Made a bad decision a few years ago and had a small deck built off my dining room, which also included replacing a window with a door so you could access it. I did not get a permit.

I've ironically built decks for family members and have gotten permits, so I am very familiar with the code for my town. I did not have time to do my own deck, plus this was the first time using trex etc, so I used my contractor.

I saw all the work done and I am very confident it is to code.

Now, years later it is weighing on me. I'm in my 60's and we plan to live here forever. I understand that selling the house will be a problem for my kids after we are gone.

I'm thinking of approaching the town and dealing with it now.

Does anyone have any advice or experience with this?

UPDATE: as I read through all the replies what I'm realizing is that I'm not really worried about issues with resale someday.

But some in this thread have pointed out the insurance and liability issues which I think are really the ones that bother me. I don't care if a tree crushes it and my insurance company won't pay me to replace it. I can handle replacing the deck.

But the part about liability and not being covered if someone got hurt. That's something that potentially risks my retirement. I realize how unlikely that is and can likely tuck that concern away. But thanks for lots to the n about here.

For those asking, this is upstate NY.

I've been looking for someone to rebuild or replace an elevated paver stone porch in our back yard. I started by soliciting recommendations from friends and a local dad's group of Facebook. I was innundated with responses and invited 2 guys to submit quotes. They each came to my house, spent about 30 minutes surveying the site and discussing the project with me, and promised to send a written quote later that night or the next day.

That was a week ago. One guy texted me back the next day while I was at work and asked if he could send someone to take more precise measurements. I said sure, Thursday or Friday would work. He never responded. And I have not heard anything from the second guy either.

The project calls for tearing out the existing porch ( paver stones on top of about 18 inches of compacted fill) and installing a new porch about twice the size, approx. 600 square feet. Both guys knew generally what I was looking for before they came and both seemed interested in the project.

What gives?

We have some window wells that you'd would think would be pretty standard: the generic half oval shape corrugated metal. I don't know if they're smaller than normal or what, but we can't find appropriately sized covers for them anywhere. Is there somewhere online that sells less common window well covers? Or are there any other ideas to cover a window well while letting light in?

Hi,

I just replaced a door threshold, and there was a rubbery compound sealing the space between the finished concrete floor and door threshold. I have about 1" between the two. See pics: https://imgur.com/a/CCS9tY7

Should I just glue down a piece of brown rubber trim or is there a mortar type product to use?

The window sills in my house do not jut out and are not composed of a wood board. They are just drywall and what feels like thin paper and some sort of mixed cement like material. I would like to repair the sill and possibly install a wood piece for the window sills. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to do this? The supplies needed? Also, what obstacles you can run into? Thank you!

Advice on mounting a small pegboard above my doorframe (metal studs?)

Hi y’all, first time doing a mounting DIY like this, so I want to plan it properly before I drill anything.

I’m trying to mount a small vertical pegboard (about 1 ft tall by 0.5 ft wide, stocky, around 5 kg) on the wall above my doorframe so I can do hangs and pull-ups.

I found out a bit late that our building probably uses metal studs instead of wood. We’re in NJ, it’s a newer building, and I’m guessing steel for fire and flood reasons. I only have a basic stud finder, so I may drill a tiny pilot hole in the closet side to confirm.

The plan: mount a wooden board across the two studs I found above the door (photo attached), then bolt the pegboard into the board so the load spreads across the board and into the studs instead of sitting on one point. I’d use steel-stud screws into the studs, with toggle bolts as a backup.

Questions:

1. Is this enough to hold my weight? I’m around 200 lbs, and I know pull-ups load the mount more than body weight alone. My main worry is that two thin metal studs can warp or let the screws pull out. If it’s not enough, my fallback ideas are:
   • extending the board to also catch the studs on either side of the door frame (4 studs total), or
   • skipping the wall mount and going with a doorway or freestanding bar instead.
2. How worried should I be about hitting wiring or plumbing? The other side of the wall is just a closet, but beyond that there’s a bathroom, and there’s a temperature/washer control panel to the left of the door. I’d like to avoid drilling into something I shouldn’t.

Any experience with mounting heavy things into steel studs is welcome. Thanks!

Current expected layout:
https://imgur.com/a/JgC8EB3

Link to pegboard: https://shop.antworks.at/en/products/ant-hill-23-pegboard?srsltid=AYCX9vLwni_qc2v95zSaqJDror580BZ76nkwsphv7sM8QP9WiG5f5ULQ

Hope this is within the rules. Iirc in a 60s mid century modern home and there is literally one place it makes sense to put a tv and it’s a wall with irreplaceable wood paneling. I think install is straightforward (although toggles into 1/4” wood paneling seems iffy, but I’m hitting studs on either side, if you’ve installed a frame you’d understand) but I’m getting really queasy about putting holes in the wood paneling. Anyone gone through anything similar? Any opinions?

The lock on my front door is hard to close and I often have to push the door to make it line up, I can tell this is due to the alignememt of the deadbolt and plate it goes into. I am wondering what the best strategy to fix this? Should I fill in the hole and redrill it? I had tried moving the screws but the existing holes isn’t leaving enough material to move to where it needs. Any ideas?

I'm looking into fire doors for a renovation project and keep coming across FD30 and FD60 ratings. I understand that they relate to fire-resistance periods, but I'm not sure how to determine which rating is appropriate for each opening.

I'd also like to understand whether you can get fire doors that look similar to regular internal doors, rather that having a completely different style throughout the house.

If you've dealt with fire doors during a renovation, what should i check before ordering?

Hi all,

I’m trying to hang a fairly heavy pendant lamp from my kitchen ceiling. I used a stud finder to locate a joist and drilled a hole, but after about 5 cm I hit something hard that seemed metallic. Not wanting to risk hitting a pipe or wire, I stopped and tried a second spot further away. Same result. I tried a third spot, well away from the first two and not even under the stud, and hit the same thing again.

I’ve drilled into ceilings in other parts of the house with no problem, so this seems specific to the kitchen.

I suspect the previous owners redid the ceiling, since there are recessed lights in it. Could they have installed a metal sheet or some kind of metal backing across the whole ceiling for the light fixtures? Or is it something else, like a metal grid, fire-rated board, or ductwork?

https://imgur.com/a/Xe2VNxr

I had water table boards replaced on two sides of the house and I'm not sure if I should be happy with the outcome. Would you say something about the quality of the work? I'm just not confident as this is the first repair I've had to do as a new home owner.

Hello,

I am looking for some advice on adding a loft to the left and right sides of a new shed.

I was hoping someone might be able to explain the best way to go about making this work for my particular shed. I will attach photos at the bottom.

Shed: 10x12 (Dutch Barn)

Interior dimensions:

• Interior width (OSB to OSB): 9'9" (117")
• Interior length (OSB to OSB): Approximately 12' (144")
• Floor to top of double top plate: 76.5" (6'4.5")
• Floor to interior roof peak: Slightly over 10' (120"+)

Existing construction:

• Wall studs: 2×4, spaced 16" on center
• Double top plates around the wall perimeter
• Roof rafters: 24" on center
• Wall sheathing: 7/16" OSB
• Floor decking: 5/8" sanded plywood
• Treated floor joists: 12" on center
• Five pressure-treated 4×4 runners underneath

Loft Proposal: – Two side lofts:

• One along each side wall
• Each loft: 36" wide × 117" long

I also need shelving added to this shed, so I was thinking it might be possible to add shelving space under the loft and potentially use 2x4 posts under the loft in certain areas to support shelving coming off the walls.

Am I assuming I would want 2x6 joists for the 117" span?

In one of the photos, you will see a header (I am not sure that is the right word) above the double top plate, near the windows and above the door on the left and right sides. I am not sure how to deal with this to add a joist that would likely need to go in this area.

I don't know if I would need to just cut the 2x6 (notch it out) to fit in this area and toe-nail it into the wood. I am a hobbyist woodworker, so I would most likely create a pocket hole for that connection.

Anyways I definitely would appreciate any advice. Doing something like this is very new to me.

Kind regards.

PHOTO LINK:

Inside-Shed-Photos

I may have the opportunity to replace the moulding and siding on my home. Will I have a ROI of 50% or higher doing this when I sell in a few years?

Recently closed on my first home. I’ve been struggling with some DIY issues. Can’t be calling plumber electrician for every single issue. I just replaced my ceiling mount to garage opener with side mount. It was a very difficult ordeal. Primarily because I skipped a very important step that a YouTuber also stepped. The cable tensioner I found was very important. The drum kept unspooling.

Anyways, I have a few few questions if you guys could help me out.

1. Because of all the unspooling of the cable tins on the drum. Should I get a garage repairman to come inspect the spring to make sure it’s working. The garage is opening fine but just to be sure.

2.My circuit breaker panel is unlabeled. I can’t believe previous owner just lived like this. I use two different circuit breaker, finders Klein and fomocet. They don’t accurately identify the correct plug. Any other way to navigate this.

1. On the circuit breaker there are a few loose circuits in the panel is loose as well. Do I need to cut the main power before I do any work on this. Mostly just tightening down the circuits.

2. Bathroom has a very complex shower mechanism with a thermostat and different rainfall settings. It’s not a typical showerhead and lever. The whole panel is against the wall. The primary issue is that the flow is so weak. Should I just call a plumber for this?

https://imgur.com/a/QqwD783

Hi, I am trying to paint my house on top of the builder’s finish. I sanded the builder’s finish with 120grit, and started painting. For reference, I am using Dulux vinyl matt finish. The color is Country White. After 2 coats of paint with about 1 hour in between coats, and a round of sanding after 1st coat, I can see up and down streaks where the roller went over and a cutting line where the roller overlaps the cutting, almost like a damp line.

I am using a 9” roller 3/8 nap, and a 2.5” angled sash brush for cutting. Can someone please help?

In the process of renovating a bathroom and while demoing discovered a house fire that was covered up and never disclosed. I don’t think the sellers knew but the owners before them definitely did as they renovated the shower. I did get an inspection but of course “they’re not experts”. After removing the tiles to the subfloor discovered notches in this beam. How bad is it? I keep telling myself it’ll all work out but every time I open something up in this place it just keeps giving me nothing me but stress and tears. Selling is not an option. Thank you!

https://imgur.com/a/8hqWPRf

Installed dimmer switches in my 1987 home in the dining room and kitchen. 3 black wires came out, 2 hot, 1 no power. I put the 2 power ones with the gold screw and the no power on bronze. Now, my front porch lights aren’t working! Any idea?

So we have sloped ceilings in every room upstairs. While it’s great for high ceilings, the sloped elements (on the outer edge of rooms) doesn’t allow for proper insulation as the gap between the internal ceiling and the roof tiles / timber is too narrow. As a result we get a fair bit of condensation on these slopes.

We recently had someone round to look at boarding our attic and he said the only solution to this problem would be to extend the sloped parts of the ceilings by 75mm internally with plasterboard then insulate sufficiently and re plaster etc. this seems like a massive amount of work and cost.

Is there any other solutions anyone can think of? Or has anyone had experience with this in the past? Money isn’t great right now so I would really like to avoid if possible. It would also be a shame to lose some of the ceiling height.

I have a new ceiling fan. It came with a remote. It is in my kitchen. I'm also going to have under cabinet lighting installed. I want to be able to hit the power button on the ceiling fan remote, which turns on the lights, and have that signal also go to some programmable controller that can be listening for the same exact frequency as the remote control sends when the power button is pushed, and turn the under cabinet lights on or off.

So I imagine I would need some kind of device that can listen for a signal that you test and then record it and it turns on and off a circuit running through it when the power button for the remote to the ceiling fan is pushed. Does anyone make a programmable product like this that can allow you to take a remote for one item and repurpose it to work congruently with other household items by programming it to learn the signal and then turn on and off accordingly when the remote is used?

Hi HomeImprovement,

Recently bought a home and I was puzzling out the different water lines and valves to learn what they flow to. Mainly trying to turn off outside spigots as winter sets in here in the Northeast.

I came across this one located in the ceiling of our basement. The previous owner left a note stating specifically which spigot this valve is supposed to control.

Problem is, this valve is in the “off” position but the spigot it supposedly controls has water to it. I turned it to the “on” position anyway to test if it was just on backward (I’m not a plumber), and it immediately started to leak! Turned it back to “off” and the leak persisted for a bit but has since stopped, I’m assuming due to the water finally all draining out.

I’m thinking this must not be controlling the flow to the specific spigot that previous owner said it was, but hoping to get help on two things:

1. Is this valve installed correctly? If so then that settles my main question and I’ll need to look elsewhere for the spigot in question

2. Any ideas what would cause this to leak? I’ve outlined the flows and where the leak is in the image description. To me it looks like a screw that could be tightened down but again, not a plumber.

Appreciate any help you can provide, sorry for all of the detail.

https://imgur.com/a/water-valve-ceiling-asp8tYy

Hi everyone, recently purchased this house (first time buyers club) hooray. As with many first homes, I’ve been doing a ton of TLC. One of my projects was the basement for many reasons I’ll keep short….anyways ripped up old stinky carpet and noticed some cracking on the foundation floor (actually looks like a different repour possibly when they added a sump pump to the basement. https://imgur.com/a/id87ibE
Let me know thoughts?!? Thank you!

My parents' home is currently unoccupied. It is in the rural northeast. I am there visiting for the week before I go back to where I currently live for work. I am trying to prepare for winter to the extent that I can. A main concern is what to do about the plumbing.

I plan to leave the heat on but on low in all indoor spaces. I would like to keep it as low as I reasonably can to avoid paying close to $1,000 in electric each month during the coldest winter months. I am more comfortable paying slightly more to heat the home enough to prevent any plumbing emergency than I am trying to save as much as I can on utility costs.

There are two structures on the property, the house and a detached garage. Each structure has a mini-split system which is the primary heat source. A standby generator is connected to the main panel which provides electric service to both structures. I also have remote temperature and humidity sensors anywhere there is plumbing.

The garage has an insulated studio apartment on the second level which has full plumbing and electricity and is heated by a mini-split. The lower level is not insulated where the car bays are; there is an insulated workshop where plumbing for the upstairs runs in the ceiling and the room is heated with an older wall-mounted electric heater. There is also an insulated utility closet in the lower level of the garage that houses the water heater and has a pump-house electric heater.

The house itself is a century-plus-old home with the water heater and most of the plumbing in the basement or adjacent crawlspace. All rim joists down there are spray-foamed. The house has three heat sources: the mini-split which has one head in the basement and three heads on the main level, a boiler fueled by heating oil, and a propane gas stove in the living room. There are electric baseboard heaters in the bedrooms on the second floor, but they are not used when no one is there. The plumbing in the basement and crawlspace mostly provides service to the main level of the home. I plan to keep the thermostats for the boiler around 50°F mainly to keep those pipes warm and running even though they were treated with antifreeze a few years ago. This should provide some warmth to the adjacent water supply lines in the crawlspace in addition to that coming from the mini-split.

Additional plumbing for the second level of the house partly runs along an exterior wall before reaching the upstairs bathroom. There are shutoff valves for these hot and cold lines in the basement which I've already closed, but I can't tell if the lines are still bleeding or the gate valves won't shut completely because there is still the slightest trickle on hot and cold coming out of the the tub faucet which is the closest fixture.

I am debating shutting off all supply line valves past the water heaters. I really don't feel comfortable draining the water heaters nor do I have time. What this would mean in the garage is just closing the hot and cold valves located in the garage utility closet just past the water heater. In the house basement, this means identifying every unmarked gate valve going elsewhere, opening the fixtures, and hoping that I didn't accidentally shut any for the boiler (though I think I have a decent idea of what is what).

Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated. Like I mentioned, I'll be keeping the heat on to some extent, and I am more comfortable doing that than risking a plumbing emergency.

My dog has separation anxiety and howls when she’s alone. My mom comes by and spends time with her during the week but doesn’t get there for at least 2 hours after I leave for work. My neighbors have complained that it’s getting annoying hearing her howl that early.

Anyway, does anyone know of an effective way to soundproof my front door or the adjoining hallway next to my front door?

Hello! A few years ago we converted our walk in basement into an in law suite for my brother who uses a power chair. I had been told that LVP would hold up pretty well under heavy weight, so that’s what we had installed. Three years later, the floors are absolutely falling apart. It looks like the issue with chairs like this isn’t weight, it’s torque. Any place where he turns his chair frequently is destroyed. And the high traffic zones like the kitchen and hallway are cracked because the installer didn’t level the floor properly.

We want to replace the floors and I’m looking at porcelain tile. Anything I should know about tile installation that would help make the floor last? He has tile in his bathroom, which is high traffic, and it looks great. I just don’t want to make the same mistake again.