Broke It, Bent It, Tried To Fix It: Home Improvements

[DeLurker]

Unfortunately, the standard store size is at least half a yard too long no matter where I hang them, which is way too much pooling, even for me. (Plus with the dog, that will end in tears. And fur. Probably plenty of both.) We're going to have a hard enough time finding something we both like as it is to be able to limit ourselves to a non-standard size (that I don't think exists anyway). So I'm going to have to shorten the damn things, which on the up side does leave me free to do whatever I like. Yay. :/ That freedom is proving sort of a mixed blessing.

I am not a very good seamstress. If I go slowly enough, it will look okay, but this will probably end up being two weeks' worth of work. (Washing, pressing, measuring measuring measuring, cutting, folding, pinning, ironing, sewing at a snail's pace, pressing some more... I hate the cutting most of all, because it will show if light hits it, so I can't afford to botch it.) Or a lot of money to get it professionally done, which on top of unexpectedly buying new curtains and rods, is more than I want to spend. I just keep thinking about all those things on my mental list of "love to haves" that I could be buying instead. (But wasn't because I didn't even want to spend the money on them. *sigh*)

Um, but the painting looks good, so... *repeat*

My niece has been making curtains for her Mom since she was about 12 - Mom just buys the fabric she wants and my niece knocks them out in no time flat.  She's just good with that kind of stuff - she's made whole outfits, including jackets, for anime conventions she goes too - all without a pattern.  What is easy for her, is brain surgery for the rest of us.

 

But check your local paper or place an add in the local high school paper looking for a seamstress who can make curtains for you.  My local online paper (hmmm...not a paper, but you know what I mean) usually has several listings for Student Jobs or miscellaneous odd jobs needed.  You might also check if there is a local vocational school.  Mom used to attend one to learn new stuff when we got older (cake decorating and sewing are the only ones I can remember, but there were more she took).  She used to pick up the odd job pretty regularly that way - people who needed something done contacting the instructor.

 

ETA:  I'd need the curtains to cover up my painting skills!  So good on you that you are pleased with that!

Edited March 18, 2016 by DeLurker

[krimimimi]

Well, the idea was a good one, DeLurker, but now that I've had a poke around, it seems sadly the whole thing would be so expensive that I guess I'll end up doing it myself and putting the money for alterations towards the curtains instead.

I guess this has gone the way of the kids mowing yards. Nobody seems to just do odd jobs anymore. I can afford a professional seamstress about as much as I can a gardener...

If I take my time, I shouldn't do too badly. (Think snail's pace, and that comes close.) Not looking forward to it at all. Also, we can't seem to find something we both like. The old curtains have obviously been discontinued, because that would have been too easy. It doesn't help that we're both change averse. And neither of us likes shopping. I'm getting used to the splotchy curtain look. Maybe it's not as bad as I originally thought...

[DeLurker]

I'd probably just find sheets that I like and make them into curtains.  You'd only have to do the top hem.

[JTMacc99]

My home improvement project that is currently poking me is doing something with my deck.  My family room opens out to a small deck (10 X 12) that sits about two feet above ground.  I've had a too big table on it for years, and I've decided that one of two solutions are in order to make it slightly more useful.

 

Note that it get's hotter than Georgia asphalt in the summer with a direct southwest exposure and the sun reflecting off of my white house back onto this area, so this is never going to be a place people will want to spend a lot of time. But it does have a nice shade area on one side of the deck up until about early afternoon, and it's fine in the evening.

 

Option one is to remove the table from deck and replace the 10 foot section of railing on the shady side with a bar top and then either build or purchase four bar stools.  This creates a nice place to set up with drinks and even to eat lunch, and it clears enough room on the rest of the deck to put a couple more comfortable chairs on the other side without it feeling crowded.  This is a low effort, low cost project, and I just need to find a good example of what it should look like on the internet and could pull it off in a day.

 

Option two is to remove the railing along the side parallel to the house, poor a couple footings about 10 feet out and extend the deck to become 20X12. This is a much bigger project, but it would extend out into some more shaded area, and it would give me an opportunity to plant some additional shade trees and actually make the entire deck a usable space.

 

The thing is, I think option one might not be a bad idea even if I wanted to do option two, so there's that thought running through my head as well.  I'll keep you posted.

[Sarahendipity]

I can't remember exactly what it is called, but there is a double sided thin fabric that you iron between fabric and it sticks, therefore hemming. I think it comes in Ikea curtains. Interfacing? I don't think it works well for heavy fabrics.

[auntlada]

I can't remember exactly what it is called, but there is a double sided thin fabric that you iron between fabric and it sticks, therefore hemming. I think it comes in Ikea curtains. Interfacing? I don't think it works well for heavy fabrics.

 

We (and by "we," I mean "Mom") always used Wonder-Under or Stitch Witchery. I think there are different weights, but I don't know. Mostly we (she) used it for lightweight things like shirts.

[MargeGunderson]

I recently bought some heavy-duty Stitch Witchery to hem curtains. I haven't gotten around to it yet, but when I do I'll report on the results.

[Kate the Great]

My kitchen is being remodeled and we removed the (cheap, non-historic) cabinets on Thursday to replace them with lovely vintage metal ones. Check out this wallpaper (two different kinds!): http://imgur.com/a/EdXrL

 

It's not really salvageable, but it's definitely a time capsule. Does anyone have any ideas on how I might use either of these wallpapers in a way that wouldn't keep their ugliness in full force but would still honor the history of the house somehow? I was thinking of maybe papering a drawer or two on the inside with them but don't want to ruin the metal either.

[DeLurker]

How about framing some?

[krimimimi]

On 4/13/2016 at 4:54 AM, Sarahendipity said:

I can't remember exactly what it is called, but there is a double sided thin fabric that you iron between fabric and it sticks, therefore hemming. I think it comes in Ikea curtains. Interfacing? I don't think it works well for heavy fabrics.

That stuff is the only reason I was able to sew the last set of curtains reasonably "accurately." Thanks for the various suggestions, guys.

We bought some curtains (that I don't actually particularly like, but it turns out I like shopping even less, which is pretty sad), and now I need to figure out how high to mount the new curtain rods before I can sew them. Oddly, I find myself unmotivated to make that decision, as it will be followed by the dreaded sewing orgy and ~meh~ curtainage. *sigh*

Another detail I don't like about the curtains is they have a tunnel seam, and until now, I have used the curtain rods to hang seasonal decor. We haven't got a lot of horizontal space to decorate, and even if we did, it's just hard to dust when decorated. Hanging decorations was a nice and easy solution that will no longer be possible, and I'm bummed. (Not bummed enough to completely transform the curtains by redoing the tops, mind, but still...)

I hate change. *grump*

 

@Kate the Great - that paper is amazing! The drawer lining is a good idea (although it will probably quickly be so obscured by stuff as to be moot), as is framing it. If you aren't fond of the background color, you could consider cutting out the design and pasting it onto a background better suited to your decor (and then framing it...). I could picture the green? bit (trees and bee hive etc.) as a nice mat for a family picture.

Edited April 28, 2016 by krimimimi

[Guest]

I've been dealing with the landscaping project from hell for like a year now.  Who knew that the process of hiring a company to design and install a 2-4 day project could take a year.  Actually it may go more than a year since they still have two more things to do.  So my plans for the weekend have moved into the absurd because I've moved past infuriated to ridiculous.  I'm thinking of making little signs and scattering them through the yard.

"Mulch Rectangle - Bermuda triangle's black sheep cousin" - for the random rectangle of mulch in the yard (which is funnily both a triangle and Bermuda)because they ran out of sod and decided to pretend they were "extending" the island.

"The Misters Otto Lukyen Laurel - brothers from another mother" - because this has been going on through enough seasons that they are still here often enough to explain this to me...its 'normal' for the same plant variety to take years or never to get on the same blooming schedule.  Apparently I have a couple plants that spent their developmental years slumming it in the outdoors and a few that were pampered in a greenhouse.  The non-bloomers are supposedly both too old and too young to bloom.  I still think that is BS.

"Fighting depression" for the drainage problem that two people on the project alternately build up and dig down (at least three times now) in the yard to make the water not stand near the house (which it didn't when we started this thing)

I'll probably chicken out.  I'm afraid they'll get mad and never go away.  And they are going to finish and leave.  Its the principle of the thing now.

[Boris]

Howdy!

We are planning to renovate our home. The contractor said that we need to re-roof and also carpets need to be changed. They found that floors also need some repairs. We contacted a dumpster rental company and got a quote affordable for us.

 

 

The problem is that we don’t know which rental bin to select. Is there anybody having any experience with renting dumpster bins for renovation, please let us know

Regards

Boris davenport

[NYGirl]

I would ask the contractor how many yards of trash you will have but I'm guessing at least  a 10 yarder.  I used to work for a company that rented them.

[Qoass]

I'm starting to consider remodeling my bathroom and have no artistic vision.  I think doing just black and white would be a smart way to go.  Unfortunately, all the vanities I'm seeing that I like in black cost at least twice as much as the white or wood finish ones.

Would buying a less expensive one and painting it black myself be a horrible idea?  I'm not a great do-it-yourselfer so my painting skills are non-existent but maybe I could get some help.  If I hire someone to paint the room, maybe s/he could do the vanity too?

[Bastet]

If you're just inexperienced, I'd suggest doing a little research, practicing on some scrap wood and then doing it yourself - painting is simple, it mostly requires you not skimping on the prep work and knowing some basic techniques.  If you already know what to do and have painted before, but it's just not something you're good at, then go ahead and hire someone.

Do you have a friend who would help you?  A bathroom vanity isn't even a full day's project, so something I'd come over and do for a friend in exchange for pizza and beer afterward.

Oh, and if you do buy one to paint over, make sure you get one that has been painted, not stained, and try to get one with a low-gloss sheen -- much less sanding for you to do in prepping it for new paint.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Bastet

[Qoass]

Thanks, Bastet.  That's really helpful.

Wanna come over for pizza and beer?

[auntlada]

You could also look for one that has not been painted or stained, although I think you would still need to prepare it for painting. Sealing it or something. (I only vaguely know what I'm talking about.) I don't know if anyone still sells bare wood stuff any more, though.

[krimimimi]

I think Home Depots  are widely spread. They have a couple of sizes of unfinished vanities. Just as a "for instance." (I googled "unfinished wood vanities.") Also, if you decide to do it yourself and want to get a very smooth finish, it pays to get a spray thingie that you can fill with your paint color of choice and spray thin coats very smoothly repeatedly until you get the desired finish. They can be pretty inexpensive to come by, and often make a big difference in the result (certainly the way I paint, anyway...). 

Overstock also had some nice black vanities in a wide range of styles. 

 

@Boris there is a service called bagster that offers a foldable bag that you can probably pick up at your local building supply store. You set them up and fill them with stuff, and call for pickup when you're done, and it usually works out to be cheaper than a normal skip. Might be worth checking out. 

Edited May 27, 2016 by krimimimi

[WendyCR72]

Sorry, folks! Topic is back. A little merge error on my end. Forgive me! Re-titled as I forgot the old one!

[stillshimpy]

The old title was "Broke it, Bent it, Tried to Fix it: Home Improvements.   However, the new title works well too :-) 

Or something very like that.  I forget precisely what I made up that day I made it up, but it was like that. 

Quote

Would buying a less expensive one and painting it black myself be a horrible idea?  I'm not a great do-it-yourselfer so my painting skills are non-existent but maybe I could get some help.  If I hire someone to paint the room, maybe s/he could do the vanity too?

Just a word of advice on Black Anything:  Be brutally honest with yourself about how much you like to clean, because black shows dust, spotting, any kind besmirching, pretty much immediately.   I had an engineered black stone vanity top in one of my remodels and it needed to be wiped down twice a day.  

Consider going with something a little more forgiving of daily grime, unless you are have a slight OCD cleaning problem (I do, so it never really bothered me).  

So I am in my third house since I started this thread, by the way.   Still sorting through boxes -- and found one with a terrifying smell, I made my husband go through it, outside and it did actually pick up a hitchhiker that apparently didn't make it all the way to California.  Rest in peace, whatever you were, wherever you came from and I'm glad the only thing you took out with you was a box of extra bedding that hadn't seen use in two houses. 

Before you ask, "what was it" , I do not know.  I bravely hid inside, watching from a distance, as my husband unpacked it and then suddenly began to do that heebie jeebie dance of full disgust (Numfar) , whirling around in circles and batting wildly at the air around his face.  My husband is 6'3" and he was whirling a lavender fleece throw around his head as he did this.  It was like the most demented dance of the veils ever. Reports are that whatever it was was likely reptilian and has no known family members with it.  Our relocation company had to go through Phoenix first, so it might have come from there. 

Also, I've already refinished a pine dresser in weathered grey to match the floors here, so I am just going to put in a plug for going with staining when possible because that took me less than four hours, start to finish, including sanding (then it had to dry for four hours) .  I'll post pictures after I get some things put the hell away.  My house looks like London after the blitz right now.  I seriously have to quit moving so much.  

Edited May 29, 2016 by stillshimpy

[WendyCR72]

6 hours ago, stillshimpy said:

The old title was "Broke it, Bent it, Tried to Fix it: Home Improvements.   However, the new title works well too :-) 

Thanks!  :-)  However, yours sounded catchy. Perhaps I'll edit it back as that's what people are used to!

[Boris]

On 5/27/2016 at 9:57 PM, NYGirl said:

I would ask the contractor how many yards of trash you will have but I'm guessing at least  a 10 yarder.  I used to work for a company that rented them.

@WendyCR72 . The contractor told us to rent 4 feet dumpster bin, they also suggested us a good dumpster bin rental company Junkit and we got a much better offer from them

[WendyCR72]

49 minutes ago, Boris said:

@WendyCR72 . The contractor told us to rent 4 feet dumpster bin, they also suggested us a good dumpster bin rental company Junkit and we got a much better offer from them

Actually, NYGirl gave the suggestion, but glad it worked out for you!

[Spunkygal]

On May 27, 2016 at 2:23 AM, Boris said:

Howdy!

We are planning to renovate our home. The contractor said that we need to re-roof and also carpets need to be changed. They found that floors also need some repairs. We contacted a dumpster rental company and got a quote affordable for us.

 

 

The problem is that we don’t know which rental bin to select. Is there anybody having any experience with renting dumpster bins for renovation, please let us know

Regards

Boris davenport

Boris, is the contractor you are using doing everything...roof and carpet and the other flooring repair? The reason I ask is that roofing companies in my area usually bring their own dumpsters when they rip off the old roof. So that may be a consideration. Also, my city's waste management department rents various sizes of dumpsters to residents for a fraction of a price of what a commercial dumpster company charges, so you may want to see if your town does the same. Saved me lots of money when I ripped out my own flooring!! Which brings me to another point.....I saved a boatload of money by ripping out my own floors. If you can squeeze out the time and are able to do so, you might ask how much that would save in your renovation costs. Not only did I love saving $1,500, it was satisfying that at age 58 I could do it by myself! Good luck!

[BooksRule]

I'm cautiously optimistic that I fixed my bathtub clog problem (or at least got a handle on it).  I had noticed that it has been sluggish lately, and it seemed to be okay as I gave the tub a good cleaning today, but as I finished, I realized that the drain wasn't working at all.  I had never had this problem before (just sluggishness).  All other drains in the house seemed to working okay, so it was just this one place.  I tried plunging, but it didn't do anything.  So I googled the problem and took off the drain cover (it was one of those metal strainer types held on by one screw and then removed the overflow thing-y (technical term?).  There was a little gunk on it so I cleaned it.  Then I got out a small wad of hair from the cross-shaped section right below the drain cover.  I took my wet-dry vac and sucked out the standing water and whatever I could suck out of the drain.  The drain seems to be working now, but it still isn't draining as fast as I think it should.  I'm just hoping that either I broke up the clog or (not as good) I just pushed it further down the line.  So, I'm going to use the other bathroom tub for a day or so and keep flushing this one with hot water and plunging now and then.  I'll leave the drain cover and overflow whatever-it's-called off until I know whether or not I've gotten the clog out or if I have to call someone in to help.  I had part of a soap bar disintegrate a couple of days ago, so that might have been the last straw that led to the clog.  I'm thinking about getting a drain snake from the store (nothing fancy, just one that will get clogs that aren't too far down the line.  I'm not confident in my handyperson abilities to attempt anything too drastic. 

ETA:  Has anyone here ever used one of these?  http://zipitclean.com/

Edited January 2, 2017 by BooksRule

[Maharincess]

@BooksRule, have you tried this? 

Remove any visible debris from the drain opening

Pour ¾ cup dry baking soda down the drain

Pour ½ cup vinegar down the drain and cover immediately with a rag or plug

Leave it in there for 30 minutes, and prepare boiling water

Remove the plug and slowly pour the hot water down the drain.

That's what I do on my clogged drains and it works really well. 

[BooksRule]

Maharincess, I haven't tried the baking soda/vinegar/boiling water trick on that drain next, but I'm definitely going to give it try.  Thanks for reminding me about that one!  (I have used it in the kitchen sinks, but not the tub). 

Edited January 2, 2017 by BooksRule
Spelling

[Sarahendipity]

Yes, those zip-its really work and it is totally horrifying. 

[Quof]

BooksRule, you really should have warned "Don't click this link if you are eating."

[Maharincess]

1 hour ago, BooksRule said:

Maharincess, I haven't tried the baking soda/vinegar/boiling water trick on that drain next, but I'm definitely going to give it try.  Thanks for reminding me about that one!  (I have used it in the kitchen sinks, but not the tub). 

You're welcome.  I'm pretty good at home repair projects and I really enjoy doing them. If you were closer, I'd come help you get your work done.   We would  shut those nosy  neighbors up. 

[BooksRule]

Quote

You're welcome.  I'm pretty good at home repair projects and I really enjoy doing them. If you were closer, I'd come help you get your work done.   We would  shut those nosy  neighbors up. 

I wish you were closer, too.  I have two toilets (original to the house, I'm told--1964 vintage, one is pink and the other is kind of brownish mauve) that need replacing along with the matching bathroom sinks. They are icky.   I'm probably going to bribe my sister to come down to visit one weekend and she and I might be able to handle it with my dad giving us directions from the sidelines (he isn't physically able to do these things any more, although he would love to be able to do it). 

[Maharincess]

I can't physically carry a toilet out anymore but I know how to install a new one.  I've always loved to repair and build stuff.  Maybe that's a product of growing up with only brothers. 

[Quof]

My house was built in the 1950s.  I love the fact that it is solid as a rock, and has more character than the cookie cutter houses around me.   I've rehabilitated/replaced most things in the 15 years I have been here - windows, doors, roof, refinished the original hardwood floors....   My bathroom sink is, I believe, original to the house.  The prongs on the drain have broken off one by one, and I can't figure out how to put in a new drain short of replacing the cool old sink, so things just regularly fall down the drain and I have to McGuyver a way to get them out.  

[Bastet]

Installing a toilet is quite easy so long as you can handle the weight.

For clogged drains, I first use a bladder (hose attachment); if the clog can't be pushed through with water, I pull out the big guns and use an electric snake.  If it's a really minor issue, I use the baking soda and vinegar routine.

6 hours ago, Quof said:

My house was built in the 1950s.  I love the fact that it is solid as a rock, and has more character than the cookie cutter houses around me.   I've rehabilitated/replaced most things in the 15 years I have been here - windows, doors, roof, refinished the original hardwood floors....

Same idea here; my house was built in 1938, and the quality of the construction materials and craftsmanship is worlds better than what is used in most new construction now.  I had the original galvanized pipes replaced with copper, my dad and I re-wired the electrical and put in a larger breaker panel, I had a steel roof installed, and replaced the windows (still wood, but the exterior is clad in aluminum, and the glass is triple- paned), so the house will still be good to go long after I'm dead.

[DeLurker]

@BooksRule - you might want to consider using Roebic Laboratories K-67 Granular Concentrate Drain and Trap Cleaner.  It is non-corrosive, certified biodegradable, safe for use in sinks, tubs, toilets, garbage disposals, and uses bacteria and enzymes to do the dirty work.  It isn't an insta-cure, but I've used it on slow moving drains and it works.  Sometimes I've needed a repeat application though. 

I like that I can use it everywhere - some are ok for this, but not that, etc...too hard for me to keep track of.

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

Same idea here; my house was built in 1938, and the quality of the construction materials and craftsmanship is worlds better than what is used in most new construction now.

I used to live in a house built in 1927 in So California.  It was tiny, but I loved it.  It was never much more than a shack when built so no "craftsmanship" to speak of, but major things that needed to be worked on were sensibly placed and reasonably accessible.  The biggest downfall was working through 75+ years of other people's fixes.

[Bastet]

Quote

The biggest downfall was working through 75+ years of other people's fixes.

Yeah, one of the greatest things about this place is it had only two owners prior to me, and the last one owned it for nearly 50 years and did very little to it.  Sure, that meant those big projects were left for me, but I'd rather do them and know for sure they're done properly than have to untangle other people's attempts to cut corners.

[MargeGunderson]

I'm getting ready to renovate my tiny half bath and trying to figure out what I can do myself. I'm pretty sure I can remove the sink but I'm not sure about the toilet. I removed the wall mount medicine cabinet this weekend to see what was behind it and discovered a recess already cut out! I found a vintage inset cabinet that would work perfectly. I'm planning to bring in the plumber for the faucet and toilet but maybe I'll get brave and try the faucet myself. The floor will definitely take a professional. 

I'm thinking of putting removeable wallpaper on the wall behind the sink. I may reconsider after taking down the existing (pasted) wallpaper.

[JTMacc99]

With crappy weather and a full afternoon open, I took a trip to Lowe's and got a new LED light to replace the crappy fluorescent fixture in my kitchen. I decided to curse myself and told the cashier "I should be able to put this in without any additional trips back here!"  Heh. 

Of course, not as simple as anticipated. The big problem was that the old one didn't require a box in the ceiling. The wire just came out of the ceiling and into the light directly. So... drywall needed to be cut, box installed (pain in the ass) and project continues. Needed a second adult to hold the light up to mark the 4 holes for mounting. Only had a ten year old, so she gave it a shot, but I ended up just using rulers to measure and mark. The drywall anchors that came with the light were shit, and I messed around for too long before I got mad and went into my basement to get some good ones. 

Once I did that, we had light. And holy cow, lots of light. So bright. And like 40% of the energy cost. Sucker pays for itself in less than a year. 

[MargeGunderson]

JTMacc99, I'm impressed you do electrical yourself - unless you are an electrican by trade (so you should be able to change a light), in which case are you anywhere near me? 

I removed the wallpaper today. It was barely pasted down and came off in huge sheets with very little sticking. The downside is that the wall underneath is damaged, possibly from being tiled at some point in the past. I've been reading blog posts and watching videos on skim coating walls and I think I can do it! I may need to take a couple of vacation days, though. 

[MargeGunderson]

8 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

Will you share what your wallpaper choice will be? I love wallpaper! We moved around a lot as a kid and I always remember one of the first things my Mom would do when we moved in was wallpaper the kitchen. I am especially partial to wallpaper that has a black or navy background with a bold pattern (geometric, floral, scenic, but nothing cutesy). 

Here's what I'm thinking of, and feedback is appreciated!

Little Blue Dots (the current favorite)

Blue Dots

Blue Waves

Blue Dot Trees

Blue Marble

The bathroom is very small 5x5, will have just a pedestal sink and toilet and will be painted white. The wallpaper will be on one wall, most likely the wall that everything is against. My house is a 1950s cape and the other bathroom is straight out of the 50s (green tiled walls with black accents; that bathroom is next) so I'm going with a vintage look. 

I generally don't like wallpaper, probably because I've removed so much from this house. Removeable wallpaper seemed to be a low-risk choice. 

Edited January 8, 2017 by MargeGunderson

[JTMacc99]

9 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

JTMacc99, I'm impressed you do electrical yourself - unless you are an electrican by trade (so you should be able to change a light), in which case are you anywhere near me? 

I removed the wallpaper today. It was barely pasted down and came off in huge sheets with very little sticking. The downside is that the wall underneath is damaged, possibly from being tiled at some point in the past. I've been reading blog posts and watching videos on skim coating walls and I think I can do it! I may need to take a couple of vacation days, though. 

I'd rather play with wires and plumbing than finishing walls. Yuck. 

I'm not an electrician. My dad was very handy. He worked with his dad as a mason growing up and then went on to be a civil engineer. I watched him do all sorts of stuff (he literally built the fireplace and chimney brick by brick for example), so I have been programmed to think some stuff is doable yourself. 

In college I had a summer job as a helper to the maintenance crew for a local school district. I helped the plumber one year and the electrician another year. Between that and the excellent help of the Internet, I can swap out fixtures and make other small repairs or upgrades. 

I'm also blessed with common sense, which is super important when dabbling in plumbing and electrical work. 

[MargeGunderson]

I am also blessed with common sense so hopefully that will help. I'm 99% sure that I can remove the vanity and toilet, skim coat the walls and then paint them. I want to remove the existing light fixture so that I can paper the wall, but I'm less confident about electrical. I'm reading/watching videos about switching out fixtures/capping wires and it looks doable but I'm nervous about anything electrical. I wil need to get a voltage tester. Luckily the guys at my local Ace Hardware are really nice about advising me and making sure I have all the right parts. I'll have my electrician do the install as I like supporting business and his rates are really reasonable.

[Bastet]

Quote

I'm reading/watching videos about switching out fixtures/capping wires and it looks doable but I'm nervous about anything electrical.

This is why I wish a Basic Life Skills class was part of every high school curriculum.  No one should be afraid of changing a light fixture.  (I understand why you are, because this stuff is not common knowledge - it's a societal problem, not a problem with you.)  Go to the breaker box, turn off the breaker that provides power to the fixture in question, (check it with a voltage tester to be sure if that makes you feel better), and play with the wires to your heart's content.

You'll have wires coming out of your fixture, and wires coming out of the electrical box in your ceiling/wall.  A black or red wire is the "hot" wire -- the one with current.  A white wire is "cold" -- the neutral wire.  A green or copper wire is the ground wire.  Strip off any insulation necessary to expose enough length of wire to connect and cap.  Using wire nuts or similar to do that twisting together and capping (make sure you use the right size - they should come with the new fixture - and create a secure connection), connect hot to hot and cold to cold, then connect the ground to, well, ground (usually a screw in the box).  Shove the wires up in the box, screw in your new fixture, turn the power back on, and you're good to go.

You'll step back and laugh that you ever thought it was something you couldn't do (and you can impress your friends who think the same thing).

Edited January 8, 2017 by Bastet

[Lisin]

Does anyone know anything about electric ovens? My 14 year old oven's broiler element just went out and I know I can replace it for like $30 and it looks super easy but 1) I barely ever used the broiler so 2) do I need to bother? I haven't done anything other than cook a couple of casseroles and some turkey breasts since the thing died and everything seems to work fine, so I guess my question is does the broiler element do anything during normal baking or can I just let it be dead and replace the whole oven later this year as I was already planning on doing.

[Bastet]

That depends on the model, but many ovens do use both elements during baking.  However, the bake element is doing the bulk of the work, so you could adjust temp/cooking time to allow for the lack of a broiler element (or just keep doing as you're doing, since you're not noticing a problem; it's probably only about a 10% loss you're experiencing if your oven normally used the broiler element during baking).  If you don't use the broiler, and you're going to replace the oven this year, anyway, you can just go without (unless you're going to try to sell the oven, in which case spending $30 on a replacement part might be worthwhile).

[MargeGunderson]

57 minutes ago, Bastet said:

This is why I wish a Basic Life Skills class was part of every high school curriculum.  No one should be afraid of changing a light fixture.  (I understand why you are, because this stuff is not common knowledge - it's a societal problem, not a problem with you.)  Go to the breaker box, turn off the breaker that provides power to the fixture in question, (check it with a voltage tester to be sure if that makes you feel better), and play with the wires to your heart's content.

You'll have wires coming out of your fixture, and wires coming out of the electrical box in your ceiling/wall.  A black or red wire is the "hot" wire -- the one with current.  A white wire is "cold" -- the neutral wire.  A green or copper wire is the ground wire.  Using wire nuts or similar to twist and cap (and make sure you use the right size - they should come with the new fixture - and create a secure connection), connect hot to hot and cold to cold, then connect the ground to, well, ground (usually a screw in the box).  Shove the wires up in the box, screw in your new fixture, turn the power back on, and you're good to go.

You'll step back and laugh that you ever thought it was something you couldn't do (and you can impress your friends who think the same thing).

I totally agree - if there were classes I could take now, I would do it. (I've checked them out at my local Home Depot and Lowes but they weren't very good).

Since you seem to know what you are doing, I have a question. I want to take off the fixture and leave it off for a few days while I skim coat/paint/paper the room. Since I can't leave the breaker off the whole time, can I just cap the wires individually and leave it that way for a few days?

[Lisin]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

That depends on the model, but many ovens do use both elements during baking.  However, the bake element is doing the bulk of the work, so you could adjust temp/cooking time to allow for the lack of a broiler element (or just keep doing as you're doing, since you're not noticing a problem; it's probably only about a 10% loss you're experiencing if your oven normally used the broiler element during baking).  If you don't use the broiler, and you're going to replace the oven this year, anyway, you can just go without (unless you're going to try to sell the oven, in which case spending $30 on a replacement part might be worthwhile).

Thanks! Yeah, I'm not going to sell it so I'll just keep on keeping on until March when I get the new one, and not plan on baking anything complicated until then! (I mean that the temperature difference matters a lot less for casseroles/meat etc. but baked goods care more if they're at the exact right temperature.)

[Spunkygal]

45 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

I totally agree - if there were classes I could take now, I would do it. (I've checked them out at my local Home Depot and Lowes but they weren't very good).

Since you seem to know what you are doing, I have a question. I want to take off the fixture and leave it off for a few days while I skim coat/paint/paper the room. Since I can't leave the breaker off the whole time, can I just cap the wires individually and leave it that way for a few days?

Yes!

[Moose135]

55 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

I totally agree - if there were classes I could take now, I would do it. (I've checked them out at my local Home Depot and Lowes but they weren't very good).

You might check if there are any adult ed classes at the local high school or community college.  I haven't looked at any adult ed stuff in ages, but I remember seeing them in the catalogs in the past.

[MargeGunderson]

@Spunkygal - thanks, I'm going to give it a try! @Moose135, thanks, I'll check that out!

@stewedsquash, thanks for the feedback! I'm now torn between the little dots and the blue trees. I think the little dots would look better in the space than the larger ones in Outside the Lines. I love the symmetry of the trees, and that it is a little unusual. I will probably dither for a few more days but I want to order it by the end of the week so I keep up my momentum with the project. 

All of the fixtures will be brushed nickel finish. The faucet will have porcelain levers for hot/cold and I found a towel ring and toilet paper roll holder that are brushed nickel with porcelain accents. I love oil rubbed bronze too; I have it in my kitchen and in my hallway light fixtures. I think the shades of gray for you roof and your door sound great.