Moonsquares
Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2009
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
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Hi to all. I've been surfing the web like mad lately in search of home repair tips, and this forum keeps coming up in everything I search for, and usually, its the best advice. So let me introduce myself and tell you why I'm bouncing around the web in search of home repair tips lately.
About 6 years ago, I inherited a home from my grandmother. It's a duplex, with two 2bd 1ba units, each about 900 square feet--perfect for a single guy like me. The front unit was built in 1905, and the rear unit added about 20 years later. And since then, no maintenance has ever been done to it! Oh, sure, if there was an emergency it was fixed, but in the easiest and cheapest way possible. And I hate to say it, but when I moved in, I just slapped some paint on the walls and called it a day, as I was very economically challenged and, hate to admit it, afraid of doing home repairs.
Since then, the electrical has been rewired & brought up to date because it HAD to be, and the front unit has received new plumbing because it had to be done. And the plumbing is only the water in, not the sewer, and the pipes are on the walls.
So, about 3 months ago, I was looking at the huge sign I'd made and placed above my toilet, detailing how you could not just use the toilet and leave, because it WILL clog and it WILL overflow, EVERY TIME IT WAS USED, and I said "Hell with it, I'm replacing my toilet." Well, I learned that my toilet had a 10" rough in, then I learned WHAT a rough-in was, and then I got a new toilet that fit, and replaced it. It took 2 weeks of research to know what I was doing, followed by 2 days of work--seriously! But finally, I have a new toilet, and it works every time you flush it! You can see a photo journal of the project at Photobucket. The forum won't let me provide a URL as a new user, so search Photobucket for my user name, "Moonsquares," and check out the "Toilet Repair" album.
I'm not in really that much better of a situation economically, but my house ain't getting any better either, and I'd kinda like to have a decent home for a change, so you'll be seeing me around a fair amount. The first two major things I need to figure out before I start ANY repairs or renovations is how hard it would be to A) replace the existing galvanized steel pipes, so as to allow me to do any work at all in the bathroom (the tub is a thing of horror and must go!), and B) install any type of heating or cooling (yes, that's right, there is NO heating or cooling. There's not even any ductwork). I'll head to the right forums topics either tonight or tomorrow and start gathering info. Thanks in advance and I hope you guys don't get too sick of me!
--Chris
About 6 years ago, I inherited a home from my grandmother. It's a duplex, with two 2bd 1ba units, each about 900 square feet--perfect for a single guy like me. The front unit was built in 1905, and the rear unit added about 20 years later. And since then, no maintenance has ever been done to it! Oh, sure, if there was an emergency it was fixed, but in the easiest and cheapest way possible. And I hate to say it, but when I moved in, I just slapped some paint on the walls and called it a day, as I was very economically challenged and, hate to admit it, afraid of doing home repairs.
Since then, the electrical has been rewired & brought up to date because it HAD to be, and the front unit has received new plumbing because it had to be done. And the plumbing is only the water in, not the sewer, and the pipes are on the walls.
So, about 3 months ago, I was looking at the huge sign I'd made and placed above my toilet, detailing how you could not just use the toilet and leave, because it WILL clog and it WILL overflow, EVERY TIME IT WAS USED, and I said "Hell with it, I'm replacing my toilet." Well, I learned that my toilet had a 10" rough in, then I learned WHAT a rough-in was, and then I got a new toilet that fit, and replaced it. It took 2 weeks of research to know what I was doing, followed by 2 days of work--seriously! But finally, I have a new toilet, and it works every time you flush it! You can see a photo journal of the project at Photobucket. The forum won't let me provide a URL as a new user, so search Photobucket for my user name, "Moonsquares," and check out the "Toilet Repair" album.
I'm not in really that much better of a situation economically, but my house ain't getting any better either, and I'd kinda like to have a decent home for a change, so you'll be seeing me around a fair amount. The first two major things I need to figure out before I start ANY repairs or renovations is how hard it would be to A) replace the existing galvanized steel pipes, so as to allow me to do any work at all in the bathroom (the tub is a thing of horror and must go!), and B) install any type of heating or cooling (yes, that's right, there is NO heating or cooling. There's not even any ductwork). I'll head to the right forums topics either tonight or tomorrow and start gathering info. Thanks in advance and I hope you guys don't get too sick of me!
--Chris
