The Home Improvements Thread (2)

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xrapidx said:
I'm tempted to redo all the gutters where I need gutters myself - considering the cost of materials vs. what they charge for labour. I was quoted around R20k in 2016ish...
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Get yourself a handlanger and DIY it. Do all the measurements, markings and cuttings yourself. Then hand over the repetitive and laborious tasks to the handlanger while micro managing him.

If you go this route though I assume you know how to install gutters and how to avoid basic but common mistakes such as pitch, overlap, sealing, incorrect overlap orientation, etc.
 
TheBadMadMan said:
Upload a picture if you can? I'm curious to see if the downpipe was setup to just dump the water at the base of your house or if it actually routes water away from your foundation.
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I've removed the downpipes already, but you can see where they were - the angle of the paving is down towards me. (the water also runs along the wall, there isn't much of a slope to the left. )

My initial plan here was to change the angle, and put a tank where I'm standing on the longer section, and then the shorter section, the opposite direction towards the pool.

The otherside of the house is the same, there's no where for the water to go, except along the paving. I'm no expert - but to me - removing the gutters in this scenario makes more sense than the bulk of the water flowing from the top of the wall to the bottom.

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TheBadMadMan said:
Get yourself a handlanger and DIY it. Do all the measurements, markings and cuttings yourself. Then hand over the repetitive and laborious tasks to the handlanger while micro managing him.

If you go this route though I assume you know how to install gutters and how to avoid basic but common mistakes such as pitch, overlap, sealing, incorrect overlap orientation, etc.
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Missed your second post - I'm in no way an expert - but literally everything I've had to fix that I've had experts do has outlasted their work. (e.g. my roofs waterproofing - I've spent tens of thousands on experts - and it still leaked - since I started doing it myself 2-3 years ago - we seldom have problems, and nowhere near what we used to have).

I think a lot of things these guys do these days are the bare minimum - it's not in their interest to do things properly. If there's a two year warranty on a product, they'll do whats needed to make sure it lasts just two years.
 
xrapidx said:
Missed your second post - I'm in no way an expert - but literally everything I've had to fix that I've had experts do has outlasted their work. (e.g. my roofs waterproofing - I've spent tens of thousands on experts - and it still leaked - since I started doing it myself 2-3 years ago - we seldom have problems, and nowhere near what we used to have).

I think a lot of things these guys do these days are the bare minimum - it's not in their interest to do things properly. If there's a two year warranty on a product, they'll do whats needed to make sure it lasts just two years.
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That’s a big issue with “experts”. Some guys on here have had me do things for them. Each one of them had asked me to do certain things which I can do, but because I’m not an expert at it I recommend someone well priced and better. Most guys just take on everything wing it learning on the job and this is where the problems arise... you might as well wing it yourself.

move said it before and say it again, no contractor can do everything. They can sub contract but should then take responsibility for everything since the client only deals with the said contractor. I either pass details on to the client or like my current job advise of a good person and offer to assist and handle things on their behalf since my reputation is still at stake.

greed is unfortunately a big issue and has negative effects on the good guys as well.
 
Smokey mcpot said:
That’s a big issue with “experts”. Some guys on here have had me do things for them. Each one of them had asked me to do certain things which I can do, but because I’m not an expert at it I recommend someone well priced and better. Most guys just take on everything wing it learning on the job and this is where the problems arise... you might as well wing it yourself.

move said it before and say it again, no contractor can do everything. They can sub contract but should then take responsibility for everything since the client only deals with the said contractor. I either pass details on to the client or like my current job advise of a good person and offer to assist and handle things on their behalf since my reputation is still at stake.

greed is unfortunately a big issue and has negative effects on the good guys as well.
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100% - and its all over. I had the insurance send a guy to fix a couple of things the previous guy the insurance sent ****ed up. He was shocked at what was done. You get good guys, but unfortunately these days they're the minority. I have a very small list of guys I'll reuse.
 
WAslayer said:
I am currently looking as well.. the two quotes info have for a double car port is day and night..

One came in at 23k for maintenance free alu-zinc and solid sheets..

The other was 80k for the same thing but, included building plans and submission thereof.. though this is minimal really..

Some recommendations from the other members who had good experiences would be great..
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What's the size of your carport? If it's over the building line then that's LUM approval, and if it's over 7m (I think) then they want an engineer to sign off too.

Can easily cost you 3 months of delays and R5-10k (depending on engineer/architect/etc)
 
SAguy said:
What's the size of your carport? If it's over the building line then that's LUM approval, and if it's over 7m (I think) then they want an engineer to sign off too.

Can easily cost you 3 months of delays and R5-10k (depending on engineer/architect/etc)
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6x6.4m and it does encroach on the building line.. however, the line item on the quote for the carport structure alone is 76k.. this does include a 6.5x1.5m roof section that extends back and still does not explain the nearly triple the cost over the other quote I got..

Plan drawing and submission is 3.5k and engineers fee just 1k..
 
WAslayer said:
6x6.4m and it does encroach on the building line.. however, the line item on the quote for the carport structure alone is 76k.. this does include a 6.5x1.5m roof section that extends back and still does not explain the nearly triple the cost over the other quote I got..

Plan drawing and submission is 3.5k and engineers fee just 1k..
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This is reasonable I think, can't speak to the rest of the quote though.
 
SAguy said:
This is reasonable I think, can't speak to the rest of the quote though.
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Agreed, perfectly happy to pay those fees.. friend of mine had his plans drawn up recently and paid 2k for that but, submitted himself, so it's not exorbitant..
 
xrapidx said:
RE: my jacuzzi hole room.

What sort of person do you get for demolition? i.e. to remove all the tiles.

(I decided I'm probably just going to fill the pit and concrete over it)
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Can send my gardener over, just tell him to be very careful and not to damage anything.

Place will be demolished in a few hours.
 
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I know it depends on how many windows and doors etc but has anyone had these security type shutters installed and how much did it costs to fit on your whole house or per door, whatever. Just trying to get a rough idea



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Shutters:
2 x 4m folding shutters
1 x 3m folding shutter
2 x 2m French style opening shutters
13 x double louvre windows
Total came to just over 400k for a previous client. They were not done by me, can’t remember who did them. This was done around November 2019
 
Just to add, he was not entirely happy as they’re not all that good at blocking light.
 
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A quick one for you guys tonight - we'd like to attach some of those droppers that have been strung together to one of our walls just to get a little bit more privacy in the yard.

We'll probably end up buying the 2m tall ones, and bury it 20cm into the ground adjacent to the wall and have the height set at 1.8m, sort of like the pic below but of course buried a bit and not floating.

IMG-20201113-WA0035.jpg

What's the best way to attach it to the wall? It's a facebrick wall, so I was thinking some aluminium brackets attached to the wall with some nail-in anchors? Is there a simpler way to tackle this?
 
Smokey mcpot said:
Shutters:
2 x 4m folding shutters
1 x 3m folding shutter
2 x 2m French style opening shutters
13 x double louvre windows
Total came to just over 400k for a previous client. They were not done by me, can’t remember who did them. This was done around November 2019
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Jissus fok...
 
I’ve done those reed fences before, used brackets like you suggested. After a year or so the sun really messed them up though. Client had me redo them 2 years later... reminds me it’s almost 2 years and I should give her a call.
 
Smokey mcpot said:
I’ve done those reed fences before, used brackets like you suggested. After a year or so the sun really messed them up though. Client had me redo them 2 years later... reminds me it’s almost 2 years and I should give her a call.
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Reed or wood?

These ones are supposedly treated (probably kreosote) so should last a while. I think it's black wattle or some similar type of tree
 
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