The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[Smokey mcpot]

Thanks for the kind words.

definitely helped that he actually came and spoke to me. Would not have known what their struggle is if he hadn’t come to ask.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

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?

Have you confirmed that is actually a slab? Looks like down lights in there and generally guys don’t like to fit them into a slab.

 

[Arzy]

Have you confirmed that is actually a slab? Looks like down lights in there and generally guys don’t like to fit them into a slab.

Unfortunately it is so I either need a way to go through it, hopefully not, or to come up the wall.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Unfortunately it is so I either need a way to go through it, hopefully not, or to come up the wall.

I would probably go through the wall and up outside of the wall

 

[ToxicBunny]

TBH I think a cheaper solution to your problem would be to get a more efficient gas "fireplace" that could heat the space more effectively.

I would also be very surprised if that brick "chimney" is actually hollow since its more than likely a structural support column for the slab, so now you're starting to get into some serious re-engineering stuff.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Is it generally better to paint (indoors) in the Summer or the Winter or does it not really matter?

 

[Steamy Tom]

Is it generally better to paint (indoors) in the Summer or the Winter or does it not really matter?

I think a moderate day is probbaly best, though not sure how much it really matters tbh, the only thing i have ever heard (and might be a wives tale) is that you shouldnt paint when it is raining out (i suspect because of humidity or something), though i have painted indoors shilst it was raining.

 

[WAslayer]

Is it generally better to paint (indoors) in the Summer or the Winter or does it not really matter?

Winter and summer doesn't really matter (although you can end up with cracked paint when it is an extremely extreme hot day)..

High humidity is what you want to avoid.. paint when humidity is low..

 

[Agent_Smith]

I think a moderate day is probbaly best, though not sure how much it really matters tbh, the only thing i have ever heard (and might be a wives tale) is that you shouldnt paint when it is raining out (i suspect because of humidity or something), though i have painted indoors shilst it was raining.

Winter and summer doesn't really matter (although you can end up with cracked paint when it is an extremely extreme hot day)..

High humidity is what you want to avoid.. paint when humidity is low..

Cool thanks. Wanting to paint my lounge and with us going into a Cape winter, I'm just wanting to make sure. We should still have enough mild days down here to get it done.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Cool thanks. Wanting to paint my lounge and with us going into a Cape winter, I'm just wanting to make sure. We should still have enough mild days down here to get it done.

Today is actually a nice day to do it.

I painted inside a house during winter time in 2019. Hout Bay so close to the ocean as well. One thing i do remember is that I constantly had to remind the guys to wait a bit longer for things to dry properly. Ended up using some fans and dehumidifier as well. One thing specifically was the ceilings which we had to coat in wood primer and then paint. The primer took more than a day to dry properly(which is why I went the dehumidifier and fans route). Then with the paint it took a full day to dry whereas we’d normally be able to get a 2nd coat on the same day.
the walls were not as bad but I opted to wait a day before going 2nd coat as well.
for skimming I used ready mix options as they dried quicker. Did use Crete stone on one wall and could see that it was not drying at its normal rate and quickly changed products to stay within our timeline.

 

[MDE]

What are the regs regarding 110mm soil pipe vent.

I have a 110mm soil pipe vent which is near the front entrance to the house. (Stupid place to F'ing put it) which runs up the wall and through the roof tiles and extends 300mm. I'd like to reduce to a 40mm pipe with a rain cap so to reduce the completely hideous look. Ideally to stop below roof tiles.

Any issue with that?

 

[Smokey mcpot]

So update on pensioner who we have now named Oupa. After some talking he spoke about a man that used to help him with things when they were younger and I look just like this man... turns out he knew my dad. Then a while later a buddy of mine pulled up behind me to ask what I'm doing there... turns out it his dad.

So our lick of paint has now grown into painting outside, all windows refurbishing, refurb doors, seal all joints around bath and basins, cleared out his store room today and going to paint inside including the floor. Completed the wendy house varnish today as well as light sand and varnish of windows inside the house. Fixed some leaks on his jojo tank as well. Son is fitting the bill and insisted I charge a bit more for all the work. Glad I stuck around to help as my favour has now turned profitable.

 

[ToxicBunny]

So update on pensioner who we have now named Oupa. After some talking he spoke about a man that used to help him with things when they were younger and I look just like this man... turns out he knew my dad. Then a while later a buddy of mine pulled up behind me to ask what I'm doing there... turns out it his dad.

So our lick of paint has now grown into painting outside, all windows refurbishing, refurb doors, seal all joints around bath and basins, cleared out his store room today and going to paint inside including the floor. Completed the wendy house varnish today as well as light sand and varnish of windows inside the house. Fixed some leaks on his jojo tank as well. Son is fitting the bill and insisted I charge a bit more for all the work. Glad I stuck around to help as my favour has now turned profitable.

Nice dude, very nice.

 

[PhireSide]

Glad you could turn a bad situation around!

 

[Arzy]

Right...so had my goto guy out over the weekend to first come and sort out my generator and then to discuss the problem of what to do with this fireplace. After some tapping and drilling we have determined the following:



The column going up is solid concrete with no central cavity.
This lovely block of pain is resting on two steel beams snuggly fit into bricks and some lintels which make up the rest of the structure.
Behind the steel though there is a cavity into which the existing fireplace extends up.
At the arrow, there is enough space next to the column and between the two beams to be able to open up a circle of about 25cm in diameter.
Squigly line would effectively be a flex tube in the cavity from a new fireplace to said hole.

With that in mind the idea has now expanded to basically redoing the entire thing as such:


Structure to be expanded a bit to add the triangular shape on top to where the column meets the first ceiling.
Existing gas fireplace to be removed and replaced with either a double-sided wood burner or to close up the back and put a cast iron slow combustion stove in (Still in two about this, views appreciated.)
Flex tube from the top of the fireplace to the arrow to a new flue that gets concealed in the red area after which it runs exposed up the wall to go out the roof.
Entire fireplaces plaster to be stripped off and replaced with a red brick cladding which will also go behind the flue all the way to the ceiling.


Or something like that, still working on the idea.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Honest question though, have you looked at more efficient gas options that could potentially just slot into the space you already have?

The whole structure you have is nice and neat already and it would be a shame to have to ruin it all just to shoehorn a wood burner into it.

Or if its something you are hell bent on having, think outside the box and what about entirely relocate the burner somewhere else, and then having that central thing as a feature of some kind?

 

[Smokey mcpot]

My opinion... speak to engineer as well.
Personally I'm not a fan of just going into or through concrete. I'm sure that concrete is there for a reason and I wouldn't just alter it.

 

[Arzy]

Honest question though, have you looked at more efficient gas options that could potentially just slot into the space you already have?

The whole structure you have is nice and neat already and it would be a shame to have to ruin it all just to shoehorn a wood burner into it.

Or if its something you are hell bent on having, think outside the box and what about entirely relocate the burner somewhere else, and then having that central thing as a feature of some kind?

From prior experience, I have found that gas simply doesn't provide the same level of heat that a wood burner or slow combustion does.

In a previous house I, to my disappointment, removed an open wood burner that had seen better times and installed a beautiful flueless gas fireplace. Regardless of how long I ran the gas I simply couldn't get the area up to the same temps as I was getting with the simple old wood burner.

In the house just before this one I also installed a small slow combustion stove due to limited available space. Despite its size and location though it was able to warm up most of the house on its own.

So, not entirely hell bent but experience with the 3 different systems has given me a definite bias away from gas.

 

[Steamy Tom]

i personally would not change it from gas, just looking for issues imo, we dont exactly live in siberia

 

[Arzy]

My opinion... speak to engineer as well.
Personally I'm not a fan of just going into or through concrete. I'm sure that concrete is there for a reason and I wouldn't just alter it.

Will ask one of the structural guys we use to come check as well. The area the arrow points to though is brick, the proposed design doesn't touch the steel or concrete column at all.