The DIY thread - DIYourself

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
I'm working on a project for school and doing a paper on home improvement. There's lots of estimates on how much to spend on renovations and the numbers I see seem on the high side. An easy calculator is based on the value of your home. Assuming a $500K home, is this what the average homeowner is spending?

- kitchen 15% = $75K
- master bath 10% = $50K
- bathrooms 5% = $25K
- finished basement 10% = $50K
- deck/patio 5% = $25K

These alone are about half of the value of the house. Based of the flat value of many homes in NJ, how do homeowners recoup on these expenditures even if DIY? Guess that's why it's called a money pit...
 

Zaskar

Well-Known Member
are there good sources other than CL for second hand building materials?
We're close to getting a rental property which needs work. Looking for good kitchen cabinets and solid doors and don't want to spend a ton.

This place has removed kitchens, counters and other stuff. https://greendemolitions.com

We took a walk through it but it was overwhelming but with a contractor or having a plan you can prob save some money.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
I'm working on a project for school and doing a paper on home improvement. There's lots of estimates on how much to spend on renovations and the numbers I see seem on the high side. An easy calculator is based on the value of your home. Assuming a $500K home, is this what the average homeowner is spending?

- kitchen 15% = $75K
- master bath 10% = $50K
- bathrooms 5% = $25K
- finished basement 10% = $50K
- deck/patio 5% = $25K

These alone are about half of the value of the house. Based of the flat value of many homes in NJ, how do homeowners recoup on these expenditures even if DIY? Guess that's why it's called a money pit...

you do need to live in it - and it may just bring your house back up to its potential value, rather than enhancing it.
25k seems right for the two bathrooms i just did. spent more on the deck but in-line with the 5%
Higher percentage on the kitchen, but it is really the focal point of the home.

good luck with the project.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
you do need to live in it - and it may just bring your house back up to its potential value, rather than enhancing it.
25k seems right for the two bathrooms i just did. spent more on the deck but in-line with the 5%
Higher percentage on the kitchen, but it is really the focal point of the home.

good luck with the project.
Kitchens and baths have about a 15 year life on average for those who like to keep their home up to date. Assuming you do a full remodel, like my neighbors, at move in, it's likely that you need to do another if you stay are the home for another 15 years. Unless your home doubles in price during those 15 years, I don't see how the economics makes sense with these average reno costs. I haven't even factored in the other home maintenance costs like HVAC, roof, etc. My next house will be one of them tiny houses....
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Kitchens and baths have about a 15 year life on average for those who like to keep their home up to date. Assuming you do a full remodel, like my neighbors, at move in, it's likely that you need to do another if you stay are the home for another 15 years. Unless your home doubles in price during those 15 years, I don't see how the economics makes sense with these average reno costs. I haven't even factored in the other home maintenance costs like HVAC, roof, etc. My next house will be one of them tiny houses....

appears you are looking at it as an investment, rather than your "consuming" the product that is parts of your house.
if the house needed a kitchen, the purchase price would reflect it. if it needs a kitchen when you leave, the selling price will reflect it.
your opportunity costs along the way???

just don't paint the walls green and yellow - like my house.
 

iman29

Well-Known Member
I bought this brand new trailer hitch back in March right after one of the 50 snowstorms we had. Guy ordered the wrong one for his make/model and lucky me it was the correct model for mine.

Finally got tired of it in the middle of my garage and my buddy helped me install it since I don't own any real tools like a torque wrench. Can't believe how simple this was to install 6 bolts and it's in. Minor problem we had was the factory threaded holes on the car needed cleaning and reaming and we had to go out and find a proper wire brush to fit. Thanks Home Depot.

Took us about an hour or so we went slow and careful or it could have taken less. Dealership wanted $300 bucks to do it.

Plus I don't owe my buddy any beer since he doesn't drink.

Last picture was his friend that's a doctor IMG_0352.JPGIMG_0353.JPGIMG_0356.JPGIMG_0354.JPGnew toy. I think it's a 2011 boxter spyder. Race track ready.
 

iman29

Well-Known Member
nothing too complicated but more a pain in the ass. Wife reported under the kitchen sink was wet last week. Quickly figure out it was the connection to the drain where the tailpipe connects. Wrapped it with some teflon tape and dried everything up. Done.

Not.

Turns out the plastic nut that tightens to the threads on the drain had a small crack and when she would do the dishes with hot water it would warm up and pop off. Last night everything was soaked agajn under the sink.

Off to Lowes to grab a new one and decided to buy a new drain kit for a few more bucks. Lucky for me I found a metal tailpipe with the dishwasher drain instead of the shit plastic one so I don't have to fix this again a few years from now.

love it when I can fix these stupid little things myself especially when my 11 year old goes "dad I didn't know you were a plumber" lol.

IMG_0605.JPGIMG_0607.JPG
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
nothing too complicated but more a pain in the ass. Wife reported under the kitchen sink was wet last week. Quickly figure out it was the connection to the drain where the tailpipe connects. Wrapped it with some teflon tape and dried everything up. Done.

Not.

Turns out the plastic nut that tightens to the threads on the drain had a small crack and when she would do the dishes with hot water it would warm up and pop off. Last night everything was soaked agajn under the sink.

Off to Lowes to grab a new one and decided to buy a new drain kit for a few more bucks. Lucky for me I found a metal tailpipe with the dishwasher drain instead of the shit plastic one so I don't have to fix this again a few years from now.

love it when I can fix these stupid little things myself especially when my 11 year old goes "dad I didn't know you were a plumber" lol.

View attachment 73816View attachment 73817
Not to burst your bubble but metal tailpipe will wear out twice as fast as the PVC pipe which is why plumbers will not use metal in this day and age. Shit just disenagrates especially with hard water.
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Finished painting trim in the front, power washed siding and rear deck/stairs (btw the old power washer died, a craftsman - if anyone wants to try to play with it, it's free. If not, it goes to the dump. It ran not well for a few hours, then when tried to start it a few days later, wouldn't run at all. Just starts and dies. Fiddled with it for awhile, then gave up and bought a new one).


this was my DIY project today, a little bit of time with a can of carb cleaner and some screw drivers and it seems to be running fine, lots of varnish in there, im guessing you never put stabil in the fuel?
 

iman29

Well-Known Member
Not to burst your bubble but metal tailpipe will wear out twice as fast as the PVC pipe which is why plumbers will not use metal in this day and age. Shit just disenagrates especially with hard water.

No problem thanks. Hence why I am not a plumber. But it should be good for a few years at least I assume and we don't have hard water here.
 

Jmann

Never gonna let you down.
This weeks chapter of my kitchen remodel: fun at the dump! The demo job I’ve been doing on my kitchen has been slow, so a dumpster wasn’t the best option (also a big red flag and my lack of permits). So I decided to dump the debris off at the dump. A month ago I rented a van and dumped 1.5 tons of mostly contractor bags of plaster and tile. I’m 99 percent done the demo so I figured I could do one last run and be done. Wanted to rent a 15 foot U-Haul, but they only had a 17. Last time I was at the dump I wa next to tractor trailers, so didn’t think it was an issue. Spent three hours loading the truck with tile, hardey backer, cabinets and tons of wood with nails sticking out everywhere. Get to the dump. They tell me I’m overweight. I’m in commercial territory, a ton over, no go. I plead my case that I didn’t know and it’s the truck I rented, not my load. No dice. After cursing the entire ride home (at $1 a mile mind you), I unload about half the load and go back. Still overweight. So I have to drive home and unload 2 tons of construction debris. And spent $120 on the rental. And wasted the nicest day of the week. I still can’t believe how that went down. 1C82C926-F665-4B73-8337-101F4D47A36E.jpeg
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
^^liked for good story - had to be the weight of the truck? not the waste. i've only heard that if it has
commercial plates, or you use a business credit card that they want DEP numbers on the side.
 

Jmann

Never gonna let you down.
^^liked for good story - had to be the weight of the truck? not the waste. i've only heard that if it has
commercial plates, or you use a business credit card that they want DEP numbers on the side.
Yeah, just looking it up now, the truck weighs 8100 lbs. The limit is 9000 for residents. I was over 11000 the first time I went. So I was really close even without the load. I get it, it’s probably a cheaper rate for residents than commercial. But of course no weight limits are mentioned in the instructions on their website. I probably had 1.5 tons, which was ok. And it wasn’t an issue of the weight being unsafe, like crossing a bridge, as your pulling up right next to 18 wheelers. So I was screwed by a technicality.
 

serviceguy

Well-Known Member
Yeah, just looking it up now, the truck weighs 8100 lbs. The limit is 9000 for residents. I was over 11000 the first time I went. So I was really close even without the load. I get it, it’s probably a cheaper rate for residents than commercial. But of course no weight limits are mentioned in the instructions on their website. I probably had 1.5 tons, which was ok. And it wasn’t an issue of the weight being unsafe, like crossing a bridge, as your pulling up right next to 18 wheelers. So I was screwed by a technicality.
Where is this dump ? I have some construction left overs (mostly broken studs and concrete from the demolished foundation) that I need to get rid of, not much in volume or weight so I would like to avoid renting one of those dumpsters if I can.
 

Jmann

Never gonna let you down.
Where is this dump ? I have some construction left overs (mostly broken studs and concrete from the demolished foundation) that I need to get rid of, not much in volume or weight so I would like to avoid renting one of those dumpsters if I can.
If your in Essex or union county it’s the waste management dump in Elizabeth. Not sure about other counties.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Where is this dump ? I have some construction left overs (mostly broken studs and concrete from the demolished foundation) that I need to get rid of, not much in volume or weight so I would like to avoid renting one of those dumpsters if I can.
Try this
http://www.scmua.org/
Though sussex county just tell them it's from town in sussex. Pretty sure your in passaic so @V-Dub may have some answers.
 
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