The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[Smokey mcpot]

Yeah not likely in my case.... SO wants to do all sorts of shyte to the house and not a damn is given to resale value or investment or anything... I'd spend a bar extra on the house and never see a cent back if I tried to sell it

my excuse for the last year has been that we need to buy a bigger place. So I’m currently “searching”

 

[ToxicBunny]

my excuse for the last year has been that we need to buy a bigger place. So I’m currently “searching”

No... I need to buy a smaller place.. this bloody place I currently have is tooo big and to do anything costs a fekking fortune ...

I will never buy a big house with a big yard ever again....

 

[alqassam]

Yeah not likely in my case.... SO wants to do all sorts of shyte to the house and not a damn is given to resale value or investment or anything... I'd spend a bar extra on the house and never see a cent back if I tried to sell it

We did the Major renovs in 2018. In last year finish up most of stuff I couldn't afford in 2018.

This lockdown, I have finished a ton of small things that were needed around the house.


Next project is I have 150sqm cottage on the property with its own entrance. Currently just a shell with windows in and roof on. Need to do all electrics plumbing and finishing.

Will rent out once done so will go with basic fittings. Still think it will cost upto 500k

 

[Smokey mcpot]

No... I need to buy a smaller place.. this bloody place I currently have is tooo big and to do anything costs a fekking fortune ...

I will never buy a big house with a big yard ever again....

I like our current place but we’re planning on expanding the family. I also need a huge yard for the dogs.

lucky for me maintenance costs are not as high as it is for you lol

 

[ToxicBunny]

We did the Major renovs in 2018. In last year finish up most of stuff I couldn't afford in 2018.

This lockdown, I have finished a ton of small things that were needed around the house.


Next project is I have 150sqm cottage on the property with its own entrance. Currently just a shell with windows in and roof on. Need to do all electrics plumbing and finishing.

Will rent out once done so will go with basic fittings. Still think it will cost upto 500k

150sqm cottage? Jees... that is nearly double the allowable size down here in Durbs... will cost a fortune to fit out at that size, but you can rent for decent money since it would be a house effectively.

 

[alqassam]

No... I need to buy a smaller place.. this bloody place I currently have is tooo big and to do anything costs a fekking fortune ...

I will never buy a big house with a big yard ever again....

We are on a 1ha plot with 1000sqm of under roof between 4 buildings.

Came from a 150sqm flat


But I love the space

 

[alqassam]

150sqm cottage? Jees... that is nearly double the allowable size down here in Durbs... will cost a fortune to fit out at that size, but you can rent for decent money since it would be a house effectively.

Yea and has a large sectioned off garden so that would be a huge selling point.

Agricultural holdings have different rules.

Although we are pretty much in the middle of the city

 

[Smokey mcpot]

We are on a 1ha plot with 1000sqm of under roof between 4 buildings.

Came from a 150sqm flat


But I love the space

My dream space. I can already picture my walk in aviary

 

[ToxicBunny]

I like our current place but we’re planning on expanding the family. I also need a huge yard for the dogs.

lucky for me maintenance costs are not as high as it is for you lol

Cheeky sod

Though it ain't that expensive for me either.. small maintenance I can do.... big maintenance I just ignore

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Cheeky sod

Though it ain't that expensive for me either.. small maintenance I can do.... big maintenance I just ignore

something I hate though, my wife keeps finding these lovely properties in great areas which needs a lot of work. Even though it’s a steal considering I’ll do all the work myself, I hate the thought of having to do all the work. Being in the trade the last thing I want to do is building and fixing up a home I just moved into

 

[ToxicBunny]

something I hate though, my wife keeps finding these lovely properties in great areas which needs a lot of work. Even though it’s a steal considering I’ll do all the work myself, I hate the thought of having to do all the work. Being in the trade the last thing I want to do is building and fixing up a home I just moved into

Dude know exactly what you mean...

 

[TedLasso]

So a little bit about my day.
We’re removing old damp, hollow plaster from a wall and the plan was to replaster. So we chipped the layer of plaster and what do we find... another damp layer of plaster with the paint still on! So the owner had to deal with some things and asked me to just deal with his right hand/pa/friend/don’t know what else to call him. So this guy thinks I’m just scratching out work. Tells me to just plaster over the 2nd layer. I lay out my T&C’s before I proceed with his request. There was a very bad crack on the 2nd layer which I instruct one of my guys to open and repair. Opens up the crack and a massive chunk of plaster just falls off... then entire 2nd layer is already loose and hollow as well. Underneath this is the concrete slab, lintel, bricks etc... all soaking wet. This wall is the entrance to the garage, which is underneath paving on the upper driveway. Upon further inspection we realize the paving was most likely done without waterproofing. Some strategic points I point out to open up some plaster and my suspicion is confirmed.
I called the guy who is now in charge to send pics, video and let him know the situation. He tells me to ignore and just carry on plastering as per my quote.
One of my guys walking on top drops a bucket of paint and the entire garage is shaking!! I look at the ceiling and see cracks! I go up to the driveway and while one of my guys walks feel the entire ground shake underneath my feet. Total F-Up!! No waterproofing on entire slab or under the paving. I’ve now told my guys to drop their tools and leave that section until the owner can make it out here. My end of July timeline is screwed. I know the owner well and when he gets here is going to tell me to redo everything as he parks his Bakkie and his wife’s suv up there all the time.
Just last week he told me that he wants me to come and do his main house once we’re done at the end of July. I had to give him a “save the date” as we’ve got other work lined up which I’m already late for. How the hell am I still going to deal with squeezing this in.

fml, times like these I miss my corporate life where I took the issue to upper management and they dealt with it hahaha. Be your own boss they said, it will be fun!

Sounds exactly like what we found in garage last year, when we lifted up the paving bricks in it to troubleshoot whu water was seeping out on between the bricks.. The previous owners builders just put the bricks on sand. No damp proof course, iron grid - nothing.

Redid entire garage floor, took nearly 6-7 tons of sand, concrete mix, cement to redo it .

We then found the same in the patio extensions, around the pool , etc. Cost a pretty packet to repair. Looks lovely now.

 

[Lupus]

Sounds exactly like what we found in garage last year, when we lifted up the paving bricks in it to troubleshoot whu water was seeping out on between the bricks.. The previous owners builders just put the bricks on sand. No damp proof course, iron grid - nothing.

Redid entire garage floor, took nearly 6-7 tons of sand, concrete mix, cement to redo it .

We then found the same in the patio extensions, around the pool , etc. Cost a pretty packet to repair. Looks lovely now.

Where do you guys live? My dad put paving stones down without any water proofing 21 years ago, no water seepage? We don't seem to put water proofing down when paving in Gauteng, just had some paving done and there's none.

 

[TedLasso]

Where do you guys live? My dad put paving stones down without any water proofing 21 years ago, no water seepage? We don't seem to put water proofing down when paving in Gauteng, just had some paving done and there's none.

Parkmore, the fscking ground is just too wet. Foundation has damp all the way from ground to that damp proof layer.

Neighbors who lived here for 30 plus years say they had an in ground trampoline and it was half filled with water coming from ground .

You know what pisses me off? I paid for a 'professional' assessment of the house before we signed OTP, and I indicated to the guy that I was concerned about damp ,etc. That **** said everything was fine and found two small issues the sellers fixed.

I wish I could sue that company , and send them bill for the 300k it's cost so far. He completely missed, in the same garage, where the main water inlet valve is, that the overflow was not connected outside - it was just overflowing into the wall!! I only picked it up 6 months later when I got a plumber to check.

 

[Lupus]

Parkmore, the fscking ground is just too wet. Foundation has damp all the way from ground to that damp proof layer.

Neighbors who lived here for 30 plus years say they had an in ground trampoline and it was half filled with water coming from ground .

You know what pisses me off? I paid for a 'professional' assessment of the house before we signed OTP, and I indicated to the guy that I was concerned about damp ,etc. That **** said everything was fine and found two small issues the sellers fixed.

I wish I could sue that company , and send them bill for the 300k it's cost so far. He completely missed, in the same garage, where the main water inlet valve is, that the overflow was not connected outside - it was just overflowing into the wall!! I only picked it up 6 months later when I got a plumber to check.

Wow, are you like in a wet land or something?

 

[TedLasso]

Apparently water table is quite high or something , neighbour said Sandton drive was once like a river or somethinga very long time ago . Not sure , never researched. Anyway, should be easy to get borehole installed - just drop a 2 meter pipe into the ground with a tap

 

[Dion_M]

Hi Guys.

I noticed the valve outside is leaking. Seems to drip on and off. Do I need to replace this unit or can it be repaired. Wanted to get your guys view before I have the plumber out and he makes me pay for unnecessary stuff.

Arrow pointing to where its dripping from.

Thanks

 

[The_Mowgs]

Hi Guys.

I noticed the valve outside is leaking. Seems to drip on and off. Do I need to replace this unit or can it be repaired. Wanted to get your guys view before I have the plumber out and he makes me pay for unnecessary stuff.

Arrow pointing to where its dripping from.

Thanks

Close the tap, remove valve. Add plumbers tape to thread and put valve back. Check for leaks

 

[howardb]

Hi Guys.

I noticed the valve outside is leaking. Seems to drip on and off. Do I need to replace this unit or can it be repaired. Wanted to get your guys view before I have the plumber out and he makes me pay for unnecessary stuff.

Arrow pointing to where its dripping from.

Thanks

Isn't that a pressure valve. Ours does the same. Drips when the hot water is used and stops when not used. Not a fast drip either.

 

[Dion_M]

It is a pressure valve. Do you have perhaps have an idea more or less on how much water is released daily?