Home projects

[philo]

Have not posted here in a year I bet. Since I was not doing much during COVID, I decided to get around to the home repair projects I've been putting off for 20 years. Not only did I get most of them done, I managed to lose that extra ten pounds of flab.

I am good at small projects but know when one is too big so hired a contractor to remove the 75 year old bathtub and put in and entire new bathtub/shower stall. It was a very large expense but I did not argue one bit with my wife.

Then we it was all done, she says : now we need a new sink.

Though it was all of $200 and I did the installation myself... on this decision we argued for three full days.

Typical.

[Ed Pawlowski]

But you save a couple of bucks and now have extra beer money. Good job!

[Marilyn Manson]

Why were there no arguments about the contractor portion but arguments about the DIY?

Were there arguments during the other DIY projects over the last year?

If there was, the common factor appears to be the Y in DIY. Just saying. ;-)

[gfretwell]

The hardest part of project planning is coming up with a plan your wife likes, then you have to hurry and get it done before she changes her mind. More than once we have made a sharp turn in a project but she is usually right, at least in her mind and that is what is important ;-)

Looking back, she probably was. It is usually stepping up a notch or two on the materials.

[angelica...]

Your wife, maybe. We just did a kitchen remodel where we mutually agreed on everything. For example, I found a cabinet pull and he didn't like it, so I picked a different one that we both like. Almost all the other decisions were even easier: these cabinets, this flooring, that countertop, etc.

I expect it might blow up when I buy fabric for new curtains, though.

Cindy Hamilton

[Ralph Mowery]

I just let the wife come up with what she wants and I tell her if we can afford it or if I am willing to pay for it.

Like you said, get it done before her mind changes.

[Marilyn Manson]

For me, the hardest part of planning a project is to get her to explain what she wants so that I can begin to come up with a plan that she likes.

Loving wife, fantastic mother, phenomenal cook, talented gardener.

Detail oriented, able to relay her ideas to others, technically savvy - not so much.

Once we eventually get on the same page - i.e. once I am able to draw the details out of her - her idea is usually a good one, even though changes often occur along the way.

[Wade Garrett]

Maybe now she'll let you take a shower with her ;-)

[Marilyn Manson]

JJ Jareau (Criminal Minds) "Doesn't showering with someone always seem like a better idea before you're actually doing it?"

Not always, but yes, sometimes.

[gfretwell]

I take my labor and materials a step farther. She buys the materials that you can see when the job is done. (tile, cabinets fixtures etc) Then she can't complain if she doesn't like them. She also gets the contractor price. My $20,000 hurricane rated Windor corner slider cost us $8,000

[Thomas]

Truly eye opening.

[philo]

I needed to install shut off valves.

42 years in this house and I finally got that project done. Thankfully the previous owner had copper pipes installed, all I had to do was get rid of a few short/ rusted galvanized pipes.

A plumber would have charged $500 - $1000 I bet

[philo]

One thing was that she ordered a larger sink than what was there and I told her the cabinet next to it would no ,longer fit and it would be one more thing we'd have to buy.

She insisted it would fit.

As usual, she was right though. There was 1/16th of an inch clearance...but it fit!

[philo]

I behaved well after that and even agreed to new GOOD, living room furniture . Almost 72 years old and for once in my life, the cheap crap is finally going to go,

[philo]

I think we are now done with projects.

Of course next...I blew some money on art.

[philo]

Nice.

Interior of our house is good. Outside looks like an old barn.

[philo]

My wife is really a great cook. Told her she really does not have to go all out but she does.

Only problem is that going out to a fancy restaurant is never as good as one of her meals.

[philo]

I might just see if I can do that, :)

[gfretwell]

Nothing wrong with that it discourages burglars and confuses tax appraisers.

[angelica...]

Try ethnic restaurants. It's hard to duplicate their years of immersion in their own culture.

Cindy Hamilton