Home Improvement

Remit_sl

shitlord
521
-1
10x16, but Ive never built a deck before.... A GC buddy is going to help me with some of it though thank goodness.
 

lurkingdirk

AssHat Taint
<Medals Crew>
50,739
245,148
Wood or composite? And is it over a walk out basement or something? Why so high?

Just curious. I need details so when I come over to hang out and drink beer on your new deck I'm prepared.
 

Remit_sl

shitlord
521
-1
All pressure treated wood. It comes off the breeze way on a daylight 2 story rancher. Yeah the 8ft height part of it is really the only part that has me wondering how I am going to do some of it, but thats what my buddy is for.

Many beers will be drank on that deck. Probably in winter because I wont get it done until fall.
 

iannis

Musty Nester
31,351
17,660
That's pretty tall, but you put a deck on mountain houses and you can start to get some absurdly high decks.

My grandfather had a deck on his house that had to have been about 30 foot up. That shit was awesome! In all reality it was probably more like 12-15. Felt like you were pissing on the treetops though. Ultimate power!
 

Remit_sl

shitlord
521
-1
Im planning to build it to freestanding specs, go with 6x6 posts, and attach it to the house/breezeway. With that height and the slope of my back yard, i might be able to reach my neighbors yard if i get my piss arch just right.
 

Remit_sl

shitlord
521
-1
I have a buddy from college who was invited to a friends parents house for thanksgiving. He pooped in their recliner, on a window sill, and threw stuffing all around their house. Dude was awesome.
 

Joeboo

Molten Core Raider
8,157
140
I have a buddy from college who was invited to a friends parents house for thanksgiving. He pooped in their recliner, on a window sill, and threw stuffing all around their house. Dude was awesome.
Is your buddy GG Allin?
 

Heylel

Trakanon Raider
3,602
430
I think we've decided to move forward with the third bid. I just emailed him this list of questions, most of which I think I already know the answer to but I want in writing:

1. I'm assuming we'll get a detailed contract that breaks out costs for materials & labor into line items. That should allow us to apply savings in one area to another, yes? (Example: If $300 is budgeted for tile, and it costs $250, then that $50 in materials can be applied towards the bathroom vanity or some other area).
2. I'm sure you have vendors for most of the materials that you would recommend, and probably are able to purchase at a lower rate than we are. How should we make tile, carpet etc. selections? What if we purchase materials ourselves?
3. When could work begin, and roughly how long do you estimate for completion? Is there permitting or issuance of insurance certificates that needs to take place first?
4. After reviewing your portfolio we realized that storage and shelf space could be an issue, and wanted to know how much it would cost to add some shelving (kinda like in your image (57).jpg) into the main room. I've marked where we thought might be a good place on the attached floorplan. It's a wishlist item since we're right at our budget right now, but wanted to ask while we were at this stage of the game.

Unless someone minds, I'll probably just keep updating this thread as things go along. I am way outside my area of expertise with all of this, and you guys have been ultra helpful so far.
 

Julian The Apostate

Vyemm Raider
2,439
2,527
Id have them supply everything. That way there are no fuck ups/miscommunications and if anything breaks or fails down the road he can't point any fingers at you for buying bad/cheap stuff.

I'll never install any customer supplied roofing/siding materials. I know what works, what our guys are familiar with, and what will last. My names on the job and I won't take the chance of a callback because someone wanted to save a few bucks by having us put on a cheap ass ridge vent they bought from Home Depot.
 

Xarpolis

Life's a Dream
15,375
17,712
I think we've decided to move forward with the third bid. I just emailed him this list of questions, most of which I think I already know the answer to but I want in writing:

1. I'm assuming we'll get a detailed contract that breaks out costs for materials & labor into line items. That should allow us to apply savings in one area to another, yes? (Example: If $300 is budgeted for tile, and it costs $250, then that $50 in materials can be applied towards the bathroom vanity or some other area).
It doesn't typically work like that. Most contractors only have you sign an initial quote sheet that you will have them do the work, and that's all you're ever given in writing. If you ask him too many questions, he may assume you're going to jew him down in price here and there, and that may scare him off or think you're not even worth taking the time to do the work.
2. I'm sure you have vendors for most of the materials that you would recommend, and probably are able to purchase at a lower rate than we are. How should we make tile, carpet etc. selections? What if we purchase materials ourselves?
I've had contractors in the past that allow me to supply my own materials. I do it knowing that I'm going to supply a higher quality than the budget stuff they'll give because it'll give them a little bit of fluff in their quote.
3. When could work begin, and roughly how long do you estimate for completion? Is there permitting or issuance of insurance certificates that needs to take place first?
I can't estimate time for the work, but the only thing a contractor will care about is if you have the money. He may ask for a small down payment just to purchase the materials (unless you're supplying them), but don't offer to pay in full up front. They're less likely to work as hard for you if you've already given them money. Keep in mind that every contractor doesn't do that, but I've dealt with more than enough who have. Robbing Peter to pay Paul type.
4. After reviewing your portfolio we realized that storage and shelf space could be an issue, and wanted to know how much it would cost to add some shelving (kinda like in your image (57).jpg) into the main room. I've marked where we thought might be a good place on the attached floorplan. It's a wishlist item since we're right at our budget right now, but wanted to ask while we were at this stage of the game.
No problem in asking for that quote either.
 

Heylel

Trakanon Raider
3,602
430
Having met him in person, I think he understands where my questions were coming form. He knows this is the first major renovation I've ever dealt with (it would have been obvious anyway, so I just stated that up front). He didn't seem put off by any of them (he noted that buying materials myself wouldn't really save anything, but didn't mind if we did. I'm fine going with what he provides).

When I say contract, I actually do mean a more specific quote sheet. What he sent me was an email with a list of items he'd address for the specified sum, but it wasn't broken up in terms of M&L, hours or anything like that. I just want to know what he's budgeting for each part of the job. He's supposed to get that over to me later tonight, and hopefully we'll start the wall demolition later this week.

As for payment, my father (did siding and roofing for years) insists I shouldn't pay anything up front, but I'm fine with a deposit if that is required. I'm currently waiting on the insurance check, so it isn't like I can just sign that over (nor would I).
 

Draegan_sl

2 Minutes Hate
10,034
3
Did some of my trim work this weekend. Only had 6 hours or so on Sat to start. Big hiccup was framing the threshold on the doorway on the left. Originally I was planning on leaving it as drywall, but decided to put wood. Had to run to the Depot to get them to rip some 5 1/8 strips of some thin plywood.

Anyway, molding takes me forever. My brain does circles around itself when I attempt to cut a piece of molding the proper direction at 45deg to wrap it around. Anyway, two sides of a doorway and a window to go and then on to the waincotting.

ZrirlW5.jpg
 

Heylel

Trakanon Raider
3,602
430
I've done some of my own trim work before and it just looks like hell. No idea why it ends up so hard for me to cut a 45 degree angle properly but it always does.
 

OneofOne

Silver Baronet of the Realm
6,976
8,743
My elderly neighbor lost $200k because she paid for a remodeling job (more like rebuilding the house in place) fully upfront. The guy did barely anything and after 3 months she was like wtf? So he just stopped pretending and walked away. As if that wasn't bad enough, she refused to take him to court. I realize "A fool and their money..." but damn, how people like him exist in the world boggles my mind.

Really good lesson about not paying upfront.
 

Heylel

Trakanon Raider
3,602
430
Who on earth pays someone $200,000 up front? I mean jesus, set up an escrow account or something.