hard at work and looked shocked that we’re not doing a half job due to the circumstances.

anyway he asked me what I would have charged for the job had I quoted him for everything. I told him and he looked like he was about to have a heart attack lol. He offered to pay me a portion of it as it’s all he can afford. Seems he isn’t so dodgy after all. Turns out they are 3 pensioners in the house. So I’m taking half of what he offered me and will give it our all.

Ahhh, 3 pensioners in the house.. yeah I have experience with a house like that and we do what we can to help them out as well, they struggle from month to month just to make ends meet. I genuinely feel sorry for many of the older people in this country who just are in such bad financial positions through no fault of their own.

And that sir is why you get the business and have a good reputation in general. You aren't out to screw people and you will help out in situations where you can. I still obviously hate you for being in CPT of course, but for those pensioners I'm glad they found you and you can do some of the work that is needed for them.

 

[Arzy]

So speaking of fireplaces, entrance to my house is this big double volume with a gas fireplace. The fireplace simply isn't effective as I'd like and I've been thinking of replacing with a double sided wood burner.

First problem is that there isn't an existing chimney going to the roof. Per the picture below I think brick structure is hollow so I should be able to run chimney pipes up the inside.

Next issue would be the slab which forms the floor of the room above the existing fireplace. Would it be wrong to break a hole through this for the same chimney pipe?

I seem to have forgotten about this little project but feel the need to get back to it.

Anyone know of a company that could take on a project like this?