A relative had their kitchen floors done with vinyl flooring plank flooring -life proof.

They had the store install it- or whatever contractor the store picked for it.

They were left over with one new box of flooring. Only like $60ish dollars.

And then another box full of scraps. Big pieces and small pieces( lots of scraps left over!). But, I packed the box up for them to take it to their storage.

The store had ordered 8 boxes for them. So 6 boxes in reality were used.

The new box I think has 7 planks in it?

The lady at the store said its maybe good to keep one box in case the floor has issues and needs fixed in the future and they don't sell that color of flooring anymore?

Thoughts? I mean we got one new box and then the other box has all kinds of shapes and sizes of the boards the installer cut up.

Edit- Ok I will keep them. I mean the new box has 7 normal size planks. and the other box has the scrap planks in all different sizes. Thank you all for the advice:)

Hi all,

I’m trying to be as patient and understanding as possible, but struggling here and need to understand if I’m working with a bad company or if this is normal. I am new at this so definitely willing to learn where I can be better too.

We hired them to redo part of our bathroom and the total was roughly 16k (materials excluded besides the basic stuff) with 50% downpayment. This was the cheapest quote amongst 3, but still super expensive for us and we saved for a long time to make it happen.

We’ve had a series of issues since the beginning: for instance, both invoices I have paid so far were originally calculated wrong (too high) and I had to remind them to please fix those. I didn’t get an apology or anything but whatever I guess.

Then, I wasn’t told when I needed to order materials by (like tile, shower cap, tub filler) so one day I asked the guy when I should order those and he said asap because they needed them by like next day or two. I was flabbergasted and did what I could to get expedited shipping but this delayed the whole thing by about 4-5 days.

Then, I went to look upstairs and the tile in the shower niche was the floor tile and not the shower floor tile - when I asked the guy why that is, he said they didn’t have enough of the other tile as 50% of the tiles arrived broken so they just put the floor tile in instead. I was a bit upset and asked him to please let me know when that’s the case so that I can order replacements instead of doing something I did not authorize. So now they’ve wasted floor tile and time cutting that tile that I didn’t want there. He did apologize and said he was trying to be proactive.

A couple days ago I was told the floor tile wasn’t enough as half of it arrived broken too so I ordered more but now they don’t have anymore and I wondered why they didn’t tell me before that the tile came broken. Now we have to wait until next week till replacement comes in.

A while ago I had to delay the whole thing for 4 days due to a work trip and they said okay, so that was nice of them to work with me on that. Today though I get another invoice (wrong amount again, I pointed it out) but last month the guy said next payment will be due once all tile is in and tub is in, but none of those things have happened yet. Now he’s blaming my delay and saying I need to pay it anyways.

Any thoughts here? I’m really struggling.

Thanks

I had part of the gutters come off my house and got 3 highly reviewed companies to come and give me a quote. All three agreed that I'd be better off replacing all of the gutters as there's already water damage showing on several parts of the facia and the current gutters are between 20 - 25 years old.

I would really appreciate advice on which to use. I live in a major city in central NC if that helps. I'm sure there's more I need to consider besides price and there may be items I can try to haggle down in price. Please share any and all advice or tips as I know very little about home repairs. Thanks in advance!

All estimates are for 6" gutters and our house is around 1400 square feet, one story.

Company 1

• Gutters and 3 kickout flashing at 3 locations $4200
• Drip edge $1100
• 80 ft of facia replacement $2800 or $4900 for whole house
• forgot to ask for gutter guards quote
• 15 year workmanship warranty
• Total after taxes $8687

Company 2

• Gutters $5945
• Raindrop gutter guards $3120
• Fascia 60 ft $2545
• Fascia guard service $1440
• 10 year warranty
• Total after taxes $13,995

Company 3

• New gutters
• Fascia replacement at $22 per linear foot, soffit replacement at $22 per linear foot & sub-fascia replacement at $12 per linear foot.
• Inspect the roof decking for any rot and replace it if needed for $3.00 a square foot.
  
• Ice and water shield
• Repair up to 70 linear feet of fascia with Hardie siding for the fascia.
• All of the above for $5158
• Gutter guards $2860
• 1 year workmanship warranty

If it's helpful I can upload the actual quotes and add links, just let me know!

I live in New York and I have a steam radiator system, powered by oil. My oil tank is rusting on the bottom and it is definitely time to replace the tank. My oil furnace is about 14 years old, and my hot water heater is about 11 years old.

I already have gas lines running into my home - since the tank needs to be replaced anyway, is it worth just switching to gas at this point rather than replacing the tank? The cost to replace the whole system (with permits, new furnace, hot water heater, chimney flue, etc) is $19k.

By the way, I do have 4 Fujitsu mini splits in my house, which offer both AC and heat. However, I don't know how efficient they are when the temperature gets really cold and there's not enough of them to use them as primary heat source.

For the past few months, I have noticed a change in the filters I used for our refrigerator. Typically, i change these every 4 months or so, but lately I've noticed the filters effeciency decrease very quickly. I recently changed my filter 2 week ago, and it's already showing signs of struggling. I've used the same filters for years and I've never had such an issue. For context, I live in suburban area in Illinois. My home was built around 7 years ago, 5 of which we have lived in. Many of the homes are less than 12 years old, but a new subdivision is going up soon adjacent to ours my questions is: How would you go about finding the root cause? I'm worried the utility work for the new subdivision has introduced something in our water.

Really stuck on this one. If anyone has any advice please help! There is a black mudroom door nearby that is tradional wood, painted black. House is white. Door hardware is satin brass. Smooth or textured finish?! Smooth is $500 cheaper.

I’m redoing by pantry/storage/laundry room and I’d love to install proper cabinets/shelving with some counter top area. I’m trying to keep this on the lower end budget wise so I don’t want or need high quality cabinets, I’m thinking pre-fab MDF type (the kind that those closet systems are usually made of). What kind of counter tops should I be looking into? I don’t need a stone- it’s not an area that food prep will be done but I do want something that’s low maintenance and durable (because, kids). Any suggestions for where to look for this?

Just bought an older house (1960s) with my wife, our first.

Upstairs bathroom, some water splashed out of the tub when showering. Discovered this led to a drip in the floor beneath, so the water got under the tub somehow. When the water was cleaned up the drip stopped. It also doesn't happen if there is no water that splashes outside the tub. The floor is this thick chunky somewhat uneven tile whose material I am unsure of.

Looking closer, we found that the caulking basically needed replacement, especially the line where the tub met the floor.

After buying some caulking removal tools, I have been hacking away at pulling out this dry and brittle caulking. With the type of tile and paint, it has been a bit of an ordeal. Underneath the caulking is what looks like an entirely different colour (a bizarre sky blue). So the previous owners must have painted it white over top of the original.

Unfortunately, removing the caulking has removed some of this paint. What product can I use to touch up the scratches that have resulted from the caulking removal? Is there some sort of filler paint I can use for this? I don't have to refinish this whole thing, do I?

I just want to seal the tub so it doesn't leak to the floor below if water splashes out of it again, but I also don't want these scratches to cause issues with the tub itself and/or the colour that it currently is.

If this description is inadequate I can provide pictures.

After 10+ years my disposal decided it didn’t owe me anything. I’m in my 60s and under the delusion that I don’t need to call The Guy for every little thing. I bought the same model and it looks like a pretty basic procedure … what do I need to watch for so I don’t end up crying on the kitchen floor in the fetal position?

I would love to paint my front door with that super mirror gloss. But I’m just a regular person. I’m aware it takes tons of skill, time and labor to achieve that result you might get from, say, Hollandlac.

With that said, is it possible to come close in any way?

Does Sherwin Williams make a gloss finish that can sort of emulate that? Is there such a thing as a glossy “top coat” finisher?

I’m willing to put in some time & elbow grease for a good result and I don’t mind sanding or taking a few days. But I don’t want to be unrealistic.

Thank you for any advice!

I recently bought a condo that I am updating. I have decided on these two options. I will be painting the whole room, replacing the toilet, flooring, and light fixture at some point.

Current status: Imgur Images

(Budget) Paint the current vanity, add drawer handles, replace the sink and top with an all in one. Replace the mirror with something slightly smaller with a border.

(Expensive) Since there is a large gap between the vanity and toilet, making it so the toilet paper holder is a bit of a reach, replace the whole vanity and top with a 48" option, maybe with a modern legged style so it sits on the new flooring. I feel like the gained counter space would be nice, along with bringing the toilet paper within reasonable reach of the toilet. It used to be on the other wall in front of the toilet and got in the way of getting out of the shower.

Any pros and cons to either option to consider?

My brother is recovering at home right now and I genuinely never noticed how awkward his bathroom was until I watched him try to use it with limited mobility. High tub wall, nothing useful to grab, shower controls positioned like they were designed for an escape room. I’ve been searching walk in shower installation Rochester because he doesn’t need the whole room redone. For anyone who changed a bathroom after surgery or an injury, what ended up being way more useful than you expected?

Hey everyone,

We recently had exterior work done (new stucco layer/siding), and when the contractor went to reattach the original downspouts, they said the gap to the wall is now too large for them to reach properly. They mentioned reinstalling the old ones might crack them, or they can supply new ones.

Looking at how the downspout connects coming off the soffit/fascia, is this standard practice after adding wall thickness, or should an extension/offset elbow handle this easily?

Appreciate any insight from anyone who has dealt with this or does gutter work!

Downpipe example

Hi everyone. The patio added on the back of our house has wood siding that's rotted/ing. We bought this house a little less than a year ago and the previous owners left us a LOT of documents. It looks like he paid someone ~7 years ago to replace the wood siding. I'm wondering if it's worth replacing or remodel with a more open design.The yard had a low spot next to the patio which we filled with dirt but I'm not sure if that will fix the issue

We live somewhere there are a ton of mosquitos so screening is a must

Pictures

https://imgur.com/a/gdBWhge

I’m in the process of interviewing contractors to replace my siding, soffits, fascia, and gutters and I wanted to come to seek advice from the Reddit hivemind before proceeding.

Trying to decide between vinyl and hardie board, different insulation and wrappings etc.

Any advice? What did you learn that you wish you knew from the beginning?

Our baby's room has been feeling pretty muggy at night, and I've noticed condensation on the window almost every morning. I've been running a Veagaso dehumidifier in the room for a while, and so far, I’ve noticed the condensation has improved.

One thing I've noticed, though, I'm still figuring out the best placement for the unit and cord with a crawling baby.

For those with a nursery or baby's room, what humidity level (RH) do you usually aim for? Do you run your dehumidifier overnight, or mostly during the day with the door closed?

Hi everyone,

My in-laws have this attic space that we really want to convert into a usable loft room(s). However, there’s this low horizontal wooden beam running across the floor/base (highlighted in red) that gets in the way.

https://imgur.com/gallery/1KeHvHi

would love to remove it (or move it) to open up the space, but I’m assuming it’s super important for holding up the roof and/or supporting the chimney. Since I don't have a background in construction and don't know the proper terminology, I wanted to ask:

1.Is it even possible to remove/replace a beam like this? Or is this a "do not touch" situation?

2.If it is possible, what is the usual way this is done? (e.g. Do they install new supports higher up first?)

We are absolutely going to hire a structural engineer and professionals (if we can communicate with them sufficiently), to design and do this, especially because we have a language barrier locally (Poland, I'm British), and want to know what "good" or normal looks like before we start getting quotes and, talking to contractors.

Thank you for any simple, non-expert explanations or advice!

Hi, are track lights in living and dining room areas appealing today? What about sputnik and/or pendant fixtures instead? Trying to decide how to renovate. Thanks!

I have a Mueller metal home with R panel siding that is rusting along the bottom (the first 12 to 18 inches or so). It is two story so I'd rather not replace the entire sheets. I'm trying to think if an "after the fact" wainscoting repair would work, or even be possible. Anyone tried this, or have a better solution, please feel free to comment.

https://imgur.com/a/sXxjGhE

I have a 8' x 12' deck that I'd like to convert to year-round living space. It's well-built, already has a roof over it and electric (overhead lights and a GFI). My basic idea is to put in insulated walls and windows and replace the decking with a subfloor and vinyl flooring. 

I live in a cold climate, so am looking for recommendations on heating and insulating the space. 

Under the decking: the deck is elevated off the ground so it's easy to get underneath it. It has 2x8 joists spaced 16". I'm thinking I'll put in fiberglass insulation batts that fill the depth of the joists, spray foam any gaps, and then screw 2" rigid foam on the bottom of the joists, taping the seams. Then, I would use long screws to attach plywood to the underside, and replace the fascia with something ~3" wider so it covers the exposed edge of the rigid foam. Does this seem like the right approach, or are there alternative options? Will I need an additional vapor barrier? 

Insulating the ceiling: I'd pull out the existing tongue-and-groove ceiling boards, put in as much fiberglass insulation as possible, spray foam gaps and seams, and then either replace the ceiling boards (and paint them white) or put up sheetrock. Currently there is no venting, so I'm wondering if that would be an issue with fiberglass insulation and/or if there are better options. I'm also wondering about a vapor barrier. 

Heating: the house is heated with forced-hydronic baseboards. One option would be to add another loop (ideally with its own thermostat), but I'm curious if installing an electric heater of some kind might be more sensible given the small space. I plan to use the space as an office, so there will be days where it can be a cold room. 

Feel free to chime in if there are any other considerations that I may not be thinking about. Thanks in advance! 
 

https://imgur.com/a/s4jiZXo

I know there is a stud here. My kids pulled the screws out and now it just spins as if I’m drilling into drywall. I can put it in at an angle and it hits but now it exposes the previous holes and just want it to look nice like it did before. If I drill into the old holes it does catch but barely, is it possible I just need longer screws now that it pulled out?

We had some damage to our basement due to a burst pipe and have had a VERY long road to getting things started again. We are using insurance and I've been going through their preferred vendor which has been a nightmare of an experience. When work has been done, its been great for the most part (amazing tile and drywall subs) but the GC has done some work that has been less than stellar.

They recently reinstalled the original shower glass back into the newly redone bathroom and the metal trim (track?) the glass sits in somehow stuck out 1/4 of an inch on the floor past the glass. It was the original trim and all I can think is that they didn't do a test fit and butted the floor trim (track?) the reverse of its original placement. They sent their installer back to fix it today and he did the work while my wife was home working and I was at the office. I returned back to find the trim (track?) cut back to the glass but it looks bad. They mangled the trim, put a nick in the brand new tile and managed to chew up the glass.

I assume that the only fix here is to purchase new glass, new trim and have them install that while replacing the tile? Any other options I should be aware of?

https://imgur.com/a/hsnh0GX

My countertop is dull with some scratches from using bleach etc.

Novus to
Y understanding is mostly used on cars but I’m wondering if it’ll work to restore the look of the countertop. Looking for advice.