Hi, thanks in advance for helpful comments, suggestions, recommendations. I am looking to begin an improvement project on a single fam home the day after tomorrow in Arlington, TX. So, of course I waited to the last minute before deciding to seek alternate options to Home Depot and Lowes (the only big box home improvement stores in the area). That's all I need, Mefites! I will have to go get the materials from Southwest Arlington TX, so preferably
posted by rxbert
on Mar 21, 2013 -
1 answer
Help us figure out how to cover up or replace this god awful kitchen floor. We just purchased a farmhouse that was renovated in the mid 50s. The mudroom and kitchen have 9" asphalt tiles that are all coming up (so not level), and on top of that, the prior owner used these rooms as a kennel for his incontinent daschund.
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posted by checkitnice
on Feb 16, 2013 -
20 answers
I'm looking for a water detection system with a wireless alarm.
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posted by shew
on Dec 25, 2012 -
3 answers
I need to paint my previously painted cement block porch while putting in the least money, time, and effort. What can be painted over a chipped paint job without it chipping again?
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posted by paperclip2000
on Jun 11, 2012 -
5 answers
What is the proper way to replace rotted siding and fascia (looking for someone to enumerate the layers and materials) so that the house is well sealed and weather protected?
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posted by hanoixan
on Sep 4, 2011 -
3 answers
Simple question: Where do I got to find short( 8'-20') lengths of SCH 80 steel pipe in nyc?
posted by edbles
on Mar 24, 2011 -
10 answers
No good deed goes unpunished: Gave my lovely little Greenwich Village basement art studio to someone for a few months. I got it back in the most atrocious shape...with my beautiful plaster walls completely hacked to bits from him incompetently drilling screw after useless screw into my wall, taking huge chunks of plaster out, and making occasional giant gouges with long anchoring screws (and even incomprehensibly applying adhesive spray insulation to glue wood boards to the wall. *sob*) The wall is about 11x9 feet. How much should I expect to pay to get this fixed? I'm handy, but know nothing about plaster and feel gutted about letting someone treat this super-old plaster wall so badly.
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posted by thegreatfleecircus
on Feb 22, 2011 -
20 answers
We've decided to move. We currently live in Omaha, NE and are considering moving to Cedar Rapids, IA, where I grew up, because greatschools.org indicates that the schools there kick ass compared to Omaha and vicinity. (Our kids are 3 and 1, so we've got time, but you know... no time like the present.) We're still a little conflicted about whether to go to CR or not, but I'll save that question for next week.
This week's question IS: what should we do to our house to get it ready to sell?
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posted by wwartorff
on Nov 10, 2010 -
14 answers
What are the potential problems, if any, of venting a portable A/C unit into a closet or attic?
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posted by wordsmith
on Aug 13, 2010 -
14 answers
I really want to paint my bathroom. I have never done any sort of DIY or home project before. Is this going to be harder than I think it is? Where do I even start?
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posted by JoannaC
on Mar 18, 2010 -
8 answers
I'm looking to buy a spaceheater for my girlfriend's apartment. Anyone have any recommendations on ones that won't burn the place down?
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posted by decrescendo
on Feb 18, 2010 -
19 answers
Is 40% off a kitchen renovation to be used in training videos and advertisements too good to be true? I'm looking to the hive to help me ask smart questions that will suss out a scam.
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posted by butterstick
on Mar 16, 2009 -
17 answers
Anyone found an energy efficient and cost effective CFL track lighting system? LED possibly?
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posted by jeffmac
on Mar 15, 2009 -
5 answers
My apartment has a ceiling sprinkler system and one of the heads that has descended slightly from the ceiling. Should i worry that the sprinkler head will go off?
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posted by slhpatterson
on Jan 29, 2009 -
9 answers
Mrs Baggers and I have just bought a house, and one of the rooms has walls covered with this ugly, bumpy stucco like stuff (photo
here). What's the best option for getting rid of it? Should we sand it down or try and cover it over?
posted by baggers
on Aug 19, 2008 -
20 answers
Can you recommend a wholesaler to buy laminate flooring from in Southern California?
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posted by KimikoPi
on Jun 15, 2008 -
1 answer
What set of power tools can I assemble that will allow me to build things out of wood and will store in a closet?
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posted by Foam Pants
on Jan 22, 2008 -
23 answers
I know, I know, light bulbs seem to fail in clusters, but I don't think this is to do with putting a bunch of lights in at the same time.
This week for instance, I got up and turned on my kitchen lights (8 x 50w small spots) and one blew and tripped my Ground Floor Light fuse.
A day later and I get home and turn on the same lights, another goes and trips the lights circuit again.
Later in the week, another goes in my study.
I replaced all the bulbs today.
I turn them on, everything is fine, I go outside and turn on the porch/side lights (3 x 60w) and two of them blow.
I nearly always have an inop light or two.
My question is this :
Is there an electrical fault which might explain this pattern of failure ?
Thanks
posted by matholio
on Oct 7, 2006 -
11 answers
Questions about 2nd coats. 1) DECK: Just stained deck two days ago with a semi-transparent latex deck stain ("Weatherbeater" brand). Unfortunately it dried a little unevenly, showing brush marks, so there are lighter and darker patches. Can I apply a second coat, or will that peal once the rain comes? 2) TUB: re-caulked around tub yesterday. Aesthetically it might look better if I could apply another layer of caulk to smooth out edges and make a little thicker (used white silicone bathroom stuff), but will the fresh caulk adhere properly to the 24-hour cured caulk? I had to scrape the bejesus out of the gap to get the old caulk out, and I don't want to risk the new caulk job failing.
posted by _sirmissalot_
on Oct 2, 2006 -
3 answers
Are there any easy and inexpensive solar kits for your home? Someone preferably DIY installable. (in the 500-1k range?)
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posted by mphuie
on Aug 28, 2006 -
4 answers
Home Improvement Filter: I'm trying to decide on a new floorcovering and I need creative ideas for wall paint as well.
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posted by mezzanayne
on Aug 10, 2006 -
4 answers
How thick would a carbon steel plate have to be to roughly approximate the bending & deflection characteristics of 5/8" to 3/4" plywood?
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posted by true
on Jan 19, 2006 -
6 answers
What are some usual (or unusual) home maintenance things/tips/hints that you do/use/follow periodically? Anybody have a link to a good list of these?
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posted by gwenzel
on Nov 11, 2005 -
11 answers
I was at Lowe's looking at a storm door for the front of my house. Pella has this thing called
Express Install. It shows a woman installing a storm door all by herself.
Anyone have any experience with these Pella storm doors?
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posted by clearlynuts
on Nov 7, 2005 -
6 answers
I'm working on a patio project at home, and I'm trying to calculate the square footage of an area that's in the shape of an irregular pentagram.
It's about 19ft 6 inches long at it's base, and then has measurements of 70", 93", 43", and 16ft (192in).
Is there a utility online I can use to calculate this area, or possibly a feature in Visio that I can use to do this with?
Many thanks in advance for any time you take to post.
posted by DCTapeworm
on Sep 1, 2005 -
4 answers
HomeImprovementFilter: I'm planning on having a basement room finished, and before I put the contractors to the time and expense of coming out for estimates, I want to know if the project will be something I can afford to do right now.
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posted by gwenzel
on Aug 18, 2005 -
2 answers
HomeImprovementFilter. Also, RiskOfBrainDamageFromPaintFumesFilter. I am purchasing two unfinished wood bookcases, and plan to paint them a glossy red. However, they are so heavy that once I get them delivered (4th floor walkup) I'll need to paint them in my apartment. I'm afraid that painting them in the apartment might be dangerous, fume-wise.
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posted by foxy_hedgehog
on Aug 13, 2005 -
13 answers
This weekend my husband and I are planning on re-doing the guest bathroom. The house is run-of-the-mill American wood-construction, built in 1985. The shower fixtures seem to be "original equiptment," as it were, and look bad enough that I'd like to replace them. The shower is fiberglass and there is no "acecss panel" to get to the inner workings of the shower. How do we replace the knobs, spigot, drain, and shower head/neck with the least hoopla?
posted by Medieval Maven
on May 27, 2005 -
6 answers
Old house, new to me, lots of quirks we're trying to fix. The old owner put clear contact paper on the garage windows, then painted the contact paper. He's been dead for fifteen years so this is old, tough glue.
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posted by pomegranate
on May 5, 2005 -
15 answers
